The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 49

THE TAMPA TRIBUNE Monday, December 7, 1987 Section U2 produces passion without pyrotechnics Walt Belcher Television Vj By JANET WILKOF Tribune Music Critic Is I TAMPA Read any article on U2 and undoubtedly the band will be spoken of in superlatives. The Best Band in the World. The Band of the '80s. The Biggest Band' in the World. The Band That Matters.

All of those labels PTL struggling Concert Review have been attached to Ireland's U2 as it has reached superstar status. But the band, which played Tampa Stadium ft ui to keep cash flow Under Jim and Tammy Bakker, PTL programming was a cross between a circus sideshow and "Queen for a Day." On their cable television show, the Bakkers resembled two Munchkins who somehow had escaped from "The Wizard of Oz" and found God and television. Jim would complain about being picked on by the "liberal, godless media." He would cry. Tammy, who wore two sets of false eyelashes over each eye, would sing in that Munchkin voice of hers and then cry. The Bakkers always needed money.

They offered a never-ending telethon that made Jerry Lewis look like an amateur. Their antics also made for unintentional high-camp viewing for some, but somewhere out there in videoland were people who took them seriously and were willing to give. The joke around Charlotte, N.C., near where the PTL is based, was that the letters stood for "Pass the Loot" not "Praise the Lord'' or "People That Love." Now that the Bakkers have fallen from grace and the tube, the PTL continues on as the Inspirational Network, a debt-ridden religious programming service that is struggling to keep up a steady cash flow. The Bakkers have been replaced by the Rev. Dave Clark, a court-appointed trustee who is trying to bring order out of near-ruin.

The programming is more subdued, and apparently fewer people are watching. Donations have been down, according to Clark, but requests for prayer are up. Clark has shifted the emphasis away from the personality cult that had built up around the former "stars" of the network. The Inspirational Network no longer resembles a sideshow, but the begging continues. Throughout most of the summer, when PTL was temporarily under the reign of the Rev.

Jerry Falwell, there was a threat of bankruptcy and foreclosure. Falwell raised $21 million in a stunt that ended with him taking a plunge down a 40-foot-hlgh water slide at the PTL's religious theme park. The PTL singers even performed a snappy little tune about Falwell's dip in the pool. Falwell's plunge played well on television, but apparently it wasn't enough. It seems there's never enough.

The Inspirational Network faces one crisis after another. Last week, it was the satellite bill. The network needed $239,000 by Friday or the folks who rent the network satellite space would pull the plug. It costs a lot to get beamed all over America. The drive to pay the satellite bill went down to the wire.

The fund-raising went late Into the night Thursday, and by Friday morning they needed only $59,000. The faithful came through again Friday morning, charging thousands of dollars on MasterCard and Visa accounts. By midday Friday, the network was working on raising money to pay off next month's satellite bill. That satellite bill is only a fraction of what the PTL needs. During the four-day, fund-raising blitz last week, Brother Dave outlined $5 million a month in expenses needed to pay off debts, meet the payroll and cover the overhead.

There are a lot of small churches in Florida that would like to see $5 million a year. Con games probed The news department at WTOG, Channel 44, will present a half-hour special on scams and con games at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. "Conned: Easy Targets or Victims of Greed," with reporter Harry Hairston, will offer live demonstrations of various swindles, according to Channel 44 news director Holly Steuait "We plan to look at four basic cons," she said. "Included will be bank scams, gypsys, investment fraud and pyramid schemes." Anchorman John Summer also will contribute to the report, she said.

See FREE-LANCER, Page 5F Saturday night, is not your average rock superstar act The U2 phenomenon began in 1980 when the group released "Boy" and began building a cult following. With the release of its third LP, "War," U2 established itself as a thinking fan's rock act, choosing to address such topics as nuclear holocaust violence and segregation between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland Bloody, and Poland's Solidarity movement Year's Since then, the group has been at the forefront of rock's renewed social consciousness, the likes of which hasn't been seen since the Woodstock generation traded in their sandals for loafers. But it was the release of "The Joshua Tree," which reflected U2's fascination with the United States, that won over a massive American audience. In seven years, U2 has gone from playing small clubs to sold out stadia. The group's two-hour concert in Tampa Saturday night included nearly every song from "The Joshua Tree" and U2 classics such as "I Will Follow," "Gloria," "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day." Most remarkable was that a concert could be so stirring in a stadium setting with the bare minimum of special effects and fancy tricks.

The band walked onto a spare stage, decorated only with a tan backdrop featuring a black, abstract Joshua tree splashed across it and "Rock 'n' roll" and "Stop the Madness" scrawled in red. After warming up with "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "I Will Follow," Bono's vocals were turned up and a tight and solid "Trip Through Your Wires" set the tone for the emotionally charged concert to come. U2's songs masterfully manipulate emotions. The Edge's trademark shim- mering guitar and a forceful rhythm section of Larry Mullen Jr. on drums and Adam Clayton on bass slowly build emotional peaks that easily whip audiences into a frenzy.

Driving it all home are the expressive vocals of Paul "Bono" Hewson. He clutched the microphone in his hand, ran around the stage and belted out "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," "Bad" and "One Tree Hill," a song written for a friend of his who died in a motorcycle accident, clearly and passionately. Bono presents himself as a political romantic who is drawn to the passive reform sought by leaders such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King because of his own inherently violent nature. His be-tween-song patter skimmed the surface of the political ideals that U2 represents. "Have you heard of Amnesty International?" he asked at one point.

