spanisheyes
Forum Moderator, The Goal Is Soul
Last night as I had the privilege of purchacing tickets to U2's last show of the Elevation Tour in Las Vegas, I was flooded with rememberance of so many tour stories from fans in the past who have had similar experiences, some of those experiences even included listening to a U2 song, or album and being moved to tears, overwhelmed by the emotion in Bono's voice, or the Edge's guitar, but at the same time with no one to share it with, having to endure these emotions alone, in solitude. These moments were like a secret, very personal, so pure and so true...but only in the heart and mind they stayed for so many years. At the same time, I was reminded of this quote from "A Grand Madness: 10 years on the Road with U2" that put it all in perspective for me.
"...I'd been a fan of their music for fourteen years prior to Popmart and felt deeply connected to their music. But it was a connection experienced in solitude and I was completely unaware of all the adventures being a fan could bring. Then in the mid-90's came a revolution, one that made being a part of a community of fans, meeting one's inspiration, and experiencing the touring fan life more accessible than ever--the development of international communities of fans in cyberspace. Hooking up that new computer brought me in touch with others who saw the power in U2's music, I now had an outlet to express out loud what U2's music meant to me, and people who would hear it and know exactly what I meant. And after all these years, I had a lot to say.
It also brought me more in touch with the men behind that music, the tales others spun about their close encounters of the U2 kind, about the band's accessibility, their graciousness. And a few extraordinary tales of how this band went far out of their way to help others. Things you don't read about in the press, things they don't want you to read, just quietly giving back to the fans who've supported themn over the years. Here were other fans who had made an even deeper connection, and yet they weren't groupies or in the industry. They were just like me. I came to learn that everything I knew was wrong and that anything was possible."
I don't know if I have a lot to say, but I do know that now anything is possible. As a fan of U2 for 21 years, I have known what it is like to go at it alone, but yet with as much passion and pride for a band that has given their fans so much these last 20 plus years, that it was okay. In 1997, the internet truly did tranform fans on the Popmart tour to places, experiences, and sounds that U2 were playing at all over the world, from opening night in flashy Las Vegas, to the war torn country of Sarajevo, to South Africa with it's apartheid abolished, to the Mothers of the Disappeared in Chile. Most importanly, we heard from the fans, and their reactions were so moving that we felt as if we were there, as if we truly were a part of the U2 international community, no longer alone.
Many of us now have this tremendous privilege of sharing our U2 experience with these fans from all over the world. Interference has been one of those special places to do that, and I know that many of us are so thankful for finding a place like this, but more importanly, finding fans who share in the same passion that all of us do for U2, and who we now can share our feelings about their albums, past and present tours, and just the day in and day out presence of U2's music in our lives.
I've had the special privilege of meeting fans from all over the world as well...people like Maria from Brazil, Rosa from Dublin, Camilo and Mariana from California, Bethany from Minnesota, Judy from Boston, Gloria from The Netherlands, Jason from Florida, Jennifer from Louisiana, and Laura from Tennessee. I apologize for leaving many of you out, but the point I'm trying to make is now we all have names, faces, persons to share our love for U2 with in this internet community and Interference. Thanks to all of you in this forum who have contributed to making my U2 experience that much more richer. Truly, we will never have to go at it alone...truly we get to carry each other, truly we are One.
"One day I'll look back and see where I was held; how by this love while I could stand there, I could move on this moment, follow this feeling."
Chris
[This message has been edited by spanisheyes (edited 09-22-2001).]
"...I'd been a fan of their music for fourteen years prior to Popmart and felt deeply connected to their music. But it was a connection experienced in solitude and I was completely unaware of all the adventures being a fan could bring. Then in the mid-90's came a revolution, one that made being a part of a community of fans, meeting one's inspiration, and experiencing the touring fan life more accessible than ever--the development of international communities of fans in cyberspace. Hooking up that new computer brought me in touch with others who saw the power in U2's music, I now had an outlet to express out loud what U2's music meant to me, and people who would hear it and know exactly what I meant. And after all these years, I had a lot to say.
It also brought me more in touch with the men behind that music, the tales others spun about their close encounters of the U2 kind, about the band's accessibility, their graciousness. And a few extraordinary tales of how this band went far out of their way to help others. Things you don't read about in the press, things they don't want you to read, just quietly giving back to the fans who've supported themn over the years. Here were other fans who had made an even deeper connection, and yet they weren't groupies or in the industry. They were just like me. I came to learn that everything I knew was wrong and that anything was possible."
I don't know if I have a lot to say, but I do know that now anything is possible. As a fan of U2 for 21 years, I have known what it is like to go at it alone, but yet with as much passion and pride for a band that has given their fans so much these last 20 plus years, that it was okay. In 1997, the internet truly did tranform fans on the Popmart tour to places, experiences, and sounds that U2 were playing at all over the world, from opening night in flashy Las Vegas, to the war torn country of Sarajevo, to South Africa with it's apartheid abolished, to the Mothers of the Disappeared in Chile. Most importanly, we heard from the fans, and their reactions were so moving that we felt as if we were there, as if we truly were a part of the U2 international community, no longer alone.
Many of us now have this tremendous privilege of sharing our U2 experience with these fans from all over the world. Interference has been one of those special places to do that, and I know that many of us are so thankful for finding a place like this, but more importanly, finding fans who share in the same passion that all of us do for U2, and who we now can share our feelings about their albums, past and present tours, and just the day in and day out presence of U2's music in our lives.
I've had the special privilege of meeting fans from all over the world as well...people like Maria from Brazil, Rosa from Dublin, Camilo and Mariana from California, Bethany from Minnesota, Judy from Boston, Gloria from The Netherlands, Jason from Florida, Jennifer from Louisiana, and Laura from Tennessee. I apologize for leaving many of you out, but the point I'm trying to make is now we all have names, faces, persons to share our love for U2 with in this internet community and Interference. Thanks to all of you in this forum who have contributed to making my U2 experience that much more richer. Truly, we will never have to go at it alone...truly we get to carry each other, truly we are One.
"One day I'll look back and see where I was held; how by this love while I could stand there, I could move on this moment, follow this feeling."
Chris
[This message has been edited by spanisheyes (edited 09-22-2001).]
