David Way ([email protected])
Fri, 11 Dec 1998 01:46:14 PST
Posting long messages to Wire like this on a regular basis is a bit
embarrassing because it reveals that I have too much free time. However,
recent posts from many people on this list betray the fact that this is
a common affliction among the readership worldwide. So, in the spirit of
unity that binds us, I salute you, fellow Wire-addicted brothers and
sisters!
I chose the title above because I'm going to be comparing the two
videos. I'm doing this for many reasons: 1) I want to encourage people
to buy the POPMart video ASAP if they don't already have it; 2) I'd like
to continue threads about which songs have changed live and offer my
humble opinions concerning them, in the hope that we can start some
discussion about the evolution of the band; and 3) I miss POPMart and
relating the stories of the shows I saw will help me relive the very
pleasant experiences I had while seeing this "Sci-Fi Gospel Show" (as
Bono very accurately called it).
Instead of the provocative subject heading I used above, a better
title might be:
POPMart: Progression or Plateau?
(This title brought to you by the letter 'p', who reminds you, "If you
need some relief, why not have a 'p'?" :)
To start off, I'll say that this video is, IMHO, as Grammy-worthy as
"Live From Sydney" was. (If you didn't get to see a POPMart show in
person, this is a reasonable facsimile. However, as we all know, no
video is ever completely like being there.) I hope it wins one (or more)
because that would be some belated vindication for a excellent tour that
has certainly received more than its fair share of criticism. Let's look
at the songs which the two videos share as a main focus. (Side note: do
you think the fact that there are no "Zooropa" songs in POPMart (except
for the cameo appearance of the Perfecto mix of "Lemon" before
"Discotheque") was done to give the each of the tours a very distinct
identity? I have to admit that since I saw four POPMart shows, I thought
I would eventually hear at least one "Zooropa" song jump into the
set-list.) I'm not sure if it was here or in "Propaganda" that I read a
fan's analysis of "Gone" being the farewell speech of Mr. MacPhisto from
the character's creator himself. Noticing the lack of "Zooropa" in the
POPMart set-list, that might be an accurate analysis. Self-referential
intertextuality has been the hallmark of "our leader", the punster
himself, Bono. (I apologize for the over-academic vocabulary just used,
but "intertextuality" is the perfect word here. An expanded vocabulary
leads to an expanded world.)
The "PopMusik/MOFO/I Will Follow" beginning of POPMart, IMHO, is the
greatest beginning of a concert ever! (If you can't be excited by that
intro, you may in fact be dead - take your pulse!) A very close second
is the "Zoo Station/The Fly" intro of ZooTV. (Note: I'm listing these
intros into the concerts by the songs played at the beginning of the
show which segue directly into one another without a break. Otherwise,
I'd have to include a couple more songs for each, and then we'd be
messing with the boundaries of "beginning" of a show and the "middle" of
one.) I especially loved the segue between "MOFO" and "I Will Follow"!
These songs are a perfect match-up for several reasons: both deal with
Bono's tragic loss of his mother, both are as intense a song as the
group has ever put out, and the surface stylistic differences
(quasi-techno vs. authentic punk) actually meld together perfectly.
Great set-list planning! (Side note: wasn't it fabulous to finally hear
a pre-"War" song in concert from these guys? I haven't heard anything
from the first two albums since "The Joshua Tree" tour. Gentlemen, your
first two albums still exist - play some more of the songs, will you? ;)
OK, the first song the two videos have in common is "Even Better
Than The Real Thing". (BTW, I'll be following the sequence on "Live From
Mexico City" for the songs the two videos have in common, if you are
playing along at home.) This is a very tough call. I prefer Bono's
performance in ZooTV, but musically I think it's a little more solid in
POPMart. The video back-up for both versions is about even as well. Call
it a draw.
Next is "Until The End Of The World". While the performance of this
song is great on ZooTV, the POPMart version is stupendous! This is one
of those songs due to the increase in quality in both the technology and
the players themselves between the two tours, the song just plain sounds
more dynamic. (Side note from concert experiences: in San Antonio, Bono
drove home the point with emphasis that POPMart was a "Sci-Fi Gospel
Show" during this song. At the end, when the screen looks like a
defective, static-filled TV screen, he reached out to the audience and
yelled, in his best televangelist accent, "PUT YOUR HANDS TO THE
SCREEN!" It was one of those semi-improvised lines that was just
perfect! Did he use this line at other shows?) BTW, someone asked in
Wire what he was doing with the guitar at the end of this song. He was
pretending to throw the guitar out into the audience, but he just
dropped it down to his guitar tech/roadie. He's just a big tease, isn't
he? ;)
Next is "New Year's Day". Vocally, this is definitely better on
ZooTV. But, the POPMart show has this neat scene with the lighters.
Would someone who was at the show in question and now has the video
please tell me whether the rhythmic, wave-like flashing of the lighters
was real or was this effect from good editing? It looks like the second
option, but I'm willing to concede that it might be the first. Please
let me know. This is also a tough call ultimately, so I won't make one.
("Wimp!" I hear you cry.)
