Zoo TV: Live From Sydney
Encyclopedia
Zoo TV: Live from Sydney is a concert video release by rock band
U2
from the "Zoomerang" leg of their Zoo TV Tour
. Recorded on Saturday, November 27, 1993 at Sydney Football Stadium on the band's featured stop in Sydney
, Australia
, it was released in May 1994 on VHS
and Laserdisc
, and re-released in September 2006 on DVD
. It won the Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video
in 1994. The show was also broadcast around the world live on pay-per-view
.
In 2006, the show was released as the live album
Zoo TV Live
to subscribers of U2.com.
This was the second of two consecutive concerts in Sydney. The previous night was used as a rehearsal for the video shoot; however, it is now infamous as the only U2 concert ever played without all four band members present. Adam Clayton
was bed-ridden and unable to play, and was replaced by bass technician Stuart Morgan. Although on stage Bono
cited a virus as the reason for Clayton's not appearing that night, it has since been revealed that Clayton was too hungover
to play, as confirmed by Bono during an interview many years later. Clayton was back on stage the following night and appears in the video. Clayton no longer drinks and has cited the devastation he felt at missing the Friday concert in Sydney as his motivation for staying sober since.
Years later in a Rolling Stone
interview, Bono discussed this performance and its significance to the band. Clayton’s absence the previous night had caused a real situation amongst the band members and they were all wondering what long term impact the event would have. Bono said he wasn’t sure that they would ever play live again – he realized during the show that it could be the band's last live performance. As a result, the band's performance that night is particularly emotional, especially during "With or Without You
", "Love Is Blindness
", "Running to Stand Still
" and "Can't Help Falling in Love
".
All tracks played on that night appeared on the video, with the exception of "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World", which was played between "Numb" and "Angel of Harlem". Many speculate it was omitted because of a controversy about Bono sharing a glass of champagne with an underage girl on-stage, while others believe that the band was unsatisfied with their performance, however, producer Ned O'Hanlon stated in an on-line chat in 1996 that the concert was too long and needed to be cut for the video release.
, many fans in the country became offended after they had heard that the phrase "BOMB JAPAN NOW," was displayed among the hundreds of various random words displayed during "The Fly." The phrase was said to have been an ironic
joke since the entire show was a satire
about the media. However, Japanese fans who did not understand the "joke" were very angry and upset. In August 2007, Zoo TV set designer Willie Williams
confirmed the fact that the offensive phrase was never part of the Zoo TV show, and that it was simply a figment of a reporter's imagination after viewing the hundreds of random words displayed during the song. In reality, the words displayed were shown in the following sequence — BOMB / WHORE
/ ULTIMATELY / JAPAN / CHAOS / I / WANT / IT / NOW — which caused the reporter to "see" the phrase.
and Laserdisc
.
, remixed with Dolby Digital
5.1, DTS
5.1, and PCM Stereo audio. The two-disc format featured the following bonus features on disc two:
anniversary re-issue, which were released in November 2011, contain Zoo TV: Live from Sydney as one of four bonus DVDs.
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
from the "Zoomerang" leg of their Zoo TV Tour
Zoo TV Tour
The Zoo TV Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of their 1991 album Achtung Baby, the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 1992 through 1993...
. Recorded on Saturday, November 27, 1993 at Sydney Football Stadium on the band's featured stop in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, it was released in May 1994 on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and Laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
, and re-released in September 2006 on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. It won the Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video
Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video
The Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video is an accolade presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally named the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality videos or musical programs...
in 1994. The show was also broadcast around the world live on pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
.
In 2006, the show was released as the live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
Zoo TV Live
Zoo TV Live
Zoo TV Live is a live album by the Irish rock band U2. It was released exclusively to subscribing members of , replacing U2.COMmunication on 20 November 2006...
to subscribers of U2.com.
Footage and history
This was the second of two consecutive concerts in Sydney. The previous night was used as a rehearsal for the video shoot; however, it is now infamous as the only U2 concert ever played without all four band members present. Adam Clayton
Adam Clayton
Adam Charles Clayton is a musician, best known as the bassist of the Irish rock band U2. Clayton has resided in County Dublin since the time his family moved to Malahide when he was five years old in 1965...
was bed-ridden and unable to play, and was replaced by bass technician Stuart Morgan. Although on stage Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
cited a virus as the reason for Clayton's not appearing that night, it has since been revealed that Clayton was too hungover
Hangover
A hangover describes the sum of unpleasant physiological effects following heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages. The most commonly reported characteristics of a hangover include headache, nausea, sensitivity to light and noise, lethargy, dysphoria, diarrhea and thirst, typically after the...
to play, as confirmed by Bono during an interview many years later. Clayton was back on stage the following night and appears in the video. Clayton no longer drinks and has cited the devastation he felt at missing the Friday concert in Sydney as his motivation for staying sober since.
Years later in a Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
interview, Bono discussed this performance and its significance to the band. Clayton’s absence the previous night had caused a real situation amongst the band members and they were all wondering what long term impact the event would have. Bono said he wasn’t sure that they would ever play live again – he realized during the show that it could be the band's last live performance. As a result, the band's performance that night is particularly emotional, especially during "With or Without You
With or Without You
"With or Without You" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track from their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree, and was released as the album's first single on 21 March 1987...
