Search - U2 - PopMart Live from Mexico City (Limited Edition) on DVD

A Must-Have for U2 Fans

Anthony Ian | Chicago, IL United States | 09/01/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are so many reasons to recommend this--I can't believe it's finally on DVD!



The Pop Mart tour and album were incorrectly derided by some critics--and even the band apparently--as a failed experiment. Wrong. That album was some of their coolest music ever, and the tour, while it started rough, by the time of this show is just monster (no pun intended). This BTW was the largest video screen every constructed; after the tour it was sold off in pieces to sports stadiums and the like.



Granted, it you don't like the "ironic" U2 and songs like "Discotheque" you'll probably hate the "lemon" part which is totally Spinal Tap (although that was sort of the point). Too bad, because right after that song they do THE definitive version of "If You Wear That Velvet Dress," which far surpasses the recorded version.



The show opens with a seamless segue from "Pop Music" on the P.A. into "Mofo." "Mofo" was an interesting, if not fully realized, track from the album but here it absolutely kills in a different arrangement. Just like "Elevation" live blows away the recorded version, so it goes with "Mofo."



There's also a slightly altered version of "I Will Follow" (different guitar patch, Larry alters the drum pattern) and a great version of "Last Night on Earth." One of the better versions of "New Year's Day" appears on this disc. Interesting thing to note: all the people at the show cheer all the new tunes and apparently know the words (even to tunes like "Already Gone"). Americans tend to applaud only the singles and the well-known hits.



The sound's great, the band's tight, the crowd is absolutely bonkers. For videos I rank it up there with Live from Sydney (Zoo TV) as their best.



Sure by this point, after Zoo TV, U2 fans had pretty much had enough of the "irony" phase and thankfully they moved on. But it's a kick to see that huge video screen and the whole spectacle.



The "limited edition" of this DVD includes a second disc which includes videos, tour documentaries and addtional tracks, although the tracks on this seem taken from raw video feeds while taping the shows--not bad, but not as polished as the final versions on the concert proper."

U2's best concert video!

George Combs II | Trenton, Ohio, USA | 10/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

""POPMart Live From Mexico City" is a great video that avoids the mistakes of their previous concert video efforts.Their first video, "Live At Red Rocks Under A Blood Red Sky" (1983) featured a very young U2 banging out the best of their first three albums, "Boy," "October" and "War." The video and sound quality is nowhere near spectacular, but you cannot fault the band for it as the video was shot on a very stingy budget, and in a sometimes driving rainstorm. However, their youthful energy more than makes up for the technical shortcomings.1988's "Rattle And Hum" was a theatrically-released concert film. U2 was more confident on stage and in front of the camera, and it showed. My main qualm about "Rattle And Hum" is that it's a bit too somber and melodramatic at times, especially the concert footage. But, like "Live Under A Blood Red Sky," the energy of the band makes up for it. Bono, Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. matured greatly as musicians and entertainers between 1983 and 1988, and it's readily appearent in the film."Zoo TV" was a tad too theatrical, although the band never sounded better. It seems U2 was trying to make an artistic statement with the stage. Once again, the music drove the show, but the emphasis on technology detracted from it."POPMart Live From Mexico City" is nearly perfect! The stage, featuring a mammoth video screen and a giant arch added a lot without being in the way. With the exception of moments during "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me," Bono avoids his alter egos (The Fly, MacPhisto) of years past and is just Bono. One definite high point of the video is the Bono/Edge acoustic set. Bono forgetting a verse to "Desire" and breaking into "La Bamba" was funny. Edge get an all-too rare turn, singing "Sunday Bloody Sunday" before breaking ionto the best live version of "Bullet The Blue Sky" I've ever heard. Another great moment was their performance of "Pride." SIMPLY AWESOME. A "must buy!""

The best concert I've ever been!

Antonio Jiménez Rahal | Mexico City | 09/06/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Is very nice to have a video when you know you are one of the thousands of heads (or lighters) there, and live again the intensity of a fantastic band like U2; not to mention the great scenery and videos on the TV-Wall (I love the Lichtenstein secuence on "Bullet the blue sky"). Still is quite fun to hear Bono describing Mexico City in Spanish: "Muchos Huevos, Grandes Corazones, Mucho Tráfico" (Big balls, Great hearts, a lot of traffic), and trying to sing "La Bamba" at the end of the acoustic version of "Desire"; also singing "Arriba...México Now!" in a new arrangement at the end of "Where the streets have no name", etc. First I bought it 'cause I was there, now I appreciate it 'cause the quality of the video itself; it have great camera movements, framing and direction so you can enjoy a spectacular concert in a spectacular city of one of the best bands of the world. The only thing you will miss in this video is the fact that the night was really cold."

Most entertaining concert and best product packaging

J Lance | Indiana United States | 09/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I own every U2 concert DVD that has been made and even though they might have had better "concert" eras like the Joshua Tree tour or the early years when at Red Rocks, hands down this is the most innovative concert experience to date. This DVD captures the amazing stage show as well has the great performance by U2 extremely well...Considering ALL THE LIGHTS and Gigantic LED screen (If only HD was more available and used during the filming of this). As for the DVD itself speaking of the limited edition. I couldn't ask for better packaging. The casing just looks cool. As you open it up, you will see a booklet that comes with it as well as a pop out of The Edge. I was very happy to pay the extra money for the limited edition. Best packaging, best "extra" disc, best stage show and a great performance makes this concert DVD five stars."