(Back to) Back to the Island 2014

I no longer believe in the concept of a "once in a lifetime experience." That phrase is an excuse to let yourself do something when you're feeling a little reluctant or if you want to convince yourself that something is better than it really is. I called Tulsa a "once in a lifetime experience" once; seven trips later, I've given up. And now, back from my second time in Jamaica with my favorite band, I've simply resigned myself to a new mantra: "There's a first time for everything" (and often a second, third, fourth, and so on).


This year held many improvements over last year's event, and the biggest and most important improvement was the music. I went home last year thinking about all the best parts of the event and then realized that the music didn't even rank in my list. I was stoked about the tie-dye, the snorkeling, and Isaac's drink mixing session; the shows were almost an afterthought for me. This year the music was the best part by a landslide, as it should have been all along. I read somewhere that Hanson played a total of 89 unique songs over the course of the four day event. EIGHTY NINE. I'm not doing the math on how many unique songs we got last year, but it felt like maybe 15 (okay, that's an exaggeration). This year only three songs were repeated: "Best of Times" (they seemed to be filming some sort of video for it), "Thinking 'Bout Somethin'," and "Every Word I Say." Repeats are welcome when it's two versions of EWIS, and I'm always down to do the TBS dance.

If you want to check out the full details of the setlists, you can head over to hansonstage.com and click Database > setlists by date. I met the owner, Katie, in Jamaica. She's fantastic and I've used her site to keep track of my own setlists for years. It has some pretty neat features so if you haven't yet, check it out!


The Activities

For me, the activities started with Hancyclopedia Trivia with Isaac. I do have to say it may be impossible to top last year's drink mixing with Isaac that had him taking shots straight from the bottle and attempting the soulja boy dance. The trivia felt pretty short, and the next day Matt Wertz showed up for Isaac's event. Turns out he was supposed to be at ours too but forgot.

Zac's tie dye event was much less chaotic than last year's big cluster of people. He told us in advance that he would be coming around to each group, so there was no giant mob circling him the entire time (with the exception of a few fans that did seem to follow him from group to group). Zac also did his tie dye homework this year and came prepared to teach us not only the basic "cinnamon roll" twist pattern, but also a new heart pattern, and told us to soak the shirt in vinegar to help keep the dye. I brought an extra shirt to dye so I could do a test run before ruining the one provided in our merchandise package, so I decided to try a heart on the plain one. I had Zac draw the heart and tie that portion for me, then did the dye myself.

So if you'll excuse the totally necessary pun: Zac held my heart in his hand and I dyed.

        

Taylor's after party was also better than his cooking class last year. Zac, Andrew, Dimitrius, Paul McDonald, and Matt Wertz all made appearances on the stage to show off some dance moves as Taylor chose the music. Isaac hung in the back and from what I hear did a few shots with fans. When I found him I got a cheers with my water, you know, the partier that I am and all. 

The Solo Shows

One of the big appeals of this trip was the announcement of Hanson's first ever solo shows. Each night, one brother took to the stage alone for a 45 minute set. It was a really unique experience getting to hear so many songs solo that have always been full-band songs to me. Every Word I Say, Get Up and Go, RAIN? I mean where did that come from?! I do have to laugh because Isaac introduced the song by saying they had never played it before, but I definitely heard Rain live in Tulsa once. I will absolutely not complain hearing it again as an Isaac solo in Jamaica, though.  Taylor's set seemed pretty quick with just seven songs, but he was the first to do a solo show.  It opened with a weird coincidence where it started raining during "Make it Out Alive," so I sang "We may not make it out all dry" quietly to my friend Rachel, and the very next verse Taylor sang the same thing. The standout performance here was definitely "Every Word I Say," which I can imagine may be the only time we ever hear that as a solo. 

Zac's set had 9 songs that opened with "This is the Jam," which had never been played before. I always envisioned it being this sort of big crowd anthem in my head, but there wasn't really any crowd participation like I had hoped. The set ended with a KILLER rendition of "Devil's Nachos." That song had been played live one time before, I was there for both, and let me tell you his performance in Jamaica blew the one in D.C. waaaay out of the water. 

