U2 - Zoo TV: Live from Sydney

[KevShmev]

Finally got around to buying this DVD recently.  Freaking awesome.  

Anyone who doesn't think Bono is both an awesome front man and a great singer, should watch that DVD.

[King Postwhore]

Finally got around to buying this DVD recently.  Freaking awesome. 

Anyone who doesn't think Bono is both an awesome front man and a great singer, should watch that DVD.

This is at their peek right before they went a little left field on albums and tours,  I like that they went back to basics on All You Can......

[KevShmev]

Agreed about their peak.  This DVD is one where you watch it, and you realize that the band was at the top of their game, creatively, live, etc.  I love the POPMart DVD, too, but the stage show there was a bit excessive, and Bono's voice wasn't quite as stellar as it used to be.  His voice is phenomenal on this Sidney DVD.  "Lemon" might not be their best song, but Bono's falsetto on that song is amazing, and he absolutely nails it.

As for going back to the basics, when looking at their career as a whole now, I love how experimental all of their 90s work is.  Many like to chalk Achtung Baby up as just a huge commercial success, like The Joshua Tree, but, while it was, it was also very daring and experimental.  What they did there is similar to what Radiohead later did when they went from OK Computer to Kid A.  And while both had some misses on them, both Zooropa and Pop have some wonderfully experimental tracks that work really well.  It is a shame that they all but ignore that era live now.  That experimental era is what turned U2 from what some would call a one-trick pony into one of the more diverse mainstream rock bands ever.

[King Postwhore]

That's why I love U2.  They are willing to take chances and I guess with sucsess, your allowed to go for it.  That is why I always loved Rush.  Always chaning their sound but still, it was Rush.  Same goes for U2.

[KevShmev]

Ya know, what you called "going back to the basics" earlier, many have called "playing it safe."  I mean, let's face it, they went back to their core sound on ATYCLB, and they haven't taken as many chances on the last three albums as I would have liked.  Don't get me wrong, all of those albums have at least a few great songs on them, but U2 was so daring back in the day.  I guess it had to end sometime, eh?  Nowadays, they seems a bit more concerned with protecting their legacy than expanding it even further.  

The good news is, in the past, when a record didn't do that well or wasn't gushed over by critics, they took it to heart, which inspired them.  Achtung Baby coming after the critically-panned Rattle and Hum is a perfect example.  Like it or not, U2 pays attention to what critics say and how well their records sell.  No Line on the Horizon got mostly good reviews, but didn't do as well as most of their other records have, sales-wise, and didn't have a single big hit (it didn't help that the lead single, "Get On Your Boots," sucks major swamp water), so that hopefully that will inspire them to write a kickass record the next time out.  The rumored Songs of Ascent CD has yet to see the light of day, so maybe they are fine-tuning it and making it even better, as a way of redeeming themselves.  We can only hope.

[King Postwhore]

Well, it's hard to say a band of their stature would play it safe.  I think they wanted to go back to a simple formula and good hooks.  It's the sound that intrigues me.  They are willing to change their dynamics and I love that in a band.  Besides when your in your early 50's you don't right as angry as you were in your youth with a point to make.

[KevShmev]

Their sound has always intrigued me, even when I went through a long period where I didn't listen to them that much.  In particular, I just adore The Edge's signature sound.  Many scoff at him being a great player, and, no, he is not a great player in a technical sense, but who cares?  He created his own original and innovative sound, a sound that is one of the major foundations of one of the biggest, best and most popular rock bands ever.  That says a lot about how important his playing is than the ability to play lightning fast notes ever would.  The Edge is on record as saying that musical notes are expensive to him.  I love that approach.  He puts his heart and soul into every riff, every lead, every single note he plays, and that always comes across in U2's songs, even the lesser songs. 

[King Postwhore]

Their sound has always intrigued me, even when I went through a long period where I didn't listen to them that much.  In particular, I just adore The Edge's signature sound.  Many scoff at him being a great player, and, no, he is not a great player in a technical sense, but who cares?  He created his own original and innovative sound, a sound that is one of the major foundations of one of the biggest, best and most popular rock bands ever.  That says a lot about how important his playing is than the ability to play lightning fast notes ever would.  The Edge is on record as saying that musical notes are expensive to him.  I love that approach.  He puts his heart and soul into every riff, every lead, every single note he plays, and that always comes across in U2's songs, even the lesser songs. 

100%  His craft is was draws me to them.

[KevShmev]

The Edge's lead playing in "Magnificent" is one of the coolest things he has ever come up with.  So simple, yet so awesome, like so many of his leads. 
 

[dedSurroun]

I love this DVD - watched it many times.

I'm thinking of picking up the Slane Castle, or whatever the name is - heard it's the best of their recent live DVD releases....?

[KevShmev]

A guy at work constantly pimps the Chicago DVD from the Vertigo tour to me, but I'll probably just wait till they release a 360 show on DVD and get that one.  That will cover stuff from all of the 00 albums, as well as having the classics.  I love U2, but I don't feel like I need to own all of their DVDs, ya know.   I already have three (Rattle and Hum, Zoo TV, and POPMart), and I might also get the Red Rocks one from the 80s at some point, so I think that is enough for now.

[shadowfex]

**Sydney   

[KevShmev]

D'oh!

[emindead]

A guy at work constantly pimps the Chicago DVD from the Vertigo tour to me, but I'll probably just wait till they release a 360 show on DVD and get that one.

