U2: Zoo TV Live from Sydney

This is probably the best U2 concert DVD out there. Music is great, the show is awesome, the audience and the venue are tremendous. This is U2 at the top of their game, and Bono's theatrics are extraordinary. Given the fact that U2 has done many tours, I wish there were more U2 concert DVDs (Boston Live concert DVD is just PAL region and doesn't even play in North American players). If you are a U2 fan or simply a fan of the extravagant rock concert shows in large stadiums, you should definitely get this.

This is unquestionably the best live U2 on DVD, though "U2 Go Home -- Live from Sloane Castle" is also essential. The Zoo TV extravaganza was unprecedented in its scale and complexity, but what's amazing about this show is that the staging always complements the music, and never overwhelms it. The media-overload setup is absolutely dazzling, and it's imaginatively deployed throughout, but the emphasis is always on the four men at the heart of this great band. I bought this concert on VHS, found it later on a pirate VCD in Mexico, and am delighted to see it finally on DVD. Highlights include a "Mysterious Ways" for the ages (featuring fantastically passionate singing by Bono, and Morleigh Steinberg in a belly-dancer cameo -- she's the woman who would later become Edge's wife); a titanic "Until the End of the World" (aggressive and dangerous-seeming, in a way that U2 music rarely is); "Stay," "Bullet the Blue Sky," "Daddy's Gonna Pay ..." The rapturous Sydney crowd laps it all up and screams for more, and who wouldn't? This is an unmissable document of perhaps the most mind-bending rock-'n'-roll tour of all time.

This is the video document of U2's legendary ZooTV Tour that began in '91 in support of Achtung Baby and ended two years later after the band released Zooropa. This concert essentially followed that path - it began with the best that Achtung Baby had to offer and ended almost two hours later with several songs of Zooropa. This DVD is definitely worth owning. It may be strange at times, but it's never boring.As the show begins in a stadium in Sydney, Australia, giant video screens spring to life on the monstrous stage that's shrouded in scaffolding. Excitement builds as horns roar, drums bellow, and strains from the chorus of Beethoven's 9th fill the air until - finally - Bono's silhouette appears in front of a blue screen accompanied by the opening riff from "Zoo Station." Do you remember the first time you heard "Zoo Station"? I do. In retrospect, it's easy to forget how radical it was for U2 back in '91. It was the shot across the bow that said, 'Forget about Joshua Tree. Forget about those heart-felt anthems of the 80s. THIS is U2 in the 90s. It's something completely new. Deal with it.'"Zoo Station" is even more exhilarating live than on CD. The opening chords from Edge's guitar shock Bono with a massive jolt of energy - a sublime shock treatment that jettisons him into the opening set of irresistible songs. Bono, clad in shiny black leather and bug-eyed shades, shimmies, shakes, and slithers around the stage. He moves from "Zoo Station" into a vicious version of "The Fly" as Larry's drums and Adam's bass drive the song like a herd of funky buffalo. And it's no secret that Edge creates glorious noise from his guitar. How does he do it? I love to watch him play. His guitar seems like a 5th limb. I'm convinced he came out of the womb with a guitar strapped to his body.During "The Fly," an intriguing mix of pithy words, phrases, and contradictions flash onscreen at the speed of light - as if edited by an MTV video director on crack. "EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG", "DEATH IS A CAREER MOVE", and "THIS IS NOT A REHEARSAL" were my favorites from the one's I could read.Bono then channel surfs on ZooTV. The live feed produces a glimpse of various 'shows', including an Australian soap opera and a local cricket match. (The crowd's enthusiastic response to a catch made by a cricket player makes me wonder if it's the Australian equivalent of 'the shot' by Michael Jordan or a David Ortiz home run vs. the Yankees.) "Welcome to ZooTV, y'all."They continue to charge through the best cuts from Achtung Baby: "Even Better Than the Real Thing," "Mysterious Ways" (including a belly dancer), and "One." "One" begins to reveal one of the few drawbacks of this performance. A stadium concert just can't match the intimacy of arena tours (including later shows on DVD - Elevation/Boston 2001 and Vertigo/Chicago 2005.) The quality of Bono's vocals on this song and many others are not his best. He's occasionally off key and often sounds like he's shouting instead of singing. While it's still enjoyable, this performance struggles to find emotional resonance.Highlights from the middle section of the show include: a searing version of "New Year's Day" (with Edge doing his party trick of playing BOTH guitar and keyboards); "Angel in Harlem" (performed on the remote stage in the middle of the crowd); a stripped-down version of the underrated "Dirty Day"; a dramatic rendition of "Running to Stand Still (complete with simulated heroin overdose); and the always stirring "Pride" and "Streets" (great, but not quite reaching the peak of the goose-bump inducing performance on Elevation/Boston 2001.)So, at this moment, all is in fine form. A solid - sometimes sublime - U2 show. Then... THEN... comes the encore and the appearance of "Mr. MacPhisto". Ugh. This has not aged well. For the uninitiated, MacPhisto is Bono's devilish alter ego, complete with red horns, shiny gold suit, and heavy makeup, making him look like a smarmy, sadistic clown. It's mildly amusing during the first song of the encore, "Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car." (Check out the blue uniforms worn by Edge, Adam, and Larry - clearly purchased from the Devo Bargain Bin! ;-) It becomes mildly annoying during MacPhisto's monologue as he tries to call for a cab - even HE seems weary of being himself at this point on the tour - and then it gets really annoying during "Lemon", one of my all-time, least-favorite U2 songs. Hey Bono... please leave the falsetto to Prince.Even after he tosses off the horns in order to "get on with the show", Bono cannot rid himself of MacPhisto. Watching him try to sing the heartfelt "With or Without You" while wearing the ostentatious gold suit and sweaty, smeary makeup is bizarre and even a bit creepy. It doesn't work. It doesn't do justice to this song or the remaining ones ("Love Is Blindness", "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You".) Hence, the show ends with a whimper, leaving a strange taste in one's mouth and image in one's head. It's still entertaining. It's still a Must See TV for U2 fans. But in my book, it's not as strong from beginning to end as Elevation/Boston 2001.