He kept joking that the crowd needed to be louder or that he would just put down the guitar and walk off, and how he had only ever seen that happen at metal shows but that maybe we would see something similar later. At the end he did just that, laid the guitar down on an amp that left us suffering a horrible sound until someone came and moved it, and by the time we realized what was happening, he was gone. A few people seemed confused and thought he was mad but I thought it was a genius way to exit before anyone could mob him, and he gave us the rockstar exit he had already alluded to earlier in his set.

Isaac joked that they saved the best for last, and his show was a pretty great way to end their first ever solo sets. We got a full 10 songs out of him and probably the rarest songs with "Rain," "Too Young to Kill," and "Someone." The crowd energy felt huge for his set, and you could tell every person there was having a great time just watching him do what he does best. I can't wait to see the product of all the recording during "Best of Times."

The trip felt so incredibly fast I can hardly believe it's over. If you challenged me to pick a favorite part, I don't think I could. The music really blew me away this year, and a few of my favorite highlights include:

• "In a Way" opening the 2nd show. The DRUMS. 
• Getting to hear "Every Word I Say" not only full band again, but as a Taylor solo for the first time. 
• Isaac's solo set. Period. 
• "Devil's Nachos." 
• Finally got a photo with Taylor where I don't look like I need 12 more hours of sleep and a hairbrush. I then made a fool out of myself during the M&G photo op, so I guess the world is balanced once again.    

You can check out more photos on my facebook page HERE, and if you're curious about last year's BTTI event, there's a review of that HERE too.

My Anti-Bucket List: 2013 Edition.

Back in early 2012, I wrote a blog post proposing the concept of an "anti-bucket list." The idea is to identify a list of things you have already accomplished instead of setting a list of unattainable goals for the future. Besides, sometimes I find the experiences I never dared to dream up and write down on a list to be more fulfilling than those I've been anticipating. Spontaneity can trump years of plans if you let it.

Since revisiting my original Anti-Bucket List, I thought of all the new things I've done in the last 19 months and decided maybe it's time for an upgrade. Then I took it a step further. What if instead of tallying up all the fun things I've ever done into one big trophy of a graphic, I held myself to a single year. 2013. Could I accomplish enough in one year to warrant a new list? Would such a list be disappointingly barren, or surprisingly full? It's a challenge I may take on yearly from now on--not to fulfill a set of predetermined requirements, or to make myself feel useless if I can't come up with anything--but to take the time to identify the fun, unexpected things I have accomplished this year. It serves as a fun evaluation at the end of the year as well as motivation to keep going in 2014.

So here it is, my Anti-Bucket List for 2013: the traveling fan edition. What's on yours? (think outside of the box; it doesn't have to be travel-based). What else can you add in the next month?

Photo: Negril, Jamaica 2013

Want to make one of your own? Try www.picmonkey.com. It's free and simple to use.

Anthem Tour: Charlotte

Charlotte, NC, Nov. 20th, 2013

The final show of a tour is one to be both anticipated and dreaded. It’s bound to be good, but the thing about happy endings is that by definition, they have to end.  It sets in motion that anxious feeling of not knowing when you’ll see your favorite band again (unless you already have a flight booked to see them in Jamaica in January…you know, just for example).  I've heard people refer to it as PHCD—Post Hanson Concert Depression.  Call it what you want, but the only cure I know is already having the next show planned before you reach the “last,” and of course, it’s temporary. The only real treatment is to never stop going, always outrun the "last" show.

Charlotte was the closest stop to my house all tour, so it felt really strange to get in my car and drive myself to a single show.  No delayed flights, no car full of friends, and worst of all, I had to get back in my car and drive home afterwards instead of heading to some new city where I can’t park to save my life. It's probably how normal people always experience shows, right? (and makes for a kind of uneventful blog post, sorry!)

