U2, Faith, Love and 2013

“The Lord is in the House tonight” Going to Church that’s what going to a U2 concert felt like for a few of the fans this past tour. Faith, Love and Hope rising beyond the 50 thousand screaming fans; all in one single space in hopes to see something magical beyond the walls that held them inside.

U2 Fans

U2 Fans

U2 is a band on a mission, and a strong sense of integrity and purpose is the foundation for their music, lyrics, and relationships. They’ve sold somewhere between 100 million and 150 million records (CD’s) winning 17 Grammy Awards and of course inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. U2 survival in a industry where longevity is measured in months, the band has stuck together and racked up years’ worth of smash hits and signature songs.

So where do the boys from Ireland go now? The most successful tour ever and yet the album was considered to be lacking, rushed and not filling for some hard core U2 fans.  U2 has always been able to reinvent their music to fit the times.  Its not often you can follow a band thru your life and still believe in the music. U2 has grown up with their audience and it is very possible their new music will continue to have us follow. “Don’t forget about us,” Bono said during the 360 tours after many shows.

The sense is that the band has seen their better days and that in order for the band to continue forward they must reach into the pop audience and pull them thru to hear the new U2. What does the new U2 sound like? Heck if anyone knows. One thing is for sure they will come back 2013 with a “new” sound that will create some new fans and as always loss some fans.

True U2 fans know and expect change. Change brings growth and growth brings opportunity.

U2 Conference back

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The U2 Conference is an event where students and fans of popular music can discover, examine, learn, and share what U2 has created and what it means to its listeners and in all the contexts popular music is a part of. Our inaugural 2009 meeting brought together a multi-disciplinary group from seven countries and featured over 40 formal presentations, three films, and networking opportunities.

The theme for the 2013 U2 Conference is “U2:TRANS-,” indicating an interest in U2 going across, over, and beyond boundaries in rock and roll, and working toward making moments of passing through or crossing over possible for fans as well as for the band itself. “TRANS-” concepts such as transform, transgress, translate, and transcend, for starters, will be in focus for the program sessions. We will have parallel tracks open to all attendees with sessions designed for both academic and popular audiences​

The U2 Conference will hold its second meeting for an international gathering of scholars, critics, teachers, and fans in collaboration with theRock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, April 26-27, 2013. Our keynote speaker is Ann Powers, popular music critic for National Public Radio. We continue to build our program and will announce more details in the months to come.​