Happy Birthday, Zooropa!

The Astrobaby and the album that inspired it turn 24 today, and you know what that means: six more years until it gets an anniversary tour! Okay, that’s not likely – but who’s to say that a Zoo TV 2022 tour can’t happen? That would be a great way to incorporate a few songs off the gem that is Zooropa with the entirety of the powerhouse that is Achtung Baby, bringing back the sensory overload of the early 90s to stadiums everywhere. The next generation of U2 concert goers could learn why their parents make an effort to use “Everything you know is wrong” when giving them life lesson talks (and that means you’ll never again hear your irritated kid ask, “That’s another one of your U2 things, isn’t it?”).

Now that I have you pumped up, here are some suggestions on celebrating the 24th birthday of Zooropa:

Insert some favorite object, or perhaps whatever you happen to be eating at the moment, into a lyric from the album. Since my life has been consumed by nerve pain lately, I’m inserting my newest medication: “Cymbalta…a bluer kind of white. Cymbalta…it could be yours tonight.” However, using tonight’s dinner would work just as well: “A man takes a burger. A moving burger.” There are endless options here.
Visit a Facebook group where fans are passionately debating the merits and drawbacks of fan-run GA lines (trust me, this should not be too hard to find right now). Write a comment no less than 1,000 words long that makes your argument for or against fan-run lines. Get engaged in a tense back-and-forth with two or three people who hold the opposite viewpoint (again, this should not be too hard). No matter what conclusion everyone arrives at, end your remarks with “Dream out loud, bitches!” and a lemon emoji. You have now made your point and acknowledged the Zooropa anniversary at the same time.
Crash your car. Ask Daddy to pay for it. (I know, too easy.)
Replace “Berlin” with your city in the following lyric: “Miami, New Orleans, London, Belfast…” Most of us have been doing this for years anyway, right?
Finally memorize Numb from beginning to end, if you haven’t already (I’ll admit that I never have, so I guess today’s the day).

Or…just listen to the album. And watch more TV.