The whole day was uncomplicated. The weather for the walk was perfect, and we had a great turnout nearing 200 people. Taylor called me "Vanna White" for holding up the walk registration sheet at the end, and I had to laugh when my friend Valerie accurately pointed out that that would make him Pat Sajak. (irony: Vanna White is actually from my hometown)

              

The show began with a Hanson tour finale tradition by pranking opener David Ryan Harris. During his last song, Hanson & crew blasted a different song over the sound system and came out doing some strange dancing in a line. It was so random I feel like it must have some real, concrete origin that none of us recognized. The dancing reminded me of marionette puppets (Isaac did it best), and there was something oddly familiar about it that I can't figure out. Taylor came out with a box on his head. We may never know.

(There's a poor excuse for a video of the end of this over on my instagram)

Perhaps more unusual than Taylor in a box was the older lady and her man friend that came to stand behind us. The things they were doing before the show even started belonged under the privacy of a set of high school bleachers or some equivalent. We were happy when the guy left until she started screaming in his absence, the kind of screaming that comes at random intervals and doesn't even seem to line up with anything happening on stage. She talked right over Hanson asking us to be quiet for their a capella "Too Much Heaven" cover, so I finally turned and tried to politely say "They're about to sing without any instruments or microphones. If anyone is talking, we won't hear it." She muttered something angry but was mostly quiet during the song (at least, quieter than the two guys that started shouting and distracting everyone about 10 seconds later). Have I mentioned that those a capella key changes will change your life? Because they will. I don't always elaborate enough on the pure talent of this band, but if you're not impressed by three a capella key changes done seamlessly in harmony, then you don't understand music.

After they finished, Isaac ranted about how he thought he was in the south where people were supposed to have manners, but that maybe the northeast was better. He was starting to play "For Your Love" when crazy lady pushed me in the back and shouted "B**** you have NO right to talk to me like that!" Cue really confused blank stares from everybody around me, because I hadn't said a word since before the last song. It was either the worst delayed reaction ever, or she had been carrying on a fictional argument with me in her head. After another silent moment when I thought it was over, she pushed me and said "You won, B****!" and then left. After a similar situation in Seattle and gum in my hair in Vegas, I think I've somehow taken on the role of pied piper of the crazies.

The solo set was perfect because Val got to hear "For Your Love" after her wedding, Zac pulled out "The Walk," and Taylor finally played Crazy Beautiful as a solo after I chased him all over the country asking for it (scratch that--continent. The last place I asked was Vancouver. I'm exaggerating, but only a little). For the encore at the end they brought David Ryan Harris out and played a few Christmas songs, the perfect finale for a show so late in the year.

I drove home with that sad mixture of feeling completely satisfied and nostalgic knowing that my favorite memories from this tour are just that--memories, past tense. I think that's part of what we're all feeling when we refer to some type of post-show depression. It's not just that we're sad there isn't another show to look forward to (yet), it's that we had some really great moments already, and you can't relive or replicate them no matter how hard you try. So you come home, and you tell it to your friends. You post pictures on Facebook, or you update your blog and know that even if you can't go back, you can still remember. And you can start plotting for next time.

Revamp!

Welcome to the new and improved If You Give a (Fan) a (Ticket)!

If you've been here before, welcome back. If you're seeing this page for the first time, you're late! (kidding, glad to have you.) I started this blog five years ago after my 11th Hanson show. I knew that I loved writing, that I would continue going to shows, and that I wanted a place to keep track of all the fun details. I suspected the stories would get crazier and the memories more fuzzy, and I was right. You're looking at the result, and I'm glad to have kept up with it for this long. I hope you'll enjoy it and the changes I've made.

What's new:

• The url! www.travelingfan.net. R.I.P. jasminesprinkles. (Hindsight: never name a blog after an inside joke with a Hanson that you didn't quite get and that they'll never remember anyway.) No worries, all old links should still redirect to the right place.
• The facebook page: www.facebook.com/travelingfan. Like it, share it, frequent it! 
• Google + page
• Email: holly@travelingfan.net.
• The wrap up post to my Anthem Tour blog series. You can find it right here or scroll down to read it underneath this post. 

