MOE Tour: St. Petersburg

St. Pete was simultaneously one of the best and worst shows of my trip. It was sunny and almost 90 degrees and was held in an outdoor venue in Florida. The wait in line actually wasn't half bad, and I got to meet a few new friends. I just didn't realize exactly how ready I am to escape into the safety of artificial heat or AC at doors on a normal day until it wasn't an option this time.

I started feeling a little sick right around the time I finally secured my front row center spot before the MOE. I racked my brain for what I had eaten and drank and came to the quick and horrifying realization that I had only had three things to drink all day: chocolate milk at 5 am, coffee around 9 am, and a Pepsi around 2 pm. I was a dehydrated idiot that had spent all day in the sun, and the sun continued to shine directly on my back as the pre-show fan club event started. I tried to clap and sing along and exhibit some level of enthusiasm, but really I was just sweating and woozy. Taylor tried to amp up the crowd during "Dance Like You Don't Care" demanding participation during the line "jump in the air like a wild man," but I couldn't even pretend to jump. I felt like the obvious wet blanket on the fun in the front row just standing there while everyone around me looked excited, and I hoped Hanson wouldn't see my lackluster reaction and think I was bored.

Taylor on drums for "I Don't Want to Go Home" at the St. Pete MOE #Hanson #hanson25 #MOETour

A post shared by Holly (@_hollywouldnt) on Sep 19, 2017 at 4:26pm PDT

After about six songs, we were treated to a Q&A session. I'm not a big fan of these in general because people have this funny way of 1) asking things that have been asked a hundred times before, 2) asking something nobody else cares about, or 3) asking when Hanson is going to return to (insert city/state/country here). The one question from this event that stood out to me was someone asking about the inspiration behind "Runaway Run." I remember them saying that they hadn't really shared much about that song with us before. They said it's a song about longing from a younger perspective which somehow got them spontaneously singing the Beach Boys and emphasizing "Wouldn't it be nice if we were older, then we wouldn't have to wait so long" and telling us to instantly erase that from our memories. Too late, Hanson. It's one of the few things I actually did retain. I don't think they specifically mentioned the connection between that line and the opening line "And I waited for you," but I assume that's the correlation anyway. They also talked about the trend of songs today not being subtle at all and mentioned appreciating the art of adding sexual tension to a song without being so obvious about it (inadequate sick person paraphrase here). Kudos to whoever asked that question, because I enjoyed hearing more about "Runaway Run" and it elicited an answer I had never heard them give. It also got them to add that song to the setlist later.

We had to start lining up for pictures after the Q&A, so I immediately went to the bar and overpaid for some much needed water to rehydrate first. I knew I must have looked ill or made an impression with my earlier lack of energy when it was our turn for the group picture because Taylor skipped the formalities and greeted me with "Are you tired?" I explained that I felt overheated and told him I thought I'd be fine since I stopped and got water. Thankfully I really was fine for the rest of the show, and I'm happily clutching that water with both hands in our picture as though someone might take it from me.

There was some crowd drama after that, but by the time the show started I don't think anyone could focus on anything except the awesome performance in front of them. And despite all the anxiety, I think the St. Pete crowd energy might have been the best I saw out of all seven of the shows I've seen so far. Hanson was on fire and put every ounce of energy they had into the show, and so did everyone in the audience. That bottle of water worked a miracle and I felt so alive and energized the entire time. The crowd jumped and poured sweat in unison. There was a moment during the show when I was singing and clapping and I realized that every single person I could see was doing the same, and it hit me how great it is that you can basically be yelling at someone one minute and then join a pretty impressive choir with them the next because we're all here for the same reason, and the only reason those fights happen in the first place is everyone is so passionate about this band. Hanson made it abundantly clear to us that night why we were there and why we'd always keep coming back, dehydration, disagreements, and all.

