This stunning concert documentary sheds fresh light on U2's controversial 1997 Popmart tour, the Irish rockers' gaudy, epic trek in support of their electronica-edged Pop album. Mixed reactions to the pulsing, dance friendly music on Pop and disappointing ticket sales to stateside Popmart shows were interpreted as evidence that the band's new sound and look were merely opportunistic.

Yet one need only view Popmart Live alongside the Rolling Stones' contemporaneous Bridges to Babylon 1998 long-form video to grasp U2's underlying passion and conviction. While Popmart trumps the Stones (ringmasters of the original rock & roll circus and among the principal inventors of stadium rock) in terms of sheer scale, U2's presentation still strikes thematic sparks missing from the Stones' more conservative designs for the Bridges stage.

With its vast, ramped stage and enveloping video backdrop, the Popmart set serves the band's posttechno impulses, yet the music remains rooted in U2's passionate, high-flying rock style, using its skittering dance rhythms and garish pop-art motifs to support the band's underlying themes, not replace them. Filmed in Mexico City before a huge reverent crowd, the concert balances close-ups against the quartet's often mesmerizing staging effects; the camera work sustains a sense of the show's outsized physical setting, while expertly closing the distance between us and the band.

Just to disagree...

I just had to "debate" the previous review (and I think a healthy debate is a good thing...everyone has a right to their opinion) but I had to share mine.

How can U2 ever be bad?

Maybe this vid was a different angle...
maybe it showed the band tired (I think sometimes
that they "may" be human) although their glow,
their lyrics and their passion almost seems
ethereal (which is what intrigues me anyhow)

IF... you are a U2 fan,
and you see that light in them...
you will appreciate Popmart.

Is this a worthy document of the fantastic PopMart Tour? NO!

Great visuals...awesome Stage...Outstanding sound and lights...Cristal clear quality...
but what about the most important thing? The concert itself?

Performance-wise, the boys are clearly showing past their prime here, and it's a shame to see a once unbelievable performance band reduced to kinda-getting-by. U2 should be ashamed of releasing this. I've watched several Pop Mart concerts, and this one is the worst!. That's so sad because this lame concert is not a real document of the whole brilliant Pop Mart Tour. ANY 1998 performance blow this on the water, trust me.

Bono is in extremely poor rough and raspy strained voice, his singing is shameful and weak, and he cracks when he tries to hit the high notes. The band plays taking you for granted, flat and boring as hell. 'Desire' is just unforgivable. The worst version I've ever heard. Everything lacks energy, even the crowd!. That's so weird because all we know Latin American crowd is the hottest!.

Rumors say they're going to release a DVD Boxset by late this year. I really don't want 'remastered' versions of shows we've been watching for even 22 years. Rather, I'm fond of watching previously unreleased footage.

Just in case, here's a list of several unreleased PRO-SHOT filmed concerts from early 80's to Pop Mart Tour (I didn't include Elevation because there're 2 DVD's out there from the same Tour). Cheers

1- Belfast 23-01-1981 (AWESOME CONCERT!)
2- Berlin 04-11-1981 (Great Goncert)
3- New York 22-11-1981 (Good Concert)
4- Hattem 14-05-1982 (AWESOME CONCERT!)
5- Roskilde 02-07-1982 (AWESOME CONCERT!)
6- Devore 03-05-1983 (Great Concert)
7- St. Goarshausen 20-08-1983 (AWESOME CONCERT!)
8- Dortmund 21-11-1984 (AWESOME CONCERT!)
9- Montreal 27-03-1985 (Great Concert)
10-Los Angeles 18-11-1987 (AWESOME CONCERT!)
11-Dublin 31-12-1989 (AWESOME CONCERT!)
12-Stockholm 11-06-1992 (AWESOME CONCERT!)
13-Washington 16-08-1992 (Great Concert)
14-Anaheim 14-11-1992 (AWESOME CONCERT!)
15-Dublin 28-08-1993 (AWESOME CONCERT!)
16-Adelaide 16-11-1993 (Great Concert)
17-Rotterdam 18-07-1997 (AWESOME CONCERT!)
18-Sao Baulo 31-01-1998 (Great Concert)
19-Santiago 11-02-1998 (AWESOME CONCERT!)

What the hell are U2 waiting for?

PS: for U2's management: DO NOT RELEASE THIS LAME SHOW ON DVD, Rather choose another one as Santiago 1998 - known among collectors as the truly best Pop Mart show -. Thanks

Worst U2 live video ever

After their amazing Zoo TV Live from Sidney, U2 made a mistake by releasing this mediocre show on VHS. I've listen to worthy performances of Pop Mart Tour, and this one is really shameful. Bono is in poorly rough voice, the band sounds flat and lazy, songs are performed uninspired and dull, etc.

This is the perfect example of what a band shouldn't do for an official release: too much cameras, too much lights, too much sound quality... weak performance. It's a shame, because Pop was an outstanding life changing album and this tour was their biggest ever, containing some mind blowing performances, mixed with really forgettable ones.

Don't forget: the most important thing about any live video must be the PERFORMANCE itself, not lights, cameras, audio, etc.

I really hope they won't release this crap on DVD, they must go with a better performance like Rotterdam, Santiago, etc.