What's coming:

More changes. The Facebook page is brand new and pretty empty. I haven't even started a twitter yet. You can probably expect a few more design changes and maybe some new additions to the website in the near future. If you have any suggestions for changes, please let me know either here in the comments or at my fancy new email address.

Thanks for reading! Feedback is welcomed :-)

Holly

Anthem Tour: Vancouver & Home.

Vancouver, BC, Canada, Oct. 2nd, 2013

It’s cold. You’re sitting in a sleeping bag on a sidewalk in a country you’ve never been to before.  It’s past midnight on a Tuesday, but to the drunks wandering in and out of the bars, it’s perpetually Saturday.  Homelessness peppers the sidewalks, and there are so many questionable activities going on that nobody is surprised by the five girls in clean sleeping bags beneath the venue marquee. You wonder if this is normal in Vancouver.

One man finally stops.

“What are lovely ladies like yourselves doing camped out on a sidewalk?” he asks.

“We’re here for the Hanson show,” you say.

You’re prepared for the usual onslaught of “MMMBop” jokes and irrelevant cracks about long-haired children and mistaken gender.  Instead, he says:

“Is it really worth it?”

You can’t tell him about all ten of the shows you saw in the last two weeks, or the fifteen or fifty or two hundred you saw before that.  You can’t show him some mental montage of all the places you’ve been and the people you’ve met. You can’t even pull out your phone to show him a song clip because you’re not about to pay out of country roaming fees for ten seconds of the wrong part of “You Can’t Stop Us.”  You can’t tell him these things because he’s drunk and you have about a twelve second window before his attention wanders to the next sedentary female, and because even if he wasn’t, some things can’t really be explained.

You settle for “Yes.”

He insists on buying you fries and water from the McDonald’s down the street because he’s wasted and maybe it seems like a pretty chivalrous thing to do for a bunch of sidewalk sleepers. You politely decline and he’s off to the next bar on this Tuesday/Saturday night.

The night drags on. Someone asks if you're "George's girls," and it takes you a moment to realize that logic says George is a pimp and you've just been mistaken for prostitutes (in sleeping bags?).  An older woman in a blonde wig insists you take a handful of contraceptives from the bucket attached to her hip, but you decline those too. You also decline the drunk guy who keeps saying that he "NEEDS" to sleep in the three-inch-gap between you and your friend. You tell him he doesn't.

Yes. Still worth it.

***

The Vancouver show was one of my favorites all tour, weird camping experiences and all.  The small fan club event held before the regular show was a definite highlight and worth the wait. There were around 50 fan club members in attendance, and we got a few acoustic songs, a Q&A, and group photos with the band. I sincerely hope our photo is a full body shot so my friends and I can all have a good laugh at the variety of footwear going on (hello, rain boots & platforms!). 

My favorite part of the event was "On and On," hands down. First, it's my favorite song from this year's EP. Second, they stepped away from the microphones and walked to the front of the stage to sing the final chorus directly in front of us, face to face, and it was GORGEOUS. And third, I've been saying all along that the last line in that song screams Brokeback Mountain, and Hanson finally confirmed that they're aware of the similarity too. It's this really sweet love song, and the last line is "I can't quit you." (I believe the original line in the movie is "I wish I knew how to quit you," but it was close enough to send me into a fit of giggles the first time I heard it in Tulsa this year). Anyway, Hanson blows my mind singing this gorgeous a capella version of one of my favorite songs, literally five feet in front of my face, and then they end the song like this:

"I can't quit yoooooou........Jake Gyllenhaal." Ladies and Gentlemen, my favorite band.

They surprised all of us at the end by asking if we had any requests. People immediately shouted for "Cried," and they eventually gave in and played just the chorus. Then they played all of "Ever Lonely," which made up for the fact that I couldn't think of a single thing to request. I'll be better prepared next time. 