I'm looking at the setlist and am genuinely baffled how it could possibly look the same as every other setlist from this tour on paper but still feel so different and so perfect while it was happening. I don't mean "different" because it felt like a different set of songs or a new concept; it didn't. It just felt different from the night before and the night after and the other hundred nights I've seen Hanson because every performance is its own individual experience, and the only possible explanation is that music is freaking magic. I know it. Hanson knows it. Every other fan that comes back time and time again knows it. There are no adequate words, pictures, or livestreams that can explain it; you either know it or you don't. I'm so thankful that I do.

St. Petersburg, Ft. Lauderdale

St. Petersburg 10/28/11

Depending on how you count things, the St. Pete show was my 50th (ish) time seeing Hanson. Landmark material, right? And how better to celebrate than by getting a great spot and hearing your favorite album? Still, I think the fact that they recorded this show made it lose a little something for me. Hanson was aware of the cameras. I was aware of the cameras. And while I'd like to believe that none of us act any different with cameras, I think it's impossible to completely forget their presence. It's hard to dance like nobody's watching when you know there's the potential for repeated viewing if you happen to do something horrible enough to warrant an instant replay or six.

It was also the most cramped I've ever felt at a show. In fact, I might even prefer plain old-fashioned pushing to being thigh-to-thigh and shoulder-to-shoulder with the people around me. At least with pushing, there are ways to make it stop. When you're crammed in so tight that you can feel the girl five people down reaching into her pocket for her cell phone, there's not really much you can do but stay still and hope someone else caves first.

Despite all this, I had a great time. I finally got to hear Lullabelle live, which I suppose means something by default since I branded myself as "Hollybelle" the moment I rediscovered these guys. After the show, we waited by the bus. I decided like 20 shows ago that I should try to get pictures with Hanson at my 50th show; it seems like the obvious thing to do, right? Only that night, the thought didn't even cross my mind (and hasn't until right now). Instead, we let the guys pick out stickers to add to the maps in our tour books. I suppose in the end I'd rather have those silly little stickers than a picture I could recreate after any given show. Maybe I'll remember to get a picture when I hit #100.

(nevermind the "50" residing over Atlanta instead of St. Pete. I'm still not sure which really was #50)

Ft. Lauderdale 10/29/11

The Shout it Out story was probably the best of the three I saw, if for no better reason than Isaac's sassy attitude. He kept joking and snapping his hand back and forth for no apparent reason, and it was hilarious. Someone asked something about unreleased songs, which triggered Zac not only to admit to the existence of some song called "President of Gas," but to also break out into it. Isaac immediately joined in while Taylor looked the other way like he didn't know the other two goofballs on stage much less share any genes with them. He finally gave in and added a third harmony at the very end of the brief preview we got. It was entertaining for sure, but I can't say I foresee it finding a home on any future album.

The end of the tour felt a little strange because this show was technically the last, but the two Epcot shows directly after threw everything off. They weren't really part of the tour, but putting them after the final show made it feel like we didn't get a real ending. Standing in another sold out crowd that night, though, it finally felt like a last show to me. The energy was high, the setlist was really good, and I finally got to hear SIO for the first time of the Musical Ride Tour after hearing every other album at least three times. I ended the tour the same way I began it:  in my favorite silver ballet flats. On day one, I took a picture in my front row seat with my favorite shoes resting against the stage. On the way out of the last show, I tossed them in the trash because they'd been rocked a little too hard (not to mention completely soaked from the rain).

St. Petersburg, FL 11/5/10

This was probably the luckiest I've ever been at a show. Alright no, I take that back, but it was pretty close. Top 3 at least. Everything just seemed to strangely fall into place for us.

We were first in line and first in the venue, and when it finally came time to go inside, I was a little shocked to see the front row already almost full when we walked in.  At first we were pretty far over on Isaac's side, but when we overheard the girls in the dead center say they were only staying for Jarrod Gorbel's set, we jumped on it and stood behind them instead and took their spots when they left.

