On The Road - St. Pete

It’s probably been too long since the concerts to write or post this, but my friend Holly started posting her MOE tour recaps so here I am, talking about the concert I went to exactly two weeks ago.  I’m not even halfway done with my Autumn of Hanson which is exciting and intimidating all at once.  So...here are my thoughts from my first stop of the MOE tour.

On the road, you will find yourself getting lost, being someone else

But you know you will find yourself on the road...

• Sometimes, getting up at 4am on the morning of your birthday is a crazy idea but it ends up paying off.  That is exactly what Sarah and I did a couple Tuesdays ago.  We woke up at 4, parked my car at the dolphin at 4:30, and plopped down at Jannus at around 4:45.  We ended up being 4th and 5th in line (behind our new line friends for life, Holly, Holly, and Laura, and in front of our new line friends for life, Lauren, Robin, and Meredith!!  But more about these amazing ladies later!).

• Twelve hours on DTSP sidewalks isn’t the worst way to spend a day.  This was my first Hanson front row experience, and I’m not gonna lie...I didn’t quite know what to expect when it came to the line. But it was surprisingly pleasant.  I’m also pretty easily entertained, and my home city is a GREAT place to people watch.  It’s one of the things I love most about downtown.  Plus, we had the Starbucks across the street and American Stage right around the corner for any sudden bathroom needs.  Everyone in line was cool about people coming and going, and I was able to go get us Bella take out for lunch and say hi to all my friends there.  

• Members Only Events need to be better organized. Like...much better.  The set list for the event was awesome, and I was totally blissed out.  Somebody That Wants to Love you, Ghostwriter, Best of Times, Dance Like You Don’t Care, Rollercoaster Love, and of course, I Don’t Want To Go Home.  It was a dream to hear those songs played live (this was my first Members Event and I was right smack dab in the front).  But then we had to give up our spots for pictures and it was all a huge mess (and honestly kind of scary).  Thankfully the eight of us, who were the first eight in line and had spent the entire day together, worked together to get our spots back up front once the pictures were done. I'm already dreading the next Member's Event but at least now I know what to expect.  I will always be grateful for the six ladies we met that day!!  Seriously the kindest and best concert buddies I could ever ask for.  

• Thankfully, during the event, Sarah snagged us some water bottles at the bar because this turned out to be the hottest and sweatiest concert I’ve ever attended.  And I’ve been to a lot of outdoor shows!  Heck, I’ve been to a lot of outdoor shows AT JANNUS.   But this one was another level.  Maybe it was because we had been outside ALL day, we were in the front row, and Hanson shows are basically just a two hour cardio workout...yeah that could be it.  I plan on doing the line a couple more times this tour, so I need to just hydrate better.  Lesson learned!  

• The first five songs of the set list (Already Home, Waiting for This, Where’s the Love, Look at You, and Tragic Symphony) flowed seamlessly together in a whirlwind of frenetic energy.  I’ve never seen anything like it.  The transitions that they arranged to carry one song into the next were so cool, and I know my mouth was hanging open for all of them.  I love all five of those songs, especially live, and now I know why they don’t switch up the set list all that much.  They have the transitions down to an exact science, and even the songs with no musical interludes fit together to create a perfect representation of the last 25 years of music.  

• I will never get over the SOUND of a Hanson concert.  It must be wild for first timers.  The crowd is so loud, singing along confidently, knowing every single word.  I had a bunch of friends there that night, seeing their very first Hanson show, and they were amazed at the energy.  It’s unlike anything you’ve ever experienced!  

• Highlights of the night: The transitions that had been arranged specifically for this tour are my number one highlight of the whole show, but other than that…
• Runaway Run!!  My favorite song from TTA.  It has such a special place in my heart.
• Weird ---> Go.  It was magical.  Goosebumps all over.
• Strong Enough To Break ACTUALLY killed me.  I’ve always loved that song but I heard it in a totally new way that night.  Plus, Taylor gave a little speech about how they are here because of us and our loyalty.  I’ve never been more proud to be their fan.
• Penny and Me because duh.
• Watch Over Me because ISAAC HANSON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.  This was his show.  He was on fire.
• I Was Born!  Taylor’s speech before this song is so inspirational and moving, and speaks to the song much more than any skydive or swim with sharks ever will.  
• Fired Up ---> In the City.  WOWWWW.  They sure know how to end on a high note.  These two songs were insane!!!  I’ve literally never experienced anything like that at a concert, and I’ve seen a lot of concerts!  

• After the show ended, Sarah and I opted to find my roommates and head home instead of waiting by the bus.  It had been the longest day of our lives and we were soaked through with sweat...and I’m pretty sure I was about to overheat.  Casual.  So we piled in KC’s car and went home, high on the concert and reeling from the whole experience.

I have written countless blogs, pieces, poems, songs, and even a novel about how live music is my happiest place.  Whether I’m playing it or in the audience, nothing makes me feel better.  It makes me feel like I’m soaring.  Going to this concert directly after a weekend of playing music was simply magical, and an experience I’ll carry for the rest of my life.  I got to spend my birthday with my favorite band, surrounded by my friends, singing “Lost Without Each Other” at the top of my lungs.  Hanson shows are, above all else, so inspiring to me as a musician, and the St. Pete show was no exception.  

Peace, Love, and "Oh that little guy from the nineties?"
KT

(ps - check back later for my ATLANTA post!!)

Music Review: In Color

Hey guys!  How is your week going?  Mine is chugging along.  It's my last week of American Stage Camp, then I switch gears and head to South Tampa Center for the Arts for the month of July.  But enough about me, let's get down to the business of this blog post...24 hours a day, IN COLOR!

