Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Hanson & Paul McDonald Workplay Birmingham, AL 9/9/13

It is not every day that your favorite band of all time comes to a venue an hour away from you. It is also not every day that you win fan club meet and greet before the show on your 18th birthday week. After skipping Alabama on their last tour, Hanson finally came back in support of their newest album, Anthem. I really cannot express how patiently I waited for this album and tour. When they finally announced dates during my birthday week, I cried. I planned out my week to see them in Birmingham and New Orleans: Birmingham on September 9th and New Orleans on September 12th, which is my actual birthday! Needless to say, my birthday week took forever to get here. Hanson is a very charitable band. Before almost every show, they host an event called Take The Walk. Everyone walks a mile without shoes so they can see what it is like for people in countries that do not have the luxury of shoes. To make it even better, the band takes the walk with you! It was everything in my power not to break down and cry in front of the band. Not because I am a fan girl, but because it was such a surreal moment for me because I actually got to have conversations with the three people that give my life purpose. I talked to Zac about my foot phobia and my favorite song of his. Another girl asked him if he would play Broken Angel that night. (He did. More on that later in the post) At some point, I got separated from Zac and ended up next to Taylor. I heard someone ask him the one question I have wondered for the last 16 years. An older man asked Taylor if they owned the rights to their music. Yes, they do, but they do not own the original recordings of their first album. That was literally one of the biggest questions I have ever had off of my mind. That further proves how awesome Hanson is because The Beatles do not even own the rights to their music. That in itself is something to be proud of. After the walk was over, we all went back inside and I waited patiently for my meet and greet time. We were split into two groups. I was in the second group. We each got to walk through the line and get them to sign something. I got them to sign my Hanson Christmas album, Snowed In. It was the first Hanson CD I ever had and I remember when my mom gave it to me when I was two. It was a very monumental moment for and symbolized me growing up (remember, it was my birthday week). Afterwards, we got to talk to them for a few seconds and I asked them if they would play Man From Milwaukee in New Orleans because it was my 18th birthday and that is my favorite song by them. Isaac and Zac said they would think about it. (They did not play it, by the way. Read the New Orleans blog). One of the perks of the meet and greet (you know, besides meeting Hanson and getting a picture with them) was getting into the venue early. I will probably never have that opportunity for that to happen again. I started crying because I could reach out and touch Isaac Hanson's leg if I wanted to. It was one of those childhood moments that had finally come true and all I could do was cry. The opening act was Paul McDonald. If that does not ring a bell, he is also Nikki Reed from the Twilight Saga's husband. He was on season 10 of American Idol, and he was in two bands: Hightide Blues (HTB) and The Grand Magnolias (TGM). He is from Auburn, Alabama (Hey, not everyone is perfect. ;)) He played songs from all of his projects which included:

4:15 (played by HTB and TGM)
Few and Far Between (TGM)
Dreaming Alone (HTB)
Sing Out (TGM)
Fallin' In Love (Paul McDonald)
Atlantic City (Bruce Springsteen Cover)
Let It Roll (HTB)
Bouquet Of Lies (Paul and Nikki Reed)
Misery (Paul and Nikki Reed)
Heartbreak (TGM) (This one was my favorite)

He really should be noted for his stage presence and tambourine skills because it was phenomenal.

Then, it was finally time for HANSON.

I was in the front row with my mom. I was standing less than 10 feet away from my favorite band. I was as close to Heaven as I could get at that current moment. I was at home. They ran out on stage and opened with my second favorite Hanson song of all time. In The City. I stood there and cried. That was my childhood in a moment. I did not know what else to do. The setlist proceeded with
(In The City)

I've Got Soul
Where's The Love
Scream and Be Free
This Time Around
Fired Up

(Acoustic Set)
Strong Enough To Break
Crazy Beautiful
For Your Love (Isaac Solo)
Broken Angel (Zac Solo) (A fan asked him to play this on the walk earlier in the day and he said he would think about it. He kept his word) (I cried like a baby)
Runaway Run (Taylor Solo) (Again, I stood there and cried because that was my childhood and it was all of the emotion that I have ever felt built up into one moment. It is one of those moments that was really hard to explain)
(end acoustic set)

Juliet (Taylor on drums, Zac on piano)
Band introductions (The Sissy Strut)
You Can't Stop Us
Waiting For This
And I Waited
Minute Without You
Penny & Me
Tragic Symphony
Thinking 'Bout Somethin'
Get The Girl Back (The whole crowd started clapping at the end and it was freaking awesome)
MMMBop
Give A Little
If Only

Lost Without Eachother (On the setlist, it said "Who The F^(% Knows)

I can never pick a favorite Hanson show that I have been to because they are all perfect in their own way.





























































































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