Hanson Roots of Rock and Roll Tour New Orleans, LA 10/22-23/15

My favorite band of all time, Hanson. Shot from the crowd over a two night period at the House of Blues in New Orleans on their 2015 Roots of Rock N Roll Tour. Enjoy!

Interview with Digital Summer at Welcome To Rockville

I had the opportunity to interview Digital Summer. The band is made up of brothers Ian and Kyle Winterstein, Guido, and Austin Rios. This interview is definitely one of the most fun interviews I've ever done and I hope you are as entertained reading it as I was giving it. Enjoy!

Any updates on new music?

Ian - We are smack dab in the middle of our tour with Volbeat and Trivium. When we get back to Phoenix in mid May, we are going to sit down for awhile. We've already started the writing process for the new record. We have a few songs demo-ed out. We are going to finish that up, do some more touring and hopefully hit the studio.

Kyle - We are taking our time on this one. Recently, about six months ago, put out an acoustic album. It was more to appease the fans with something between album cycles because we are still riding off Breaking Point, our last album. The title track from that album is our current single on Octane. We are still pushing that cycle and we don't want to jump the gun. We've kind of decided that our next record is going to be with a named producer. It's going to be like we are swinging for the fences with this one. It's going to be the biggest and best that we've ever put out there. We are not jumping the gun. We would rather take our time and make sure we've got exactly what we want. It's like a new identity for the band. We've gone through a lot over this last year and a half to two years and we are being real picky with what we're putting out there this next time around.

Talk about the acoustic album please because I really liked it.

[The whole band mutters responses, such as That's Great, That's awesome, and Thank You. The look on their faces was very appreciative, too.]

Kyle - We always do acoustic stuff with our fans after the shows. Even on this tour. Right now we are out with Volbeat and Trivium. Almost every night after the show, we do a little VIP acoustic session on the bus with 10 to 12 fans. We do a few songs. It's something we started doing a few years back on tour just as "Hey, we're hanging out" thing. It's an experience they really enjoy. It's a different side of the band. Normally, we throw down pretty heavy on stage. But we like doing the softer side of things. We talked about doing [an acoustic album] and we started working on it and we really liked how it was coming together. It was one of those things to where once it started moving, we were like "Shit, yeah, we gotta do more with this. So we did. On a personal level me and Ian, our mom passed away suddenly last August right when we were finishing up that album. That was always her favorite thing that we did. So it was like we had to get it out there as a tribute to our mom and it was that simple.

Aww. Stop! I'll cry! Ok, now I'm just going to free-ball it here. I only had a few questions so I don't really know what else to ask.

Band - Just like all of us, don't worry. [laughs]

Ian - CAN I INTERVIEW YOU?!

Sure! Go for it!

Ian - What's your favorite superhero?

I don't like superheroes. But...

[The whole band gasps]

If I had to pick it would be Captain America because

Austin - Because he's hot?

Ian - Easy, Bud!

No. Because Pearl Jam, in 2003, Pearl Jam is one of my bands, by the way, I follow them around, they used the Captain America shield on one of their t shirts and that's my favorite Pearl Jam shirt.

Kyle - That's a good reason. I like that.

Ian - If you had to choose between a free pony or a new car, what would you choose?

Well, I hate ponies, but my car is ok.

Kyle - Man, she's got this shit down!

[Someone asks Ian what kind of car]

Ian - A Chevy Aveo

I don't know what that is.

Band - We don't either!

I'd take the car because I hate ponies

Ian - What if the pony was going to be murdered?

I don't care. I hate ponies. Ponies are asses!

Band - OHHHHH!!!

Kyle - PETA is coming after you!

I don't care! Screw PETA! I like steak. [laughs]

Ian - (Digital Summer does not endorse that!) I'm Kidding.

Kyle - HOLD ON A SECOND. We are about to add to this interview. If you could sum up Digital Summer in 10 words or less, what would you say? Rick Dejesus from Adelita's Way!

RD - In 10 words or less? You mother fuckers are intense. That's really it

Kyle - We are camping in tents.

[I high five him. Everyone else laughs]

RD - You've never seen a band earn their fucking shit more than these guys. One day you're going to have a firm and people are going to walk in and be like "So, tell me about the music business" and they are going to be like "OK, here's page one.

Ian - Let me tell you about everything we've gone through! The greatest story in rock and roll!  

Kyle - [cuts in while the other guys are talking] Just so you know Dog On A Leash, Adelita's Way, out now!

RD - Alright I'm not going to fuck you guys's shit up. You guys gonna eat after this? What are you guys doing? [laughs]

Ian - We have our own whiskey brand called Head-banger's. drinkheadbanger.com

RD - [walking away] - That shit fucked me up last night! Hey! let's catch up later ok?