This release has poor picture and sound quality. The mix (from both the house PA and audio post production) is below par. For an example of a great sound mix, check out "Live at Red Rocks".Overall disappointed with this DVD.

Awesome gig from U2, Achtung Baby is a great album, following The Joshua Tree and Rattle & Hum, U2 reinvented themselves with their Zoo TV tour, they had reached their peak no doubt.Man, this DVD most definitely took me back in a time capsule to 1992 at the Montreal Forum, wow, great venue, amazing sound, the best, the Ghosts at the Forum experienced one heck of a concert and we won the Stanley Cup the next year, eh?!?!

It was definitely a great concert but the audio could have been better and the added effects could have been lessened. Bono is a great showman and all the added stuff just distracted from the performance. All the hits are here and there us something about a live performance with an enthusiastic audience that makes it special. The band is do tight in their playing and I must say they truly enjoy what they are doing. Thankfully knowing their music made up for the poor sound and hopefully people will enjoy this as much as I did. Fun to bop to great music.

The Zoo TV tour was the best tour (by any band)that i have seen. I was lucky enough to catch the show three times. It was like seeing the Rolling Stones in '72 or Led Zeppelin in the mid '70's. Basiclly seeing the biggest and best band in the world at their peek. I can still remember me and my freinds sitting around one night after work and watching this show as a pay per veiw (don't worry the sound is one hundred times better then that broadcast- at the time of the PPV someone broadcasted the audio with dolby noise reduction and it made the sound muddy. BUT not here). The Video has been greatly improved as well and there was nothing wrong with it to begin with. The 5.1 mix is amazing in both Dolby Dig. and DTS. Best of all is Bono's at the top of his game in stage craft and voice. In the past few years Bono has had trouble with his voice but once again.That's not the case here.Song highlites include an amazing version of "Bullet The Blue Sky" (Edge's guitar solo is not only one of his best but one of the best that i have ever heard) that run's into haunting version of "Running To Stand Still". Plus many others ("One", "Where The Streets Have No Name" are all great) Basiclly if you like U2 this is as good as it gets.

Great buy, Thank you

Awesome