U2 PopMart Tour 1997–98: The Giant Lemon, a US$7 Million Screen and 3.98 Million Fans

U2’s PopMart Tour played 93 shows to 3,982,657 fans between April 25, 1997 and March 21, 1998, grossing US$173.6 million. It was the second-highest-grossing tour of 1997.

The tour supported Pop and turned Zoo TV’s satire on its head, this time sending up consumerism with a supermarket-sized stage.

The PopMart stage: lemon, arch and olive

Show designer Willie Williams and architect Mark Fisher built a 30 m (98 ft) tall set. A 100 ft golden arch held up the sound system.

Behind the band was an LED screen around 150–170 ft wide and 50–56 ft tall, made of 187 folding panels. It cost US$7 million to develop.

The most famous prop was a 40 ft motorised lemon-shaped mirrorball that carried the band to the B-stage for the encore. Sometimes it broke down and trapped them inside. A 12 ft olive on a 100 ft cocktail stick finished the look.

U2 in Sarajevo

PopMart’s most important night was in Sarajevo, where 45,000 people saw U2 play. They were the first major band to perform in the city after the Bosnian War.

A rough start

Construction of the stage only began on March 28, 1997, less than a month before opening night, and early shows were under-rehearsed. An ABC special, U2: A Year in Pop, aired April 26, 1997 to poor ratings.

PopMart on film

The tour was filmed for PopMart: Live from Mexico City.

Want to see U2’s next big stage? The U2 tour 2027 opens Feb. 23 in Mexico City. Compare every production on our U2 tour history page.