It was neat to meet someone who understood our passion for Hanson that felt the same way about Jarrod. I believe the girl in front of me said it was her 7th show, and later when we talked to Jarrod, he mentioned her by name as being a loyal fan. Hanson's got a lot of work to do if they're going to remember the names of everyone who has seen them 7 times ;-)

The show was really good and it was definitely the best spot I've ever been in during a concert. There was no barricade and it was a small stage, so it felt pretty intimate. The girl and her boyfriend standing directly behind us were great and we had a blast dancing like fools and rocking out together. They also got in on our ridiculous "that's what she said" addiction that lasted for the whole trip. Unfortunately, small stage + front row center+ no barricade = whoever's on stage can hear you. So when I cracked a that's what she said joke while Jarrod was talking and we started laughing loudly, he heard us and stopped to ask if it was a pity laugh. Oops. We took the time to explain ourselves and apologize after the show. There was also an awkward moment where Jarrod realized there was a big gap in the crowd to my left where two girls had sat down. At first it felt like he was staring right at me during the song, and I had a moment where I thought okay, this is one of those times where he picks some random girl in the audience to sing to or whatever, and I'm in his line of sight. Then he stopped singing dead in the middle of the song and said "Is everything okay? Did somebody fall down?" and looked to my left, and I realized he had been trying to figure out the lack of people next to me. I gave a pitiful thumbs up as someone else yelled out "People are just sitting down!" Ouch! Oh well, he was a trooper and kept playing.

I don't need to add that Hanson was awesome. Rachel and I were a little bit ridiculous with our dancing, definitely moreseo than I'm used to, but I've got to say I loved it so much that I adopted it for all of the rest of the shows. I'll forever be in love with Thinking 'Bout Somethin', Give a Little, and Lost Without Each Other from now on (not that I wasn't already, but the ridiculous dancing sealed the deal). I fully loved Voice in the Chorus and Isaac and Zac's crazy headbanging; Isaac's hair is just perfect for it. I didn't fully love Taylor shoving Dimitrius right into our faces for his guitar solo during the band intro (no barricade and the height of the stage put his crotch right at our faces). It was equally terrifying when Isaac came up to the center to encourage the crowd during Hey because it felt like we might punch him when we were throwing our fists up.

It was a really awesome experience for me personally, but I didn't get the feeling that the rest of the crowd was all that excited to be there. It felt like all the energy was coming from us and a few other people nearby, but there were several times where it felt like we were the only people jumping (during appropriate times; I swear. We weren't just hopping during Carry You There or anything obnoxious).

We were somehow just as lucky after the show. Heather had caught a guitar pick from Isaac, Rachel got me my first setlist from Muff, and one of the awesome venue guys went backstage and grabbed her a call sheet. We went out by the bus in hopes of getting the setlist and call sheet signed and Heather wanted pictures. I don’t think I’ve ever been at the bus when all 3 came out in the same night, or when it has happened, they were all in a hurry or I managed to miss one of them while I was getting something from the car. Somehow, they all came out and were all pretty leisurely about it. Isaac was first and quickest, but he took the time to sign autographs and take pictures. Zac came out when Isaac was almost done, and he stayed out for what felt like a long time and seemed to be pretty chatty. Taylor came out a good bit later after the crowd was significantly smaller, but he signed autographs and took pictures as well. It seemed a little cheesy, but I debated asking him to sign next to Give a Little. Before I could make up my mind and ask, though, he had already taken the setlist from me and signed it. When I took it back I saw that he had indeed signed right over Give a Little and had dated 2010 directly next to that song. Probably just a lucky coincidence, but I’ll take it. I actually had a lot of fun just talking to everyone I knew as we waited around, and I had that awesome excited feeling of just having finished and awesome show and knowing that I had several more ahead. Our luck carried over to parking when we got to the car and didn’t have a ticket even though we’d been parked in the same spot for way more than the allotted 2 hours. The whole day was definitely a success.