U2 Live From Sarajevo Popmart Tour 23.09.1997U2's concert in Sarajevo was held at Koševo Stadium in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 23 September 1997. Visiting the city on their PopMart Tour, U2 became the first major artist to hold a concert in Sarajevo since the end of the Bosnian War.
U2 first became involved with Sarajevo in 1993 on their Zoo TV Tour. Approached by aid worker Bill Carter about bringing attention to the Siege of Sarajevo, the band conducted nightly satellite transmissions with Bosnians during their shows. These link-ups received criticism from journalists for mixing entertainment with human tragedy. Although the conflict made it impractical for U2 to visit Sarajevo at the time, they vowed to eventually play a concert in the city. After the war ended in November 1995, they made arrangements to visit Sarajevo, and with help from United Nations ambassadors and peace-keeping troops, they performed in the city on their 1997 PopMart Tour.
The band offered to play a benefit concert or small show in Sarajevo, but it was requested that they stage a full PopMart show; the performance consequently featured the tour's extravagant stage, and the band played a set list typical of the tour. The show brought together people of different ethnicities, who had previously clashed during the war, and train service was temporarily resumed to allow concertgoers to attend. Among the songs played was "Miss Sarajevo", written by U2 and Brian Eno about a beauty pageant held during the war. Although the band were displeased with their performance and lead vocalist Bono had vocal difficulties, the concert was well-received and was credited with improving morale among Bosnians, as well as helping signal a return to normalcy. The members of U2 consider the show to be among their proudest moments.