I've been wanting to write down my thoughts on the newest Hanson EP for about a month now (since it's release day at H-Day 2017) and I think now that the newness has worn off, I can form more coherent sentences than just "klajsdflaskjdflaskjdflaskjdf" which is how I feel about most things.  IN COLOR is the 2017 Member's EP and features five songs.  We got to see a little sneak peek of each song during the Member's Live Streams, which makes hearing the finished product even sweeter.  This ranks as one one of my favorite EPs (which include Banditos, Loud, and Sound of Light).  Alright...let's dive in. 

1. Somebody That Wants To Love You 

On nights you would play

I'd wait up late

To meet you at the last drive through 

Head in the future

Heart in Oklahoma

That's the girl I always knew 

Okay, to say I like this song would be a massive understatement.  I loved this song from the moment I heard the mumbled lyrics on the live stream.  I LIVE for story songs (hello, Musical Theatre writer), and the story of this one gives me a lot of wonderful feelings of late nights in my hometown when I  was too young to worry about what came next and everything felt just a dream away.  It gives me a MAJOR John Mellencamp vibe, which I am completely fine with.  What can I say, I love 80's music and always will.  This is the only Taylor lead on the EP, so it's not surprising I love it. I also have this weird...theory, I guess you could call it (and this could absolutely just be a coincidence) but this EP feels like it's more specifically for the fans than any other one before it.  I feel like it was incredibly smart of the boys to write a song about a narrator who loves a hometown friend who made it big, just like we have loved them for so long.  We did love them with their hair down to their shoulders, when the world was much younger.  

2. Ghostwriter

If you're looking for a new way

and you're good with word play

I might have a job for you

Watching this stream made me feel like a CRAZY PERSON because I spent the whole time trying to figure out what the bass line reminded me of.  I had everyone working on it, and finally we came up with Lady Madonna, whew.  I didn't expect to like the song as much as I do.  There are a couple production issues (you guys HAVE to get an iso booth for your vocals, I'll pay for it myself sheesh), but I really like how the song itself turned out.  It's such an interesting thing to write a song about, and the lyrics are incredibly clever.  I have SO much respect for Zac as a lyricist, and this is a great example of that.  Oh and...okay I'm a vocal teacher so you can't expect me to write any review and not mention this kind of stuff.  Zac's PLACEMENT is ridiculously good.  He just floats up to that B flat like it's literally nothing.  THAT IS NOT NORMAL.  You can't TEACH THAT.  Okay, moving on. 

3. Reach out for My Hand 

You're a word weaver, swimming in the wet quick sand

You're a born achiever, but you're sinking where you stand 

This song definitely also has a Beatles vibe, much like the last track, but it also will always remind me of the movie "That Thing You Do" (which is kind of based off of the Beatles anyway, so whatever).  There is little I love more than tight, perfectly locked in harmonies, which is a hallmark of Hanson, and this song definitely delivers.  It's different than anything I've ever heard them do, and the retro sound paired with the clever lyrics make it a stand out for me.  

4. I Don't Want To Go Home 

It ain't no secret where we come from

so we wear our history like a badge of honor 

Who can say all the choices I'll make?

I have this strange habit of crying at the weirdest things, and this song makes the list.  The first time I heard the fully produced studio version I found myself with tears streaming down my face. There's a lot to that.  First of all, this song is cathartic.  The drums sound like stomping feet and Zac's full throated belt to the rafters can only be achieved by singing with reckless abandon.  Second of all, the song is for us and no one can tell me it isn't.  It perfectly captures what it's like to go to a Hanson show, and to be a part of this crazy fandom. We do wear our history like a badge of honor.  We wear pansy earrings and TTA era shirts and TOMS shoes. It's our collective happy place, where we all know every lyric.   We know that Taylor will ask us how we're feeling and that Ike will throw his picks and that they'll all fly off of the drums at the end.  We know we'll jump around for If Only and sing back up for With You In Your Dreams.  Third of all, I've met some pretty awesome people through this band.  I'm so lucky to have them.  

I'm seeing Hanson 9 times this year (it was 6 but then EPCOT was announced, whoops!!) and I know that at the end of every show I'll have the same thought.  "I don't want to go home." 

5. I Lift You Up 

Like planting seeds in the soil 

I'd water flowers with tears of joy

if crying eyes would break you home 

Okay...I have heard a lot of strong opinions about this song.  It's definitely the weakest on the EP, and it's very far down on my list of every Hanson song ever.  But let's start with the good. Lyrically, I think it's pretty strong.  There are definitely religious undertones (or just...tones), and for a lot of people that could be a turn off, so I get that.  But hey, I'm religious, so I don't particularly mind.  The bones of the song are good.  There are good lyrics and a pretty melody, with a beautiful vocal arrangement at the end.  Now, for the not so good.  I strongly dislike the production of this song.  Taylor's weird Lamaze breathing makes me roll my eyes, and if the whole thing was just stripped down and played on piano, it would be a huge improvement.  It's just too busy for that kind of a composition.  Also, its disappointing that after a power anthem on the previous track, with Zac achieving the most perfect spin on the highest notes (meaning they were perfectly placed and supported), he sings this song with barely any support.  I understand he's trying to sing softly, but you still have to breathe!!  Furthermore, I wish that the EP had ended on a high, since the entire thing (up until this point) is so uplifting and exciting.  I still think that ending it with I Was Born would not have been a bad choice.  

So there ya have it!  My thoughts and feelings on IN COLOR.  For the most part, I love it very much.  I Don't Want to Go Home is my favorite from the track list, with Somebody That Wants To Love You right on its heels. 

Peace, Love, and Algonquin for the good land,

KT