Collectors Music Reviews

Zoonited Kingdom (Godfather G.R. BOX 15)

Twenty years ago U2 staged one of the most elaborate tours in rock and roll history with the Zoo tour.  The “Zooropa 93″ tour was the fourth leg which began on February 29th, 1992 in Florida and would end in Tokyo on December 10th, 1993.

In  Zoonited Kingdom Godfather have collected together one of their most ambitious box sets to date.  Six shows on twelve discs, they cover the bulk of the UK shows at the end of August.  All of the shows are sourced from audience recording in very good sound quality and represent the best available record of these unforgettable shows.  

The setlists for the six, with a few exceptions, are quite similar, meant to be played in sync with the visuals.  The liner notes discuss the structure of the show in some detail, pointing out that:  ”The concept of the tour was inspired by a multitude of TV programs and focused on the strong criticism about the devastating effects that a certain type of communication had on the masses.  The stage was made up of dozens of television screens on which were projected TV shows, lighting effects, clips of modern art, images of characters from past history and contemporary phrases or words meant for effect….

“Before the show, fans were invited to be filmed in a confessional and they could freely state their opinions, either serious or joking, and then see the result during a show break before the encores….Bono came back onstage for the encores transformed into his alter ego Mr. MacPhisto dressed in a gold suit, lipstick, makeup and horns, a sort of devil speaking in strong English accent and pretending to come from the past to call on the phone his designated victim, intimidating them, creating an ironic and theatrical short break, perfectly in line with the targeting theme of the show.” 

Who Is The Devil? (G.R. BOX 15 A/B)

Wembley Stadium, London, England – August 11th, 1993

Disc 1 (71:26):  Intro. (Bees / Drummer Boys / Drug Of The Nation), Zoo Station, The Fly, Even Better Than The Real Thing, Mysterious Ways / Funky Town / Love To Love You Baby), One / Unchained Melody, Until The End Of The World, New Year’s Day, Numb, Zooropa, Babyface, Stay (Faraway So Close), Satellite Of Love, Sarajevo link up

Disc 2 (59:39):  Bad / Fool To Cry / The First Time, Bullet The Blue Sky, Running To Stand Still / The End, Where The Streets Have No Name, Pride (In The Name Of Love), Zoo TV Confessionals, Desire / You Make Me Feel So Young / Those Were The Days, My Friend, phone call to Salman Rushdie, Ultraviolet (Light My Way), Love Is Blindness, Can’t Help Falling In Love

The August 11th Wembley show is sourced from a very good but thin audience recording.  This is perhaps the most famous of the shows.  Bono phones author Salman Rushdie, who actually follows up the phone call by coming down to the show for his first public appearance since 1989, when Ayatollah Khomeini issued the fatwah against him for The Satanic Verses. 

 Sarajevo Is All Over The News (G.R. BOX 15 C/D)

Wembley Stadium, London, England – August 12th, 1993

Disc 1 (71:32):  Intro. (Bees / Drummer Boys / Drug Of The Nation), Zoo Station, The Fly, Even Better Than The Real Thing, Mysterious Ways, One / She’s A Mystery To Me, Until The End Of The World, New Year’s Day, Numb, Zooropa, Babyface, Stay (Faraway So Close), I Will Follow, Satellite Of Love, Sarajevo link up

Disc 2 (62:08):  Bad / Fool To Cry / The First Time (w/Shankar on violin), Bullet The Blue Sky, Running To Stand Still, Where The Streets Have No Name, Pride (In The Name Of Love), Zoo TV Confessionals, Desire / Getting To Know You, phone call to Lady Diana / hanging on the telephone / I Just Called To Say I Love You, Ultraviolet (Light My Way), Love Is Blindness, Can’t Help Falling In Love

The August 12th Wembley show has the same sound quality as previous night.  ”I Will Follow” has been added to the set and Bono phones Lady Diana in the phone call section of the show.  

Roundhay Park Makes Wembley Stadium Look Like A Bowling Green
(G.R. BOX 15 E/F)

Roundhay Park, Leeds, England – August 14th, 1993

Disc 1 (68:55):   Intro. (Bees / Drummer Boys / Drug Of The Nation), Zoo Station, The Fly, Even Better Than The Real Thing, Mysterious Ways, One / Unchained Melody, Until The End Of The World, New Year’s Day, Numb, Babyface, Stay (Faraway So Close), Angel Of Harlem,  When Love Comes To Town, Satellite Of Love

Disc 2 (55:16):  Bad / Fool To Cry / All I Want Is You, Bullet The Blue Sky, Running To Stand Still, Where The Streets Have No Name, Pride (In The Name Of Love), Zoo TV Confessionals, Desire / You Make Me Feel So Young / Solid Gold Easy Action, phone call to John Gummer / Moon River / I Just Called To Say I Love You, Ultraviolet (Light My Way) / My Way, Love Is Blindness, Can’t Help Falling In Love

The Leeds show was played in a big natural amphitheater and was one of the biggest shows U2 gave.  It was the biggest until the September 20th, 1997 show in Reggio Emilia drew 150,000 people.  The audience tape is very thin, clear and loud.  ”Angel Of Harlem” replaces “I Will Follow” in the set and the phone call is to John Gummer who was Secretary of State for the Environment under conservative PM John Major at the time.

