The PopMart Tour was a worldwide
concert tour
A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...
by
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band
U2. Staged in support of the group's 1997 album ''
Pop'', the tour's concerts were performed in stadiums and parks in 1997 and 1998. Much like the band's previous
Zoo TV Tour
The Zoo TV Tour (also written as ZooTV, ZOO TV or ZOOTV) was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of their 1991 album '' Achtung Baby'', the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 1992 to 1993. It was intended to mirror ...
, PopMart was an elaborate production. Its lavish stage design had a LED screen, a golden arch, and a large mirror-ball lemon. As with the Zoo TV Tour, the band delivered an image and performance that were ironic and self-mocking on PopMart, deviating from their earnest performances of the 1980s; the band performed in costumes that, along with the stage design, poked fun at the themes of
consumerism
Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts. With the Industrial Revolution, but particularly in the 20th century, mass production led to overproduction—the supp ...
and
pop culture
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* Pop (Gas al ...
.
The PopMart Tour spanned five legs and 93 shows, and took U2 to South America, South Africa and Israel for the first time. The tour was booked while the band were still completing ''Pop'', which was planned to be released during the 1996 holiday season. However, the recording sessions went long, delaying the release until March 1997 and cutting into rehearsal time for the tour. Although it was the second-highest-grossing tour of 1997, PopMart was marred by technical difficulties and mixed reviews from critics and fans, particularly in the United States. PopMart grossed US$173.6 million from 3.98 million tickets sold. The tour was depicted on the concert film ''
PopMart: Live from Mexico City''.
Conception and planning
U2 stage designer
Willie Williams and stage architect
Mark Fisher
Mark Fisher (11 July 1968 – 13 January 2017), also known under his blogging alias k-punk, was an English writer, music critic, political and cultural theorist, philosopher, and teacher based in the Department of Visual Cultures at Goldsm ...
began developing the PopMart Tour in late 1995. U2 re-entered their
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
recording studio in October 1995, shortly before releasing an
experimental
An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when ...
/
ambient
Ambient or Ambiance or Ambience may refer to:
Music and sound
* Ambience (sound recording), also known as atmospheres or backgrounds
* Ambient music, a genre of music that puts an emphasis on tone and atmosphere
* ''Ambient'' (album), by Moby
* ...
album with
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (; born Brian Peter George Eno, 15 May 1948) is a British musician, composer, record producer and visual artist best known for his contributions to ambient music and work in rock, pop an ...
, entitled ''
Original Soundtracks 1
''Original Soundtracks 1'' is a studio album recorded by rock band U2 and Brian Eno under the pseudonym Passengers as a side project. Released on 6 November 1995, the album is a collection of songs written for mostly imaginary films (the excep ...
'', under the pseudonym "Passengers". The band started to work on their ninth studio album, which was set to be finished by mid-1996 and released later that year prior to the
Christmas and holiday season
The Christmas season or the festive season (also known in some countries as the holiday season or the holidays) is an annually recurring period recognized in many Western and other countries that is generally considered to run from late November ...
.
Around the same time, in late 1995, Williams began developing concepts for the band's next tour.
Among the proposed themes for the tour was a concept based on the end of the
millennium
A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (ini ...
titled "U2000", and a
discothèque
A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music.
Nightclubs gener ...
concept involving a large mobile disco. Lead vocalist
Bono
Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2.
Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...
became interested in one of Williams' designs that resembled a supermarket, which was inspired by facades of American post-war suburban
outlet store
An outlet store, factory outlet or factory shop is a brick and mortar or online store in which manufacturers sell their stock directly to the public. Traditionally, a factory outlet was a store attached to a factory or warehouse, sometimes allowin ...
s.
Bono who believed that the symbol of a supermarket, with its large number of choices and temptations, could be used as a
metaphor
A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide (or obscure) clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are often compared wit ...
for U2's songs, which often deal with the struggle between
desire
Desires are states of mind that are expressed by terms like "wanting", "wishing", "longing" or "craving". A great variety of features is commonly associated with desires. They are seen as propositional attitudes towards conceivable states of aff ...
and
faith
Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as "belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion".
Religious people often ...
.
With the help of Fisher, Williams designed a fantasy "entertainment outlet", and decided to create a tour with a
consumerism
Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts. With the Industrial Revolution, but particularly in the 20th century, mass production led to overproduction—the supp ...
theme.
While still in the recording studio, U2 began scheduling tour dates in early 1996, along with
band manager
A talent manager (also known as an artist manager, band manager or music manager) is an individual who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry. The responsibility of the talent manager is to oversee the day-to-day ...
Paul McGuinness
Paul McGuinness (born 16 June 1951) is the founder of ''Principle Management Limited'', a popular music act management company based in Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. He was the manager of the rock band U2 from 1978 to 2013.
Early life
...
. U2's stadium performances from the Zoo TV Tour received much positive reception, therefore McGuinness decided that the entire tour should take place in large stadiums, as opposed to beginning the tour in smaller arenas, despite the fact that the band did not feel another stadium tour was necessary. After risking bankruptcy by self-financing the Zoo TV Tour, U2 decided to seek outside sources to finance the cost of taking the PopMart Tour around the world.
