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
4:15 (played by HTB and TGM)
Few and Far Between (TGM)
Dreaming Alone (HTB)
Sing Out (TGM)
Fallin' In Love (Paul McDonald)
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment