Hanson + Hellogoodbye + San Diego = AWESOME!

Zac and Taylor Hanson singing Minute Without You

Last night I drove 90 miles to San Diego (thankfully there was very little traffic) just to see Hanson and Hellogoodbye. I took my little sister, Ami, who is a closet Hanson fan and also likes Hellogoodbye. We had a good time talking and singing along to Cd's of the music we were about to hear live in the car. We had a bit of difficulty trying to park, because I am a little crazy driving on crowded streets and one way roads scare me.

On one of countless loops back to the House of Blues area, we saw a shirtless muscly fifty something man walking across the street. He had long gray hair and he was twisting and banging his fists at the air in front of his chest. Our windows were rolled down so we had to resist laughing until we could pull away from the intersection, but once we did we let loose. He was so strange and out of place, he wasn't homeless looking (like 50% of the people we saw on the streets) or urban cool (like 47% of the people we saw on the streets, the other three percent was geeky Hanson fans, just like us), so he was very out of place.

Not 30 minutes later, while we are waiting in line, we see the same guy, doing the same twisty, bangy hand thing and still shirtless, only this time he is wearing a mask like a Mexican wrestler would wear, again we had to wait till he passed to laugh.

After parking we got in line and had to keep listening to the security guys telling us that there was no smoking inside and no readmitting (seriously they came back to our part of the line like 20 times in less then an hour). The anticipation was building and it was fun to talk to the other people in line. Some had been to several shows on the tour (the Use Your Sole Tour). Some had gone on The Walk earlier that day with the band. One group was made up of a forty something mom, her son and daughter (probably both around 19 or 20) and some of the kids friends. Later we found out that the son was the fan of Hanson not the mom or daughter ( he kept singing along to their songs during the show and he knew more of the words then I did).

Once the line was let inside (around 6) we were actually pretty close to the stage, only about 5 people deep in front of us. We discovered that our height had the advantage of making people steer clear of standing behind us, so that at least for the first three bands we had lots of space to move and dance around.

The first band out was Sherwood. They had some really great songs, and I can't wait to buy a few of their albums online. They let us know that this was the last show of the tour for all four bands and that they were expecting lots of "shenanigans." Turns out lots was an understatement. I loved every moment of the funny business! :) My two favorite pranks are sure to make you laugh to.

Hellogoodbye singing Baby Its Fact

The first involves a little green apple. During one of the last Hellogoodbye songs a guy from steel train brought out an apple and force fed a bite to one of the guys trying to sing. A few sends late another guy took the same apple and forced it down the back of one of the guitarists pants. After the song he pulled it out and threw it at the pranksters. It got lobed around stage for a few minutes and even shoved into some ones face, while the lucky ones out of range made jokes about ass apples. I'm laughing even now (in case you forgot I have a seven an 8 year old boy inside of me who loves a good ass joke, throwing rocks, and pocking dead things).

The second great prank was more traditional but on a scale I've never seen before. As Hellogoodbye sang one of their songs all of the other band guys and several stage hands stationed themselves around the stage forming a giant circle, and then on some signal they all pulled out a can or two of silly string and literally coated the band with the stuff. Each of the musicians was covered, and so were their instruments and mics. It was great!

I think the reason I liked the "shenanigans" so much was that it added a fun, silly, and more personal side to the show. I felt involved more, and I've never laughed so much at a concert.
During Hanson's set there wasn't really any funny business, I assume because they knew the crowed would probably have turned on them for ruining the headliners act (plus at least half of the crowed were "crazy" fans, which i am not, because I don't follow the band around or assume that I can make meaningful eye contact with one of the Hanson's at a packed concert or even want to make meaningful eye contact with one, and the crazy fans would probably would have been out for blood if the other bands had played around). So we were able to enjoy an unmolested 80 minutes of great music.

They did two of my favorites, Something Going Round and Minute Without You. They also played some unreleased stuff that will be on an album coming out next summer. I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Hanson and the other bands singing Don't Stop Believin'

The last song of the night was Don't Stop Believin' with all of the guys from all four bands singing and dancing and being weird. It was so much fun to watch and sing along. I love Hanson and Hellogoodbye and live music! This was the best night I've had in ages!