Hold your fire, litigious record label reps! Last week I chewed U2 out for not putting out any bonus material on the Popmart DVD release. And, knowing that the band’s fragile sense of self corresponds directly to the opinion of the indie press, let me make amends by saying that it was plainly my mistake. Reviewing the single DVD release and not this two-disc behemoth of bonus material that now sits before me in some truly astounding packaging (hello, pop-up The Edge), is noone’s fault but my own. So forthwith, I will sort this right out!
Firstly there is a nice, glossy 20 page booklet extolling the values of the Popmart endeavour as written by MOJO scribe, Danny Eccleston. Yes, yes. Brilliant idea, blah, too ambitious, audience stupid, blah blah. Ok great. Propaganda works a treat! Who do you think you are convincing here? I ALREADY BOUGHT THE THING.
OK. What I can surmise from a cursory look at the behind the scenes footage is, that U2’s life is hard. I mean really. Here they are in downtown LA while a major interstate highway is closed down so they can shoot a video, tooling around in an old Chevy with Sophie Dahl in the back seat. Then they catch up with old friend William S. Burroughs, who makes a guest appearance that will turn out to be his last ever committed to tape. Supermodels and literary heavyweights? Check.
The immensely retarded idea of building a glittering, 40 foot mirrorball lemon is thankfully done away with in an irreverent 4 minute commercial listing the contraption as a vehicle for sale. No takers there then.
In total across two discs you get: 35 tracks performed live, two video remixes, a video montage of all the tour visuals provided by artists including Keith Harring, a bunch of screensavers and what not and four tour documentaries – including the incredibly ballsy and beautifully ambitious plan to stage the first ever rock concert in Saravejo after the war, which they did. Amazing.
Also, because nerds made this DVD, there are easter eggs within which are completely weird.
Don’t buy this if you don’t like U2. How’s that for advice?
