This May is a big milestone for Hanson. It marks 20 years since their formation as a band and 15 years since the release of Middle of Nowhere that launched their career. MON is now six years older than I was when I first fell in love with the music. Wrap your head around that for a moment.
But fandom landmarks aside, this May is important to me personally because it marks five years since I first saw this band live, my golden anniversary. Five years ago on 5/5, I flew to Tulsa, Oklahoma for my first Hanson experience. I guess I’ve always been a little go big or go home for these guys. I can remember feeling absolutely nuts for traveling over 1,100 miles for my first show, but at the same time, I felt so alive at the thought of going out and doing something crazy for once. When I got there, I was in awe of the fans. They had come from all over the world to wait for hours in line. They told me stories of meeting Hanson and camping out and going to dozens of shows. They showed me their tattoos and told me their favorite memories. I wanted dozens of shows, enough to pick a favorite. I wanted tattoos and memories. It all felt so fast, like diving headfirst into a relationship without looking. I made myself a promise. I had to wait five years. If I was every bit as Hanson crazy in five years, if I was still nuts enough to hop on a plane to Tulsa, then I could get my tattoo.
Today it’s been five years, and I’m taking a moment to assess how the time has passed, see if all my predictions were true. I can’t say I want a tattoo anymore; my body is still ink-free and will probably stay that way. But I’ve had my dozens of shows and my own memories. I’ve sat and talked to the new fans that have just rediscovered the awesomeness that is Hanson, just like I did. And next week, I’m hopping on a plane to Tulsa for my 55th show. Yep, crazier than ever.
Time capsule/prediction time…
In another 5 years, on their 25th/20th anniversary (wow!) I will:
-Still be a crazy Hanson fan
-Have seen at least another 20 shows (this is aiming low. I wonder if I’ll hit 100 by then)
-Have been to Tulsa at least 2 more times
-Have seen them in another country
-Still not have that tattoo
-Probably still not have drumsticks either
1 comment:
I just found this post.... You've achieved quite a few of those things!
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