Initially, the band announced they were looking for
sponsors to support the tour,
but they later decided to instead use a single promoter for financial assistance. Bids were made with five separate parties, and eventually a deal was made with
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
-based concert promoter
Michael Cohl
Michael Cohl is a Canadian concert promoter, theatrical producer and touring impresario. He is the former Chairman of Live Nation. Cohl now runs S2BN Entertainment, with offices in New York and Toronto. Having been named the Howard Hughes of ro ...
for $100 million.
Cohl expected a total five to six million attendees at over 100 concerts, beginning in April 1997. He also expected the tour to gross $260 million, almost $20 million more than
the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
'
Voodoo Lounge Tour
The Voodoo Lounge Tour was a worldwide concert tour by the Rolling Stones to promote their 1994 album ''Voodoo Lounge''. This was their first tour without bassist Bill Wyman, and their first with touring bassist Darryl Jones, as an additional m ...
, which was the highest-grossing tour in history at the time, and also organized by Cohl.
As the recording sessions on the new album progressed, U2 decided they would not be ready to finish their album for the mid-year production deadline, and pushed back the release date by several months.
To get the album ready for its March 1997 release, the album's recording sessions had to be finished by the end of December. Within one month of the production deadline, the album was still untitled and had much work left before it could be completed.
Because the dates for the tour had already been booked, the album's release could not be delayed any further. Eventually, the album was titled ''
Pop'', and Williams dubbed the title "PopMart" for the tour.
The album's recording sessions were finished in time for the March 1997 release date, but the band felt they still needed another month to fully complete the album. Bono later stated that letting McGuinness book the tour before the album was finished was the worst decision that U2 ever made because it forced them to finish up the album sooner than they had wanted.
Set design
After producing the band's previous tour,
Zoo TV, which featured a complex setup involving 36 different video screens, Williams did not want to produce another video-based show unless it was going to be completely different from its predecessor. His initial proposals to U2 featured physical designs, including a center stage surrounded by a racetrack with circling trucks and motorbikes.
Fisher researched one of the first LED screens to be imported into the United States. (It was built for the
State Fair of Texas
The State Fair of Texas is an annual state fair held in Dallas at historic Fair Park. The fair has taken place every year since 1886 except for varying periods during World War I and World War II as well as 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It ...
in 1995). Fisher proposed to make a much larger LED screen by spacing the
pixel
In digital imaging, a pixel (abbreviated px), pel, or picture element is the smallest addressable element in a raster image, or the smallest point in an all points addressable display device.
In most digital display devices, pixels are the smal ...
s further apart, thus creating a lower resolution image. A
prototype
A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and Software prototyping, software programming. A prototyp ...
was built with LED pixels placed 75 mm (3 in) apart on a
cargo net
A cargo net is a type of net. It is usually square or rectangle, but sometimes round, made of thick rope, with cinch ropes extending from the corners, and in some designs, the edges. It is named for its use in transferring cargo to and from shi ...
. It worked successfully and served as a basis for the proposal of the design.
The idea for producing another video-based tour gained much interest when Fisher and Williams were determined to create the largest video screen in existence at that time. When the idea for the screen was proposed to U2, they decided to take the risk of creating a show based on an undeveloped technological experiment, and invested US$7 million to develop the screen.
Fisher proposed the idea of creating an LED screen on a flexible fabric sheet that could be draped over the stadium seats behind the stage. It was later decided that it would be easier to build the screen if it was hung in its own frame, so a sloped frame was added to the screen. Several months were spent experimenting with and demonstrating the capabilities of LED video. The screen designed for the show was ten times larger than all 36 Zoo TV screens put together, with a total size that ranged between 150 and 170 feet (46–52 metres) wide and 50–56 feet (15–17 metres) tall,
approximately the same size as the backdrop used during the band's
Lovetown Tour
The Lovetown Tour was a concert tour by the Irish rock band U2, which took place in late 1989 and early 1990 following the release of ''Rattle and Hum''. It was documented by noted rock film director Richard Lowenstein in the "LoveTown" docum ...
in 1989. The screen was created with the help of three separate companies, each of whom manufactured different components. The screen contained 150,000
pixels
In digital imaging, a pixel (abbreviated px), pel, or picture element is the smallest addressable element in a raster image, or the smallest point in an all points addressable display device.
In most digital display devices, pixels are the sm ...
, each of which contained eight separate LEDs of various colors. The pixels were manufactured by SACO Technologies, a
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
-based company, which specialized in manufacturing control systems and panels for nuclear and hydrogen power stations. U2 were SACO's first client, and prior to the PopMart Tour, the company had no experience with video technology. Each of the pixels were mounted onto 4,500 separate aluminium tubes, which were then broken down into 187 foldable panels, spread across 22 columns, which would easily fit into two trucks.
