If U2’s The Joshua Tree did not represent such an artistic pinnacle for the Irish group, this Deluxe 20th Anniversary Edition might seem nothing more than another contrived piece of commercialism for the holidays.
Popmart finds U2 at their most bloated. The set is absolutely huge and probably has enough lights to illuminate a mid-size town. The grand entrance with the band entering as a boxing entourage heading to the ring of a championship bout (with Bono as the fighter) all set to the tune of M's "Pop Muzik" is about as over-the-top as it could be. They had costume changes. At one point, they return to the stage in what appears to be a UFO. With all this superficiality, how could they possibly connect with the fans?
