Pop was released on March 3,1997. I remember seeing the video for “Discotheque” and loving it because U2 was dressed like The Village People. A lot of people criticized Pop for being too techno and not enough of like U2, but I really liked it. The lyrics were just as strong as always. In fact, one of my favorite U2 songs of all time, “Gone,” is from Pop. My other favorites from Pop are “Staring at the Sun,” “Please,” “Discotheque,” and “Last Night on Earth.”

U2 started their Popmart Tour in America in support of their new album Pop. For this tour I again went to eight shows, but I traveled further than I had for ZooTv. I had just graduated college and just broken up with my boyfriend. Fun Lovin’ Criminals, who had a song out called Scooby Snacks, opened the six shows I saw on the first leg of Popmart. The setlists for these Popmart shows were pretty much the same, but were quite different from ZooTv. The order of songs were changed all around and of course all the new songs were played, but the most unique performance was Edge singing karoke to either “Sweet Caroline” or “Daydream Believer.”

I really enjoyed the Popmart tour. I don’t think it gets the credit it deserves, but there were some great performances. It was visually pleasing as well. There was a giant golden arch like McDonald’s, a giant martini and a giant discoball traveling lemon that brought Larry, Bono, Edge and Adam to the encore. It was also the only time I have seen the band in a uniform of sorts. They each had their own tee shirt: Bono was Bono Man, Larry was Hit Man, Adam was Pop Tart, and Edge was Mr. the Edge. And by the end of tour, “If You Wear That Velvet Dress” became one of my favorites off Pop. That was the song I was always singing as I walked out of a PopMart concert.

Click here for my PopMart pictures.