My first ever post on interference:
This is my first post, please forgive me if I ramble on.
I'll start by saying that I've been a U2 fan since 1982/83, cannot recall exactly when, but after October's release, before War. I got exposed to them by the older brother of a close friend of mine, and I liked them immediately. Since then, the band have provided me with so much joy that it's impossible to accurately convey it via words. If any people can understand, it's you people.
I have been reading a lot of the posts lately, and am a bit stunned at some of the negativity. I know, I know, this site is for discussion, and that implies good and bad takes on things. But, some of the negative feedback seems so....petty. When a band ascends to U2's heights, by design or not, it is implied that their songbook becomes large. They simply cannot get up there and play 100 songs and satisfy every single person. So, when they play An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart in San Diego, and I'm there, and I start to tear up because I'm in shock that they are playing a song I NEVER thought I'd hear live....well, to me, that's ecstasy. Guess what these songs have in common.....Heartland, Do you Feel Loved, When I look at the World, Crumbs from Your Table....they all are my favorite individual songs from their respective albums, and they are all songs I've never heard live. I might never hear any of them live. I don't care, though. The 2 hours of joy and bliss that U2 provide me each time I opt to pay to see them transcends any little disappointment I might have ten fold. I'm too realistic to dream of dream set lists.
Quick story - took a friend to see them in Anaheim on Friday. He's a moderate fan, knows the hits, some other stuff, but not a dork like me about it. Anyway, Bullet the Blue Sky starts, and I think to myself as it starts "I've heard this song every time I've seen them live in my life"....not that I dislike it, just....well, anyway, as I'm thinking about this, my friend grabs my arm and says "This is my friggin favorite U2 song, holy crap!!!"...he was transported for 5 minutes during this song, and it reminded me that my favorites are not someone elses, and that not everyone has been lucky enough to see them as often as I.
Anyway, I don't wear blinders, I'm aware of corporate involvement in music and of technical glitches during songs and of Bono not remembering the lyrics to every song every night, etc. I am aware of all this, but it does not bother me one iota. I love this band, they've literally been the sound track of the bulk of my life, and if anything, I owe them a debt of gratitude that cannot be measured.
So, I'll shut up now, sorry for the long rant. See you at Staples on Wednesday, and in San Jose on Saturday!!
