Every month we put a U2 fan in the spotlights, the fan of the month July of 2024 is user U21960. Read along for the interview we had with this U2 fan.
"I discovered U2 in late 1984, thanks to MTV. The first tour I saw was The Unforgettable Fire in 1985 at Madison Square Garden, a venue that remains one of my favorites to this day. Nothing is quite like The Garden."
Tell us something about yourself, who are you and what do you do for a living?
My name is Kari and I live in the good old Midwest US - in the metro Chicago area. It's a great place to live for music, the arts, food, sports et al and summers are gorgeous on Lake Michigan. Yes, the months of January-March can be freezing- we've been lucky the last few years with milder winters and that's what travel to warm climates is for. I work in logistics-financial management which is a busy, challenging field but very rewarding.
How did you become a fan of U2, tell us how it happened?
I discovered U2 in late 1984 (Thank you MTV). The first tour I saw was in 1985 [Unforgettable Fire]. I witnessed first time the magic of the live performance that U2 has mastered. I was out of state for college and saw them at Madison Square Garden which to this day, is one of my favorite venues to see them at. Nothing is quite like The Garden.
Does anyone in your family or one of your friends like U2? If so, did they introduce you to U2, or did you "convert" them?
No one in my family introduced me to U2 - countless hours of watching MTV videos took care of that.
What does your U2 collection look like? What kind of stuff do you have and how is it organised?
My collection of U2 items is a variety of things- original CD's/ cassettes/ vinyl/books. I love pins/"badges" as some call them, and have many tee shirts, in all types, hoodies etc. My tees are in very good condition as I tend to own duplicates so I keep them in pristine condition. I have originals back from 1987 Joshua Tree to current. I love hoodies and zip ups - with the cost of swag, I keep them in their own closet and take great care of them. I have original Bono Bucks from Zoo TV - I also have tour programs (Originals) from Zoo to current through the Sphere residency.
Did you ever have a special U2 experience like a live concert? Can you tell us something about it?
It's hard for me to pinpoint one special U2 live experience - I consider them all special and unique to the time period. I loved the Vertigo tour, 360 was in a world of its own, JT 2017 and of course Sphere.
When you're forced to leave to a deserted island and you can take only one U2 album with you, which would it be?
My desert island would have 2 - I can't choose. NLOTH AND SOI. "Moment of Surrender" will always be a top 10 song for me. That being said, I've enjoyed the different "eras" of the band from being young kids to present. I can see the growth as musicians, people and life experiences. I really like Songs of Surrender - I respect what they did with the material and it's something I listen to quite often. I'm a POP (FAN) too. I really wish we'd had the chance to experience Willie William's "Mofo" strobe effects at Sphere.
If you could go back in time, which U2-era would you like to be in, and why?
Era- 360. [excluding Sphere}. It was their moment where everyone talked about them. When the claw rolled into your town, it was all everyone talked about. The scale and concept of the Claw/staging was so unique. I'll put that tour up against ANYBODY. I feel that was their "Taylor Swift" moment. They've been lucky because they've had a few: ZOO TV, Superbowl/Elevation, Vertigo and Sphere threw the spotlight back on them. They are in rare territory with what they've accomplished.
[b]What are your expectations of a future new U2 album?[/b]
New album - I don't have any preset expectations. I just want to hear it sooner than later. I love Atomic City (especially live) so a few more of those type songs/i'll take more of 'Little Things", maybe a few more rock-punked up. Maybe some hold back on the focus of political themes ie American Soul. Ill also take an U2 style of AC/DC that Bono wants to write lyrics for in Bono-ese. U2 doing their own song style ala Touch Too Much would rock. Let that guitar sing, Edge.
How different is U2 compared to other artists that you like?
I have a wide range of genres I enjoy except country. I tend to like most things heavier wise, but then you have Depeche Mode. I can play them and then put Megadeth on. Our favorite (?) Dutch friend, Martin Garrix puts on a fantastic live show - dancing keeps you young. Pearl Jam - nuff said.
What are your hobbies and interests away from U2, musical or otherwise?
Hobbies, trail walks in beautiful wooded areas, concerts, Broadway shows, travel, books - mostly biographies, sports of all kinds.
Thanks for reading and now back to our regular scheduled programming. 🙂
Thank you. I have a few....Cats...Les Miserables...Wicked...West Side Story. I was lucky to see Phantom of The Opera at the Pantages Theater in Toronto. If you ever have a chance to see Madame Butterfly (The Opera) - do it. It's intensely emotional even if Opera isn't really your thing.
Les Mis tops my list, followed by Wicked, Once and Come From Away. I will finally get see a Broadway production next month and picked Hadestown as its one that never made it to Australia.
Great interview! Loved hearing about your journey with U2, the incredible collection you’ve built, and all those memorable concert experiences. Here's to many more years of U2 magic! 🎶