Now that I'm a college graduate, I find that it's not all it's cracked up to be. I miss the days when I was simply a college student -- when going out to a show or hanging out in a garage/cramped storage room to listen to a friend's band was a weekly occurance in my life. This is the state of mind I was in when, on my way back from taking the FSOT, I heard 92.9 The Mountain advertising their Studio C5 release party, starring Hanson and realized that I wanted to go -- desperately and with no concern for cost. Not that the cost was bad --$10 is pretty good to see an internationally known band -- I'm just cheapass who clings to my buffer like Gollum clings to The One Ring. You heard right my friends. In my youth, I was a major Hanson fangirl--a Fanson if you will. And, to my surprise, I still am. Read about my adventure after the jump.
When I say I was a Fanson, I'm not sh*tting you. I was bonkers for this band, to the point of going on a Hanson-themed vacation to see them play at Riverfest 2001 in Tulsa. What does a Hanson-themed trip entail? Basically, my two best friends, a chaperone, and myself boarded a plane and flew to Oklahoma where we stood in line for 14 hours just to see them play a 30-minute set. That was just day one! The rest of the time, we visited the Blue Rose Cafe -- a bar they played at when they were just tiny tots trying to make it big -- several trips to Bueno Taco (or was it Taco Bueno? F*ck if I know--the point is that it was a fast food restaurant reported as one of their favorites), playing laser tag with 8-yr-olds, and combing the Tulsa suburbs for a 3-car-garage where they might be living. I'll have you know that, in 2001, Tulsa, OK, had 31 Arby's franchises and even more 3-car-garages but I think we found the one we were looking for. I know I know.....even I am amazed at what an uber dork I was at age 13.
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| Good thing I brought a tall guy |
Anyway, on June 24, I convinced my sister and her boyfriend to come with me to see the show, promising to buy them drinks if they want. The Sapphire Lounge (which sounds way swankier than it is) is located close to the UofA part of Tucson and I was driving in rush hour--not fun at all but I was on a mission. Once at the venue, I bought myself a Diet Coke (big waste of $2.50) and my sister a Corona, and we settled in to the growing group in front of a miniscule platform which I suppose they fancied a stage. Looking around, I felt a swell of comraderie with these girls. Most of them were my age and were dressed like they were just looking to enjoy a band. Only a few were decked out in superfan gear and even fewer were dressed like they were looking to hook up with Taylor. Just a bunch of college girls reliving the good old days, when things were uncomplicated and carefree.
The place was sweltering, like the AC was either not working or nonexistent. To top it off, the whole place was permeated with the smell of Mexican food. I would learn later that they offered a $3 all-you-can-eat taco bar, which sounds like a really good deal and has me considering going back to the Sapphire Lounge again. They do have a good house band -- all they play is covers and they will do anything if you request it, which is pretty awesome. Oh -- and did I mention they have a cute guitarist? Because they do have a cute guitarist, who was seriously jamming out when they were playing "Bad Romance." They got the crowd good and riled up for us fangirls that when Hanson finally walked out onstage, the whole place (which had been standing room only and dangerously over capacity for the last half hour) erupted in a roar of squeals and shouts. And, Holy Valley Girls, Batman, did I miss that!
Hanson was amazing, like they always are. I know that people rip on them a lot, but they truly are one of the best live bands I've seen and they don't even have to use their full set-up to sound great -- Zac was drumming on a single drum; Isaac, who I know has a propensity for switching guitars, kept the same one all night; and Taylor, well, he does just fine with his keyboard and tambourine. In addition to new stuff, they played some old goodies (MmmBop, anyone? Kind of a requisite now), a few off the last album (inclucing one of my faves, "Lost Without Each Other") and announced that they were trying to get back into the swing of touring with small venues before going back to big stages. New Tour? I'm stoked and I really hope my bank account will have some room to see them again, if they come through. It was a short-set -- probably not even an hour -- but that's okay because the quality of the performance is hard to deny. Some bands will play all night even when you've been looking to escape for a while. The reverse of this is always so much better.
Seeing Hanson reawakened my passion for being a part of a music scene. It also reminded my why I was such a big fanson in the first place. Now that the wild fantasy of marrying Zac has all but faded from my memory, I can step back and truly appreciate the music. They've only gotten better with time -- the sound is more Blues-y, the music is more sophisticated, and the vocals are as amazing as ever. My recommendation -- take a moment and listen to your favorite band from childhood and reflect on how you feel now that you listen to them with fresh ears. What you discover might surprise you.
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