U2 listeners forty and over

[A stor]

I'm not sure where to post this thread. Perhaps, a mod will help me out. But, I would like to know how many of us here at Interference are age forty and over.

I thought, this might be a nice thread for us of mature years, where as we can talk about U2.

I'll start. I am 52 years young and have loved U2's music from the first time. I saw them on the Tom Synder late, late show. Broadcast, United States. At that time in history. Cassettes were all the rage, and there was no internet.

My favorite album, to this date is the Jousha Tree. Many happy memories of my son who was three years old then.

So how about you? Please share your stories and comments. They would be most welcomed.

 

[chikite]

50 here. I remember seeing U2 at the Park West in Chicago in 1981 and thinking to myself that this is what it was like seeing the Beatles at the Cavern or the Stones at the Marquee Club. A big idea in the making. My first listen to NLOTH brought back memories of my first listen to Boy. The albums couldn't be more different. The reaction in the listener was the same 29 years later.

 

[Lila64]

44 here

First U2 show was on the War tour at the Sports Arena in L.A.

 

[SeeTheBird]

44 here

44 here too!

First really heard them when in the Air Force and heard Sunday Bloody Sunday, back in 1982 (?) about then anyway. I remember where I was when I saw the WOWY video....wow. Never had a chance to see them until the Vertigo tour. But have been worshiping them from afar ever since.

 

[U2FanSince83]

I'm 39 1/2 so does that count? lol.

I first saw NYD video on MTV in early '83. Slagged them off until my friends guilted me into reconsidering. I heard SBS and the whole War album, Gloria from Boy and haven't looked back since.

My first show was during the first leg of the UF tour, Fox Theatre Detroit in '85. My brother and I were on the floor directly underneath the first row of the balcony. The whole balcony section shook so much during the show that we actually feared for our safety

I've been to ZooTV - Detroit '92 (the Pizzas for Everybody show and yes I did eat some of the pizza) 12th row center which is the best concert I will probably ever attend, Outside Broadcast in Chicago twice in '93, PopMart Chicago '97 (the worst of the bunch), Elevation 2000 in Chicago and Vertigo 2005 in DC.

 

[RedRocksU2]

I saw them on the Tom Synder late, late show. Broadcast, United States. At that time in history.

Really???? Never heard this before, interesting.

*old/fart/here*

 

[Purplereign]

I am not posting in here on the grounds it may incriminate me



















40 and proud

there are some more of 'our people' here . . .

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f202/over-35-u2-lovers-188169.html

 

[mtnfox]

40 here. Fan since Boy. 1st show - it was either Santa Monica Civic or Hollywood Palladium (80-81?) - (my parents had no idea I was sneaking off to shows in LA at the age of 12/13). They became my favorite band after seeing them at the US Festival in 1983.



*Usually a lurker - only took me 5 years to get 100 posts!

 

[bazzza1]

Great thread people, luv it, good idea.....away back to the wee boys room, another 2 years to wait

 

[SeeTheBird]

Really???? Never heard this before, interesting.

RedRocks, look on youtube. I know I've seen it online, and I think it was there. It's kind of funny. Tom Snyder and his giant hair! I'd look for the link, but I'm at work and no youtubing at work.

 

[mtnfox]

RedRocks, look on youtube. I know I've seen it online, and I think it was there. It's kind of funny. Tom Snyder and his giant hair! I'd look for the link, but I'm at work and no youtubing at work.

here it is:

YouTube - U2 on Tom Snider Show 06/04/1981

 

[RockNRollDawgie]

54 here. I started late as a fan. I knew of U2. It wasn't until ATYCLB and seeing a couple of shows that I was hooked.

 

[lulu15]

44 here.

I'm a late bloomer. I was stuck in the Billy Joel era too long. Fan since Joshua Tree. Had an opportunity to see them in 83 or 84, but didn't have the cash. Had heard of them, just didn't know them well enough to spend my food money on them. Hindsights a bitch! I think it was 83. It was the show they did when they were staying at the Horton Grand. Didn't get to my first show til 92. I waited a VERY long time to see them in concert!

 

[RedRocksU2]

Ok, that was great!
Thanks for finding it. This was the first time seeing it and I was a big fan of Tom Snyder as well, so this was a pleasant surprise.

 

[steve1960]

48 here. Been a fan since May 1980 after seeing them at Manchester Polytechnic on the 11 O'Clock Tick Tock Tour.

 

[Diane L]

I'll admit to over 40. Let's just say the guys and I aren't THAT far apart in age!!!