Shopping In Wales (G.R. BOX 15 G/H)

Arms Park, Cardiff, Wales – August 18th, 1993

Disc 1 (68:20):  Intro. (Bees / Drummer Boys / Drug Of The Nation), Zoo Station, The Fly, Even Better Than The Real Thing, Mysterious Ways, One / Unchained Melody, Until The End Of The World, New Year’s Day, Numb, Babyface, Angel Of Harlem, Dancing Queen, Stay (Faraway So Close), Satellite Of Love

Disc 2 (63:06):  Bad / Irish Heartbeat / The First Time, Bullet The Blue Sky, Running To Stand Still, Where The Streets Have No Name, Pride (In The Name Of Love), Zoo TV Confessionals, Desire / You Make Me Feel So Young / Green Green Grass Of Home, phone call to Margaret Thatcher / I Just Called To Say I Love You, Ultraviolet (Light My Way), With Or Without You, Love Is Blindness, Can’t Help Falling In Love

The  August 18th show is from a clear and well balanced audience tape.  Played in the Arms Park rugby stadium, the audience are very excited and enthusiastic.  U2 add “Dancing Queen” to the set, “Irish Heartbeat” to the “Bad” medley and “With Or Without You” to the encores.  MacPhestio’s phone call is to ex-PM Margaret Thatcher.  

The New Religion (G.R. BOX 15 I/L)

Wembley Stadium, London, England – August 20th, 1993

Disc 1 (66:44):  Intro. (Bees / Drummer Boys / Drug Of The Nation), Zoo Station, The Fly, Even Better Than The Real Thing, Mysterious Ways, One / Unchained Melody, Until The End Of The World, New Year’s Day, Numb, Babyface, Angel Of Harlem, Stay (Faraway So Close), Satellite Of Love

Disc 2 (62:27):  Bad / Fool To Cry / The First Time, Bullet The Blue Sky, Running To Stand Still / The End, Where The Streets Have No Name, Pride (In The Name Of Love), Zoo TV Confessionals, Desire / Getting To Know You / I Just Called To Say I Love You, phone call to Archbishop George Carey, Ultraviolet (Light My Way), With Or Without You, Love Is Blindness, Can’t Help Falling In Love

The August 20th Wembley tape is clear but with significant distance and echo.  Although it’s listenable, it is the poorest sounding tape in the box.  MacPhisto’s phone call is to Archbishop George Carey, leader of the Church Of England.  

Wembley Stadium In The Rain (G.R. BOX 15 M/N)

Wembley Stadium, London, England – August 21st, 1993

Disc 1 (67:50):  Intro. (Bees / Drummer Boys / Drug Of The Nation), Zoo Station, The Fly, Even Better Than The Real Thing, Mysterious Ways / Love To Love You, One / Unchained Melody, Until The End Of The World / Singin’ In The Rain, New Year’s Day, Numb, Tryin’ To Throw Your Arms Around The World, Angel Of Harlem, Dancing Queen, Stay (Faraway So Close), Satellite Of Love

Disc 2 (62:09):  Bad / Candle In The Wind / Fool To Cry / The First Time, Bullet The Blue Sky, Running To Stand Still, Where The Streets Have No Name, Pride (In The Name Of Love), Zoo TV Confessionals, Desire / Singin’ In The Rain / Solid Gold Easy Action, phone call to Graham Taylor / You’ll Never Walk Alone, Ultraviolet (Light My Way) / My Way, With Or Without You, Love Is Blindness, Can’t Help Falling In Love

The sixth and final show in the collection comes from a very good but slightly distant audience tape.  Bono makes several references to “Singin’ In The Rain” since the show was played in the rain.  ”Tryin’ To Throw Your Arms Around The World” is added to the setlist and the phone call is to Graham Taylor.  Bono sings “You’ll Never Walk Alone” instead of “I Just Called To Say I Love You.”  

Zoonited Kingdom is a spectacular box set for the U2 collector.  As the liner notes say, “in August 1993, U2 were way ahead of the rest of rock, the Zoo TV Tour introduced a new and different way to communicate, making a multimedia event out of a rock show, where even the spectators in the cheap seats or back rows, could be somehow involved in an experience that was unique and extraordinary.  The Zoo TV tour is still, even today, an inimitable and incomparable work of art.”

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