Customer Reviews

U2 - Zoo TV Live from Sydney (Limited Edition)

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is U2 at their creative highpoint. Zoo TV was far ahead of it's time, and is captured very well on this release. Disc 1 is the same as the 1994 VHS release. The video has been cleaned up to todays DVD standards, and is worth getting for that alone. However, the sound has been upgraded as well, and will not disappoint.

The sound is available in Dolby Digital 2.0, Dolby
Digital 5.1, and DTS.

Extra Disc:
'Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World' (4:19) is an edit of several concerts from the ZooTV Tour.

Bonus track 2 is 'Desire' (5:18) from the well-known 'Zoo TV Special' filmed in New York's Yankee Stadium, recorded to promote the ZooTV-Tour.

The Fly' (4:37) and 'Even Better Than The Real Thing' (4:23) are recordings from the Stop Sellafield Concert from 19 June 1992 in Manchester. Both songs have only recently been released on the single for 'City Of Blinding Lights'.

Documentaries:
'A Fistful of Zoo TV' (7:50) is an edit of various scenes from the ZooTV era, while a text tracker informs about the materials used for the stage, PA and
so on. Brief snippets of Mr. MacPhisto are included in the mix, as well as a reference to the ZooTV Confessionals, which are another extra on the DVD.

Zoo TV - The Inside Story (4:11)
Brian Eno and The Edge explain how the idea for ZooTV developed from the video for 'The Fly'.

Trabantland (7:45)
This is the story of the 'Trabbie' and U2's love for it during the time. Paul McGuinness, Anton Corbijn, Bono and others comment.

Extras::
The 'Video Confessional' was located within the
standing area of the stadium shows, and fans were invited to 'confess' - the results being broadcast onto the big screens during the encore break of the show.
This extra is an edit of people from all over the world.

Numb Karaoke (4:13)
A special version of the 'Numb Video Remix' to sing along to! Edge's voice has been cut from the mix, while Bono's (and Larry's) vocals remain in the background.

DVD-Rom:
Inserting DVD 2 into your PC or Mac gives you access to the CD-Rom Extras. These contain two screen savers and four background pictures for different screen
sizes.

Easter Eggs:
One of the Easter Eggs is the 24-minute documentary about U2's history, as originally featured on the 'Achtung Baby - The Videos, the cameos and a
whole lot of interference from ZOO TV' video release under the name
'Interference'. Another Easter Egg is a video (1:15) with pictures about nuclear weapons
and war. More interesting is the third video (4:16) showing a sped-up version of the setting up and taking down of the ZooTV indoor stage.

***Update on easter eggs***
Try this:
EGG #1)
While you are in the Main Menu on the second disc,
move the cursor onto "Extras".
Using the arrow keys on your DVD remote press "right" once (nothing will
happen) and then press "down" once.
This highlights the ZOOTV logo at the top of the tower.
Hit "enter" on your remote and it will take you to a screen with ABORT
written on it.
Slowly hit the numbers 2, 7, 1, 1 using your DVD remote (make sure your
pause between each number) and the egg will start. (27/11 was the day of the show: Nov. 23rd)
This egg shows the assembling of the ZOOTV stage/the show/and taking down
the stage in fast-forward with "Some days are better than others" as a
background song.

EGG #2)
Go to the "Documentaries" menu on the second disc.
Click on "Play all" and fast forward through everything, including the
credits.
When it gets back to the menu, move the curser down to "Subtitles".
Once your cursor is on "Subtitles" press "Down" once (the cursor will not
move) and then press "Left" with the arrow keys on your DVD remote.
A small symbol of an O with a line through it appears in centre screen.
Press "enter" on your remote and you'll get the 25 minute documentary "Interference", which includes "The History Mix"

EGG #3)
Go to the "Extras" menu on the second disc.
Scroll down the menu until you select "DVD credits".
Press "down" and then "right" using the arrow keys on your DVD remote.
A small symbol of an O with a line through it appears in centre screen. Hit "enter" on your remote and it will take you to a screen with ABORT written on it. Slowly hit the numbers 1, 9, 9, 3 using your DVD remote (make sure your pause between each number) and the egg will start. (1993 was the year of this show) This egg is about 1 minute long and is a montage of atomic-bomb themed warning drills.

