1. Every month we put a U2 fan in the spotlight. The fan of the month for October 2019 is user Chrisssie. Read along for the interview we had with this U2 fan.

    "I became a fan after their Joshua Tree tour in 1987, so it must have been in 1988 or 1989. Me, age 18, sitting in my parents’ living room, watching MTV. I just saw the video of With Or Without You and Bono for the first time, and Bono blew me away"

    Tell us something about yourself, who are you and what do you do for a living?

    Hi, my name is Christiane, I’m 49 years old and I live and work in Munich, Germany, as Head of Production in a TV production company.

    How did you become a fan of U2, tell us how it happened?


    That’s quick to say. I know that this has happened after their Joshua Tree tour in 1987, so it must have been in 1988 or 1989. Me, age 18, sitting in my parents’ living room, watching MTV. I just saw the video of „With Or Without You“ and Bono for the first time, and Bono blew me away.

    That’s all. Not the political message of their previous songs, no Red Rocks, no Live Aid/Bad performance. Just this kinda strange b/w video clip. And Bono with his tied back long hair, wearing a black leather vest, and with the guitar which he doesn’t play even once in the entire clip.

    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?

    None of my friends or in my family is a U2 fan, but I got to met many nice people from all over the world during the past three tours, and some of them became friends. But I have one female friend who joined me when I went to Rome for the concert in July 2017, and she even joined me visiting the concert. I think she liked it, and that’s why she decided to join me again for another concert and she picked Lisbon. And I could even manage to convince her that GA is the best place to be at a U2 concert. And she really waited with me for a spot in the front row the entire day. This can be exhausting, especially since it was like 32 degrees in Lisbon. But she made it to the end.

    What does your U2 collection look like? What kind of stuff do you have and how is it organised?


    I do not collect vinyls or much of the stuff that other fans collect. My collection is limited to all official albums and DVD releases, official books, tour books and the U2.com fanclub presents.

    Oh, I forgot the Claddagh symbol that I got drawn by Bono on my left forearm last year and that has been tattooed right after that. Can I add this to my collectibles, does this count?...LOL….

    You started seeing U2 live for the Lovetown tour, in Dublin! What kind of an experience was that?


    This is still my most amazing experience of a U2 concert in my life. At a time when there was no internet yet it was hard to get the information you can get now by just googling it. I really don’t remember where I got the info about this set of concerts in Dublin. Maybe the B&B host in Dublin informed me where I’ve been staying 3 months earlier.

    I remember that I had a flight but no ticket. My father gave me a ride to the airport on the morning of Dec 26. During the whole trip to the airport he wouldn’t stop repeating that I was crazy to go to Dublin only for a concert. Flights were pretty expensive at that time, and I was only 20. It was not common like it is nowadays to travel to a concert abroad. When I arrived at the B&B, I just dropped off my baggage and went straight to The Point, what the 3Arena was called then.



    I managed to buy an overpriced ticket for 45,- Irish Pounds (face value 16,- IEP) and I went to see the show on Dec 26. It wasn’t my plan to attend a second show of this set of 4 shows. But I've changed my plans because Bono said something on Dec 30 that has scared the fans, and everyone was talking about it. (Bonos speech of „going away and dream it all up again“. I know that many people think he said this Dec 31, but in fact he did say this on Dec 30).

    So I went to The Point again on Dec 31, very early, and I was able again to get a ticket, even more expensive that the first one. For this one I paid 70,- IEP, almost 4,5 times more than the face value.

    I remember that I managed to get a spot at the front row. It was very warm inside, I didn’t have any food or water and it was just waiting and waiting and waiting. U2 was announced to be on stage after midnight. B.B. King has just finished, next round of standing and waiting, it got even warmer, and at some point I felt I was close to faint. I noticed that the security guys were going to pull me out of the crowd, and I fought it tooth and nail not to be pulled out by them. The guy next to me gave me some water, and then I felt better. I was like: OMG.. if they had pulled me out!!

    And then: Dave Fanning, counting from 15 to zero. Bono coming on stage, singing “Auld Lang Sye”, and then saying “Here she comes..the future.
    Happy Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.

