(11-08-2005) Fan Ready to Dance Again With Bono -- The Mercury News*

[BonosBaby12]

I have to agree that it is predictable with Bono pulling up at least one girl a night. Know when I went I was waiting for the moment when someone would get pulled. Perhaps he should just do it sporadically? Personally my main objective is just to get onto the floor so I can experience the show that way. Have always had seats which Im not complaining about. But hell Im jealous of you guys down there! lol,jk. And I won't lie if Bono pulled me than that would be awesome! If he didn't than oh well it's still a damn good show!

 

[U2Girl1978]

Well I don't care how many times she gets pulled up by Bono. Good for her!! I am happy for her, if it was me i wouldn't feel bad about it one bit. She does a great job at it too. But I do have a problem with waiting in line all day long and then Alli and her friend come along maybe around 4 or 5 and get in the front of the line. Maybe there is some sort of reason, maybe the people around her let them cut in line or something but the people around me were not impressed. That just sort of rubed me the wrong way. But like I said maybe there was a reason for it?

Um.. did you not hear anything about the lottery and how people are getting numbered or have you been living under a rock all this time? If people leave the line and get back in that's because they have numbers.

 

[atikicat]

I don't get it. What's Wong with Alli? Sorry, couldn't help myself.

Personally I find the gimmick of bringing fans up to play with the band more interesting/entertaining. They also don't do it often and rarely with the same people. As far as I know, Laura and I think a couple girls from Exit are the only repeat appearances if you include all tours, not just this one.

Bringing someone up for a couple minutes to dance of course is much easier to pull-off, and probably easier still if it's the same person. It does get a bit tired after a while though. Just as it would get tired if they brought fans up to play with the band at almost every show, especially if it was the AOH guy 4 times and PartyGirlMan 3 times and Exit 6 times, etc. But I agree, this is something to put on Bono's shoulder's, not on the fans he's bringing up there. I understand, however, that the majority of the people in the audience have never seen any of these fans on stage, because it's their first and only show. Likewise, I understand that they haven't heard SBS, Pride, Bullet, etc. a billion times and aren't tired of that either. If this is something anyone really has a problem with then maybe the solution is to just go to fewer shows?

 

[U2Girl1978]

I'm sorry about my previous comment, but this whole thing is ridiculous.

 

[Bono's Betty]

Um.. did you not hear anything about the lottery and how people are getting numbered or have you been living under a rock all this time? If people leave the line and get back in that's because they have numbers.

THAT WAS RUDE.

I have been living under a rock all this time!!

Why do people stand in line all day when all you have to do is put your name on a list and come back 12 hours later? I was told not to leave for long because the people around you will get pissed.

 

[Sicy]

Wow this thread is..


I guess I am one of the ones that feels that other girls should get a chance too There are sooo many U2 fans, and so many that have been fans for years and years that really deserve and/or would kill for that 5 minutes. It's a memory to last a lifetime. It just doesnt seem very fair to me but I guess it is Bono's decision.

 

[BonosBaby12]

Wow this thread is..


I guess I am one of the ones that feels that other girls should get a chance too There are sooo many U2 fans, and so many that have been fans for years and years that really deserve and/or would kill for that 5 minutes. It's a memory to last a lifetime. It just doesnt seem very fair to me but I guess it is Bono's decision.

Im with you on that other girls should get a chance too .

 

[U2Girl1978]

THAT WAS RUDE.

I have been living under a rock all this time!!

Why do people stand in line all day when all you have to do is put your name on a list and come back 12 hours later? I was told not to leave for long because the people around you will get pissed.

If you saw my previous comment I said I was sorry. As long as your numbered I don't see what the problem is.


This thread is just...

 

[atikicat]

So what about all the guys who have been fans for years? Is the obligatory dancing girl fair to them regardless of which girl it is? I don't think so. Maybe they should just drop the whole dancing with Bono thing all together and occasionally bring some fans, male and female, to play with the band. Of course then you'd have people bitching that it wasn't fair to those who don't play an instrument, or that they paid to hear U2 and not some fan. If they stopped bringing fans up entirely, then people would complain about that too. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

 

[HelloAngel]

I agree. The bringing up of the dancing partners should be a random treat for people in the audience - kinda like certain songs are in the set list. Sometimes they're played, sometimes they're not. Which makes it all the more of a treat when random things happen, instead of it feeling obligatory and/or ingenuine or staged.