"Well, they've heard of you." Before "Sunday, Bloody, Sunday" he said "I'm proud to be Irish, but I'm not proud of everything that Ireland stands for," referring to the religious war that plagues his country. The audience was irresistibly moved by the music, even if the resulting reactions didn't always jibe with the love-your-brother statement U2 strives to make. The most contrast came during "40," a ballad set to the lyrics of Psalm 40, and the final song of the night. Bono pulled a J. 1 Tribune photograph by JIM REED U2's Bono sings during the band's performance Saturday night at Tampa Stadium.

derstanding of the heroin epidemic in Dublin that the song addresses. One of the highest emotional peaks was reached with "Bullet the Blue Sky." the song, which is about Nicaragua, has the Edge alternating explosive chords with a siren-like guitar wail. Mullen bore down on the drum kit, punctuating the song with crashing cymbals. Bono growled out the lyrics and passed a giant white spotlight across the stadium, finally shining it on the raised arms of the audience while he muttered the final words "Into the arms of America." U2 closed with "40," and as the band See U2, Page 7F one point, a fan dived from the stands onto the heads of an unsuspecting crowd of people inching their way to their seats. Still, for those willing to receive the message of goodwill, the energy of the band and Bono's communication with the audience created some chilling moments.

At the climax of "Exit," hundreds of bright white lights shone out from the stage and lit the stadium. For a bouncing reworking of "People Get Ready," Bono asked for a guitar player from the audience, and pulled an undoubtedly thrilled Chris Lee out of the crowd to play with the band. The haunting "Running To Stand Still" touched nerves even in those with no un girl onto the stage and hugged her, and she presented him with a bouquet of white balloons. Bono let the balloons go and as they floated up into the dark sky, bobbing in the cold wind, a real sense of spirituality coursed through most of the stadium. But on the fringes some uglier things were happening.

One woman, finding herself trapped between yellow-shirted security guards and a massive crush of bodies behind her, twisted her face in anger, swearing and fighting her way past the guards. Earlier in the night, crowd control problems were exacerbated by the lack of ushers to guide people to their seats. At Inside Bay area holiday displays sparkle with the season 1 i gyp i it' z'hf' Spoleto tickets already on sale 6 Although the next Spoleto Festival U.S.A: isn't until May 1988, news about some of the scheduled acts is already out. Truth can be duller than fiction 6 The movie is playing in the Bay area. Critic Bob Ross liked the photography.

See his review. f. Correction Air Florida Flight 90 crashed Jan. 13, 1982, taking off from Washington D.C. en route to Tampa and Fort Lauderdale.

A story in Saturday's BayLife on how "black boxes" are used to investigate airline crashes Incorrectly said Flight 90 was landing when the crash occurred. hood will also be decorated. 3408 and 3412 Harborview Ave. Jenny and Vance Mcllwaine's display will feature an animated Santa with sleigh and reindeer, toy soldiers, the town of Bethlehem with Nativity and shepherds, a snow family and a window display with animated dolls and animals. This year, the Mcllwalne display has spread next door to their daughter and son-in-law's house with Santa's Workshop, elves and candy canes.

Harborview Avenue is off South Hlmes Avenue, one block south of the YMCA. Visitors can view the two homes from Saturday to Dec. 31, p.m. North Tampa 10920 N. 15th St Parents can take children to visit and take pictures with Santa at Reginald Putnam's home without even leaving the car.

This is Putnam's sixth year for his "Drive-Thru Santa." From 7 to 10 p.m. through Dec. 23, visitors also can view an array of lights, a village, Santa and his reindeer, and other decorations. New this year is a live manger scene that will be By KIM SIVRET Tribune Staff Writer Sometimes it's hard to get into the Christmas spirit when you live in Florida. No snow, and temperatures so warm you usually can wear shorts on Christmas Day.

We may not live In a winter wonderland, but the neighborhood Christmas displays listed below could make even the worst Scrooges start singing "Jingle Bells." So fill up the gas tank and take a drive through some of the areas. However, since some of these homes are not in the city proper, it would be wise to take a street map. Tampa Hyde ParkPalma Ceia 840 S. Boulevard Rick Janson has his home decorated with Mr. and Mrs.

Santa Claus, a Nativity scene, angel choir, lots of lights, elves and holiday music through Jan. 2. Visitors can view the display from dusk to 10 p.m. Approximately three to five homes in the neighbor 4 Mr. and Mrs.

Glen Myrie, 624 holidays. open weekends only. The house is between Fowler Avenue and 109th on 15th Street, across from the entrance to Copeland Park. Port Tampa 7114 S. DeSoto St Santa and Rolllngwood Lane, Valrico, deck their house In lights for the his reindeer, a snowman family, Na- West Tampa tlvity scene, elves, carolers and more will be occupying the yard of 614 N.

Woodlynne Ave. Aure- Wllllam Smith every night from 6 to lio Garcia adorns his lawn with light 10:30 through Dec. 31. DeSoto Street and decorations, including a 24- Is south of Interbay Boulevard be- foot-tall church with steeple and tween West Shore Boulevard and Manhattan Avenue. See AREA Pae.