    It’s 1990. Forget about the past – we’re gonna celebrate the future where the streets have to name”…

    After the show I had to walk back to my B&B. This is Dublin, and it’s 1989. No night busses at that time, and I had no money left for the taxi. It was almost 2am in the morning, and it’s a 1 ½ hrs walk to where I’ve been staying. It’s New Years Eve, so my B&B hosts were still awake when I popped up at 4am. They gave me the cassette of the recording from the radio, as the concert was broadcast worldwide. I still have the original cassette with the insert from Propaganda Magazine.

    Oooh, I'm getting goosebumps while I'm writing this.
    I wish they’d release it on DVD sometime.

    You'll be travelling to other parts of the world for U2's 2019 tour, tell us about your journey and what your expectations are.


    I've already decided 10 years ago, when I had my 40th birthday, to go to the "other end of the world" during this time. So this is going to be my very own birthday present that I give to myself for my 50th birthday. I hope to see again many of the people that I’ve met on previous tours, and I also hope to make new friends again.
    And, of course, I am blessed to see them again on stage so soon again.

    Which U2 song do you feel the most "attached" to, or means the most for you?


    My favorite song of the studio recordings is Ultraviolet for reasons I can’t explain and Kite, because I love the lyrics. Live it’s definitely Streets, just because I love that moment when the intro merges into the song and the crowd goes wild. I can literally feel the energy of this moment.

    Is there any direction for a new album you'd like U2 to take? Any things you are hoping for?

    Well, there’s a gap between my first U2 concerts in Dublin in 1989 and my first tour after that one which was i+e in 2015. I can’t catch up the tours anymore that I have missed. My “goal” is to get as much of U2 as possible as long as they are active on tour and releasing albums. That’s why I think I am maybe more humble than other fans are. You’ll never hear me complain about the setlist of a show, or comparing their newer stuff with their older stuff what many fans do.

    I don’t have certain expectations for a new album or something I hope for. My hope is that they release a few more albums.

    How different is U2 compared to other artists that you like?

    I don’t like any other artists the way I like U2, so it’s hard to compare U2 to others. During the years without U2 I was listening mainly to Alternative/Indie/Grunge bands. But I never was a frequent concert-goer.

    But when it comes to U2, I attend multiple shows of a tour and now I even travel to the other end of the world to see them live. That’s what I’d never do for any other group or singer. So I guess that's the difference.

    What are your hobbies and interests away from U2, musical or otherwise?

    I like travelling a lot, spending time with my friends, cooking and spending time with my two lovely cats.

    Thanks for this interview Chrisssie!

    Note: Our crew members choose the fan of the month, you can't sign up for it.
  2. I got goosebumps too reading your description of your Point Depot experience. Looking forward to seeing you down here in a few weeks and swapping stories.
  3. Originally posted by Sydney_MIke:I got goosebumps too reading your description of your Point Depot experience. Looking forward to seeing you down here in a few weeks and swapping stories.
    Yes...we will do that Mike

    It's a shame that I haven't met another U2 fan so far who was also at the NYE concert.
  4. @treasure someone beckons you here

    Nice interview Christiane This is what I liked the most: "it’s New Years Eve, so my B&B hosts were still awake when I popped up at 4am. They gave me the cassette of the recording from the radio, as the concert was broadcast worldwide. I still have the original cassette with the insert from Propaganda Magazine", haha that's something else: your hosts handing you a first gen cassette they just recorded off the radio. WOW. That's Irish people for ya! ♥
  5. Yeah, that's the Irish
    I stayed at their B&B 3 times, I think, and Bob always picked us up at the airport and drove us back. That was really nice of him.
  6. Originally posted by Chrisssie:Yeah, that's the Irish
    I stayed at their B&B 3 times, I think, and Bob always picked us up at the airport and drove us back. That was really nice of him.
    Chrissie, I haven't logged in here in ages, but glad to have stumbled upon this. It will be an honor and privilege to be in the company of the U2start "Fan Of The Month" in Singapore 2. Can't wait to meet you and hear your experiences firsthand!

    Cheers,

    J
  7. Originally posted by jick:[..]
    Chrissie, I haven't logged in here in ages, but glad to have stumbled upon this. It will be an honor and privilege to be in the company of the U2start "Fan Of The Month" in Singapore 2. Can't wait to meet you and hear your experiences firsthand!

    Cheers,

    J


    Looking forward to meeting you there
  8. Hi Chrisssie, I am a Dutch guy and I will be going to the first two Sphere concerts you are going with my son who will see U2 for the first time. Maybe we can meet up for a drink in Vegas