", "Love Is Blindness
Love Is Blindness
"Love Is Blindness" is a song by rock band U2. It is the twelfth and final track on their 1991 album Achtung Baby. The song was written on a piano by lead singer Bono during the recording sessions for U2's 1988 album Rattle and Hum. Intended for singer Nina Simone, the band elected to keep it for...
", "Running to Stand Still
Running to Stand Still
"Running to Stand Still" is a song by rock band U2, and it is the fifth track from their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree. A slow ballad based on piano and guitar, it describes a heroin-addicted couple living in Dublin's Ballymun flats; the towers have since become associated with the song...
" and "Can't Help Falling in Love
Can't Help Falling in Love
"Can't Help Falling in Love" is a pop song originally recorded by American singer Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company. It was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss. The melody was based on "Plaisir d'Amour" but with a different...
".
Track listing
- Show Opening
- "Zoo StationZoo Station"Zoo Station" is a song by the rock band U2. It is the opening track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby, a record on which the group reinvented themselves musically by incorporating influences from alternative rock, industrial, and electronic dance music...
" - "The FlyThe Fly (song)"The Fly" is a song by rock band U2. It is the seventh track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby and it was released as the album's first single on 12 October 1991. "The Fly" introduced a more abrasive sounding U2, as the song featured hip-hop and industrial beats, distorted vocals, and an elaborate...
" - "Even Better Than the Real ThingEven Better Than the Real Thing"Even Better Than the Real Thing" is the second song on U2's 1991 album Achtung Baby. It was released as the album's fourth single on 7 June 1992.-Writing and recording:...
" - "Mysterious WaysMysterious Ways (song)"Mysterious Ways" is a song by the rock band U2. It is the eighth track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby and was released as the album's second single on 25 November 1991. The song reached the top ten of the singles charts in several countries, including Ireland, where it went to number one...
" - "OneOne (U2 song)"One" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby, and it was released as the record's third single in March 1992. It was recorded at three recording studios, Hansa Ton Studios, Elsinore, and Windmill Lane Studios...
" - "Unchained MelodyUnchained Melody"Unchained Melody" is a 1955 song with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. It has become one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, by some counts having spawned over 500 versions in hundreds of different languages....
" - "Until the End of the WorldUntil the End of the World (song)"Until the End of the World" is a song by rock band U2 and the fourth track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby. The song began as a guitar riff composed by lead vocalist Bono from a demo, which the band revisited with success after talking with German filmmaker Wim Wenders about providing music...
" - "New Year's DayNew Year's Day (song)"New Year's Day" is a song by rock band U2. It is on their 1983 album War and it was released as the album's lead single in January 1983. Written about the Polish Solidarity movement, "New Year's Day" is driven by Adam Clayton's distinctive bassline and The Edge's keyboard playing...
" - "NumbNumb (U2 song)"Numb" is a song by rock band U2. It is the third track from their 1993 album Zooropa and was released in June 1993 as the album's first single. The song features a monotonous mantra of "don't" commands spoken by guitarist The Edge amidst a backdrop of various sound effects and samples...
" - "Angel of HarlemAngel of Harlem"Angel of Harlem" is the second single from U2's 1988 album, Rattle and Hum. It peaked at #9 on the UK Singles Chart, #8 on the Dutch Top 40, #14 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks...
" - "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)Stay (Faraway, So Close!)"Stay " is a song by the rock band U2. It is the fifth track on their 1993 album, Zooropa and was released as the album's third single on 22 November 1993. The song was a top ten hit in the Ireland, Australia, the United Kingdom, and several other countries. The music video was shot in Berlin,...
" - "Satellite of LoveSatellite of Love"Satellite of Love" is one of Lou Reed's best-known songs from his solo career. It is the second single from his 1972 album Transformer. At the time of its release it did not achieve any chart success, though it later became a staple of his concerts and compilation albums.-Background and...
" - "Dirty DayDirty Day"Dirty Day" is the ninth track on U2's 1993 album, Zooropa.-Recording and composition:"Dirty Day" originates from the band recording "live" jam performances in the studio during the Zooropa sessions on the band's break in the Zoo TV Tour. The song was written about a character who leaves his family...
" - "Bullet the Blue SkyBullet the Blue Sky"Bullet the Blue Sky" is the fourth track from U2's 1987 album, The Joshua Tree. The song is one of the band's most overtly politically toned songs, with live performances often being heavily critical of political conflicts and violence....
" - "Running to Stand StillRunning to Stand Still"Running to Stand Still" is a song by rock band U2, and it is the fifth track from their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree. A slow ballad based on piano and guitar, it describes a heroin-addicted couple living in Dublin's Ballymun flats; the towers have since become associated with the song...
" - "Where the Streets Have No NameWhere the Streets Have No Name"Where the Streets Have No Name" is a song by rock band U2. It is the opening track from their 1987 album The Joshua Tree and was released as the album's third single in August 1987. The song's hook is a repeating guitar arpeggio using a delay effect, played during the song's introduction and...
