December 15, 2015

Five Island-Themed Covers Perfect for BTTI

I'm about 90 miles down the speculation railroad if anyone needs to find me, btw. Please don't take this post too seriously or as any sort of fact. Minimum details + maximum excitement = mucho speculation. It's fan science.

The last two years of Hanson's Back to the Island events have included themed shows. There was Anthem night, Fan Club night, Setlist Voting night, and Christmas/Covers night, to name a few. We haven't been told any themes yet if there are any for 2016, which means it's time to speculate away. Will there be themes? Setlist voting? Will they just surprise us when we get there? (My personal vote goes to the element of surprise). One theory I've seen a few times already is the possibility of a Roots & Rock 'n' Roll themed night, which makes sense considering they just finished a very limited tour of the same concept. I could see this being an accurate assumption; it works from a rehearsal perspective and given the fact that there aren't any plans to take this tour beyond those 10 U.S. cities as far as we know. It does make sense, but with such a hefty price tag, I always want BTTI to be an experience that I couldn't get on tour. That being said, there is a way to refresh the Roots & Rock 'n' Roll theme to give it a new edge that would make me super happy, and it's something I've hoped they would do since the first event was announced back in 2012.

Five Island/Beach-themed Cover Songs
(That Would Make Me Forgive Hanson For Another Roots & Rock 'n' Roll Show)


1. "Island in the Sun" by Weezer


2. "Holiday from Real" by Jack's Mannequin (Andrew McMahon)



3. "Kokomo" by The Beach Boys



4. "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles



5. "Under the Sea" from the Little Mermaid



Hey, it happened once. It can happen again.

6. My Heart Will Go On
(No, I'm actually super kidding about that one.)

Jokes aside, I'm sure whatever they choose to do will be fun, and I can't wait to find out!



December 14, 2015

Anti-Bucket List 2015

Photo: Joshua Tree, California

What is an Anti-Bucket List?
My Anti-Bucket List 2013
My Anti-Bucket List 2014

Try making your own at www.canva.com.



December 6, 2015

Hanson Day vs. Back to the Island

In the last few years, Hanson has created two annual events for fan club members: Hanson Day and Back to the Island. These are arguably the holy grail of Hanson events. Whether you’re someone who is lucky enough to go to both, someone that has to choose one or the other, or someone that dreams of being able to make one happen one day, you have to stand somewhere on the Hanson Day vs. BTTI debate. Which one is better? If you can only attend one, which one do you pick? Which is the best fit for your situation and your preferences? Here’s a Venn Diagram, because, you know, ex-English teacher and all.





I’m not going to tell you that one is better than the other because I think it all comes down to personal preference, and both offer great experiences that you simply can’t get anywhere else or from any other band. We're pretty spoiled and lucky that way.

Where do you stand on the Hanson Day vs. BTTI debate? Did I miss any great selling points that make these events special to you?