![U2 PopMart Tour, Belfast, August 1997 (18)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/U2_PopMart_Tour%2C_Belfast%2C_August_1997_%2818%29.jpg)
The set's
public address
A public address system (or PA system) is an electronic system comprising microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and related equipment. It increases the apparent volume (loudness) of a human voice, musical instrument, or other acoustic sound sou ...
(PA) system was initially designed by Fisher who proposed a monophonic system with speakers mounted on top of two large
antler
Antlers are extensions of an animal's skull found in members of the Cervidae (deer) family. Antlers are a single structure composed of bone, cartilage, fibrous tissue, skin, nerves, and blood vessels. They are generally found only on male ...
-like structures in front of the video screen.
While discussing the structure to support the centralized PA system, Williams recalled a statement Bono made on the Zoo TV Tour about having a "secret fantasy to play a show underneath a set of gigantic golden arches". So the design was changed to feature a 100-foot (30-m)
parabolic arch
A parabolic arch is an arch in the shape of a parabola.Article about parabolic arch by The Free DictionaryParabolic arch , Article about parabolic arch by The Free Dictionary accessdate: March 2, 2017 In structures, their curve represents an effi ...
supporting the PA in the center of the stage. To further develop the concept, Fisher drew a version of the concert stage transformed into a supermarket, which later appeared in the ''Pop'' album artwork.
While the set's overall design consisted of simply an arch in front of a sloped video screen, Williams wanted to incorporate a
mirrorball into the set, which had previously been featured on both
The Joshua Tree
''The Joshua Tree'' is the fifth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 9 March 1987 on Island Records. In contrast to the ambient experimentation of their 1984 release, ''T ...
and Zoo TV Tours. Bono proposed that the mirrorball should be used as a vehicle in which the band would travel over the audience and onto the
B-stage
A B-stage is a small, secondary stage, featured at pop and rock concerts held in arenas and stadiums, and is usually located in the middle of the concert floor, connected to the main stage by a walkway.
Origins
Although its origins trace ba ...
during the show, while making reference to the
Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive fu ...
spaceship. Williams took Bono's idea seriously, and suggested that the mirrorball should be lemon-shaped, a reference to U2's song "
Lemon
The lemon (''Citrus limon'') is a species of small evergreen trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to Asia, primarily Northeast India (Assam), Northern Myanmar or China.
The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culin ...
" from their album ''
Zooropa
''Zooropa'' is the eighth studio album by Irish rock band U2. Produced by Flood, Brian Eno, and the Edge, it was released on 5 July 1993 on Island Records. Inspired by the band's experiences on the Zoo TV Tour, ''Zooropa'' expanded on many of ...
''.
Fisher designed a 40-foot (12 m) motorized lemon mirrorball, which was placed on the right side of the stage. The final additions to the set included a 12-foot-wide (3.8-m)
olive
The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ...
mounted onto a 100-foot (30-m)
cocktail stick
A cocktail stick is a short cylindrical stick, made of wood, that has a somewhat sharp point on both ends. It is usually used as a skewer for holding decorations (such as cherries) in cocktails and also for serving food such as amuse-bouches ...
.
Promotion
Going along with the tour's satirical theme of consumerism, U2 announced their tour on 12 February 1997 by holding a
news conference
A press conference or news conference is a media event in which notable individuals or organizations invite journalists to hear them speak and ask questions. Press conferences are often held by politicians, corporations, non-governmental organ ...
at a
Kmart
Kmart Corporation ( , doing business as Kmart and stylized as kmart) is an American retail company that owns a chain of big box department stores. The company is headquartered in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States.
The company was inc ...
discount store
A discount store or discounter offers a retail format in which products are sold at prices that are in principle lower than an actual or supposed "full retail price". Discounters rely on bulk purchasing and efficient distribution to keep down cost ...
in New York City. Hundreds of reporters from record companies, radio stations, television networks, newspapers, and magazines were in attendance at the conference, whose location was not revealed until the night before. Upon their arrival at the store, U2 got up on the stage assembled in the store's lingerie department, and performed "Holy Joe", a
B-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
from the "
Discothèque
A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music.
Nightclubs gener ...
" single, which had been released nine days prior. The entire event was broadcast live through various sources on television, radio, and the Internet. Following the performance, the band answered questions for a half-hour. On why retail was the primary theme of the tour, Bono said, "I can’t quite recall how it got to the idea of taking a supermarket on the road...I remember it making a lot of sense at the time. As I’m sitting here, I’m trying to think what that
eason Eason is a surname.
The name comes from Aythe where the first recorded spelling of the family name is that of Aythe Filius Thome which was dated circa 1630, in the "Baillie of Stratherne". Aythe ''filius'' Thome received a charter of the lands of F ...
is."
It was announced that the beginning of the PopMart Tour was to feature stadium shows in 66 cities throughout North America and Europe, beginning in
Whitney, Nevada
Whitney (formerly East Las Vegas) is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 38,585 at the 2010 census.
Background
Stowell E. Whitney, a dairy farmer from Bunkerville, Nevada ...
, on 25 April, and ending in
Seattle, Washington
Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...
