good lord, accept my apology and may I rephrase my question?

[D-503]

alright friends! I'm taken aback by the negative feedback my thread received! no harm was meant!

but really, somebody said to go count the people in the picture thread. go count people in a picture thread??? that's your answer? that's not gonna give me an accurate indication, is it? this is a sensitive place I just found out! wow, sorry to offend all of you, no harm intended as I said I'll say again, I'm a little crude I guess. lol, as you say.

so I'll take it from your responses there are a few african-american U2 fans here and there I doubt there are any Bon Jovi or Metallica!

part of my curiosity is based on whether the african-american U2 fans are upper, middle or lower class (talking income level). maybe this was the wrong forum? (I dunno what's what you have like 800 subcategories around here, strange confusing place you have here who can tell)

seriously though, I will NOT be counting the picture thread, that was a pretty bad idea, you have to admit!

 

[U2democrat]

I've wondered this myself, I have no clue what the answer is

 

[U2Girl1978]

You obviously haven't been to any concerts or you wouldn't be asking this question.

 

[D-503]

well you see almost zero african-americans at US sporting events like the NBA and NFL, yet I know they like those sports (and obviously fill out their rosters)

would a kid from the ghetto ever have a U2 cd mixed in with his DMX or 50 Cent cds? maybe Colin Powell's kid likes U2, although maybe not his kid was the FCC chairman and fined Bono I think for saying "fucking unbelievable!" but you get the idea

 

[Liesje]

hmm, I dunno, the only one I know is Mark. I'd say it's very fair to say U2 fans are predominantly "white". However, that doesn't mean most U2 fans are the same (policitally economically, etc) simply because their skin is relatively similar. If you're only comparing white vs. black/African-American, you're basically lumping gazillions of types of people who are as different to each other as whites are to African-Americans into a single category. Not that these differences really matter.

As far as people of lower income levels, regardless of color, I think you find less and less U2 fans. In Chicago some local school kids from a lower-class neighborhood were hanging out by us all day. None of them had ever heard of U2. When Bono stopped by the fence, we had one of the little boys with us and he had no clue what was going on.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

well you see almost zero african-americans at US sporting events like the NBA and NFL, yet I know they like those sports (and obviously fill out their rosters)

You are kidding me?

 

[D-503]

You obviously haven't been to any concerts or you wouldn't be asking this question.

what do you mean? I said in the thread that was so rudely closed (albeit I was rude for saying 'any brothers up in here') that I have been to 5 concerts over the years, and don't recall seeing african-americans. have you? apparently so from your flippant response! (either that or you looked at the picture thread and counted for yourself, lol, still a BAD idea!)

 

[ntalwar]

What shows have you seen live, and have you watched the Chicago DVD?

 

[U2Girl1978]

what do you mean? I said in the thread that was so rudely closed (albeit I was rude for saying 'any brothers up in here') that I have been to 5 concerts over the years, and don't recall seeing african-americans. have you? apparently so from your flippant response! (either that or you looked at the picture thread and counted for yourself, lol, still a BAD idea!)

Oh man. I've been to a few concerts and I've seen many different races at these concerts. So please, cut the bullshit.

 

[D-503]

kidding about what??? is it not odd to you that african-americans love basketball and football, dominate the percentage of players on the teams and yet none attend the games? what is so disturbing to you about that observation other than the troubling realisation that african-americans don't seem to be able to afford ridiculous prices to sporting events

I have to learn these smilies so my posts can be whittled down to 3 words or less.

 

[D-503]

hey take it easy buddy, I know I know, you have lots of black friends

I stand corrected, U2 meets the required quota of ethnicities! seriously, no reason to get all worked up about this, I'm not saying U2 is racist or anything, what the hell. with songs like Pride and MLK over the years, I just wondered if there was a solid fan base in the african-american community, hasn't this question ever come up before??? I find it hard to believe if you tell me no, I guess no one knows or cares? great.

 

[ntalwar]

I still haven't seen your answer on what shows you have attended, or any solid statistics from you on the NBA, NFL, or U2.
Perhaps polls have not been conducted?

Obviously, the diveristy of a crowd will vary based on the diversity of the city being played. A Toronto show will have more diversity than say, Salt Lake City. Good luck in finding your answers.

 

[Liesje]

kidding about what??? is it not odd to you that african-americans love basketball and football, dominate the percentage of players on the teams and yet none attend the games? what is so disturbing to you about that observation other than the troubling realisation that african-americans don't seem to be able to afford ridiculous prices to sporting events

What's disturbing are the extreme generalizations you're making based on seeing less than 10 U2 concerts and watching sports on TV. Seriously, along your lines of thinking I might as well come back with the fact that I've never seen a white person driving and Escalade.

 

[VintagePunk]

I think it's an interesting question from a sociological/anthropological perspective, and valid, as well. Different racial groups can have different preferences in entertainment, with some exceptions within groups, of course. And from a socio-economic perspective, as well. Some groups have higher tendencies to lower incomes or poverty, which could preclude them from attending certain forms of entertainment. It's not racist, it's fact.