During the regular show, my friends and I really appreciated Zac bringing out "Fire on the Mountain" for the first time this tour. They know fans travel to multiple shows, so it's always nice when they switch the setlists up a bit. I can remember thinking a few songs in that I should have asked them to play "Something Going Round" when I had the chance during our group pictures. I didn't ask, but I was thrilled when it showed up near the end of the set list anyway. It's always been one of my favorites live; I love when they drop the music and stop singing and all you can hear is the crowd carrying on the word "NOW" without them at the end.

Afterwards, we waited by the bus one last time to say goodbye at the end of my favorite trip to date. Taylor was sick and didn't come out, but we thanked Isaac and Zac for a great run of shows and left with pictures and smiles knowing that all of us would be back next time, and knowing that "back" doesn't necessarily mean Canada, but anywhere.

We woke up deathly ill right on schedule the following morning (thanks again, Zac) and started the 22 hour drive back to L.A. The one thing I didn't get to do in Vancouver was visit an old Supernatural set and take nerdy pictures there (Supernatural:TV::Hanson:music, okay?). Naturally, at the U.S. border I turned my phone back on to see a post from a friend we said goodbye to the night before. There was Jensen and Jared and the Impala, parked in her hotel lot we had parked in just 24 hours before, shooting a brand new scene. I guess you can't win them all.

As if the 22 hour drive and subsequent cross-country flight weren't complicated enough, I woke up to an email saying that my flight home was canceled. I was re-booked on a red-eye a full 11 hours after my original flight instead. But wait, there's more! My connecting flight was delayed, too. TWICE. By the time I got home, I had to beg a coworker to cover my shift, I had to pay for an extra day's parking at the airport, and I had spent roughly 33 out of the previous 72 hours in cars or on planes. I came home, dragged my things inside, and opened my suitcase to pull out my phone charger before crashing into bed. Inside is a wad of ticket stubs shoved in with dirty socks and rain boots and a pair of drumsticks tucked into an umbrella bag.

Yep, still worth it.

Anthem Tour: Portland & Seattle

Portland, OR, Sept. 28th, 2013

I had no idea what a weather wimp I was until this show. It was rainy and cold and I was completely miserable and unprepared. My shoes and socks got drenched to the point that water began soaking OUT of them instead of in; it was that bad. Naturally, I would choose to visit Portland just in time for one of the rainiest cities in the U.S. to make rainfall history (cliffnotes version: The day after we were in Portland, news outlets reported that Portland saw more rain this September than in any recorded history dating back to1872).

At least the company was good, and we got to catch up with a few old friends and make a few new ones (the drunk, semi-shirtless girl that started laying on me during the show excluded). I also got to mark Voodoo Donuts off my imaginary bucket list.
                                       

Photo courtesy of @maalaearose https://twitter.com/maalaearose/status/384062438221430785

Seattle, WA, Sept. 30th, 2013

We were cold and miserable enough in Portland to make a rain gear stop on the way up to Seattle. It's amazing the difference a pair of rain boots and a proper rain coat can make (both in your happiness and in your carry-on luggage). This show was Paul McDonald's last and a lot of fun. Hanson showed up during the last song of his set dressed in white denim floral jackets that were reminiscent of Paul's wardrobe during American Idol.  Taylor pushed his way through the crowd with a camera before jumping on stage, and Zac started playing an entirely different drum beat, eventually forcing the song to become a great cover of "Maggie May" instead.

We got a great balcony spot and felt like Statler & Waldorf watching the packed, sold-out crowd from above. Through the course of the night we watched two people pass out and a fight break out over front row that left Taylor politely threatening fans to step back or get no show. I guess we chose the right night to stay off of the floor.

The weirdest part though was the fight right next to me in the balcony. It started when the girl on my right strayed a little too far from her spot and left a gap between us, so someone tried to squeeze in. The first thing I did was turn and tell her that I intended to dance and jump and have fun and not move an inch for her. As a result, she and her mother spent the next half hour brutally pushing the girl that was next to me, but trying very hard not to touch me at all. They would literally pound this girl with their elbows on one side, and then turn and apologize to me because they were starting to touch my arm a little. It was the strangest thing. It ended with the first girl leaving, the one that pushed in stayed next to me, and somehow I never had to move an inch. I was torn between feeling grateful and completely and utterly confused.

