The PopMart Tour commenced in April 1997 and was intended as a satire of consumerism . The stage included a 100-foot-tall ( 30 m ) golden yellow arch reminiscent of the McDonald 's logo , a 40-foot-tall ( 12 m ) mirrorball lemon , and a 150-foot-long ( 46 m ) LED video screen , at the time the world 's largest . U2 's " big shtick " failed to satisfy many who were seemingly confused by the band 's new kitsch image and the tour 's elaborate set . The reduced rehearsal time for the tour affected the quality of early shows , and in some US markets , the band played to half-empty stadiums . On several occasions , the mirrorball lemon from which the band emerged for the encores malfunctioned , trapping them inside . Despite the mixed reviews and difficulties of the tour , Bono considered PopMart to be " better than Zoo TV aesthetically , and as an art project it is a clearer thought . " He later explained , " When that show worked , it was mindblowing . " The European leg of the tour featured two highlights . The group 's 20 September 1997 show in Reggio Emilia was attended by over 150,000 people , setting a world record for the largest paying audience for a one-act show . U2 also performed in Sarajevo on 23 September , making them the first major group to stage a concert there following the Bosnian War . Mullen described the show as " an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life , and if I had to spend 20 years in the band just to play that show , and have done that , I think it would have been worthwhile . " Bono called the show " one of the toughest and one of the sweetest nights of my life " . The tour concluded in March 1998 with gross revenues of US$ 171.7 million and 3.9 million tickets sold . The following month , U2 appeared on the 200th episode of the animated sitcom '' The Simpsons '' , in which Homer Simpson disrupts the band on stage during a PopMart concert . In November 1998 , U2 released their first compilation album , '' The Best of 1980 – 1990 '' , which featured a re-recording of a 1987 B-side , " Sweetest Thing " , as its single . The album broke a first-week sales record in the US for a greatest hits collection by a group , while " Sweetest Thing " topped the singles charts in Ireland and Canada
performed in Sarajevo on 23 September
U2 concert in Sarajevo
U2