" - "Pride (In the Name of Love)Pride (In the Name of Love)"Pride " is a song by Irish rock band U2. The second track on the band's 1984 album, The Unforgettable Fire, it was released as the album's lead single in September 1984...
" - "Daddy's Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car"
- "Lemon"
- "With or Without YouWith or Without You"With or Without You" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track from their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree, and was released as the album's first single on 21 March 1987...
" - "Love Is BlindnessLove Is Blindness"Love Is Blindness" is a song by rock band U2. It is the twelfth and final track on their 1991 album Achtung Baby. The song was written on a piano by lead singer Bono during the recording sessions for U2's 1988 album Rattle and Hum. Intended for singer Nina Simone, the band elected to keep it for...
" - "Can't Help Falling in LoveCan't Help Falling in Love"Can't Help Falling in Love" is a pop song originally recorded by American singer Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company. It was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss. The melody was based on "Plaisir d'Amour" but with a different...
"
All tracks played on that night appeared on the video, with the exception of "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World", which was played between "Numb" and "Angel of Harlem". Many speculate it was omitted because of a controversy about Bono sharing a glass of champagne with an underage girl on-stage, while others believe that the band was unsatisfied with their performance, however, producer Ned O'Hanlon stated in an on-line chat in 1996 that the concert was too long and needed to be cut for the video release.
Controversy
When the concert video was aired on television in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, many fans in the country became offended after they had heard that the phrase "BOMB JAPAN NOW," was displayed among the hundreds of various random words displayed during "The Fly." The phrase was said to have been an ironic
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
joke since the entire show was a satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
about the media. However, Japanese fans who did not understand the "joke" were very angry and upset. In August 2007, Zoo TV set designer Willie Williams
Willie Williams (lighting designer)
Willie Williams is a video director, stage and lighting designer for concerts, theatre, & multimedia projects...
confirmed the fact that the offensive phrase was never part of the Zoo TV show, and that it was simply a figment of a reporter's imagination after viewing the hundreds of random words displayed during the song. In reality, the words displayed were shown in the following sequence — BOMB / WHORE
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
/ ULTIMATELY / JAPAN / CHAOS / I / WANT / IT / NOW — which caused the reporter to "see" the phrase.
VHS/Laserdisc
After being broadcast on TV the show was first released in May 1994 on VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and Laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
.
DVD release
Zoo TV: Live from Sydney was one of the first titles slated for release in the DVD format in 1997/98, and previews for it appeared on PolyGram DVDs of the time. But the PolyGram release was canceled. It was released on 18 September 2006 under the Island Records label. The DVD was released in a one- and two-disc edition, similar to the DVD release of Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago. Both editions featured the concert in its original 4:3 aspect ratioAspect ratio
The aspect ratio of a shape is the ratio of its longer dimension to its shorter dimension. It may be applied to two characteristic dimensions of a three-dimensional shape, such as the ratio of the longest and shortest axis, or for symmetrical objects that are described by just two measurements,...
, remixed with Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital is the name for audio compression technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories. It was originally called Dolby Stereo Digital until 1994. Except for Dolby TrueHD, the audio compression is lossy. The first use of Dolby Digital was to provide digital sound in cinemas from 35mm film prints...
5.1, DTS
Digital Theater System
DTS is a series of multichannel audio technologies owned by DTS, Inc. , an American company specializing in digital surround sound formats used for both commercial/theatrical and consumer grade applications...
5.1, and PCM Stereo audio. The two-disc format featured the following bonus features on disc two:
- Bonus Tracks
- "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World" and "Desire" — taken live from the Zoo TV Special, Yankee Stadium, New YorkNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, 29 and 30 August 1992 - "The Fly" and "Even Better Than the Real Thing" — taken live from the "Stop SellafieldSellafieldSellafield is a nuclear reprocessing site, close to the village of Seascale on the coast of the Irish Sea in Cumbria, England. The site is served by Sellafield railway station. Sellafield is an off-shoot from the original nuclear reactor site at Windscale which is currently undergoing...
" Concert, G-Mex Centre, ManchesterManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, 19 June 1992
- "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World" and "Desire" — taken live from the Zoo TV Special, Yankee Stadium, New York
- Documentaries
- A Fistful of ZooTV
- ZooTV – The Inside Story
- TrabantTrabantThe Trabant is a car that was produced by former East German auto maker VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau in Zwickau, Sachsen. It was the most common vehicle in East Germany, and was also exported to countries both inside and outside the communist bloc...
land
- Extras
- Video Confessional
- "Numb" karaokeKaraokeis a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
video remix - DVD-ROM features
- Easter eggs
Limited Achtung Baby Anniversary Re-Issue
The "super deluxe edition" and "Uber edition" of the Achtung BabyAchtung Baby
Achtung Baby is the seventh studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 19 November 1991 on Island Records. Stung by the criticism of their 1988 release Rattle and Hum, U2 shifted their musical direction to incorporate alternative...
anniversary re-issue, which were released in November 2011, contain Zoo TV: Live from Sydney as one of four bonus DVDs.