U2's Increased Fan Interactions: Vulnerability and Safety Concerns

[jaimearodriguez]

U2 should severely limit the fan interactions they increased during 2015's tour.

In light of Friday's gunman attack that killed singer Christina Grimmie in Orlando while she was selling merchandise and signing autographs after a show, I have started questioning U2's increased fan interaction before the shows which has greatly increased during this tour. In fact, If I was a friend of the band I would recommend they severely limit these going forward.

The New York Times today posted a great piece called: For Musicians, More Access Means More Vulnerability (link below) in which they talk of how artists are starting to cancel or limit fan interactions because all it takes is one person with motives to do something stupid. One quote from a famous country artist says: “For all the thousands and thousands of fans that say I inspire them and help them, there is probably just a handful that have a twisted perspective,” she said. “But it only takes one of them to be a threat. It only takes one to pull the trigger.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/16/a...s&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0

Remove your fanboy/fangirl hat for a second. Do you really think its safe for Bono to be so accessible before gigs? Especially when there are obviously dangerous radicals who disagree with some of his political positions for example.

Thoughts?

 

[BVS]

Artists have been interacting with fans since the dawn of celebrity, and since the dawn of celebrity there have been mentally unstable people who have grown unhealthy obsessions with celebrities. Nothing will change that. You can take precautions, but to limit interaction based on a recent unrelated event would be unwarranted paranoia.


OR they could just get Trump to build a wall around them and make the boogie man pay for it.


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[Kieran McConville]

Bono To Peform From Bulletproof Iron Lung

 

[RoKKeR]

This is how they win.

 

[Hewson]

Bono could just as easily get attacked or shot outside the Dakota in NYC as he could by interacting with fans before a show.
The wall just got 10 feet higher.

 

[jaimearodriguez]

Artists have been interacting with fans since the dawn of celebrity, and since the dawn of celebrity there have been mentally unstable people who have grown unhealthy obsessions with celebrities. Nothing will change that. You can take precautions, but to limit interaction based on a recent unrelated event would be unwarranted paranoia.




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'Unwarranted paranoia' or not, as the NYTimes article said: less interactions WILL be happening. As they should, U2 included.

 

[BVS]

As they should, U2 included.

Why? What's changed?


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[jaimearodriguez]

Why? What's changed?


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Read the article.

 

[BVS]

Read the article.

I did, and I'm asking YOU to tell me why? The article doesn't say why, it talks about a bunch of new artists that are dealing with this for the first time. Your thread makes the assumption something has changed since the band started, and I'm asking you what has changed to make you say they will and they should reduce their interaction?


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[jaimearodriguez]

I did, and I'm asking YOU to tell me why? The article doesn't say why, it talks about a bunch of new artists that are dealing with this for the first time. Your thread makes the assumption something has changed since the band started, and I'm asking you what has changed to make you say they will and they should reduce their interaction?


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That's like asking 'what has changed' with airport travel, security at stadiums/arenas etc.

With all due respect, I think you are being naive about the times we live in.

Personally, after meeting the band a couple times last year , and putting it into today's context of current America, i worry. Any person with a gun could have caused great harm. I don't think the band are profecting themselves enough.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

War is over, we don't need your help. America's making war on itself

 

[Kieran McConville]

I don't know if some people realise this, but there is a sniper trained on every audience member when U2 perform. It's quite safe.

 

[BVS]

That's like asking 'what has changed' with airport travel, security at stadiums/arenas etc.



With all due respect, I think you are being naive about the times we live in.



Personally, after meeting the band a couple times last year , and putting it into today's context of current America, i worry. Any person with a gun could have caused great harm. I don't think the band are profecting themselves enough.

People carried guns in the 80s and 90s as well, and celebrities got killed by gun in the 80s and 90s.

I'm not naive about the times we live in. Terrorism and celebrity obsession are two entirely different things, don't try and conflate the two.

This artist wasn't shot because she interacted with fans. This was a mental health issue.

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[Galeongirl]

U2 should stop going to the USA then. Problem solved.

 

[mikal]

U2 should have stopped being a band after John Lennon was shot.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I would not fault foreign acts one bit if they decided to boycott the US over our gun problems.

 

[mikal]

I would not fault foreign acts one bit if they decided to boycott the US over our gun problems.

Thank Jesus we'll still have those country acts!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Welllllll I got my whiskey and my pickup truuuuuck

 

[cobl04]

I think it's far more likely that a rabid U2 fan opens fire because they won't play Acrobat than a terrorist being brought on stage.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

But will the terrorist wait in line all day or will they just put their name on the list and show up at 5?

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

But will the terrorist wait in line all day or will they just put their name on the list and show up at 5?

you know they wouldn't put up with the line Nazis

 

[Oregoropa]

Somebody could go after Bono to impress Jodie Foster


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[Joey788]

I would note a couple of key differences between the scenarios in that article and U2.

The first is security. U2 can afford it and has a ton of it. It's not like fan interactions with the band take place in a vacuum without anyone else there. They rarely do random signings and often have not only security but police presence. They play in arenas and stadiums with metal detectors. When it comes to shows, they are very secure.

Secondly, Bono and The Edge are two of the most recognizable people on the planet. Limiting fan interactions wouldn't have any impact on their day-to-day lives when they're just out-and-about among the general public.

Finally, to stop all fan interactions over the potential of something happening would let fear and paranoia win. I'm not saying you dismiss credible threats but to lock yourself away from any potential fan scenario is not the solution.

 

[jaimearodriguez]

I would note a couple of key differences between the scenarios in that article and U2.

The first is security. U2 can afford it and has a ton of it. It's not like fan interactions with the band take place in a vacuum without anyone else there. They rarely do random signings and often have not only security but police presence. They play in arenas and stadiums with metal detectors. When it comes to shows, they are very secure.

Secondly, Bono and The Edge are two of the most recognizable people on the planet. Limiting fan interactions wouldn't have any impact on their day-to-day lives when they're just out-and-about among the general public.

Finally, to stop all fan interactions over the potential of something happening would let fear and paranoia win. I'm not saying you dismiss credible threats but to lock yourself away from any potential fan scenario is not the solution.

Valid points. Especially the first two.

 

[LemonMirrorSky]

Bono To Peform From Bulletproof Iron Lung

Hahaha

Anybody is at risk anywhere. That's reality.

 

[LemonMelon]

I think it's far more likely that a rabid U2 fan opens fire because they won't play Acrobat than a terrorist being brought on stage.

People can only listen to acoustic Walk On so many times.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

They're far more at risk to terrorism in Europe, whereas the bigger risk in the US is crazed white guy, and/or Donald Trump.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Hahaha

Anybody is at risk anywhere. That's reality.

I'm not at risk, I'm in a bunker 20 miles underground.

 

[Hewson]

crazed white guy, and/or Donald Trump.

Same same.

 

[LemonMirrorSky]

I'm not at risk, I'm in a bunker 20 miles underground.

6 feet under?