 

[Cin]

here it is:

YouTube - U2 on Tom Snider Show 06/04/1981

That was really good, thanks



scurries back to the kids table

 

[annj]

45 I was a casual fan of u2 in the early 80's until I heard their live concert 1989 broadcast in Dublin on new years night which was played on radio 1 then I started to seriously get into then just before the Pop album came out

then after got to see them when they came to Belfast the rest is history

 

[lulu15]

45 I was a casual fan of u2 in the early 80's until I heard their live concert 1989 broadcast in Dublin on new years night which was played on radio 1 then I started to seriously get into then just before the Pop album came out

then after got to see them when they came to Belfast the rest is history

I have that concert recorded. I was nuts when I heard our local radio station was playing it. It's on cassette. lol. Hope it's still good.

 

[BEVERLY56]

52 here; thanks for that clip, it was great! What babies they were! Been a fan since I "borrowed" my daughter's Achtung Baby to put in the Discman while I went for a long walk...she never got it back and lord, it needs to be replaced so badly. I'm eagerly awaiting the remastered edition later this year!

 

[Trinity3000]

I'm 40. I used to love U2 back in the days of War and Under a Blood Red Sky... then I got into punk rock and tuned out to U2 except what was coming through by osmosis.
The songs off the Joshua Tree were pretty much unavoidable. I was aware of the Zoo tour but didn't bother attending. Then I got back into them with ATYCLB and it's been all on since then. My first U2 concert was the Vertigo tour, and it was the most exciting thing I have ever been to.

 

[Chuckver]

I'm 41 fan since 1984 saw them during Joshua Tree Tour and have seen then every time they have been in Detroit and a few road trips as well.

 

[A stor]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I re-watched the Tom Synder link and thought, my look at how young they were. Babies really, but then again so were we. I think it is amazing that U2 has listeners of several generations. It is something, I think they are proud of.

I also think that we mature folks may have a different perspective of their music than some of our younger counterparts. For example, I love the music on the new album. Because it reminds me of the days. When Lou Reed, Bowie, Roxy Music and Brian Eno, Pink Floyd ruled the "underground" radio days.

I can't pinpoint it exactly, but some of their new songs, just have that feel to them. Sort of seventies experimental and glam rock.

 

[allbecauseofu2]

hey great thread. got a qustion for the over 40's. or actuly to be honest it may for the over 50's. close to 60. lol. but its a real qustion. you guys grew up in the great era of the late 60's/early 70's. classic rock as we know it now. we know all the bands from that era. how do you feel about u2 compared to the bands of your childhood/coming of age time of your life? like would you have accepted a "u2" back then? would the under 30 version of yourself have liked the band? do you think u2 could have played the 1969 woodstock? would it have fit?

 

[susanp6]

I'm 40&have been a fan virtually since the first single came out! I remember my brother buying their first EP&i was so loving that Edge guitar sound, and so i was hooked immediately!


I watched Bono at Red Rocks and i reckon that's when Bono, ahem, really got my attention! Live Aid completely had me in love with him!!!


I always felt from that moment on 'i WILL meet him one day', a bit like a premonition i suppose! And i did it almost exactly 7 years later, meeting all of U2 on the Zoo tour and Bono couldn't have been more amazing or sexy!!!! that was first time lucky for me! That was the best day of my life.


I've now seen them 7 times&my fav concert out of those was Celtic park a year after i met them


Some amazing times

 

[BEVERLY56]

Well, AllbecausedofU2, I don't really know for sure if I would have liked them back then! All I really remember from my early youth (you know, like under 10) was The Beatles, because my older sister idolized them. Just watching that clip from Tom Snider, I was thinking to myself how much better they are now than back then. Surely there were shadows of the U2 that we know now, but just mere glimpses. I think Bono was rather like a peacock, strutting around and preening. They probably would have totally fit into Woodstock though. At any rate, they have aged very, very well.

 

[Bono's shades]

I'm 41, but didn't get into the whole U2 thing until one day in 1987 when I was 19 and heard With or Without You on the radio for the first time. It was like being struck by lightning. I became an instant fan. I remember buying the cassettes of their albums and having them break or wear out because I played them so much - then thankfully CDs and CD players became the thing!

I didn't see them live until 2005 in Minneapolis. I got GA and managed to get in the first row outside the ellipse because some people I met while we were waiting in line all day let me go ahead of them when they learned I had been a fan for so many years without ever getting to a show. I didn't even ask to go ahead of them - they insisted!

 

[hi2u]

I just turned 47....I say that with astonishment because time goes by so fast, and because inside I still feel 18

 

[JCOSTER]

42

 

[MissMoo]

47 heading towards 48. I enjoyed them when Boy came out and then lost interest with October. Really wanted to see them on the US tour but couldn't get it together. It was Joshua Tree when my friend and I saw fifteen shows that I really got into them. Those shows were so amazing. Each one was different and Bono never repeated himself back then (well at least not that I remember!)