Pop Music Reviews : Tender Finale for U2’s ‘Zoo’ Tour

U2’s “Zoo TV” tour, which ended its triumphant U.S. swing Saturday night at Anaheim Stadium, may well stand as the “Sgt. Pepper’s” of rock tours.

The most obvious thing about this series of shows--which mirrors the classic Beatles album in terms of its unprecedented ambition and daring--is its size.

The massive barrage of video screens and related technological features represents the boldest test of rock ‘n’ roll adventurism in the MTV age. And the concept continues to work wonderfully on that level: offering an immediacy and intimacy that has rarely been approached on a stadium level.

But the most important thing about “Zoo TV” is its heart. Even though Saturday’s performance was the 100th on a tour that has stretched from Milan to Miami, the Irish quartet showed no sign of either being a prisoner of the technology or drained of passion.

While not as consistently dynamic as the second of the two recent Dodger Stadium shows, this was a more tender and reflective affair. Bono Hewson, dressed in black leather and dark glasses, again opened the show in the role of a self-absorbed rock star.

But, even more than Dodger Stadium, Hewson--both in his comments to the audience and in his performance--distanced himself from that character as the show progressed, re-establishing more fully the connection with the idealism and integrity that has long fueled U2’s music. Indeed, the band emerges from this tour more compelling than ever.