By far the best U2 show recorded. The perfect mix of songs in an era where the band was confused, yet remarkable and groundbreaking. Highlights from this concert include: The Fly, Mysterious Ways, Stay (Faraway, So Close!), Bullet the Blue Sky, Lemon and Love is Blindness. A MUST for all U2 junkies.

U2's ZooTV Tour was one of the greatest tours ever recorded. U2 went above and beyond what most artists would do to create this tour. I have the VHS version and have worn it out. I can not wait for this DVD to be released. If you want to see a really cool concert from one of the greatest live bands ever, buy this DVD.

Clearly, this 1993 show from the Zoo tour in Sidney Australia is a favorite among U2 fans, and it's easy to see why. The band was tight and energetic, they were full of passion, and the stage production was simply incredible -- especially for its time. And, yet, after watching U2's most recent tours on DVD ("U2 Go Home: Live at Slane Castle" and "U2 Vertigo 2005: Live in Chicago"), I'm not nearly as impressed as I thought I'd be with the fabled Zoo tour.

In all fairness, I should come right out and admit that as an ardent U2 fan from the early '80s, I began to lose interest with my favorite band around the time Zooropa was released. I loved Achtung Baby, but I somehow felt that the Zooropa and Pop albums were trying a little too hard; in an effort to stay ahead of the game, I thought that U2 was losing sight of whatever it was that made them great in the first place. To me -- and to many other fans from my era -- U2 had no need to reinvent themselves; their sound was already revolutionary, and any major departure would be a step backward.

Having seen U2 in concert four times between 1983 and 1988, I skipped the Zoo tour and didn't shed a tear. I felt I had seen U2 in their prime and at the so-called top of their game. Ironically, it wasn't until years later, when I watched the 2000 Slane castle DVD, that I began to discover and appreciate U2's music from the '90s. Watching U2 in 2000, I realized that they hadn't lost a step since their "glory" days; they could still play and perform as well as ever, and, in some ways, I liked them even more. I was especially impressed with the consistency of the material from every stage of U2's career (including the '90s albums I had previously dismissed), and, all of a sudden, I felt a deep sense regret for passing on the Zooropa and Pop Mart tours.

And so, when I learned that the Zoo tour DVD was scheduled for release, I seized it with relish, eager to find out what wonders I had missed. I ran home, popped in the disc, and prepared to be dazzled. While I found certain numbers amazing -- "Zoo Station," "Mysterious Ways," "One," "Running to Stand Still," and, of course, "Where the Streets Have No Name" -- very few of the Zoo performances eclipsed, in my mind, the versions on the recent Slane Castle or Vertigo tour DVDs. Moreover, I found the whole Zoo TV concept distracting, over the top, and, I daresay, silly. Just like before, I felt U2 was trying too hard.

Meanwhile, I do respect and appreciate U2's effort in those days to step out of their comfort zone and into something more risky--especially when abandoning their signature sound could've ended in disaster. Furthermore, I'm convinced that U2 is a better band today because of that period in their career. What a lot of people forget, however, is that the Zoo and Pop Mart tours are NOT the essence of U2, but two unique -- and wonderful -- chapters in one band's 25-year odyssey. Meanwhile, I would argue that the recent tours, which do pay considerable homage to the '90s era, are a better and more complete representation of the "real" U2.

I think other reviewers have already said a good deal of what can be said about this release. The concert itself is amazing, with all the elements - band, visuals, music and sound - all coalescing into a feast for the senses. (Yes, you can feel it too, if you crank up your subwoofer.) I wouldn't bother contributing a review, except to address D. Roz's concern over the sound mix. His description of Bono's voice being mixed low and thus being drowned out by the music strikes me as being characteristic of the PCM stereo mix on the disc. In my opinion, this mix is poor: it stresses the ambience and atmosphere of the concert at the expense of clarity; at times, the sound quality is actually harsh. However, the 5.1 surround mixes are not this way at all. Bono's voice is highlighted in the center channel (arguably too much so at times), and all instruments are well defined throughout the space, with the audience properly balanced. The surround mix is also warmer and more pleasing all around. Of course, different mixes will sound different on different systems; however, my opinion is the surround mixes on this release sound generally excellent, and should be a selling point of the disc, not a deterrent from acquiring it.