"Pride (In The Name Of Love)" is next. A confession: before ZooTV, I
thought this was one of their least impressive songs live. I absolutely
love the studio version (of course), but I was always underwhelmed by
the live performance of it. On ZooTV, there is a vast improvement. The
video clip of Dr. King is also a nice touch. Musically, however, the
boys improved this song even more on POPMart. This was the first time I
was wholly satisfied with the live performance of this song. Anyone else
share my views on the development of this song over the years?
"Bullet The Blue Sky". Here is a clear winner: ZooTV. I love this
song live on any tour, but the ZooTV performance was so good that the
best they could have done with POPMart was equal it. (They didn't.)
Someone asked about the meaning of "Over to you, Roy." during this song.
The plane fight on the screens behind them was done by Roy Lichtenstein,
one of the best modern artists out there. (Side note: during the Houston
POPMart, there was some unintentional comic relief during this song.
When Bono was in his golf swing with his umbrella, the top came off! So,
here he is in the middle of a serious political song and the canopy from
the umbrella goes AWOL! I think it was all they could do to resist
laughing, especially the other 3. I couldn't resist, so I didn't.)
"Where The Streets Have No Name". Another very tough call. I love
the sequencing of songs in both shows around this song. ZooTV has
"Running To Stand Still" before it; POPMart has "Please" before it.
WTSHNN is a song of hope and is about as "happy" a song as they have
ever done; notice how the songs which precede it are songs of despair.
Thus, WTSHNN is used as the "antidote", so to speak, to the songs of
desperation. (I have to publicly thank fellow Wireling Chris Anderson
for helping me notice the sequencing on the POPMart video.) From a
personal point of view (and unfortunately the video does not do the
visuals justice), the video screen during the end of WTSHNN was one of
the most hypnotic sights one could ever hope to see. There is a picture
of a dove being released into flight, and there are multi-colored
kaleidoscopic tracers which linger all around it on the screen. With all
the drug talk recently, it is with mild trepidation that I say that the
effect was very "trippy". Also, Bono threw in this nice vocal ending in
the majority of the shows where he sang the lyrics to "The Playboy
Mansion", but he sang them in the style of "Born Slippy" by the
Underworld. (Did anyone else notice this? Listen to the "Popheart" EP
performance of WTSHNN to detect it.) However, he sang specifically to
Mexico City on the video performance. So, if I compare the two video
versions, I'd pick ZooTV as the winner barely. If I compare my concert
experiences, I'd pick POPMart as the winner by a wide margin.
"With Or Without You." Well, Sparky's bass playing and sound is
especially good on the POPMart version. I love the segue of WOWY from
"Lemon" in ZooTV, but I've always had a small problem on a philosophical
level with Mr. MacPhisto's singing this song. It's not the kind of song
a Lucifer-esque character would sing, is it? (But, ZooTV did have a lot
of irony in it - maybe this does fit after all.) Vocally, it is a little
better on ZooTV, but another neat lighter scene is on the POPMart video.
End result: draw.
"Mysterious Ways". Another clear winner: ZooTV. They almost
shouldn't have done this one on POPMart. Once you do an explosive
version with a belly-dancer, you can't really have one without her and
not lower the impact of the track. I'm glad they did the song on POPMart
(Edge's little "boot-scooting boogie" was cute and amusing), but, like
BTBS, the best they could hope to do with it was equal ZooTV's
performance and they didn't.
"One". Wow, this song brings back memories. I'd have to pick
POPMart, but one of the reasons I would is a very depressing one. It is
of course preserved on the video because the reason is still a recent
event at the time, i.e., the death of Michael Hutchence. (Side note: as
sad as I'm sure the crowd was there, it was much sadder in San Antonio.
You see, that was the first POPMart show after Michael's suicide. Bono
was clearly very shaken. All of the members were upset, but Bono was
especially so. The most touching thing during this whole concert was his
valiant attempt to give some kind of fitting tribute to his fallen
comrade and friend. You could tell that he was deeply frustrated because
he wanted to do so much more, but there wasn't nearly enough time to
construct a proper tribute. Lines from "Never Tear Us Apart" popped up
on a couple of songs, Michael's face was on the screen a few times; come
to think of it, "Never Tear Us Apart" became the regular exit music for
the crowd after POPMart starting with this show. I've never heard that
many people singing to the studio version of that song in my life, and I
suppose I never will again. Australian readers and/or INXS fans, Bono
and the crowd really did the best we could on very short notice to
mollify the tragic departure of this poor man. You would have been
moved.) The other reason I'd pick the POPMart version is the video
featuring Keith Haring's artwork. It fits the song perfectly.
Well, end result: POPMart is certainly a progression for our beloved
band. IMHO, only two songs are clearly inferior on this video, but five
are clearly better. I really need to include all the tracks - on both
videos - to make a full assessment, but this post is rather lengthy
already. If you feel strongly one way or another about my continuing
this post, e-mail me privately. Thank you for the extended attention (to
those who actually read all this, that is).
David Way
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b2 on Fri Dec 11 1998 - 01:49:25 PST