The acoustic set was particularly good. Isaac asked the crowd if we would prefer him to play the guitar or the piano. The rarity of Isaac on piano won by a landslide, and we were treated to a solo of "More Than Anything." I've always been a little indifferent about "Kiss Me When You Come Home," but hearing Taylor play it as a piano solo earned it a lot of bonus points I didn't know it had in it. The show ended with a collaborative cover of "It's a Long Way to the Top" with Paul and J.P., a tradition I've witnessed with three openers now. Don't ask me who did it best; it's always a good time.

Anthem Tour: Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA, Sept. 26th, 2013

I don't know if you've ever camped out for a show before, but I'm sure you can imagine that the experience is not always pleasant. And truth be told, it's a subject I usually avoid bringing up because there's really no way to say "Hey! I slept on a sidewalk for Hanson" and not be judged for it.

Be that as it may: Hey! I slept on a sidewalk for Hanson. This is probably not new information, nor is it new ground for me (get it? puns). Whereas parents will tell their kids "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," I tend to live by the philosophy of "Don't do anything you wouldn't post on the internet."  So here I am, living up to that rule as well as the argument I'm constantly throwing out to people that judge me for camping out in person:  If I cared that much what everyone thought about it, I wouldn't do it in the first place.

The reason I'm bringing it up is because I only took two pictures in L.A., and they're both of sleeping bags. Why? Because I have plenty of pictures of Hanson and walks and friends. This, however, was my first time sleeping on a 30 degree incline down Sunset Blvd. in the heart of Hollywood. I suspect it doubles as my last:

                                              

                                              

Remember when you were a kid at the fair, and they had those long slippery slides that you went down on a burlap mat? You know, the ones where you raced your friends to the bottom and had to keep going one more time to break the tie?

This was kind of like that, only the end goal was to NOT beat your friends to the bottom. Let's just say it was a long night, and that the street sign pictured at the bottom of my sleeping bag served a functional purpose beyond communicating parking laws.

All that and we were still some of the very last people in the front row; it happens sometimes. We knew it was L.A. and that meant Hanson would have friends and some famous admirers in the audience. Nikki Reed performed with Paul again, and Joe Karnes of Fitz and the Tantrums joined Hanson for "Get the Girl Back." A few days later, I heard a rumor that Andrew McMahon was there, too, and whether or not this means anything to you, it meant total jealousy to me. (If you've somehow lived under an Andrew McMahon-less rock, go check out his music. NOW.) When I got back home a few weeks later, I found that he had instagrammed a photo from the show and captured me in a moment of looking completely bored. Hey, it was before anyone hit the stage, i.e. power nap time for anyone that slept on concrete the night before. If I ever see Andrew on stage with Hanson one day, I promise the reaction photo will look a lot different.
                                                 

Photo courtesy of Andrew McMahon: http://instagram.com/p/ewCBzpApTi/

On the topic of Anthems and Andrew McMahon, I'll leave you with reason #1025968 I love his music so much. My own personal anthem for travel, his song "I Woke Up in a Car":

Well I woke up in a car.

I traced away the fog

so I could see the Mississippi on her knees.

I've never been so lost; 

I've never felt so much at home.

Please write my folks and throw away my keys.

I woke up in a car.


(...or, as the case may be, on a sidewalk.)

Anthem Tour: Anaheim

Anaheim, CA, Sept. 25th, 2013

It felt wrong to be on Disney property and not ride any rides. I'd pick Disneyland over waiting in line for Hanson any day if I could afford it, but I already used up my spontaneous theme park money on Knott's Berry Farm at the beginning of this trip. And in the true spirit of cheapness, we also chose to forego Pass the Line and just went for decent spots in the back for this one. Lucky for you, that makes it the one show this tour I took a few pictures at.