1) Well, I like this DVD a lot, and I think the director's decision to put the concert "TV" phrases on our real TV screen is downright brilliant. For those who never saw ZooTV live (as I did not), it brings home with a diamond edge U2's point and passion about celebrity, advertising, and that horrible word "image." (The VHS had this as well, so it shouldn't be a big surprise.)

2) On the technical side, I don't mind the 4:3 aspect, since it was shot for regular TV, but if you've got a "stretch" feature on your widescreen TV, give it a try. I've got a Toshiba with a setting called "Theatre Stretch," and it makes 4:3's look almost like they were shot in 16:9. Not for the aspect purist, certainly; but lots of fun to fill up the screen!

3) I discovered how to get at the Easter Eggs by searching Google and playing with the 2nd DVD on my computer. Basically, when you play the vid on Windows Media Player, it lets you pick directly by Title #. So, I found out that the EE's were at titles 4, 8, and 9. Then, after reading a forum post from somewhere, I discovered that you have to know how to access title #'s directly with your DVD player's remote. It might say "program," or "display" or something else. I have an Onkyo, and it has a "search" feature which brings up a small screen in which I can enter a title # directly, hit "play" and it goes right where you tell it to. Much easier than figuring out which feature of which menu of which screen you need to manipulate.

That's about it. Enjoy it!
Rick.

I have a huge collection of concerts, both on laserdisc and DVD. Many DVD releases aren't significant improvements over the laserdisc, especially where a lousy job was done on the surround mix. This DVD kills my old laserdisc. The digital image is much cleaner. The DTS in particular is an incredible improvement because the instruments & vocals come through the mix much more clearly. This was a time when Bono's voice and range were very strong. The placement of his voice in the center channel is further testament to how good he sounded that night. The audience is panned more to the rear, which also cleans up the sound in front.

DVD 2 has some new peformances which are also nice to have, particularly the first track where the band lets fans up on the stage runway. The documentaries are also impressive as the sophistication of this particular road production has probably never been matched since. They had enough equipment to basically function as an independent television/sound production studio with live broadcast capability via satellite uplink. The documentaries will give more detail.

A DEFINITE RECOMMENDATION, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT YOU CAN GET IT ON SALE FOR $15.99!!

Upon my viewing of "Zoo TV: Live in Sydney" at the tender age of ten, it is secure to articulate that I was most enamored with U2. Now being twenty-one years of age, this particular show still draws me. Despite having been previously stated before in aforementioned reviews, U2 are unquestionably at their best. That is not to declare that U2 attained their peak during the Zoo TV Tour, quite the contrary, for their tours succeeding have been and are just as extraordinary. After it was announced that Zoo TV should finally be released onto DVD, a U2 fan such as I could not facilitate but express delight and make purchase with all haste. I highly recommend this product.

it's about friggin' time! i've been waiting OVER A DECADE for zoo tv and achtung baby (the videos, cameos and a whole lot of interference from zoo tv) to come to dvd. how could this not have been available sooner? one of the ultra highlights of u2's infamous career...but who cares? it's available now! YOU MUST BUY THIS!

of course the dvd is nothing like actually being there for those of us that were. not saying anything bad about the dvd, it's amazing! it's just that those of us that have seen u2 over and over again, each time it's a religious experience. both achtung baby and zooropa were highly critically acclaimed albums (and back to back). see them both together paerformed live here. it's a testament to one of the best tours on earth - ever.

This is the video document of U2's legendary ZooTV Tour that began in '91 in support of Achtung Baby and ended two years later after the band released Zooropa. This concert essentially followed that path - it began with the best that Achtung Baby had to offer and ended almost two hours later with several songs of Zooropa. This DVD is definitely worth owning. It may be strange at times, but it's never boring.

