POPMART -Love or loathe?

Originally posted by Risto:Damn i miss popmart

Originally posted by u2met86:[..]



Especially "Last Night On Earth" from Mexico City

Originally posted by anstratdubh1979:Love. The tour was far better than some have given credit.

Right or wrong, when there is a lot of production and video elements to a show, it doesn't allow for as much spontaneity.


Someone complained that the setlists didn't change much and Bono's voice was bad.

Zoo TV setlists didn't vary much. Heck, look at all of the tours... Other than some of the Lovetown and some Joshua Tree shows... the setlists have been 90% set with a few floating songs. U2 have never been like Dave Mattews or Bruce Springsteen

As for Bono's voice, it was talked about in U2 by U2. He had some sort of allergy issues and the actually reasons were not determined until after the Popmart tour. Since then, his voice has been much better. But that said, I've heard a number of Popmart bootlegs and I went to a handful of Popmart shows. Bono's voice was not horrible.

If I have one complaint, it is that U2 gave up on "Do You Feel Loved" and "If God Will Send...". And after issues with a fullband arrangement of "Staring at the Sun" on opening night, most if not all of the rest of the dates the tune was turned into a duet. That seemed like a compromise and admit to defeat.

It is no different than U2 trying and 'not feeling' other songs that got dropped. Whether you go back to Indian Summer Sky, Babyface or as present as No Line On The Horizon and Breathe. For whatever reason, it seems the band 'give up' on some songs. Sometimes only after trying a few times, perhaps feeling they just can do them convincingly live? Sometimes they seem to think/feel that the tunes are not working for the fans.

But as I said, seems that they do lose their nerve. I am not one that things all U2 do is perfect. But I think much of what they do has been very good. But sometimes it seems they take the criticism too close to heart and then slowly back away. Seems they did that with POP songs during Popmart and with NLOTH songs during 360 tour. If it appears that they have lost faith in tunes... fans might follow suit. I say: Be proud of what you've made -- win or lose.

I'm sure others will have other points of view. That is just how I have felt about it.

Interesting part for me... as much as I heard some complain about Pop and Popmart back in 1997... I have heard many, on many forums.... some of those that complained back then... talk of WHY U2 should be playing Discotheque and Mofo on the 360 tour... how it would fit with the motif of the show and the claw.

I'm pretty sure that 95% of any stadium would pee themselves if U2 played Mofo, Discotheque, Last Night on Earth, full band version of Please and/or Gone.

Originally posted by anstratdubh1979:Love. The tour was far better than some have given credit.

Right or wrong, when there is a lot of production and video elements to a show, it doesn't allow for as much spontaneity.


Someone complained that the setlists didn't change much and Bono's voice was bad.

Zoo TV setlists didn't vary much. Heck, look at all of the tours... Other than some of the Lovetown and some Joshua Tree shows... the setlists have been 90% set with a few floating songs. U2 have never been like Dave Mattews or Bruce Springsteen

As for Bono's voice, it was talked about in U2 by U2. He had some sort of allergy issues and the actually reasons were not determined until after the Popmart tour. Since then, his voice has been much better. But that said, I've heard a number of Popmart bootlegs and I went to a handful of Popmart shows. Bono's voice was not horrible.

If I have one complaint, it is that U2 gave up on "Do You Feel Loved" and "If God Will Send...". And after issues with a fullband arrangement of "Staring at the Sun" on opening night, most if not all of the rest of the dates the tune was turned into a duet. That seemed like a compromise and admit to defeat.

It is no different than U2 trying and 'not feeling' other songs that got dropped. Whether you go back to Indian Summer Sky, Babyface or as present as No Line On The Horizon and Breathe. For whatever reason, it seems the band 'give up' on some songs. Sometimes only after trying a few times, perhaps feeling they just can do them convincingly live? Sometimes they seem to think/feel that the tunes are not working for the fans.

But as I said, seems that they do lose their nerve. I am not one that things all U2 do is perfect. But I think much of what they do has been very good. But sometimes it seems they take the criticism too close to heart and then slowly back away. Seems they did that with POP songs during Popmart and with NLOTH songs during 360 tour. If it appears that they have lost faith in tunes... fans might follow suit. I say: Be proud of what you've made -- win or lose.

I'm sure others will have other points of view. That is just how I have felt about it.

Interesting part for me... as much as I heard some complain about Pop and Popmart back in 1997... I have heard many, on many forums.... some of those that complained back then... talk of WHY U2 should be playing Discotheque and Mofo on the 360 tour... how it would fit with the motif of the show and the claw.

I'm pretty sure that 95% of any stadium would pee themselves if U2 played Mofo, Discotheque, Last Night on Earth, full band version of Please and/or Gone.

Originally posted by bobplaysthedrums:POPMART
Loathe:
* The stage design and clothes. I think they took it a bit too far.