 

[Miroslava]

Ok, the use of the word brothers is not what got your thread closed. I think everyone but you seems to realize this. As this is a spin off thread I could easily close this again as it is against the rules. Please read the FAQs if you do not know what I am talking about.

But fine, I will cut you a small break and let this remain open since you're new here and quite possibly just getting a feel for things. I think a lot of us would just appreciate it if you didnt make so many broad generalizations about race.

At the end of the day, so what if U2 does not appeal to all ethnic backgrounds in a general sense?

And hate to play into this, I know at least 5 people that somehow missed the boat and are huge U2 fans instead of rap fans.

 

[ljclary]

I've never seen a white person driving and Escalade.

My uncle and Dad both drive Escalades...but they are straight off the boat Mafia looking Italian so.....

 

[Chizip]

My uncle and Dad both drive Escalades...but they are straight off the boat Mafia looking Italian so.....

i bet they look like badasses

 

[Angela Harlem]

This is a ridiculous question simply because there are bloody U2 fans all over the entire planet.

 

[Angela Harlem]

I forgot; no Metallica or Bon Jovi? Dunno about Bon Jovi myself, but I know there's quite a number of Metallica fans. I suspect you also know this.

 

[boystupidboy]

i'm white and love u2 but detest rap 'music'... where do i stand??

 

[D-503]

of course there are U2 fans all over the planet, U2 is the biggest band in the world, nothing to do with my question though really!

think I specifically asked about african-american U2 fans. what are you talking about with Metallica and Bon Jovi? some of you are all over the place with these responses, lol

 

[Muggsy]

I can't believe this thread

 

[Got Philk?]

As far as people of lower income levels, regardless of color, I think you find less and less U2 fans. In Chicago some local school kids from a lower-class neighborhood were hanging out by us all day. None of them had ever heard of U2. When Bono stopped by the fence, we had one of the little boys with us and he had no clue what was going on.

But remember? We played the song Vertigo for the kids and they said they liked it. But yah, they had never heard it before.

I am white. Dutch in heritage actually so make your generalizations if you will. I like rap music. I love football and basketball. And I am unable to afford tickets to games(especially football).

If you really want me to get into who gets to go where in basketball games, it's not really a question of who can go. Have you ever sat in the cheap seats or in the "nosebleed" section(waaaaaaaaay up high)? It is full of young high school kids or younger in a group, usually black and usually(much like myself) plotting out where open seats are down low and how to sneak by security. So what you see on tv is the most expensive seats. What you don't see, tough to comment on if you've never been.

So to say that black people who love football or basketball are never there is not true. I have witnessed it.

 

[beegee]

I can't believe this thread

i can't believe it was left open.

i mean, either spinoff threads are allowed or they aren't.

 

[BVS]

think I specifically asked about african-american U2 fans. what are you talking about with Metallica and Bon Jovi? some of you are all over the place with these responses, lol

Um...

so I'll take it from your responses there are a few african-american U2 fans here and there I doubt there are any Bon Jovi or Metallica!

Are you drunk or just celebrating 4-20?

 

[CPTLCTYGOOFBALL]

In an interview with "Musician Magazine " during the Joshua Tree U2 were asked about their MOSTLY white audience. If I remember correctly they were asked about a review of one of their Amnesty International shows that said the audience where basically White, Upper or middle class kids, "Content as a field of flowers".

I haven't read it in a few years but I think Bono said they wish they had a larger Black audience because they had respect for so many black artists. If someone has a copy of the magazine handy they could give you the details, I'm just going on memory

 

[randhail]

well you see almost zero african-americans at US sporting events like the NBA and NFL, yet I know they like those sports (and obviously fill out their rosters)

For what it's worth, I tend to agree with you. I often joke with people that a game at Fenway is like going to a white supremacist rally. There tends to be very little diversity in crowd. This wasn't always the case, but it is now.

 

[D-503]

i can't believe it was left open.

i mean, either spinoff threads are allowed or they aren't.

the editors said they'd cut me a break because I was new here, geez, you're being kind of hardline, aren't you?!

so there are lots of african-american Bon Jovi and Metallica fans? I mean I know Metallica released "The Black Album" a while back, but I don't think that's what they meant! lol

randhail, that's what I mean, I've observed that there aren't a lot of african-americans going to these events. don't know if it's an economic issue or what. I wonder if U2 offered free tickets to disadvantaged african-american youths if they would like to attend or if they just don't like U2. not saying U2 has to do this, there's more important things like books, clothes and food for these kids, so I was just hypothetically speaking.

 

[ntalwar]

D-503, I was wondering what your opinion is on the collaboration of U2 with Mary J. Blige, and touring with Kanye West. We've had many threads on this (which always seem to get closed). I suspect you would see the collaboration as a positive development, and an effort on the part of U2 to broaden their fan base. Am I correct?

 

[BVS]

For what it's worth, I tend to agree with you. I often joke with people that a game at Fenway is like going to a white supremacist rally. There tends to be very little diversity in crowd. This wasn't always the case, but it is now.

I also think it depends on where you live.