As the show begins in a stadium in Sydney, Australia, giant video screens spring to life on the monstrous stage that's shrouded in scaffolding. Excitement builds as horns roar, drums bellow, and strains from the chorus of Beethoven's 9th fill the air until - finally - Bono's silhouette appears in front of a blue screen accompanied by the opening riff from "Zoo Station." Do you remember the first time you heard "Zoo Station"? I do. In retrospect, it's easy to forget how radical it was for U2 back in '91. It was the shot across the bow that said, 'Forget about Joshua Tree. Forget about those heart-felt anthems of the 80s. THIS is U2 in the 90s. It's something completely new. Deal with it.'

"Zoo Station" is even more exhilarating live than on CD. The opening chords from Edge's guitar shock Bono with a massive jolt of energy - a sublime shock treatment that jettisons him into the opening set of irresistible songs. Bono, clad in shiny black leather and bug-eyed shades, shimmies, shakes, and slithers around the stage. He moves from "Zoo Station" into a vicious version of "The Fly" as Larry's drums and Adam's bass drive the song like a herd of funky buffalo. And it's no secret that Edge creates glorious noise from his guitar. How does he do it? I love to watch him play. His guitar seems like a 5th limb. I'm convinced he came out of the womb with a guitar strapped to his body.

During "The Fly," an intriguing mix of pithy words, phrases, and contradictions flash onscreen at the speed of light - as if edited by an MTV video director on crack. "EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG", "DEATH IS A CAREER MOVE", and "THIS IS NOT A REHEARSAL" were my favorites from the one's I could read.

Bono then channel surfs on ZooTV. The live feed produces a glimpse of various 'shows', including an Australian soap opera and a local cricket match. (The crowd's enthusiastic response to a catch made by a cricket player makes me wonder if it's the Australian equivalent of 'the shot' by Michael Jordan or a David Ortiz home run vs. the Yankees.) "Welcome to ZooTV, y'all."

They continue to charge through the best cuts from Achtung Baby: "Even Better Than the Real Thing," "Mysterious Ways" (including a belly dancer), and "One." "One" begins to reveal one of the few drawbacks of this performance. A stadium concert just can't match the intimacy of arena tours (including later shows on DVD - Elevation/Boston 2001 and Vertigo/Chicago 2005.) The quality of Bono's vocals on this song and many others are not his best. He's occasionally off key and often sounds like he's shouting instead of singing. While it's still enjoyable, this performance struggles to find emotional resonance.

Highlights from the middle section of the show include: a searing version of "New Year's Day" (with Edge doing his party trick of playing BOTH guitar and keyboards); "Angel in Harlem" (performed on the remote stage in the middle of the crowd); a stripped-down version of the underrated "Dirty Day"; a dramatic rendition of "Running to Stand Still (complete with simulated heroin overdose); and the always stirring "Pride" and "Streets" (great, but not quite reaching the peak of the goose-bump inducing performance on Elevation/Boston 2001.)

So, at this moment, all is in fine form. A solid - sometimes sublime - U2 show. Then... THEN... comes the encore and the appearance of "Mr. MacPhisto". Ugh. This has not aged well. For the uninitiated, MacPhisto is Bono's devilish alter ego, complete with red horns, shiny gold suit, and heavy makeup, making him look like a smarmy, sadistic clown. It's mildly amusing during the first song of the encore, "Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car." (Check out the blue uniforms worn by Edge, Adam, and Larry - clearly purchased from the Devo Bargain Bin! ;-) It becomes mildly annoying during MacPhisto's monologue as he tries to call for a cab - even HE seems weary of being himself at this point on the tour - and then it gets really annoying during "Lemon", one of my all-time, least-favorite U2 songs. Hey Bono... please leave the falsetto to Prince.

Even after he tosses off the horns in order to "get on with the show", Bono cannot rid himself of MacPhisto. Watching him try to sing the heartfelt "With or Without You" while wearing the ostentatious gold suit and sweaty, smeary makeup is bizarre and even a bit creepy. It doesn't work. It doesn't do justice to this song or the remaining ones ("Love Is Blindness", "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You".) Hence, the show ends with a whimper, leaving a strange taste in one's mouth and image in one's head. It's still entertaining. It's still a Must See TV for U2 fans. But in my book, it's not as strong from beginning to end as Elevation/Boston 2001.