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Courtney's Seattle Review
July 21, 1998

When I heard that Hanson wasn't coming to Vancouver, Canada I knew that I had to find somewhere that they were going that was going to be close, easy to get to and fast. To us Vancouverites, that would be Seattle. Without even asking permission I told my parents that me and my twin sister Steph and my best friend Erin were going to the Seattle concert. My dad had gotten us 4th row tickets through a ticket broker, and let me tell you they were not cheap!! So now we just had to wait for July 21st to come.

The night before the concert (which would be Monday the 20th) Erin slept over and we were taking pictures of the 3 of us around the Hanson filled room. I didn't find it hard to sleep at all that night. We had decided with my dad that we would leave the house at 10:00am in the morning and arrive in Seattle about 2:00pm or so. The previous night we had made to paper sized signs that we were going to stick on both sides of the car on our way down and back. I drew a cartoon pic of the boys and Erin drew "Hanson Rocks Seattle". After attaching those to the car we were ready to go see Hanson.

During the whole ride we played 3 car garage and Middle of Nowhere. It just seemed appropriate. When we arrived at the border the guy asked us where we were going and for the purpose of going. My dad replied with, "Seattle" and "Hanson". I thought it was clever. Anyway, he must have had alot of us coming down to see them because he didn't even twitch he just gave us the sign to move on.

When we arrived in Seattle, that's when it started to hit me. I have a nervous stomach and just seeing the space needle and everything really freaked me out. Then Steph says, "they've already been here for 4 days". That's when my sore stomach hit me! I had a major case of the runs! (Excuse my language!). As soon as we got to the Travel lodge I ran into the bathroom! Just the thought of them was making me very nervous.

After my mini crisis was over we got everything together and headed out to the lobby. There were alot of ther Hanson fans staying there, and waiting in the lobby. None, I might add were 15 like me, but younger. Anyway, as we were heading to the Space needle, because we were told the Key Arena was right by it, we saw a street sign that said, "Taylor". We couldn't resist and took a picture of us all under it.

When we entered Seattle center (which is where the Key Arena is) we started to walk extremely fast! We were there about 2:00pm at the Key Arena. We soon found out that the doors did not open until 7:00pm. The concert started at 8:00pm.

We took a few pictures and we decided the best thing to do would to head straight for the doors and reserve our place in the crowd. For the reason only because we were determined to buy all the merchandise! At this point we were really excited. We were watching all thses people inside unpack all the merchandise and count it and stuff. We were picking out what t's we wanted and everything. There was also a notice on the doors saying that this concert was going to be filmed. It was basically saying that if you don't want to be on camera then don't come in! Then these 2 girls came up to us. They said that Hanson had just arrived and that they saw their family and them walk out of the bus. We were sort of angry that we missed it because we wanted to see their family so bad but we didn't want to risk not getting the merchandise. I know!

After a few hours of just sitting there, Erin decided to go look around and see what was going on everywhere else. When she came back she said she saw their blue bus and she could hear them do their sound check at a certain door. So Erin took my spot in front of the door and it was my turn to go check things out. I went around and girls were screaming everywhere for absolutely no reason at all. They would pound on the doors when just anyone would come around. Then I reached the white doors. There were only a few people there but I could hear music so I pressed my ear up against the door. I heard the end of thinking of you. Then ike was fidling on his guitar and the same with Zac and his drums and i could hear Tay talking on the mic. I couldn't understand it though. Then i went around and saw their bus, nothing special.

When i got back you could hear Pearl Jam's soundcheck from across the way. It was sooo loud! But you could also hear Hanson and their sound check from the entrance we were at. We heard, "River", "Weird" and that's i think all i can remember.

After the sound check was over this limo pulled up at the top of the stairs. Everybody sort of looks there, ya know hoping it was Hanson but not quite sure. Then the window rolls down just a little bit and 4 fingers come out and start waving. Then the driver came back in the car and everybody frantically starts running to it and screaming! Again, we didn't want to risk loosing our spot because of the merchandise! I've heard that it was Zac but I know for a fact that after their sound check they did a live chat so..