, on 12 December. They would tour an additional 12 cities in 1998 throughout Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America. Tickets went on sale for the announced dates several days after the tour's announcement, and were priced at an average of $50 worldwide. Due to the lack of sponsors for the tour, ticket prices were almost 50% higher for this tour than Zoo TV. In markets where the average income was low, tickets were sold for a lower price, which was enough for the band to break even and not lose any money in the process.
Before the tour, various markets distributed
singles
Singles are people not in a committed relationship.
Singles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series
* ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe
* ''Singles'' ...
to promote ticket sales. A double
12-inch single
The twelve-inch single (often written as 12-inch or 12″) is a type of vinyl ( polyvinyl chloride or PVC) gramophone record that has wider groove spacing and shorter playing time with a 'single' or a few related sound tracks on each surfac ...
of U2
remix
A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...
es was distributed in Canada, and a CD single of various songs taken from U2's studio albums was released by a radio station in Mexico. In Europe, U2's remix of "
Pop Muzik
"Pop Muzik" is a 1979 song by M, a project by English musician Robin Scott, from the debut album ''New York • London • Paris • Munich''. The single, first released in the UK in early 1979, was bolstered by a music video (directed by Br ...
" used to open the PopMart shows, was released as a single on both 12-inch and CD formats. While the first single from ''Pop'', "Discothèque", was released in January 1997, "
Staring at the Sun" became the second single from the album, and was released in April 1997 to coincide with the beginning of the tour.
On 26 April 1997, American television network
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
aired a one-hour prime time special about ''Pop'' and the PopMart Tour, titled ''U2: A Year in Pop''. Narrated by actor
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) was an American actor, filmmaker and photographer. He attended the Actors Studio, made his first television appearance in 1954, and soon after appeared in ''Giant'' (1956). In the next ten years ...
, the documentary featured footage from the ''Pop'' recording sessions, as well as live footage from the opening PopMart show in Whitney, which took place the night before. The program received poor reception, ranking at 101 out of 107 programs aired that week, according to
Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
, and became the lowest rated non-political documentary in the history of the ABC network.
Despite the low ratings, McGuinness appreciated the opportunity for the band to appear on network television in the first place, stating that the small audience for the television special was still a large audience for the band, as it was much larger than any audience that could be obtained by MTV.
During the middle of the tour's first leg,
MSN
MSN (meaning Microsoft Network) is a web portal and related collection of Internet services and apps for Windows and mobile devices, provided by Microsoft and launched on August 24, 1995, alongside the release of Windows 95.
The Microsoft Net ...
launched U2's first official website, U2popmart.MSN.com. The website was updated constantly throughout the tour, featuring images and audio clips from various concerts, as well as live
webcast
A webcast is a media presentation distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology to distribute a single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. A webcast may either be distributed live or on demand. Essentially, web ...
s during select performances.
Concert overview
![U2 PopMart Tour, Belfast, August 1997 (14)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/U2_PopMart_Tour%2C_Belfast%2C_August_1997_%2814%29.jpg)
Out of the 93 concerts performed during the PopMart Tour, each show had a similar setlist, with 21–24 songs performed by the band at each show. The concerts began with U2's
remix
A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...
of
M's "
Pop Muzik
"Pop Muzik" is a 1979 song by M, a project by English musician Robin Scott, from the debut album ''New York • London • Paris • Munich''. The single, first released in the UK in early 1979, was bolstered by a music video (directed by Br ...
" played through the
PA system. During the song, the band members would walk through the crowd with bodyguards, similar to the beginning of a
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
match. The band would then walk onto the end of the
B-stage
A B-stage is a small, secondary stage, featured at pop and rock concerts held in arenas and stadiums, and is usually located in the middle of the concert floor, connected to the main stage by a walkway.
Origins
Although its origins trace ba ...
, heading towards the main stage, where they would begin the show.
Main set
Each concert opened with a performance of "
Mofo." Following "Mofo" at every show, the band performed "
I Will Follow
"I Will Follow" is a song by rock band U2. It is the opening track from their debut album, ''Boy'', and it was released as the album's second single in October 1980. Lead singer Bono wrote the lyrics to "I Will Follow" in tribute to his mother, ...
", "
Even Better Than the Real Thing
"Even Better Than the Real Thing" is a song by Irish rock band U2, and is the second track on their 1991 album, ''Achtung Baby''. It was released as the album's fourth single on 8 June 1992, and it reached number three in Ireland and Canada whi ...
", "Gone", "
Last Night on Earth", and "
Until the End of the World
''Until the End of the World'' (german: Bis ans Ende der Welt; french: Jusqu'au bout du monde) is a 1991 science fiction adventure drama film directed by German filmmaker Wim Wenders. Set at the turn of the millennium in the shadow of a world ...
". As the group performed, the audience was bombarded with images and colors, all designed towards the show's ironic embrace of tackiness and ''pop''-ular culture.
Each show featured "
Staring at the Sun" during the middle of the set, and many shows featured "
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is a festival observed in most of the world on 1 January, the first day of the year in the modern Gregorian calendar. 1 January is also New Year's Day on the Julian calendar, but this is not the same day as the Gregorian one. Wh ...