If it was random and not all the time, perhaps we wouldn't have so much ire directed at people who get pulled up multiple times

 

[atikicat]

I think only problem anyone should have with this is Bono's own hypocrisy. How do you publically criticize and call fans "selfish" for following you around on tour and being on the front rail every night on the one hand, and then turn around and reward such behavior with repeat stage appearances? How do you punish the majority of fans who don't engage in this so called "selfish" behavior with a GA lottery on the one hand, and then reward the behavior that according to you brought the lottery into being in the first place? I think people need to get off Alli's back and get on Bono's.

 

[one4u2]

I think this thread should be closed.

and thrown all the way into cyberspace!

Where is the people? This should not be one big contest of who's gotten on stage the most times, who's been in the ellipse the most times, whos seen the most shows and whos met them the most times, who's gotten the most attention ! The bottom line is we ALL love this band or we wouldn't be posting here!Can't we all be happy for each other isn't that what this board is about? I sincerely hope that if one day I get up there my thread wouldn't turn into such a disaster


Congrats again Alli!

 

[Carmelu2fan]

I'm all for freedom of speech and all....but this thread has issues

Totally agree. After reading this I am almost afraid of what would be said about me if I got up there and danced with Bono.
I guess there is just no pleasing everyone.

 

[Sicy]

I have never seen anyone react this way to someone getting on stage ONCE and dancing with Bono. But four times, you're going to have to expect a little flack.

But I dont feel that there is just 'a little flack' in this thread. I do not agree with a lot of these posts in this thread. There is a way to express your opinion without personally attacking someone and there are quite a few personal attacks in this thread that are very uneccesary.

It will be discussed amongst the mods on whether or not to close the thread.

 

[Bono's Betty]

I don't think anyone is putting her down. It just seems like it is expected for him to dance with someone now. It gets kinda old if it is always the same person. But like alot of people have said, it is up to Bono and i guess he likes to dance with her. She does do a great job up there. I think him always dancing with a girl weather it be Alli or not is way to predictable. It is just expected now with MW or WOWY or fast cars. But whatever, its his show.

 

[BOYO3221]

To phoenix whatever your name is , while i find your comments funny, i am at least truthful about my disgust for u2 fans going basically apeshit over them, i have loved them for over 20 plus years and know everything to do with them. But i do not define my life with having to always write ridiculous comments about how many shows i saw or am going to. the fact that that "my band " is big is not the problem , its just all the silly rantings of younger fans, can get annoying to me . I will admit that new blood is needed to keep a band legitimate, i am not saying this is a bad thing, its just when i see people on here going apeshit for them and discovering them from ATYCLB and ithey are n their mid twenties. I find it great you found about u2 just dont act like you are the most hardcore fan, by how many shows you saw or how many boots or any of that crap. To me and many older u2 fans its about the spirit of the band their lyrics their faith which hardly anyone talks about in here except the other board. which is a shame. I say enjoy u2 but lets tone down the histrionics. and there have been many comments saying i was too young to discover them before, fine and this may be true but there are others who are not 16 and are new fans who come off a bit silly, but that is their right, which i understand and have to deal with.

 

[HelloAngel]

To phoenix whatever your name is , while i find your comments funny, i am at least truthful about my disgust for u2 fans going basically apeshit over them, i have loved them for over 20 plus years and know everything to do with them. But i do not define my life with having to always write ridiculous comments about how many shows i saw or am going to. the fact that that "my band " is big is not the problem , its just all the silly rantings of younger fans, can get annoying to me . I will admit that new blood is needed to keep a band legitimate, i am not saying this is a bad thing, its just when i see people on here going apeshit for them and discovering them from ATYCLB and ithey are n their mid twenties. I find it great you found about u2 just dont act like you are the most hardcore fan, by how many shows you saw or how many boots or any of that crap. To me and many older u2 fans its about the spirit of the band their lyrics their faith which hardly anyone talks about in here except the other board. which is a shame. I say enjoy u2 but lets tone down the histrionics. and there have been many comments saying i was too young to discover them before, fine and this may be true but there are others who are not 16 and are new fans who come off a bit silly, but that is their right, which i understand and have to deal with.