Ian - We played with Adelita's Way and New Medicine last night in Destin, Florida. We let them be the taste testers of the new whiskey and needless to say, they are feeling it today. They enjoyed it

Fun fact of the day, my favorite band, don't judge me, is Hanson. They have their own beer and it's called MMMHops.

Ian - They are old enough to have beer now?

Guido - Hold on a minute... MMMHops?

Kyle - That was a lot to take in at once. What did you just say?

[everyone around us is intrigued and laughing]

Kyle - Ok, your favorite band is Hanson? Let's just process that for a moment.

Yes

Ian - I thought Pearl Jam was your favorite band?

They are. I have 13 favorite bands.

Kyle - They are old enough to have their own beer?

Two of them are in their thirties, one is almost in their thirties and between the three of them they have 11 children.

Band - HOLY SHIT!

Kyle - They're Mormon! 11 children?

They are not Mormon.

Ian - They're rabbits!

They are still together, just saying.

Guido - I'm going to check them out and go to a show.

Please do.

Ian - She really just said, "My favorite band is Hanson and they have eleven kids and their own beer."

I don't drink, but their beer is disgusting. But I thought the name was clever.

Ian - MMMHops? Yeah, that is pretty clever.

Kyle - How old are you?

18

Ian - Look at you out here interviewing bands. I want to shake your hand!

Kyle - How did you get here?

Guido - What's your story?

I don't have a freaking idea.

Ian - Well, way to be lost!

Lost in the world!

Ian - Lost in the right place

Austin - Lost In The Echo!

AH! Linkin Park!

Kyle - Are you doing this for school?

Nope. Myself. My blog.

This interview just took a turn for the weird. [Laughs] This is actually one of the most fun interview I think I've done. For the newspaper, we have a certain style we have to follow and it drives me bananas.

Ian - That shit IS bananas.

Kyle - B-A-N-A-N-A-S

OK, Gwen Stefani

Band - That shit is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

Ian - Well, thank you very much, Kinsey. This was fun.

Of course!

Hanson & Paul McDonald House Of Blues New Orleans, LA 9/12/13

Your 18th birthday is something that you will remember for the rest of your life. It is one of those monumental moments in your life and you should do something special to celebrate it. I celebrated my 18th birthday over the course of the week. I called it "My 18th Birthday Concert Extravaganza!" I saw Hanson in Birmingham on the 9th, Pop Evil on the 11th, and Hanson on the 12th, which is my actual birthday! Normally, I do not go to shows in New Orleans, but it has always been my plan to go to an 18 and up show  in an 18 and up venue on my 18th birthday. Why not go see my favorite band on my actual birthday given all of the above conditions? It was perfect timing. Even though Hanson is my favorite band and the set-list was great,  the crowd made the show a little less enjoyable. It seems that this show was full of the rude casual fans that were only there to hear MMMBop. I do not mind if you like the song, but do not try to tell me that you are Hanson's biggest fan and that is the only song you know by them. But, I digress. Once again, the opener was Paul McDonald. He was just as great this time as he was the first time I saw him. He played

4:15

Few And Far

Dreaming Alone

Sing Out

Falling In Love

Atlantic City (Bruce Springsteen Cover)

Let It Roll

Bouquet Of Lives

Misery

Heartbreak (Still my favorite)

Gosh, he was great. It was finally time for Hanson. This was my freaking birthday show and I literally wanted to cry through the whole show. They played

Fired Up

I've Got Soul

Where's The Love

Thinking Of You (First time I ever heard this song live! It was just like my childhood dreams!)

This Time Around (Still one of my favorites)

And I Waited

(Acoustic Set)

On and On (The guys all came out with guitars. This song is from the new fan club EP "Sound Of Light")

Been There Before

For Your Love (Isaac Solo. He gave us the option of two songs: For Your Love or Deeper. He told us that one was about love at first sight and the other was about loving someone with all of your heart. I wanted to hear deeper, but the crowd wanted FYL. Oh well. Maybe next time)

Save Me From Myself (Zac Solo) (I cried because I love this song so much)

My Own (Taylor Solo. From the fan club EP "No Sleep From Banditos")

Juliet (Taylor on drums. Zac on piano)

You Can't Stop Us

Waiting For This

You Never Know (YES! AH! FIRST TIME I EVER HEARD THIS SONG AND IT WAS PERFECT)

Tragic Symphony

Thinking Bout Something

Get The Girl Back

MMMBop

Get Up And Go

Minute Without You

Give A Little

In The City (I GOT TO HEAR THIS SONG TWICE IN ONE WEEK! YES!)

The last song really made my night ten times more awesome and it got better when I got to talk to Zac and Isaac after the show. Further proving why I love this band so much, they actually took the time to talk to me and it was a great way to close out my 18th birthday. AH!