" and "
All I Want Is You". "
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track from their 1987 album ''The Joshua Tree'' and was released as the album's second single in May 1987. The song was a hit, becoming the band's se ...
", "
Pride (In the Name of Love)
"Pride (In the Name of Love)" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track on the band's 1984 album, ''The Unforgettable Fire'', and was released as its lead single in September 1984. The song was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lano ...
", and "
Bullet the Blue Sky
"Bullet the Blue Sky" is a song by Irish rock band U2, and is the fourth track from their 1987 album ''The Joshua Tree''. Lyrically, the song was inspired by a trip that lead vocalist Bono made to Nicaragua and El Salvador, where he saw firsthand ...
" (often preceded by "
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
") were also played at every show. Those songs were often followed by an "Edge
Karaoke
Karaoke (; ; , clipped compound of Japanese ''kara'' "empty" and ''ōkesutora'' "orchestra") is a type of interactive entertainment usually offered in clubs and bars, where people sing along to recorded music using a microphone. The music is ...
" slot, in which
The Edge
David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961), better known as the Edge or simply Edge,McCormick (2006), pp. 21, 23–24 is an English-born Irish musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the lead guitarist, keyboardist, and backing voca ...
would sing
The Monkees
The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was conc ...
' "
Daydream Believer
"Daydream Believer" is a song composed by American songwriter John Stewart shortly before he left the Kingston Trio. It was originally recorded by the Monkees, with Davy Jones singing the lead. The single reached No. 1 on the U.S. ''Billboard ...
" or a similar song against a cheap karaoke CD, complete with lyrics shown on the giant screen. The end of each main set featured "
Please
''Please'' is a word used in the English language to indicate politeness and respect while making a request. Derived from shortening the phrase "if you please" or "if it please(s) you", the term has taken on substantial nuance based on its in ...
", which segued into "
Where the Streets Have No Name
"Where the Streets Have No Name" is a song by Irish rock music, rock band U2. It is the opening track from their 1987 album ''The Joshua Tree'' and was released as the album's third single (music), single in August 1987. The song's hook (music) ...
".
Encores
![Desaparecidosu2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Desaparecidosu2.jpg)
At the end of the main set, before the first encore, the giant lemon moved to the middle of the stage. There a sheet fell off exposing a huge disco ball that lit up the stadium in spinning lights while the
Perfecto Mix of "
Lemon
The lemon (''Citrus limon'') is a species of small evergreen trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to Asia, primarily Northeast India (Assam), Northern Myanmar or China.
The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culin ...
" played over the PA. The band then would walk out of the giant lemon onto the B stage to perform "
Discothèque
A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music.
Nightclubs gener ...
".
The rest of the first encore typically consisted of "
If You Wear That Velvet Dress" and "
With or Without You
"With or Without You" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track on their fifth studio album, ''The Joshua Tree'' (1987), and was released as the album's lead single on 16 March 1987. The song was the group's most successful single ...
". After another brief break, the band would return to perform "
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It was released as a single from the ''Batman Forever'' soundtrack album on 5 June 1995. A number-one single in their home country of Ireland, as well as in seven other co ...
", their single from 1995 for the ''
Batman Forever
''Batman Forever'' (on-screen title is simply ''Forever'') is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton, based on the DC Comics character Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The third installment of W ...
'' soundtrack, followed by "
Mysterious Ways Mysterious Ways may refer to:
* "Mysterious Ways" (song), a song by U2 from the 1991 album ''Achtung Baby''
* ''Mysterious Ways'' (TV series), science-fiction television series which ran from 2000 to 2002
*''Mysterious Ways'', a 1990 album by Steve ...
". "
One" always followed, ending a handful of shows, but otherwise it was followed by one more song. "
Unchained Melody
"Unchained Melody" is a 1955 song with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. North wrote the music as a theme for the prison film '' Unchained'' (1955), hence the song title. Todd Duncan sang the vocals for the film soundtrack.Robert Rodri ...
", "
Wake Up Dead Man", and "
MLK" were variously performed to close the show. On a handful of occasions, the show ended with another song, such as "
Rain
Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water f ...
", "
Hallelujah
''Hallelujah'' ( ; he, ''haləlū-Yāh'', meaning "praise Yah") is an interjection used as an expression of gratitude to God. The term is used 24 times in the Hebrew Bible (in the book of Psalms), twice in deuterocanonical books, and four tim ...
", "
Mothers of the Disappeared
"Mothers of the Disappeared" is a song by Irish rock music, rock band U2. It is the eleventh and final track on their 1987 album ''The Joshua Tree''. The song was inspired by lead singer Bono's experiences in Nicaragua and El Salvador in July ...
" (during which the
Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo
The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo is an Argentine human rights association formed in response to the National Reorganization Process, the military dictatorship by Jorge Rafael Videla, with the goal of finding the ''desaparecidos'', initially, an ...
were brought on stage in Buenos Aires), "
40", or "
Can't Help Falling in Love". "
She's a Mystery to Me
"She's a Mystery to Me" is a song by Roy Orbison, written by Bono and the Edge of U2. It was released on Orbison's final (posthumous) album, ''Mystery Girl'' (also inspiring the album title), and as the album's second single in March 1989. The so ...
