Rotterdam Lovetown 1990

Before they went away and dreamed it all up again. Here's a compilation of the shows they did. A couple of notable performances are missing, but on the whole it showcases how much magic was present on stage for the final Lovetown gigs, some absolutely phenomenal performances with BB King too.

THANK YOU! It's 4:20am...I'm on my 2nd cup of coffee...next thing is going outside to work out to this...thanks, Cat!

That was fun...and of course, the fact that it began with Streets...out under the starry, starry southwestern sky...
UF was, uh, interesting.
She's A Mystery To Me...wow, just wow!
Thanks again, Cat, for posting this. I'm sure I've heard it before, but it's been quite a while.

The first U2 tour I ever missed. Just couldn't justify the expense back then to fly to Europe to see a band. And while we are in a very different financial position now, I still don't think I'd do it. But the Point Depot show on Dec. 26th is one of my favorites.

I was at the second show - the audience gasped when he said they had to go away for a while and dream it all up again

You lucky bastard!

Exactly what I was thinking...

My first U2 show ! December 11th. Very underrated as I was suffering from a fever so not really into it which was a major let down because was pretty much all I cared for at the time. Too much expectation. That said, I really, really enjoy the Dublin bootlegs from that tour.

Lovetown was such a random tour, when it came to playing countries. I wonder why it was a select few only? Anyone care to hazard a guess?
I know they played Down Under, Japan, Netherlands, France, Germany and Ireland. I wonder why those countries, especially the European shows?

Lovetown was such a random tour, when it came to playing countries. I wonder why it was a select few only? Anyone care to hazard a guess?
I know they played Down Under, Japan, Netherlands, France, Germany and Ireland. I wonder why those countries, especially the European shows?

Good question!

Holy cow. Now THAT is an amazing version of All Along the Watchtower! Thank you.

Listening to this makes me think again what a shame it was they were so injured by the criticism of Rattle & Hum. So much intensity and passion cast aside in favor of hiding behind costumes and irony. Can't blame them, though, it must have been exhausting.

"Hiding"? I think it came blazing out.

Okay, fair point. But what came blazing out was cynicism and bitterness. Not faulting them for it, but it was pretty black after what came before.

U2 during the '80's was ... I don't even know how to describe it. But you can hear it in that concert. Exuberant? Jubilant? Whatever is was, it caught fire and we were a MOVEMENT, man! U2 was on every radio and we all believed!

But that was the times, and the times, alas, changed into something that valued calculation more than passion. If they had remained what they were, they would have been burned alive at the stake. But I think they still had the passion, and that's what I meant about hiding ... they needed camoflauge to disguise it. Costumes and attitude to cover up the heart. And look, it worked! The critics fawned all over them instead of bringing out the knives! And sincerity, in some form at least, lived to return another day.

Or that's my very romanticized take on it, maybe they really did buy into the ostentation and I just don't want to believe it.

I agree with you. Only difference is that it really worked for me.

The heart was there, it just had a little pair of sunglasses on it. Still duct taped to the sleeve, all the same.

The hurt and darkness was real. The doubt was real.

Complex music, complex melodies, complex ideas, complex words. Still all heart. What could be barer than "Jesus, Jesus help me, I'm alone in this world, and a fucked up world it is too"?

Songs for different needs. When I need that song, Pride isn't cutting it. And other times, Wake Up Dead Man is not where I am, I want to be on my feet with Pride.

Well, I was referring specifically to ZooTV. By the time Pop came along, I think something else was starting to leak out, something more assertive and less vulnerable. But PopMart ... yeah, I don't know. To me that was a descent into parody, but it worked. Maybe because it was so obvious. With The Fly, it was harder to tell what was real and what wasn't. At least, back then.