HBO transmitted that DVD so many times that now I hate it

[KevShmev]

Finally got around to ripping the audio from this to my PC, and some of these live versions are going on my workout playlist immediately.

Oh, and if you are a fan of this band, and you still haven't bought this DVD, why the hell not?!?!  

[TAC]

I saw this tour in Foxboro. The only thing that bothered me was Bono's sunglasses. WTF was up with that??

[King Postwhore]

I saw this tour in Foxboro. The only thing that bothered me was Bono's sunglasses. WTF was up with that??

He has some eye condition that forces him to where shades, though, he's a showman and picks some wild ones.  Not as bad as Elton John was.

[TAC]

Oh, OK, I thought he suffered from pompous ass syndrome.... Seriously that was the only thing that bothered me. I don't own a single U2 album, but enjoyed them both times that I saw them (Boston Garden 87 & Foxboro 92), and recognized most of the songs just from the radio.

[King Postwhore]

Well he does haome funky rock star glasses but isn't that what rock stars should do?

I'll piss some people off by telling them I saw them in 1983 in the Orphium in Boston and then 1984 at the Centrum.

[TAC]

Well, they played quite a bit in the area in the early 80's. Colleges and I think they even played the Paradise. Imagine that?!

[King Postwhore]

Well, they played quite a bit in the area in the early 80's. Colleges and I think they even played the Paradise. Imagine that?!

I know someone who saw them in 1980 at the Club Casino in Hampton, N.H. on the boy tour.  That made me jealous!

[TAC]

Oh BOY!

[KevShmev]

The sunglasses on the Zoo TV tour were worn because of the roles he was playing on stage, one of which was that of a pompous rock star.  Read here for the breakdown:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoo_TV_Tour

But he still did some of the songs without sunglasses, so the eyes sensitivity must not have been as prevalent then as it is now.

[King Postwhore]

I didn't look at your link but I bet it was Mustapho(SP)?  The devil I think.

Edit:  I was wrong.  That was the next tour.

[TAC]

Well, then that make sense. I wasn't aware of the story. I just went to the show.

[El Barto]

Honestly, I really can't stand them beyond one or two songs.  However, I will check out the DVD.  It'll be interesting to see them in their prime to see if that makes a difference.  Besides, I love a good spectacle.  

[KevShmev]

The way they segue from "Running to Stand Still" (which has a very different musical arrangement from the studio version, while maintaining the same vocal melody) into "Where the Streets Have No Name" is nothing short of amazing.  Out of all of the live DVDs I own, those two songs back to back like that are 11 of the best minutes from any of them.

[dedSurroun]

Finally got around to ripping the audio from this to my PC, and some of these live versions are going on my workout playlist immediately.

How did you rip the audio?

[KevShmev]

Found a free DVD audio extractor program online a while back, and I use that to rip the audio from live DVDs.  Pretty easy to do, actually.

[KevShmev]

So, yeah, the new U2 360° at the Rose Bowl DVD is definitely worth getting.  Bono's vocals are a bit shaky at times (why in the hell do bands always record shows at the end of tours, when singers' voices are often shot?), but the stage show is very cool, and the set list is really good.  I love the remixed dance version they do of "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Crazy Tonight"...you can tell they have a blast playing it that way.

Set list is:

1.    "Get On Your Boots"      
2.    "Magnificent"      
3.    "Mysterious Ways"      
4.    "Beautiful Day"    
5.    "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"      
6.    "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of"         
7.    "No Line on the Horizon"      
8.    "Elevation"    
9.    "In a Little While"      
10.    "Unknown Caller"         
11.    "Until the End of the World"     
12.    "The Unforgettable Fire"         
13.    "City of Blinding Lights"         
14.    "Vertigo"      
15.    "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight"      
16.    "Sunday Bloody Sunday"
17.    "MLK"         
18.    "Walk On"     
19.    "One"      
20.    "Where the Streets Have No Name"      
21.    "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)"      
22.    "With or Without You"      
23.    "Moment of Surrender"  

[fadetoblackdude7]

I miss the old badass Bono from this era. Until The End Of The World into New Year's Day is my favorite part of the whole concert!

[KevShmev]

Yep, that was when U2 were at the most daring, edgy and creative selves.  I will forever kick myself for not seeing them on that tour in '92/'93. 

[fadetoblackdude7]

Yep, that was when U2 were at the most daring, edgy and creative selves.  I will forever kick myself for not seeing them on that tour in '92/'93. 

You're lucky you had the chance. I was 3/4 years old when that tour was goin on....Achtung Baby is one of my top 5 favorite albums of all time and I'd have died to see this tour. I'd have killed to see it........either way, what bliss?

[bosk1]

I still rank the show I saw on the Joshua Tree tour to be among the best concerts I have ever seen.  I lost interest in them awhile back, but have had the Zoo TV DVD on my "must buy" list for quite some time now and just haven't gotten around to getting it for whatever reason.

[King Postwhore]

Yep, that was when U2 were at the most daring, edgy and creative selves.  I will forever kick myself for not seeing them on that tour in '92/'93.  

You're lucky you had the chance. I was 3/4 years old when that tour was goin on....Achtung Baby is one of my top 5 favorite albums of all time and I'd have died to see this tour. I'd have killed to see it........either way, what bliss?

I saw them as a 15 year old on the War tour and again 2 years later on the Unforgetable Fire tour.  I haven't seen them in 15 years.  I should see them again since my wife has never seen them.