" and "Staring at the Sun" each ended a single show, as well.
Additional songs
A total of 55 different songs were played throughout the tour and 17 of the 55 songs were played at all PopMart shows.
Out of the 12 songs on ''Pop'', each song was played in full at least once, with the exception of "
The Playboy Mansion
The Playboy Mansion, also known as the Playboy Mansion West, is the former home of ''Playboy'' magazine founder Hugh Hefner who lived there from 1974 until his death in 2017. Barbi Benton convinced Hefner to buy the home located in Holmby Hill ...
", which was only featured as a snippet several times at the end of "Where the Streets Have No Name". "
Do You Feel Loved
Do, DO or D.O. may refer to:
Languages
* The English verb, ''do'', which may serve as an auxiliary verb; see do-support
* ''Do'' (kana), a mora symbol in Japanese writing
* Ditto mark
People
* Đỗ, a Vietnamese surname
* Do (surname), includes ...
" was only performed during the first six shows, and "
If God Will Send His Angels
"If God Will Send His Angels" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the fourth track on their 1997 album, '' Pop'', and was released as its fifth single on 8 December 1997. It was also featured on the '' City of Angels'' soundtrack.
B-sides
...
" was performed once by the full band, plus about 20 other times solely by Bono and The Edge. "
Bad
Bad or BAD may refer to:
Common meanings
*Evil, the opposite of moral good
* Erroneous, inaccurate or incorrect
* Unhealthy, or counter to well-being
* Antagonist, the threat or obstacle of moral good
Acronyms
* BAD-2, a Soviet armored troll ...
" and "
Desire
Desires are states of mind that are expressed by terms like "wanting", "wishing", "longing" or "craving". A great variety of features is commonly associated with desires. They are seen as propositional attitudes towards conceivable states of aff ...
" were also played at a handful of shows.
Average setlist
This set list is representative of the tour's average setlist as conducted by Setlist.fm, which represents all concerts for the duration of the tour.
# "
Mofo"
# "
I Will Follow
"I Will Follow" is a song by rock band U2. It is the opening track from their debut album, ''Boy'', and it was released as the album's second single in October 1980. Lead singer Bono wrote the lyrics to "I Will Follow" in tribute to his mother, ...
"
# "
Gone"
# "
Even Better Than the Real Thing
"Even Better Than the Real Thing" is a song by Irish rock band U2, and is the second track on their 1991 album, ''Achtung Baby''. It was released as the album's fourth single on 8 June 1992, and it reached number three in Ireland and Canada whi ...
"
# "
Last Night on Earth"'
# "
Until the End of the World
''Until the End of the World'' (german: Bis ans Ende der Welt; french: Jusqu'au bout du monde) is a 1991 science fiction adventure drama film directed by German filmmaker Wim Wenders. Set at the turn of the millennium in the shadow of a world ...
"
# "
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is a festival observed in most of the world on 1 January, the first day of the year in the modern Gregorian calendar. 1 January is also New Year's Day on the Julian calendar, but this is not the same day as the Gregorian one. Wh ...
"
# "
Pride (In the Name of Love)
"Pride (In the Name of Love)" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track on the band's 1984 album, ''The Unforgettable Fire'', and was released as its lead single in September 1984. The song was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lano ...
"
# "
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track from their 1987 album ''The Joshua Tree'' and was released as the album's second single in May 1987. The song was a hit, becoming the band's se ...
"
# "
All I Want Is You"
# "
Staring at the Sun"
# "
Sunday Bloody Sunday
"Sunday Bloody Sunday" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the opening track from their 1983 album ''War'' and was released as the album's third single on 21 March 1983 in the Netherlands and West Germany. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is noted f ...
"
# "
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
"
# "
Bullet the Blue Sky
"Bullet the Blue Sky" is a song by Irish rock band U2, and is the fourth track from their 1987 album ''The Joshua Tree''. Lyrically, the song was inspired by a trip that lead vocalist Bono made to Nicaragua and El Salvador, where he saw firsthand ...
"
# "
Please
''Please'' is a word used in the English language to indicate politeness and respect while making a request. Derived from shortening the phrase "if you please" or "if it please(s) you", the term has taken on substantial nuance based on its in ...
"
# "
Where the Streets Have No Name
"Where the Streets Have No Name" is a song by Irish rock music, rock band U2. It is the opening track from their 1987 album ''The Joshua Tree'' and was released as the album's third single (music), single in August 1987. The song's hook (music) ...
"
Encore
#
" Lemon (Perfecto Mix)" (played over PA)
# "Discotheque
A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music.
Nightclubs gener ...
"
# " If You Wear That Velvet Dress"
# "With or Without You
"With or Without You" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track on their fifth studio album, ''The Joshua Tree'' (1987), and was released as the album's lead single on 16 March 1987. The song was the group's most successful single ...