I assume the show was sold out because I've never seen a House of Blues so packed before. Paul McDonald's set was a bit different than what we had come to expect because his wife, Nikki Reed, joined in for a few more mellow songs. They looked really happy together. It was also wingman Jonathan Pears' birthday, so Hanson and Nikki brought out a cake and sang "Happy Birthday" and "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" with the crowd to celebrate.

 

Taylor wore his best Paul McDonald attire for the occasion.

And Zac tried, too.

A happy (somewhat blurry) good time was had.

Isaac hinted on the walk that they would start changing the shows up a bit, and they didn't disappoint. Zac's solo was "Get So Low," and we got to hear a great new cover of "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," complete with Taylor on bongos. Then they took us back a good 16 years and kept the bongos out for the first part of "MMMBop." I've never seen so many cell phones shoot into the air so fast (and even an iPad...which is just bad concert etiquette, my friend). For once, I'll let a few photos do the rest of the talking. Consider this Anthem blog the picture book edition.

❤

Anthem Tour: Tucson & San Diego

Tucson, AZ, Sept. 22nd, 2013

One downside of doing multiple shows on a tour (and the entire reason I started this blog) is that inevitable moment of "Tucson, Tucson...which one was Tucson again?" that's happening to me right now.

I don't at all mean that the show was forgettable, I just mean that I forgot, you know? (Kind of like how when my dog eats something, it doesn't necessarily mean it was edible, either). And sometimes all it means is that nobody shoved you or called you names that night, and you had a fairly relaxed good time.

Tucson walk

What I do know is that the lady in charge of security at the Rialto was really nice and efficient, and that I already emailed the venue to tell them just that because I think positive feedback is just as important as complaints. She took the time to map out the walk and take it with us and seemed happy to do it. She cared about making sure people didn't walk in the road, and she brought extra bottles of water that she offered us when we got back. It was a welcome change from the kind of venue staff that looks like they can't wait to be rid of you and treats you like a pest rather than a paying customer (I'm looking at you, Bluebird Theater. I also believe in leaving Yelp reviews).

Other than that, I know this was the day Rachel finally got drumsticks from Zac, and the day we saw an old man in a wedding dress ride a bicycle down the street--large boombox in tow--belting out some gloriously bad 80s song that I wish I could remember. I also really wish someone got it on video.

San Diego, CA Sept. 24th, 2013

I remember San Diego. It's the one with no public restrooms. Let this be a lesson to you should you find yourself sitting in front of the San Diego House of Blues for many hours at any point in the future. I don't mean the HOB didn't have a public restroom; I mean the million Starbucks, clothing shops, 7-Elevens, etc. in about a five block radius had no public restrooms, and there is no "I'll just hold it until we get home" in that scenario. It was also super hot and I spent a good hour napping in the fetal position under my umbrella because I'm a wimp in any weather extreme.

San Diego is also the one where Isaac wiped out straight off of the stage and took the piano down with him at the end of the show. "Going out with a bang" has never been so literal.  It was after the final bow and Taylor and Isaac had swapped sides of the stage to grab fans' hands in the crowd. I missed the big moment because I was busy avoiding death by being crushed into the barricade while Taylor greeted the people around me. I just heard the massive bang and turned to see the piano on its side and Isaac popping up from the floor with a sheepish grin and a wave that said "I'm okay!" From what I understand, he had been grabbing fans' hands and someone pulled a little too hard or perhaps wouldn't let go. To try to regain his balance/keep from being pulled down, he grabbed the piano for support, failing to remember that the "piano" is actually a much lighter keyboard in a mostly hollow piano shell. It's not built to hold the weight of an adult male, hence why Taylor no longer cavorts around on top of it. I'm glad pride was the only thing injured, at least.

Anthem Tour: Salt Lake City & Las Vegas

Salt Lake City, UT, Sept. 20th, 2013

SLC was a lot of fun because I got to see a few friendly faces I hadn't seen since the last tour.

I know, my tan is your pale.

