Mmm Mmm Mmm Bop.

Hair. Music. Hair. Screaming. Hair. MMMemories.

Just over 14 years ago, Kristina and I attended our first concert together, featuring the talented, blonde trio. Typing that makes me feel ancient, because I remember it like it was yesterday. While I was spending time with my siblings we actually dug out Kristina's journal to refresh our memories of what was at the time "the happiest day of our lives."

Using no less than 1,000 exclamation points, my sister lovingly documented (in adorable 11 year old speak) the blessed event. From making sure to detail who was sitting with whom on the train and which direction they were facing, to recording the fact that security made her surrender her unopened bag of Zesty Doritos (yep, she even included the flavour) she didn't miss a thing, for which I am so grateful. I couldn't find my journal, but it's probably just as well - I'm sure it was mortifying, so I was happy to read hers :)

Laugh if you will, but for months I prayed every night that I would meet Hanson - remember I was 14. The day of the concert, a friend from church called us to say that he had scored close tickets and backstage passes for my sister and I. Again, you can laugh, but I like to think I was thrown a bone from above - a little faith booster if you will. After an amazing concert, we were whisked backstage and came face to face with the Hanson brothers, who looked shockingly real. It was at that very moment that I realized that celebrities are indeed real people who are out there somewhere, living and breathing while you listen to their music or watch their movies. The pinnacle of my 14 year old life was reached as I shook his hand and stared into the eyes of Taylor Hanson...twice (I asked if I could shake it again at the end of our meeting). I confessed in my journal that there was definite chemistry between us, but since we've both moved on and are married with children, I must have been mistaken. We gathered for a photo that apparently was to be e-mailed those of us in the group who were registered members of the fan club. We didn't need a piece of paper to tell me we were fans, so we weren't in their database. I tried to tell the manager that he didn't have my e-mail address, but he promised that he would find a way to get the photo to me, in spite of my practically getting on my knees and begging him to take my information. 14 years later, and I'm still waiting. It's probably for the best, since I'm sure my appearance would make me shudder. I just hope people believe me.

In light of all this, I don't have to tell you how THRILLED I was when Kristina told me that Hanson was performing an hour away in the small town of Peterborough for FREE. Not sure how they came to play the Little Lake Music Festival, but my only question was "How early should we get there?" Nicola was only 3 the last time we saw them in concert (wow, I'm old) so she got to join us this time.

 

We got there an hour early, expecting pandemonium. Apparently it isn't 1997 anymore. We snagged seats on the left, right in the middle of the grassy area, behind some older folks. White-haired older folks who we thought must have been confused as to who Hanson is. (Incidentally they realized after the first few songs and packed up to leave.) It reminded me of our Oak Ridge Boys concert experience in March. Evidently, I have the musical palette of a retiree.

We started off with good enough seats, and we had a solid buffer of personal space between us and the next group of old folks. Until 20 minutes before the concert started and our game of Skip-Bo was rudely interrupted by a family nearly sitting on me. I don't do well sitting closely to strangers (I avoid movie theatres because I inevitably get stuck behind, beside and in front of kickers, loud talkers and cow-chewing popcorn-eaters) and my sisters know that. They exchanged furtive glances after observing the (lack of) space between their chairs and mine and winced. As I turned to assess the situation, I noticed that the gentleman's chair was significantly closer to mine than his wife's. WHY?! Also, they were probably my parents' age and brought their 10 year old son - hardly Hanson's target demographic, so I didn't feel an ounce of shame as the 3 of us jumped, danced, screamed and whooped. We left them in the dust not long after the concert started, as clusters of people came to realize who the band actually was and abandoned their seats. I think we moved 4 times, and finally found a decent spot 1/2 an hour before the concert ended - where we weren't caught in an awkward 'the people in front of us are standing but the people behind us are sitting' situation.
While I didn't have the cash to enter the raffle for the front row seats and signed guitar, I summoned all my courage to ask a volunteer if I could take a photo with the guitar. (Sometimes you just have to ask - it's something I'm working on.) He happily obliged, on the condition that I don't touch it. But he was kind enough to pose in a way that makes me look like I am. Shoot - I shouldn't have told you! Kristina entered and in the spirit of positive thinking, we rehearsed our reaction to our names being called for the grand prize. Didn't work.

The concert was SO much fun. They played plenty of the oldies and a good amount of new stuff that I was ashamed I didn't know - having pledged when I was younger that I would always be a fan. We laughed, we danced, we sang, my sisters reminded me to enjoy the moment instead of constantly taking photos and embarrassing video. 

At one point, I bravely ventured to the front, on the side of the stage (after I sent Nicola up to scout it out) and took photos of Isaac and Taylor. I was close, but cropping the photos made me look closer ;) It was surreal.

True to form, I took millions of photos too many. But I didn't see a way that I would be this close to my childhood dream trio again in the foreseeable future, so I wanted to make sure I remembered and documented everything. And part of me wanted to make up for the great Fan Club Photo Debacle of 1998, so I was clicking away the whole time. See if you can figure out who was my favourite Hanson bro, back in the day. Apparently old habits die hard.

*I had to narrow the photos of Taylor down from 32. Your first love is your first love - what can I say?

I've said "laugh if you will" a lot here, but I had to point out that in this photo, I believe Taylor and I made eye contact...at least with his left eye. He was probably finally feeling that chemistry I was talking about 14 years too late. Just kidding, I'm sure he was thinking about his cute wife and adorable children. I know I was thinking about my big, studly man pining for me back home. Who, by the way, when he isn't laughing at me is incredibly understanding of my schoolgirl crush.

Hands down, there's no one I would have rather spent an evening dancing down memory lane with. Kristina and I reminisced about the good ol' days and we converted Nicola into an uber fan...albeit a decade too late. As I understand it, there's another brother or two up for grabs. 

 

 So hold onto the ones who really care, cause in the end they'll be the only ones there.

When you get old and start losing your hair, can you tell me who will still care?

Still love Hanson. They're good, talented, handsome boys who still put on a great show and with something like 8 kids between them, prove that you can settle down, have a family and still rock. I know I do. 
Mmm Mmm Mmm Bop.