U2 is arguably the biggest band in the world and supporters of that position can certainly make the case by pointing to U2 3D, the new concert film that raises the bar for the genre to a whole new level. Captured during their Vertigo tour, the viewer is immersed in the closest recreation of the concert-going experience through the combination of “the first digital 3-D, multi-camera production of a live-action event” and a 5.1 Surround soundtrack. Even people who aren’t fans of the band will be hard pressed to deny the power that the technology is able to deliver. As the band opens with “Vertigo,” the film jumps around the stadium, showing the band from different perspectives as well as the audience. No matter where the camera is, everything in the shot is in focus and sounds come from everywhere. As the viewers’ senses are overwhelmed, they could easily lose themselves in the moment to stand up and applaud after a song.
Highlights include Bono nicely filling Luciano Pavarotti’s part on “Miss Sarajevo,” the band performing the rollicking “Love and Peace or Else” on all corners of the stage area, and during “The Fly,” the video graphics are given the 3-D treatment, smacking the viewer right in the face.
To create this film, U2 and their film crew recorded medium-length shots for two days at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, mid-distance for two days at Morumbi Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, an overhead shot of drummer Larry Mullen during one concert at Estadio Nacional in Santiago, Chile, and mid-to long-distance shots to capture both the band and the fans at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina. For close-ups, they performed 10 songs without an audience the night before the Argentina shows. It was Bono’s idea to record the footage in South America where the band would draw enthusiastic crowds because they had not played there in eight years. The audiences’ energy and love for the band combine with the music to create special moments that are greater than the sum of their parts. What’s very impressive is that for the vast majority of these fans, U2’s songs are not sung in their original language, yet they show up in the tens of thousands to dance and sing along. There’s no band that has that kind of pull in the United States.Most of the film’s editing is seamless, although there are occasions when the shots don’t match up, such as Bono’s sunglasses during “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own.” It’s completely understandable when capturing live events, and shows that not every U2 concert is performed exactly the same way, something more bands should emulate.The Vertigo tour included a recitation of the U.N. Declaration Of Human Rights on the videoscreen, an unfortunate but necessary reminder of reality, which fits in thematically with the band’s songs. It’s this type of preaching during a concert that some fans take issue with because they only want to be entertained. They only want to sing about the troubles in Ireland, the mothers of the disappeared, Martin Luther King, not realizing U2’s songs are meant not only to be heard, but acted upon as well. The only negatives U2 3D has is that it cuts the concert to 85 minutes and the film doesn’t contain a frequent occurrence at a U2 show of Bono pulling a member out of the audience to dance or sing to a song.U2 3D is available only in cinemas equipped with Digital 3–D or IMAX 3-D projection systems.Set List:VertigoBeautiful DayNew Year’s DaySometimes You Can’t Make It On Your OwnLove And Peace Or ElseSunday Bloody SundayBullet The Blue SkyMiss SarajevoU.N. Declaration Of Human RightsPride (In The Name Of Love)Where The Streets Have No NameOneThe FlyWith Or Without YouYahweh [played during the closing credits]
Article comments
1 - Tom Johnson
It’s this type of preaching during a concert that some fans take issue with because they only want to be entertained. They only want to sing about the troubles in Ireland, the mothers of the disappeared, Martin Luther King, not realizing U2’s songs are meant not only to be heard, but acted upon as well.
You know, the old adage is "show, don't tell." I love U2 but the problem with the preaching is that where U2 had been so capable of wrapping up the preaching in great songs before, Bono now has to stop the show and talk down to the crowd about the horrors of the world we all live in - horrors that a good majority of U2 fans would be well aware of because they actually do listen to their lyrics and would know what they mean. If, of course, he actually wrote about that stuff.
It is not ridiculous for fans to be upset about this - we paid A LOT of money to see the band play songs, not to be lectured to about Bono's latest goodwill ventures. It was a seriously momentum-draining part of the show. I mean, just the fact that you point out that fans want to sing about troubles in Ireland and MLK, etc. shows that the fans are aware of the issues. Bono can't make anyone do anything, and stopping a show like he did every night of the tour for his little spiel does nothing but make people sour. Guys by me at the San Diego show were flipping him off - not particularly nice guys, of course, and not the kind of guys who would respond to any message in a U2 song, but you get their point: get back to the music. He needs to save that crap for Oprah appearances, or, better yet, write some lyrics that spread his message. Anything else is shortchanging everyone involved.
That said, it was a great piece that really makes me want to find someone to watch my daughter for the afternoon so I could go check this out.
2 - Megan Click
Preaching has occurred at u2 concerts for at least the past 20 years. Rattle and Hum had preaching, Zoo-Tv had the Sarajevo hookups...why is this even news?
3 - El Bicho
Is Bono bugging ya? He doesn't mean to bug ya.
To echo off Megan's point, this is what the band has always done and it "is" ridiculous for fans to be upset due to their faulty memory or ignorance of who they are going to see.
It's no different from the people who complained about all the Bush bashing when CSN&Y toured in support of Young's "Living With War" or Roger Waters anti-war material during his recent tours. You aren't hiring the band to put on the show you want; they are charging you a price to see their show.
The concert I saw in Anaheim only showed the film clip, there was no talking about it, but even if he did at your stop, it might be that he's talking down to the crowd because nothing has changed. The troubles in Ireland are now happening in Iraq, the disappearances in South America are now happening in Kenya. Hell, at the time of the tour the United States was in violation of the Declaration, so I am surprised their wasn't more talking.
"the fact that you point out that fans want to sing about troubles in Ireland and MLK, etc. shows that the fans are aware of the issues"
No it doesn't. Many people like songs because of the music and have no idea of what the message of the lyrics is. Haven't you heard inappropriate songs like "One" or The Police's "Every Breath You Take" played at a wedding before? I don't think people are as smart as give them credit for as evidenced by your bird-flippers. I could easily point to others.
That said, I appreciate your comments and hope you find a babysitter soon.
4 - Tom Johnson
I understand your point, but I think that the issue is that U2 has two kinds of fans - those that care already and those that will never care. Bono's diatribes are not going to make a difference to those that don't care and his causes are already well-known to those who do. He's most effective taking his issues to the airwaves, not the concert halls, where he can talk to everyday people who may not care at all about their music, but may be prone to acting on the message he sends because, say, Oprah endorses it. Bono is one of the few musicians who actually has the credibility to take any message anywhere he wants. Many have tried, many look like fools, and most simply fail all together.
To address the other statements, I'm well aware that Bono's addressed issues all along. He's just never done so in such a heavy-handed, desperate, and boring way before. Like I said, the music and lyrics were used to make a point before where this time he simply went on and on because he's not using the opportunities presented by the music to share his feelings via lyrics anymore. This is not a criticism of their music, by the way, just a statement.
Regardless of Bono's intent, people go to concerts for music and for the show, and pay a lot of money to do so, and his speech completely killed the momentum of what was otherwise an excellent show. When he's in "rock star" mode, that is is primary job - make a great rock show. He greatly compromises his current job when he goes into activist role. I mean, think of it the other way around - how seriously would people take him if he was out making speeches about the state of the world and then broke into song at random? All humor aside, it doesn't need to be done this way. He has the stature where he no longer needs the concert stage to be his soapbox. He has much more effective ways of communicating his message and should do so.