1. Every month we put a U2 fan in the spotlights, the fan of the month March of 2022 is user fleavox. Read along for the interview we had with this U2 fan.

    "One of the Vertigo Tour shows in São Paulo was broadcasted here in 2006, exactly on the day that I change my address to my home that I live since then... That's the day U2 becames my favorite band."

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

    My name is Gustavo Macedo, I'm 32 years old, I live in Caxias do Sul, Brazil (my city is known here like the wine and grapes land). I have 2 jobs (waiter on restaurant during midday and truck garbage collector post midnight)

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

    I really remember watching Brazilian MTV in 2002, remember when I saw the videoclip of Beautiful Day, but nothing more during the first watch.. I really start to pay attention on U2 in early 2004 when I was watching a TV show called videoclash, a Battle between songs, I can't remember about the other band, but Sunday Bloody Sunday won the battle against other song.. so I really love the song, love the live performance and start to search more about them and they still in 2004 released How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.. the perfect time to listen a new album of the band that I was looking for. One of the Vertigo Tour shows in são Paulo was broadcasted here in 2006, exactly on the day that I change my address to my home that I live since then... That's the day U2 becames my favorite band.

    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?

    Sure! My mom who died in 2020 of cancer loved U2 80's stuff before I discover the band, but she never was the number one fan, my 2 brothers also like U2, my fiancee and my ex girlfriend also loves U2! My ex girlfriend love them before we meeting, but I really convert my fiancee into U2's world.

    Your first U2 show was 12 years ago in Sao Paulo, tell us everything about that day and experience.

    Unforgettable! The 360 tour it's the first tour that I really follow concert by concert, so I knew the setlist, or at least the major part of the setlist, I remember they rehearsal a lot of takes of zooropa in all soundchecks before all Brazilian shows. I miss my work at the time during 3 days to watch the third Brazilian show of the tour, and remember to listen the soundchecks of 12, and 13. (Bad was played on 12 , and Mercy at the soundcheck of 13, the day of show), absolutely they rehearsal that songs for spot that The Model was played.

    About the show, I was so excited that I really didn't notice Bono's voice wasn't good, I only noticed that during Crazy Tonight, I was static when they played Zooropa, I knew the chances of they play that was very high, but I was still afraid of some rotation with In a Little While, cause was just the second performance of Zooropa on Tour, my only disappointing thing was just The Model, nothing against Seu Jorge, but I wanted to hear Bad or Mercy (by the way, I saw seu Jorge in my hometown in 2013, and the show wasn't good, he is good at studio but in live performances he sucks, at least the 2 times I saw him).

    You had to wait six more years for your second, third and fourth shows. This time the Joshua Tree tour hit Brazil. How different was this experience compared to six years earlier?

    I was absolutely more calm because wasn't my first experience with U2, and with Morumbi, Bono's singing were so better than 2011 and before the tour started, not even in my craziest dreams I would see Exit and Red Hill Mining Town live!! My only "disappointment" was the only show that I missed was the show of snippet of Waters of March, but was an unforgettable birthday party, cause my birthday was in October 25.

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

    I have a lot of CDs and DVDs, my first DVD that I bought with my own money was the Rattle and Hum in 2006.
    I also have almost all bootlegs available on U2 start, and listened all of them at least one time and I also won a t shirt here on world cup's prediction game!

    A question we often get is what the best bootlegs are for fans to listen to. Can you name us some of your favorites?

    Sure! I would talk about Milan 92, Sarajevo 97, Dublin 93, Rosemont 87 and a lot of concerts everyone talk about, but I will talk about some hidden gems!

    1982-02-11 New Orleans: A great early U2 concert , also good sound

    1985-04-30 Jacksonville: Great performance , Sounds, snippets, improvisation and all

    1993-07-27 Copenhagen: Other surprise, setlist is just a few Zooropa songs, but the songs were very well played

    1997-11-23 San Antonio: The only PopMart show that I really think that is a top show, every song very well played and even One, also an emotional show cause the death of Michael Hutchence

    2001-05-06 Pittsburgh: also great performance , and interesting case of a post 2000 recording that sounds like a 80's recording!

    2005-11-02 Los Angeles: great sound and performance , I still haven't found what I looking for / In a little while medley sounds incredible, and whole show is very good.

    What are your expectations for U2's next album? Do you think it will be their last?

    It's very hard to answer that, cause I think they have a lot of potential to do great new songs, but at same time Bono sounds afraid about new releases in a lot of interviews, I think the next album can be the last , the age comes for everyone, but I know they can do a lot of good stuff without be afraid with that thing of relevance that Bono always says.

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

    Surely, the live performances are their best point, but not just the show.. the fact of the most of the true fanbase of them, goes to U2 to listen his new songs, or maybe some rarities, not just the classics, this is also a great point, cause a lot of famous bands have , even on their fanbase a lot of "hardcore" fans who goes into their shows to listen their classics.

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

    I love my job, run behind the garbage truck sometimes can be fun!! Haha. I also love gym, exercises, I can listen music every day (U2, Roxette, Coldplay, Amanda Marshall, Linkin Park, Guns n roses, some Brazilian artists too), also love to watch motorsports (F1, Indycar, NASCAR) and watch football /soccer (my favorite Brazilian teams are Juventude from my city and Grêmio, my Europe favorite teams are Real Madrid and Milan).

    with the t-shirt that I won on 2018 world cup prediction

    Thanks for this interview fleavox!

    Note: Our crew members randomly pick fans of the month, you can't sign up for it.
  2. Nice to read
  3. I wanna thank Remy and all u2start crew for this chance to talk about my relationship with U2
  4. Long time coming interview! Probably the most knowledgeable person regarding to bootlegs that I know - and that's saying something! Uber respect for Gustavo It's a pleasure to have you around here. Abraços!!

    PS. Just read about your two jobs... How the hell do you get enough time to listen to all these bootlegs!? It's even more amazing now
  5. I have two Jobs just since last October!!

    Now isn't easy to dedicate a long time for the bootlegs, but I did that during around at least 8 years, with just one job (or none hahaha)
  6. Good read 😀
  7. Bela entrevista. Great interview!!!