At about 6:00pm, we heard that they were opening a little merchandise stand around the arena at the back. We decided that Erin would take our money and buy everything she could for us except the t-shirts and the hats. When she left more and more and more people were coming and it was getting the the point where you had to stand up because people would stand over you. As time passed we thought that Erin should be here because what if they open the dorrs, we won't have money, that sort of thing. So against Steph's wishes i quickly sqeezed out of the crowd in search for Erin. I got half way and i saw Erin running with this stuff. When we got back steph was basically un see-able. So many people had arrived. Everyone was staring at the stuff we were holding. Erin had bought for us the life size poster,the back stage pass thingy (it's not really), the program, the calender, and the stickers. We had a back pack but the poster would not fit in it and we didn't want to bend it in any way. The plan was for my parents to come back at 6:00pm to pick up the stuff that we had bought. Well it was 6:30pm and they weren't there so we were freaking out! We needed them to come pick this stuff up.

Then these ladies came around and started yelling at everyone that no camera's were allowed and that everybody had to back up. Then all of the sudden everyone starts screaming so damn loud and they all push to the doors. I was slammed against the door because of the force. Apparently Jessica was running up the stairs...I don't know if I believe that though. Then the ladies were yelling like old hags telling us to sit down. But of course there was no room to sit down. Steph had managed to but me and Erin couldn't. Then she pointed us out and said really loud, "Sit down". And i was just thinking, "Oh shut up!". Then my parents finally showed up! Finally and we gave them the stuff. They were laughing at us because we looked so angry because we were so squished and stuff. That was a huge relief to us. Now all we had to get were the t-shirts, the hats, and the pins. So they finally opened the doors and everybody just slammed against the front. There was no organization and if i really wanted to i could have squeezed through without a ticket. When she ripped mine we had already pre-planned that i would run to the counter and buy the stuff and they would catch up to me. There was once again no organization there and i manged to get up there after 3 people. I bought 3 t-shirts and already after like 3 minutes, they were out of a certain size of one t-shirt. Then i bought 5 pins and 3 hats. My dad wanted a hat. This girl beside me was telling me to hurry up and stuff. Of course I was ignoring her because of my focus on what we had waited all day in our spot for. Then we pushed our way through the crown laughing because i had this huge pile in my hands. When we got through we were so excited. All the pressure was gone. We had bought all that we had hoped and now all we had to do was enjoy the concert. We quickly put the stuff into the back pack and then headed into the bathroom. It was chaos. That's all i remember. Outside the bathroom there were girls running every which way to the doors that lead to the seats. It was weird. After we were done that we were so excited! We ran to the first door we saw leading to the seats and we ended going through the one at the very top! We had to go all the way down to the floor! Every 4th row you had to show your ticket. When we finally got down to the floor we were ecstatic! We had never been there before and the atmosphere what incredible. All these hanson fans in one room! It was awesome! When we reached our seats in the 4th row we were so happy because we were closer than we thought we'd be. The stage was really close to the front row. We were in section BB. So we were going to be right in front of Isaac! We were also right by the area where all the winners of MOE and radio and stuff with backstage passes were.

Reading all the signs everywhere was cool too! Then the actress Andie Mcdowell walked by with her daughter. She was in movies like, "Green Card", "4 wedding's and a funeral","Groundhog Day". She was walking with her head sort of down. You could tell she didn't want to be noticed. We were shocked to see her but we weren't star struck at all. She had just gone backstage...figures..

