The wily little Irishman strutted around the stage. His band was playing for their home crowd – their tribe. They finished two songs from their latest album. They sounded great. The crowd was pumped. But, he was not satisfied. It was time to shake the roof, to get the whole place jumping. Bono said, “We are a band from the Northside of Dublin called U2…this is our new tune, I Will Follow.” The Edge thrashed the opening chords to the song. The tribe erupted into a frenzy. It was November of 2018. Kim and I were attending a concert by my favorite band in their hometown of Dublin. I bought the tickets hoping for the show of a lifetime. I was not disappointed. They played their hearts out.
U2 is the biggest band in the world.
Based on ticket sales in the last decade, U2 was #1. They sold over a billion dollars worth. Almost ten million people saw them live. Impressive numbers, considering they released only two albums in the 2010s. Of course, my perspective is skewed. I loved U2 music since 1983 when I heard their first album, War. It opens with the song Sunday Bloody Sunday. I dropped the needle on that record many decades ago. I knew this band from Dublin would be huge one day. They became much more prominent than anyone imagined.
Why I wrote this billboard
I wrote this billboard as a reminder that I need to bring the best positive energy I can into any situation, especially when I am with my tribe. Watching U2 play live in Dublin was awesome. I attended several U2 concerts over the years. Each tour was terrific. Yet, there was something different about this show. The energy was electric, and the emotions of the crowd were elevated. The Irish woman beside me cried like a baby when they played their classic song One. It was a religious-like experience for her. I need to admit – it was for me as well.
Play harder for your tribe.
U2 turned it up a notch when playing for their home crowd. Their tribe deserved their best show, and they delivered. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. U2’s songs take on a different level of meaning when they play in Dublin. Their tribe understands them better than other fans. Bono said we are a band from the Northside of Dublin, not a band from Dublin like he does at different shows. Coming out of the north side means something special to their tribe. It says you are from the tough side of town, not the privileged South. I liked that U2 played harder for their tribe, and I decided I should do the same.
Who is in your tribe?
It is worth spending some time thinking about who is in your tribe. I came up with three types of people who are your tribe members.
- Your tribe loves you when you are small—they enjoy spending time with you. For U2, these are the fans who have been with them since the beginning. It would not surprise me if the Dublin audience included tribe members who saw the band back in the day.
- Your tribe sticks with you—they do not abandon you when things get rough. U2 ‘s fans supported them after they released bad albums like October and Pop. Fairweather fans fade away. The tribe stays forever.
- Your tribe is always for you—they want the best for you and will do what they can to make you successful. For U2, these fans keep buying their music and tickets to their shows. I am one of them, but I am not nearly as devoted as others I have met. At one show, I met a woman who had seen U2 live over 40 times.
Who are members of my tribe?
My tribe is pretty significant. It starts with my family – my parents, brother, and both of you. My girlfriend and love, Kim Parker, is a crucial member. It also includes lifelong friends like Jim Fuhs and many of my high schoolmates. College roommates like Joe Hall, Paul Collins, and my fraternity big brother, Malcolm Andrews, are in my tribe. Many people I work with, like my military buddies – Bill Hauschild and Erik Kleinsmith, and professional colleagues, like Bill Webner and Brian St. Andre, are members. And I cannot forget my close friends Pete Peters, Geoff Schaeffer, and Joel Cottrell. There are too many others to list here so that I will stop.
How I incorporated this billboard into my life
These days, I try to be more intentional about how I show up when I am hanging out with my tribe. I look forward to seeing them and will do what I can to spend time with them and go out of my way to tell them I love them and look forward to seeing them again soon. I do my best to go up a notch with my tribe. They deserve it for putting up with me.
What about you?
Are you spending time with your tribe? Do you know who is in your tribe? If not, get busy figuring that out, then turn it up a notch when you are with them. You won’t ever regret it. U2 certainly does not.
Take it up a notch when you are playing for your tribe. They deserve it for showing up when you were small
Dad