Aren't you acting like the "most hardcore" fan based on how long you've been a fan? Don't you think it's a bit rude to people like me who went apeshit over U2 after Achtung Baby? Different songs hit people different places, man, and some people latched on to U2 during ATYCLB and have since worked backward through the catalog. What does a genuine expression of immense love for a band have to do with you, and what do you care? Shit, since you've been a fan longer than me, do you think you're more qualified to edit a fanzine than I am? I don't think so. I've put in the time, and so have all the other newbies.

By the way, there are forums on Interference that discuss lyrics, and also faith. Perhaps you should find them.

Just because you're an older fan doesn't make you a better fan. In fact, you're just coming across as rude and sanctimonious.

 

[BOYO3221]

i wouldnt want to edit a fanzine i have a life to do. (lol). i have right to my opinion last time i checked. and if i dont care for people going apeshit , thats my free will. As far as being more qualified, i dont care but trust me you know nothing that i do not about u2, i am positive of that. I do not want to sound mean, but i am entitled to my opinion. You might to if you were in my position, when i was a young u2 fan, we were ridicules for liking them because they werent a metal band or werent hippie enough. people didnt understand them. and as far as working your way back its a loooong way back from here. anyways the point is i have a right to express how i feel. heres a good trivia question how does my screen name relate to u2? lol. peace

 

[atikicat]

I have never seen anyone react this way to someone getting on stage ONCE and dancing with Bono. But four times, you're going to have to expect a little flack.

If that's the case, then the flack should be directed at Bono and not whoever he's inviting on stage. In light of his comments to the press (if we believe them to be true) and the GA lottery...his behavior is hypocritical. Personally I could care less, but for those who seem to be bothered by repeat stage appearances...I think your bile is misdirected.

 

[Sicy]

I do agree that ultimately it is Bono's decision. I did say earlier that it is Bono's choice, but the truth is people will still direct their jealousy/anger/whatever at the person and not Bono. Most likely because he's Bono! This is a sad reality.

 

[U2Girl1978]

To phoenix whatever your name is , while i find your comments funny, i am at least truthful about my disgust for u2 fans going basically apeshit over them, i have loved them for over 20 plus years and know everything to do with them. But i do not define my life with having to always write ridiculous comments about how many shows i saw or am going to. the fact that that "my band " is big is not the problem , its just all the silly rantings of younger fans, can get annoying to me . I will admit that new blood is needed to keep a band legitimate, i am not saying this is a bad thing, its just when i see people on here going apeshit for them and discovering them from ATYCLB and ithey are n their mid twenties. I find it great you found about u2 just dont act like you are the most hardcore fan, by how many shows you saw or how many boots or any of that crap. To me and many older u2 fans its about the spirit of the band their lyrics their faith which hardly anyone talks about in here except the other board. which is a shame. I say enjoy u2 but lets tone down the histrionics. and there have been many comments saying i was too young to discover them before, fine and this may be true but there are others who are not 16 and are new fans who come off a bit silly, but that is their right, which i understand and have to deal with.

WTF! I'm not even going to comment on this. You seriously have made my blood boil like you wouldn't believe. I'm going to leave it at that before I get myself into trouble.