"
2nd Encore
# "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It was released as a single from the ''Batman Forever'' soundtrack album on 5 June 1995. A number-one single in their home country of Ireland, as well as in seven other co ...
"
# "Mysterious Ways Mysterious Ways may refer to:
* "Mysterious Ways" (song), a song by U2 from the 1991 album ''Achtung Baby''
* ''Mysterious Ways'' (TV series), science-fiction television series which ran from 2000 to 2002
*''Mysterious Ways'', a 1990 album by Steve ...
"
# " One"
Sarajevo concert
During the Zoo TV Tour
The Zoo TV Tour (also written as ZooTV, ZOO TV or ZOOTV) was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of their 1991 album '' Achtung Baby'', the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 1992 to 1993. It was intended to mirror ...
, U2 aired controversial satellite link-ups to Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...
. The link-ups were arranged by aid worker Bill Carter
Bill Carter (born 1966) is a writer and director. He directed the documentary film '' Miss Sarajevo'', which consists of amateur video material he shot during his stay in the besieged city of Sarajevo. He is the author of ''Fools Rush In'', his ...
, who interviewed ordinary people about their experiences of the ongoing War in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war ...
. As a result of the satellite broadcasts, U2 promised to play in Sarajevo. The Sarajevo show had to wait until the PopMart Tour, when U2 became the first major band to perform in the city after the war had ended. The highly emotional concert was among the highlights of the PopMart Tour. 45,000 people attended and effort was made to make sure all the ethnic groups were present. Also in attendance were several hundred members of the international "Stabilisation Force" (SFOR) who were tasked at that time with upholding the Dayton Agreement. During the encore, Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (; born Brian Peter George Eno, 15 May 1948) is a British musician, composer, record producer and visual artist best known for his contributions to ambient music and work in rock, pop an ...
got on stage for the band's first ever live performance of "Miss Sarajevo." Luciano Pavarotti, who was guest vocalist on the original recording was not in Sarajevo. However, his vocal was retained. An old style phonograph, complete with amplifying horn, was brought on stage for the song and its stylus was moved into position by Brian Eno to coincide with the tenor's vocal contribution. Unfortunately, the performance of this song did not go as well as planned as the band's timing was off and Bono was having difficulty with his voice. It was in this context that Bono chose to apologize to the audience for the band not being able to "fucking play it." After the Sarajevo show in 1997, "Miss Sarajevo" was not played again until the second leg of the Vertigo Tour in 2005.
This concert was also the first time the band had performed "Sunday Bloody Sunday (song), Sunday Bloody Sunday" in more than four years. It was performed solo by The Edge who frequently introduced the song during the final legs of the tour by stating that the band had "rediscovered" it in Sarajevo. Larry Mullen Jr. also played the leading drumbeat from the song as part of the second half of "Please".
Despite the subpar performance, a news story said, "For two magical hours, the rock band U2 achieved what warriors, politicians and diplomats could not: They united Bosnia." Trains ran for the first time since the war to enable people to see the concert, though they were stopped again afterward. Bono later called the Sarajevo show "one of the toughest and one of the sweetest nights of my life." Mullen called it "an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life, and if I had to spend 20 years in the band just to play that show, and have done that, I think it would have been worthwhile."
Reception
Although the extravagance of the tour was visually and technically impressive, the early dates of PopMart were, on occasion, marred by subpar performances. The band had booked the tour before the album was finished, and with the planned November 1996 release pushed back until March 1997 to finish the album, valuable tour rehearsal time was lost. This lack of preparation manifested itself in the shows, particularly during the poorly received opening night in Las Vegas. There was intense pressure for the band, especially with several journalists and celebrities in attendance. The band lost their timing on the song "Staring at the Sun", stopped playing partway through, and then started over. During "Discotheque", the crew filled the stage with too much dry-ice; the Edge could not see his guitar pedal in the midst of the smoke and had to kneel down to find it by touch.
Nonetheless, the quality of the performances improved greatly as certain new songs were dropped or reworked, old crowd favourites re-introduced and the setlist evolved into a more coherent order during the first two months. At the Giants Stadium dates, "Staring at the Sun" was performed acoustically by Bono and the Edge. Becoming one of the show's highlights, it would be performed this way for the rest of the tour.
By the second leg in Europe, the performances had vastly improved as evidenced by the PopHeart, ''Popheart'' EP that featured three songs from the first European show in Rotterdam.
The band had some difficulty filling stadiums in the southern and Midwestern US, yet there were multiple night sellouts in Chicago, New York and Boston. It was however better received by Europeans and in particular, South American audiences. It was the first time U2 had toured South America and Bono remarked that the rapturous fan response they received there helped U2 regain their confidence and appreciation for playing together.
