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“And that cherry blossom tree…”
As some of you may know, I just spent a few days in Rome, Italy to meet up with some fellow U2 fans. It was not just merely fans actually, but people I have been talking with for some time now. I often refer to the #U2Fam in my articles – the U2 Fans Family – and those shared moments with these fine peeps inspired me to write a little more than usual about it. I am still fueled on strong Italian expressos, so here we go!
Small but stronger than it looks! Eh, that sounds like someone I know…
The #U2ieTour has been a pretty special tour for the community of fans. The guys worked hard at breaking that 4th wall between band and audience – smashing it to pieces seems more accurate – but it also broke every wall standing between fans, almost literally. Don’t get me wrong, we were already able to get in touch with each other of course, but the increasing use of social medias helped make things more… simple and perhaps more natural. Wherever you are in the world, you’re just a tweet or FB post away from your fellow U2 friends and you get to know each other way better than you use to. It’s also way more convenient in terms of organization. That U2Fam Rome meet up is one example amongst many. You usually meet your mates when U2 are touring, but these new ways of communications make it easy enough to make it happen at any other time. And that’s a pretty neat way to spend time between tours!
The really cool thing about it is that as I was saying, you get to know the peeps you’re meeting way better than you use to. And that means that even though there’s a lot of U2 nerding going on of course, you can pretty much talk about everything else quite naturally. And that’s because you actually know each other’s, making the meetups even more interesting and emotional to say the least. It’s not every day that you run into the arms of a complete stranger, hugging the hell out of this person – well maybe you do, but it can get pretty awkward – because that stranger you meet for the very first time is like some long lost brother or a friend you haven’t seen in years. Some of those friendships are sometimes quite new and yet it feels like you’ve known each other all your life.
Add a few #U2pints and let the magic begins!
I was in Rome for a few days to meet some of these fine peeps and I had such an amazing time. Truly one of my best U2 related trip, and they weren’t even around so that says a lot! – not that they weren’t invited, but I guess they missed the FB RSVP. And as things goes nowadays, it didn’t feel like a simple fan meet-up, but a gathering of old friends having pints together and having a really good time. When you think about it, we were all there because of U2, and yet it became so much more than that. Even the universe agreed with that as ‘Lemon” randomly started playing at midnight – yup, no jokes.
I’m really proud to be able to call some of these people friends. And I’m damn glad that at some point life and music made our paths cross. Isn’t it the true blessing that this band offers us? I always say it’s more than music, it’s also emotions and so much more… They bring us together. One community, one family, from all other the world – “We’re one but we’re not the same” and that what makes it truly unique. I don’t know if the band realize how many friendships they’re responsible for, and all the joy they bring us in addition to their music. And when I think back to all the people I got to meet thanks to this band and being a U2 fan, I can’t help but use their own words to describe it…
U2 is our cherry blossom tree, and from that starting point we make our own way together…
“And friendship once it’s won It’s won… it’s one”
I’d like to thank Angelo (@noodles105) and James (@TheeEdge) for setting up this meet-up in Rome, as well as all who joined in. What a fine crowd you all were! I’m really happy to have shared those moments with you and experienced that unique spirit once again. You all rock and I can’t wait to meet you all again, because it’s more than certain that our roads will cross another time, another place. No doubts about it. Until then if you allow me to twist some of our dear MacPhisto words…
“Look what you’ve done to me You’ve made me very…” happy, and I thank you.
Angelo, James, Simo, Dani, Moreno, Marina, Veronica, Jacopo, Chiara, Andrea, Valentino, Adrien… Thank you all so much for the good laugh, the memories, the fine talks and the U2 pints we got to share together. Take care x
ps: I might post some pics of the meet-up later, just have to check with everybody else first.
