So This Is Christmas…
(Photo (c) Henry Wagner. Photo can be found in the atu2 flickr pool)
…and what have you done? Well, 11 years ago today, Bono donned my friend Brad’s Santa hat in Seattle before “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” as the third leg of the PopMart tour came to a close.
There was a Christmas Tree high atop the PopMart arch and the end-of-leg celebratory mood could be felt in the stadium. Bono’s Mofo boxing robe was red and white, although it was missing the cottony fur around the collar. It was just that kind of night.
PopMart may have started off quite rocky in North America, but as the tour’s end came in the Pacific Northwest, not only was the show brilliant, it was a tour for the fans. The b-stage that night was surrounded by those who traveled across the country – and in many cases – across the globe. Between the plastic hawaiian leis, the bubbles, the 3-inch squeaky nuns, the signs, the Wiretags, and the all-important Santa hat, it almost had a feel of a Jimmy Buffet concert…just without the margaritas. Although, apparently the tequila was running a few nights before as Bono’s hair was completely shaved off.
As M2 wrote in his concert review, “At least the rhythm section has hair” was the sentiment of the night.
There’s so much about the PopMart tour that still resonates with me. As I look back to my travels to Seattle for that gig, what keeps coming back is the sense that we were all in this together. The fans schlepped a huge Wire banner around the globe as a sign of solidarity, as well as a way to personalize the Internet. Most of all, as with any U2 tour, the music was still as good as ever…and we all continued to be connected with the message and theme the tour promoted. It wasn’t about the 3-inch squeaky nun, the muscle shirts, or the kitsch. For those who got caught up in that, they missed out on the nightly theater.
It’s still too bad that too many reviewers were so wrapped up in the distractions that they missed the point of the show – it was about going out there and putting up a fight. Sure, having Bono in a boxing robe kind of makes it a bit too literal, but looking at the flow of the show and the “heart of darkness” section (“Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Bullet the Blue Sky,” “Please”), the theater was designed to transform the anger to empathy. To me, it was about fighting against the oppression only to realize that you have to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes to understand and the importance of working together for the greater good. So, in a sense, PopMart wasn’t unlike any other U2 show in so far as theme…it was just that it was being served to you in a way that was unfamiliar. Isn’t that what art is all about anyway?
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…and the lord said ‘humble thyself bono’.
11 freaking years, it’s gone by way too fast.
-dan
God i miss popmart. also, God I miss Pop. I’m gonna go listen to it again.
That was the last album that I really feel was worth listening to over and over and over again. The rest haven’t been bad but they’re extremely dull by comparison. I loved everything POP. It was so much fun and experimental and just…. LAYERS of stuff.
I think U2’s whole “revisionist history” way of looking back at that half of the decade is unfortunate.
Ender
U2 have never been more interesting than they were during the 90’s…although I am feeling optimistic about this new album.
I was at that show! An amazing night, for sure.
I was also at that concert…I traveled with my husband from Las Vegas. That was my Christmas present! I loved the concert. I remember seeing all the red Santa hats around the B-stage and thinking “I’ve got to figure out what THEY’RE doing…how did they get their tickets so close to the stage?!” That year was the beginning of my obsession with U2. My favorite from Pop is Please…it became such a powerful song during the live performances…it really morphed into another realm when compared to the album version. Oh…I’ve also progressed on acquiring tickets…last tour my husband and I celebrated our 25th anniversary by going to see them in Dublin…twice!!!