"When I got closer I recognized that hat that Bono used on Vertigo Tour and I found myself frozen [...] I couldn't do anything else after that"
Tell us something about yourself, who are you and what do you do for a living?
Hi, I’m Andrea. I live in Recife, a city in northeast of Brazil. I’m the oldest of 3 sisters. I also have a little 7 year old niece who already likes U2 and is on her firsts steps for being an U2 fan in the future.
How did you become a U2 fan? Tell us how it happened.
Blame it on my parents, they had Under a Blood Red Sky & Unforgettable Fire U2 vinyls. After listening to them many times I went to a record store to buy another one... but they had all cds, what and how to choose? So, I picked Achtung Baby by its cover and I instantly fell in love, I think it was ’94 or ‘95. Some years later they released Pop and then Popmart Tour brought them for the first time to Brazil, but the concerts were only in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro (Recife is a 3h flight from these cities). My parents didn’t like the idea of having their teenage daughter walking alone in a strange city for a rock concert + travelling and stuff were pretty expensive at that time. Luckily MTV Brazil broadcasted live one of the concerts and that was my first “live” experience. Absolutely mind-blowing!
What does your U2 collection look like? What kind of stuff do you have and how is it organized?
Well, I think this is not much different from the other fans. DVDs, cds, special editions, some books and so on but the items I like most are the little memorabilia with good stories behind it. I moved a few months ago and I found a box full of them. Pictures, old tickets, little gifts, wristbands. I have a soundcheck wristband that some guy kindly gave me after I helped him with his false ticket. I could enter at Morumbi Stadium like I was a part of the staff and I could watch the whole rehearsal before the 2011 concerts. See them playing in an empty stadium wasn't on my crazy dreams.
The bad thing was that I had to stay quiet, when I wanted to run to them and get crazy but then I would be kicked out
Which U2 song do you feel the most "attached" to, or means the most for you?
Even Better Than The Real Thing
I don’t know what happens, but every time I hear it I can’t stay quiet. Listen to it as the opening song in 2011 was a killer. I was “spoiler free”, didn’t know nothing about the setlists and stuff. It was truly amazing and being with friends that know my passion about this song, so became even more special.
You've attended U2 shows in both the U.S. and Latin America. Tell us more about your experiences. What makes Brazilian crowds so different than the rest?
After I missed Popmart tour, I thought that I would have to be prepared to be there on the next tour. And then they didn't come to Brazil on Elevation Tour, that was really disappointing. So when they announced the Vertigo dates and there was only US and Europe again I decided to go anywhere. I had no special place in mind, I could go anywhere I could get GA tickets, so it was Boston (Oct/2005). This was my first trip by myself, first trip by plane, first time in another country, first time seeing U2 live for real, a lot of firsts here, so it was really emotional after being a fan for 10 years. If it wasn't enough, I was queuing for night #2 when I saw a car stopping at the entrance and decided to check it who was there... when I got closer I recognized that hat that Bono used on Vertigo Tour and I found myself frozen. I had a Brazilian flag and when he got closer all I could say was something like “I came from Brazil for the concert”, then he smiled and said he loves Brazil, signed the flag and gave me a hug. I couldn't do anything else after that
I’ve been told that Boston's crowd does not exactly represent US crowd, so I don’t know if I can compare them. The audience was really noisy and great, but Brazilian concerts are always mad... that’s our reputation
What makes us different... I think it wouldn't be fair if I tell passion. All fans all over the world are really passionate, but maybe we want to be part of the show, make them feel loved and remember us, so we sing along and cheer up every song and it’s magic.
There are rumors of U2 hitting South America next year. Are you planning to attend a show, if these rumors are true? What are your expectations for the next leg of the tour?
Yeah, the rumors… I don't know. I have some other plans and I doubt it would be possible to manage both (plans + concerts), so maybe I can’t attend SA concerts this time. But I have high expectations mainly because I couldn’t attend any concert last year. So, I’m hoping that our schedules can match.
How did U2start (or other forums) influence your music preferences? Did U2 fans influence you liking other artists?
I’m really lazy to listen to new bands, so I end up with the same I always liked... Beatles, Cure, Smiths, a-ha, Depeche Mode, Pink Floyd...
How different is U2 compared to other artists that you like?
It’s a huge difference; basically I’m a normal person with other artists. Nothing about queuing for days, it’s ok if I can’t attend concerts, but when I do, generally one is enough. Nothing about being always on GA, not necessary buying every single album, etc.
What are your hobbies and interests away from U2, musical or otherwise?
I’m movies and series addicted… House of Cards, Game of Thrones and Sherlock are my favorites by now. Also started “Love” from Netflix the other day, it’s quite funny. Also photography, travelling, party lover and as a Brazilian – I love football, of course (also F1, but not that much nowadays).
Thanks for this interview andreamacedo!
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