Despite its cleverness and positive critical response, many fans felt alienated by the shows; certain material from the ''Pop'' album did not go down as well as U2 might have hoped and many people did not seem to have understood its satirical nature. U2 had dressed as the Village People in the "Discothèque" video, and this willingness to mock their serious image continued during PopMart. (At the Los Angeles Coliseum show on 21 June, tribute was paid to the original "Prefab Four" with a guest appearance by Davy Jones (actor), Davy Jones of The Monkees
The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was conc ...
to perform his signature song, "Daydream Believer
"Daydream Believer" is a song composed by American songwriter John Stewart shortly before he left the Kingston Trio. It was originally recorded by the Monkees, with Davy Jones singing the lead. The single reached No. 1 on the U.S. ''Billboard ...
".) But U2's irony-drenched "big shtick" failed to satisfy many critics and fans seemingly confused by the band's new image and elaborate sets. One ''NME'' critic later recalled a "ludicrous hullabaloo" that was a departure from "Planet Reality."
Disrupting a few shows, technical problems also arose throughout the tour. As the band were about to walk out of the giant mechanical lemon for the encore of a show in Oslo, the lemon malfunctioned, trapping the band inside and forcing them to escape through a small hatch at the back. This incident was later listed as one of "Rock 'n' Roll's 15 Most Embarrassing Stage Antics" by AOL's Spinner.com.
The lemon malfunctioned again at a show in Sydney, and was not used at all,
and also malfunctioned in Osaka, Japan, where the band were again trapped inside but unable to escape through the back. In addition to the issues with the mechanical lemon, the large light-emitting diode, LED video screen became damaged in Washington, D.C. by a rain storm during a concert. The video screen required time for repairs which ended up causing an entire concert in Raleigh, North Carolina to be cancelled.
Like the band's previous Zoo TV Tour, PopMart was another huge success in terms of revenue, grossing US$173,610,864 from 3,982,657 tickets sold. On 20 September 1997, the band performed in front of over 150,000 people in Reggio Emilia, Italy, and set a new world record for having the most attendees at a concert for a single performer.
More than a decade after PopMart, despite the criticism and mishaps, Bono said that he considered the tour to be their best. "Pop(Mart) is our finest hour. It's better than Zoo TV aesthetically, and as an art project it is a clearer thought." He later added "When that show worked, it was mindblowing." The Edge said that he was "very proud of [''Pop''] by the end of the tour. We finally figured it out by the time we made PopMart: Live from Mexico City, the DVD. It was an amazing show that I'm really proud of."
Post-tour
Appearance on ''The Simpsons''
In April 1998, one month after the PopMart Tour had ended, U2 appeared as guest stars on the 200th List of The Simpsons episodes, episode of ''The Simpsons'', "Trash of the Titans." The episode featured U2 performing a PopMart concert in Springfield (The Simpsons), Springfield Stadium where Homer Simpson disrupted the show during a performance of "Pride (In the Name of Love)." The four members of the band and entire PopMart stage were shown in animated form. Bono, The Edge, and Adam Clayton had voice appearances in the episodes, as well as the band's manager, Paul McGuinness
Paul McGuinness (born 16 June 1951) is the founder of ''Principle Management Limited'', a popular music act management company based in Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. He was the manager of the rock band U2 from 1978 to 2013.
Early life
...
, and McGuinness' assistant, Susie Smith. Mullen was not present for the studio recordings and therefore appeared in a non-speaking role. The band even had a small part in a musical number. U2's guest appearance was later featured on ''The Phoenix (newspaper), The Phoenixs list of "''The Simpsons'' 20 Best Guest Voices of All Time."
Live releases
In December 1997, the two PopMart Tour concerts in Mexico City were filmed for various future video and audio releases. In November 1998, PolyGram and Island Records released the video '' PopMart: Live from Mexico City'' on VHS and Video CD. The video combined footage from the two concerts, and featured all 25 songs performed at both shows. The VHS and Video CD releases have since been out of print; however, a DVD version was released for the first time in September 2007. In 2000, the album ''Hasta la Vista Baby! (U2 album), Hasta la Vista Baby!'' was released exclusively to members of U2's fan club, which featured 14 of the 25 songs from Mexico City on one CD. Released around the same time were the various "Beautiful Day" singles, which featured the live versions of "Discothèque", "If You Wear That Velvet Dress", and "Last Night on Earth," the latter of which was also featured on the "Elevation (song), Elevation" single. The live video of "Last Night on Earth" appeared on the Australian "Beautiful Day" single,[ and the live video of "Gone" appeared on The Best of 1990–2000#Video, ''The Best of 1990–2000'' video releases.
In addition to the recordings from Mexico City, live versions of "Please", "Where the Streets Have No Name", and "Staring at the Sun" from Rotterdam, as well as "With or Without You" from Edmonton, were released internationally on the ''Please: PopHeart Live EP'', and later on the "Please" single in the United States.
A live video of "Please" filmed in Helsinki, known as the "Live Mural Cut", was featured on the bonus DVD of the special edition release of the album, ''The Best of 1990–2000''.]
Tour dates
See also
* List of highest-attended concerts
* List of highest-grossing concert tours
* Timeline of U2
References
Footnotes
Bibliography
*
*
External links
Mark Fisher's PopMart Gallery
{{U2
U2 concert tours
1997 concert tours
1998 concert tours