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.
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