 

[PhoenixGNX]

To phoenix whatever your name is , while i find your comments funny, i am at least truthful about my disgust for u2 fans going basically apeshit over them, i have loved them for over 20 plus years and know everything to do with them. But i do not define my life with having to always write ridiculous comments about how many shows i saw or am going to. the fact that that "my band " is big is not the problem , its just all the silly rantings of younger fans, can get annoying to me . I will admit that new blood is needed to keep a band legitimate, i am not saying this is a bad thing, its just when i see people on here going apeshit for them and discovering them from ATYCLB and ithey are n their mid twenties. I find it great you found about u2 just dont act like you are the most hardcore fan, by how many shows you saw or how many boots or any of that crap. To me and many older u2 fans its about the spirit of the band their lyrics their faith which hardly anyone talks about in here except the other board. which is a shame. I say enjoy u2 but lets tone down the histrionics. and there have been many comments saying i was too young to discover them before, fine and this may be true but there are others who are not 16 and are new fans who come off a bit silly, but that is their right, which i understand and have to deal with.

Your disgust for other U2 fans going apeshit over them? I thought you "had a life". What do you care what other fans do with their time?

As far as one "defining" ones life by how many shows theyve been to, I'm assuming your talking about some of the people you've generally came across, as I only saw one "carbon copied" show this year.

And havent the band themselves always said they find a joy in constantly reaching new fans regardless of age/race/sex and so on???

And when did I lay claim to be the most "hardcore" U2 fan alive??? I was 11 when I heard Where The Streets Have No Name and was hooked from then on.

I think thats about the most I need to even reply. You may have been making a generalization, but just in case you were directing that towards me, thats the most I need to explain in my opinion.

If people wanna express their love for music or a band, I think its hardly your place to judge how "silly" they are in the way they do it. It makes you come off as sounding like the be all end elitist person around.

Maybe I would've found the band pre 1987 had I not had influential older bothers and sisters that listened to other stuff. And when your 5, you think your siblings are cool and you wanna be like them. Should I or someone else be penalized for that??

I dunno..this is pretty much a pointless conversation, because I doubt you'll see my point. If you do, great, if you dont, I wont lose sleep. I'm out

 

[AlliDreamsOutLoud]

First, I would like to say thanks to everyone who has supported me in what seems to be a thread that has gone awry . That’s why I love U2 fans….people whom I’ve become quite good friends with and others whom I’ve never met and they still say the kindest words. Now about that article; here’s my side of the story. I get a phone call from the Mercury News reporter while I’m waiting to go to the Vegas1 show. He would like to do a story on me that would be a part of a larger article about U2 in the Bay Area. I agreed to do it. Maybe not the smartest thing seeing the reaction it has gotten. I honestly thought the article would be about U2 and then have a small blurb about a local Bay Area fan. When I read the article I was taken aback about the way it portrayed me. I NEVER told him I hoped to be on stage in Oakland. NEVER. I told him about how I got into their music, how I DON’T go to U2 concerts to get onstage. I go because of the music and how it uplifts your soul and takes you to another place one can never experience in “real” life. He asked about the first time I was onstage and I explained how it was surreal, and the story behind the butt grabbing. Yep, I was a little bit grabby but Bono was being just as playful, putting my hands onto his shoulders and then later placing them back on his butt. That wasn’t mentioned in the article either. Other than that I didn’t talk much about my onstage experiences. We talked about what my husband thought, how I was able to go to so many shows when I have a 3 year old, what I did before being a stay-at-home mother and what I do when I don’t go to U2 shows, what my next show would be, why I camp out overnight….basically what a non-U2 fan might call crazy. So I was a bit surprised to see the title of the article called “Queen of U2 fans…” . Never said that…sounds completely ridiculous to me. And the first paragraph talking about how I’m hoping to get onstage in Oakland again. Ugh – like I said before (and also to the reporter), I don’t go to U2 shows to get onstage. I loved what my husband said and that’s about it. I was horrified, and I knew after reading that article that I would be flamed. Guess I was naïve in thinking that an innocent interview talking about the band I adore for 20 years could take a different spin. I’m not asking for sympathy about the way I was portrayed. Since I accepted to do the interview, I obviously accepted the public exposure. I just didn’t think the article would portray me as a greedy girl who goes to shows only to dance with Bono.