Then we saw the glow sticks and we definetely wanted then for our hands so they could see them. even thougn you can see the 1st 10 rows from the stage. They cost 5 bucks! Anyway we didn't bring our tickets because they were just a few steps away but security was so tight that Erin had to go back to the seats and get our tickets just to buy the glow sticks. While i was waiting, all these people just on the seats above where all the backstage passes people were, were screaming and running towards the railing. Then all the sudden water squirted up and apparently Zac had his water gun and was spraying people from behind the certain. Erin tripped and was wet with "Zac water". That's what we call it. When we returned to our seats with the glow sticks the camera's we starting to go around filming everyone. I was always looking around the ceratin area hoping i would catch a glimpse of one of them, I saw all Isaac's guitars on a rack and I saw their huge barrel or water being taken back stage. Like they would even drink that much water is how much there was in that bucket! Then the sound guys came on stage and started tuning the instruments. Everybody started screaming, plus the camera's were everywhere filming so there was always somthing to concentrate on. Then the lights slowly went out. That was so exciting.

Steph and i were beside eachother and erin was beside steph. we started screaming just because we have waiting for this for so long. Then Admiral Twin came on stage. They were almost at the edge at the stage so they were close. they announced that they were who they were after every song. They played for a half an hour. I think about 7 songs. Everytime they said Tulsa everyone roared! When they left the stage. The crew immediately started rearranging the stage for the guys. Then this man said that Hanson would not be out for another half hour and that if we wanted drinks to get them now and stuff. So Erin went and got us drinks. While she was gone, the lights were going all different colours and the spot lights we flashing everywhere. The camera's were fliming everywhere and everyone was screaming! It was really neat! Then finally Erin came back with 3 waters and let me tell you, water has never tasted so good! Then we got really really excited! I started yelling at steph saying i can't believe Isaac is going to be right in front of us! I don't even know when they came but all the sudden I looked up and Isaac was standing up there! It was the most incredible feeling seeing them for real! I couldn't believe what i was seeing. He has his hair down and the first thing I thought was that his hair had gotten long! He was weraing long almost dress pants with a nice sort of shiny t-shirt. I couldn't see Zac's face because of the crash symbol. But he was wearing the shirt he wore on the magic hour and basically the same kind of pants. Taylor was wearing very, very tights pants as usual! And a white t-shirt underneath a blue or purplet-shirt.

They started off with Give Me some Lovin' and played Thinking of You, Where's the Love (extended version..awesome version) and i can't remember what else. Then they left and came back on closer up zac was right in front of us! i was so excited, because I like many, many others, love Zac! He looked so hot! Ike was in the middle and tay was on the right. They played Stories, With you in your dreams , I will come to you and others. During With you in your dreams zac put up his hands and was waving them back and forth with the beat the whole time. of course the whole audience mimicked him. Then I was telling steph to look at his arms and his feet ya know just stuff like that because i couldn't believe he was there. And Then we decided to wave to him because i was deteremined to be noticed one way or another. Then the girls infront of us joined in and finally Zac noticed and waved at us! It would be dumb for me to say he waved at me but it was the best moment of the entire show and i just stood their after he did that. I couldn't believe it! He made my day totally! He looked so god, he gave that little side smile and waved with his hand high. It was so incredible! Then during I will come to taylor took off his shirt that was covering his white one. I knew he was doing it on purpose and my 1st reaction was to look at steph and erin and said, "he meant to do that!". I thought it was cute but you could tell he was trying to act like he didn't know why we were all screaming. I must say he did look pretty incredible! Then after all those ongs they played at that set, Zac and tay left the stage leaving Ike at Tay's keyboard. Zac dropped his drum stick as he was getting up and he had to bend over and he was wearing white underwear! I could see them! I think he realized you could see them because he kind of grabbed the back of his pants. Then Ike, played More than Anything and it was awesome! At one point he did a little thing with his voice that sounded so incredible! So steph yelled out, "That was so good!". I started to laugh. Then he left and they were fixing the set to where it was the first time.

