Lately, I've been browsing an occasionally posting in a Dave Matthews Band forum similar to this one. You would not believe how different it is. Most of them don't really even care that much about the music, but the culture of being at DMB shows. One girl said she and her friends wear skirts, and then go around finding guys to have sex with them so nonchalontly (sp?) that no one in the audience ever notices. Another guys was bitching about how he went to a DMB show sober, and it sucked.
And everyone seems to HATE certain songs. I mean, everyone on this forum stands by most of U2's material. Most of us defend POP to the end. However, you'd be surprised at the negative outpouring that everyone on that forum seems to give to some of the songs, particularly the EVERYDAY album. Everyday and POP are not so different, in that they were both big departures for DMB and U2. But the difference is, U2 fans are smart enough to except that difference. Those people HATE Everyday, and a lot of other songs too. It's like, if they go to a concert and Dave plays some of his radio hits, that he's "selling out" and "playing to the teeny boppers." As if he's supposed to fill his entire set with obscure (and inferior) material.
So I think that U2 fans are unique. I don't really care what U2 plays at a concert, but I love all their songs in some way or another, and I'm always thrilled. We don't all sit around and argue about how we hate certain songs, or each other. We let each other have our opinions, and it's great. I think that this forum is a great place to go to talk to other fans. I think U2 fans are into U2 for all the right reasons. Wether you've been going to shows since the BOY tour or before that, or you've just become interested with ATYCLB, you get into it because the music does something to you. I highly doubt a teenybopper would pay $85 to go to a show because he heard "Stuck in a moment' or "Beautiful Day" on the radio and wants to be trendy. You gotta love a band to pay that much. I guess a lot of people love U2.