In terms of me getting onstage multiple times, I’m very flattered, appreciative, and grateful for these amazing experiences. I don’t try to get onstage (no signs, no waving to get his attention, no costume although I think it’s great if one does any of these things. That’s how I got onstage the first time – with a sign). If you think that dancing and enjoying myself at a concert is any effort to get me noticed then I’m guilty of it. I love when Bono brings fans onstage (for the first time or the nth time)….I know how it made me feel and want others to experience it too (well at least for those who want to be onstage; I know that’s not everyone’s dream). I also have been at different spots when being pulled up….inside the ellipse front rail, to the right of Bono’s mic, to the left of it, and also outside the ellipse. So there’s not a favorite spot of mine that I head for at each show. I’m also guilty of getting in line early so I can have a rail spot. I’m 5’2 and there’s a reason for me wanting a spot on the rail…I would have to look at video screens during the entire show. Plus, I love being that close! So if I’m guilty of getting in line early and getting on the rail, then I guess a lot of people are guilty of this. Another topic for debate maybe?

To PhoenixGNX – I’m sorry if I said that. I honestly can’t imagine me saying such a thing. When I read that, I too would be offended if someone said that to me. I can only think it was tongue in cheek or a misunderstanding. There’s not such a thing as “real” U2 fans…if you go to 1 show, no shows or 30, you’re still a fan and can line up early, late, whenever. We all go to these shows to have a great time and enjoy the music so I really want to apologize for anything that came out of my mouth and hurt you in any way.

To Bono’s Betty – I think this is a misunderstanding. I actually started the line the night before around midnight and slept outside in a sleeping bag on the cement. I was in and out of line all day …..went to get coffee in the morning around 10am, back in line, walked to the box office line to make sure that there weren’t 2 GA lines being formed around 11, checked on friends who were waiting for tickets to drop, back in line, bathroom breaks, back in line, went to the hotel to get showered up around 1:30p, got back in line, went to see if the band would arrive for soundcheck and now this is probably when you saw me and my friend at 5p. The people around us knew we were coming and going all day. The only time we were off the premises was when we got ready at our hotel. I never have nor ever will cut in line. So I’m sorry if you thought that. GA line etiquette can have it’s own thread and all is debatable (Ruffian can even post her research findings)

To Shade – Some of the things posted in this thread did hurt my feelings. Mainly because I didn’t think the article would offend so many people. But I’m over it. Let me know what show you’re going to next, and you can tell it to my face that you don’t care about me or how your comments will make me feel . I still have my experiences and no one can or ever will make them any less memorable.

To Markoajda – Not going to go where you went because I won’t sink to your level. I have a husband, child, family and friends that love me no matter how overweight, curvy, or skinny I am. Now back to eating In-n-Out Burgers. I personally love the double double animal style

Hopefully, after reading this, some of you will get the gist of where I’m coming from. I didn’t think the article would cause this much animosity and friction towards each other and at me. I know one thing for sure….we all LOVE U2. So let’s just leave it at that and enjoy the shows and their music.

Dreaming Out Loud,
Alli

 

[PhoenixGNX]

To PhoenixGNX – I’m sorry if I said that. I honestly can’t imagine me saying such a thing. When I read that, I too would be offended if someone said that to me. I can only think it was tongue in cheek or a misunderstanding. There’s not such a thing as “real” U2 fans…if you go to 1 show, no shows or 30, you’re still a fan and can line up early, late, whenever. We all go to these shows to have a great time and enjoy the music so I really want to apologize for anything that came out of my mouth and hurt you in any way.

Dreaming Out Loud,
Alli

All is good Alli Like I stated before, either I read it wrong or something, cause I was just as surprised that day as you are reading it now lol. That's why I wasnt quick to stamp guilty on your forehead lol. Who knows, maybe my people reading skills were off due to the fact that I was up all night as well . Anyways, keep dreaming out loud and at high volume!

 

[Miroslava]

Alli, all the credit in the world goes to you for keeping a cool head and being able to write a sensible response to all this nonsense. My response probably would have consisted of





and lots of 4 letter words.

 

[dsmith2904]

Now that Alli and everyone else has had a chance to speak, I think this thread has run its course.