When they came back out i think ike and tay had changed but not zac. They played all the songs that i haven't mentioned. During Man from Milwaukee Ike came right up to the end of the left part of the stage where we were and did the intro. It sounded awesome! During another part he went up and played by zac at the drums and by tay at the piano. Then at the end of the song he jumped up on the platform where zac was and jumped off on the last lick... unfortunately steph says he didn't make a clean landing and fell on his back and she said she saw tay mouth to him, "Are you alright". Then he went up to camera and did a little weird thing.

During another song Tay left his key boards and Ike took them over, then Tay went to the drums and picked up another set of drum sticks and started pointing to zac to make us scream for him. Then zac got up and tay started playing the drums. Then Zac went over to the left side of the stage like ike and gave his drum sticks to a little girl with braids in her hair. He said to her, "I like your braids". Then he got his water gun out and started squirting everyone from each side of the stage. Tay sounded awesome on the drums. He had to play them weird though because he is right handed and zac is left so they weren't set up for a right handed person. But he hit really hard and his fills were great!

Zac would walk along the stage saying, "You want some". and then he would squirt the people in the face really hard. Then he went back to the drums and tay returned to the key boards and ike went back to his mic with the guitar. During one song Tay said that he forgot to say the rule. He said that everyone had to stand up and clap and then he pointed to the man beside me!! He pointed right beside me! And he told him to stand up. Then he said that we had alot of energy and stuff like that and that he didn't even have to tell us to clap and stuff.

Throughout the whole concert he would make us jump! That was pretty cool! When he jumped up once i caught a glimpse of his stomach. Then they left the stage and everybody was chanting "Hanson hanson Hanson"!!! Then you could hear zac say, "You want us to come back!!". And of course we all roared and they ran back on and started up with, "Look at you". Then they finished with,"Summertime Blues". During the end of that song Ike went over to the key boards again and tay took the mic and started running around the stage and when the part came he would tell us to say, "There ain't no cure for the summertime blues". He ran to 3 parts of the stage. Middle, Left and right. It was cool! He looked really cute! Then they said thanks and everything and isaac was picking up everything while Tay and zac had the water guns and were squirting the audience. I'm sorry to say that i didn't get any "Tay Water"! Then Tay squirted Zac and he just put his hands up as if saying, I surrender! It was cute! then Isaac went up and picked up tay's shirt that he had taken off and he said goodbye and all that and they left the stage.

Immediately the lights went on and it was like a huge flash of reality! It was weird. it was just like, 'ok it's over"! And everyone just kind of piled out of the arena.

When we got out of the door the first thing we saw was, Ravi! we were so surprised! We started to walk away because we got really embaressed but erin said that we can't just leave that opportunity. So we went up and shook his hand and he was laughing with his friend. And he said, "Vote for me next year". He was joking about it because he didn't understand why people want to shake his hand..or at least he thought it was silly. He was really skinny and his hands were small.

Then we thought we should go around back and see what was happening. We managed to get right behind the people who had no one in front of them and the security guard was telling us that Hanson had already left and that there was an underground Tunnel thing that they left in. And i was like kind of testing him and stuff about their family and how they would be able to be ready and all that but he finally convinced us and we walked away. Our backs hurt like hell from jumping and clapping so much! So we almost thankful to find my parents and go back to the lodge. We found my parents at the front of the arena where we first went and they started laughing because we were so excited and overwhelmed!! We were all finishing each other's sentences and talking over each other! When we got back to the travel lodge, we took pictures with all of our merchandise!

That was the best day of my life! or at least the most overwhelming and thrilling! We had so much fun and i still can't believe Zac waved! When tay went to shake people's hand at the end he looked like and angel..he looked so good! I'll never forget it, and i look forward to when they come to Vancouver! If you want to e-mail me my address is : tfera@intergate.bc.ca Feel free to ask questions or comment..I'd like to hear what you think.

-courtney

This page is in no way associated with Hanson or Island Records. All thoughts and writings are the sole property of me. Please email me with any comments or questions. Thank You.