That day was a toss up between San Diego for the hottest day of the tour for me because the line was sitting in direct sunlight all day. Salt Lake City is probably where I started working on this serious watch tan I had by the end of the trip ----> 

I accidentally found an Old Navy behind the venue and bought shorts, partly because I wasn't prepared for all the heat, and partly because I don't know how to exit an Old Navy without buying something first. After that, Zac wandered out past the line to shop for some kind of sport/game equipment and was nice enough to stop and talk to the fans in line and take pictures. It's one of the few times I've met the guy in daylight, not counting walks. Rachel and I chose that day to wear our semi-matching nerd shirts, so we took advantage of the situation and added a third nerd to the herd for a quick picture.

The most memorable part of the show for me was finally getting to hear "A Song to Sing" with the extra verse (click for an instant replay. Video courtesy of Taylor M., not me). It started out as a Taylor solo, but then his brothers quietly joined him for that final chorus and extra verse. It was the rare kind of moment I just wanted to watch silently and not sing along for fear of missing something I might never see again.

After the show we had a fun conversation with Isaac that turned out like some kind of "Greatest Hits" compilation because we discussed punching and kermit, both topics we've covered with him before. Perhaps we just look like people that want to discuss physical violence and puppets. (My muppet shirt was even hidden by my hoodie at the time). Just as we started talking to Taylor, some guy showed up behind us and Taylor's face lit up as he jumped the rock next to us to get to him. He was nice and came back to talk to us and the rest of the line after a quick bro-hug. We found out via twitter later that it was Matt Wertz and we just didn't recognize him in the dark.

Las Vegas, NV Sept. 21st, 2013

In Vegas we picked up two more friends for the trip and spent another hot day in line and seeing a little of the city. I spent my obligatory 25 cents in a slot machine just to say I've gambled in Vegas, and that was that. I felt more accomplished for buying a $1 hot dog, to be honest. The barefoot walk was easily the hottest walk I've ever been on, and I saw some really brutal blisters in the aftermath. Mine were just filthy. 

There were two distinctly memorable moments for me during this show. The one that I prefer to remember was that Zac played a request for a friend's birthday for a song that meant a lot to her. I was so happy she finally got to hear it! The second moment was getting gum in my hair.

Here's how it happened. I was the last person in the front row on Isaac's side, and the barricade wasn't long enough for me to be on it with my friends. There was just enough room for ONE person to stand where the gap was between the security guard and the barricade. It wasn't a good spot, but I took it because the one draw was that nobody was in front of me.

Naturally when a tall drunk girl in a dress the size of a tube sock wedged herself between me and the security guard, I didn't appreciate it. She turned to me and said "Oh I'm sorry, you can still see, right?" I guess she wanted me to put on a fake smile, grudgingly lie and say "yes," and whisper angrily to my friends behind her back for the rest of the night. Instead I gave her the truth which was a big fat "No?" infused with a DUH! She turned back around and acted like she had done her duty by asking and had no intention of moving. Options ran through my head, and I picked the one that seemed the most civil that would still get me my spot back: I just squeezed back in front of her and refused to move. No pushing or elbowing or anything violent, just a quick squeeze back into my own space that I held onto a little better this time.

A few seconds later, I felt a light touch in the middle of my back, and though it's never happened to me before, it was so predictable I knew exactly what was happening. I pulled my long hair over my shoulder, and sure enough there was a wad of nasty purple gum stuck near the bottom. Did she want me to cry and leave? I don't know. I pulled it out easily (thankfully!) and told the security guard. He didn't seem interested in doing anything about it, so I did.

I turned around and asked her, "I'm sorry, did you want this back?"

She threw her hands up and shrugged, opened her mouth wide, and gestured animatedly inside as if showing me that there wasn't gum inside proved that it wasn't hers. Right. Her mouth was empty because her gum was sitting in my hand. At a loss for what else to do, I said "Here you go!" and stuck it to her arm to be rid of it. I heard the security guard laugh and didn't see her again.

Problem solved I guess, but is there gum sticking etiquette, guys? My brain didn't even come equipped with the proper response to such a silly action. What should one do in that situation?