Have you ever heard a familiar song at a wedding when all of a sudden not only does the song metamorphize--almost like the sensation that it turned from black and white to color--but the moment in which the song is being played changes instantly as well? Like the atmosphere is charged with much more meaning--you suddenly feel like you're underneath the moment--experiencing its full worth? That is what it was like to attend this Hanson concert.

Not at first though. When I stepped out of my car at Clutch Cargos--formerly "First Congregational Church"--and saw the knots of people surrounding the tour bus and the grass strewn with lawn chairs and empty water bottles, I thought "This is what it's come to." Not Hanson, but myself--as a fan, gatherings of people who can no longer hide their extremism. You've been stripped of the layer of people who followed the band because they were the flavor of the moment and now it's you and the hangers-on . . .

At the same time, the metaphor of the gothic church was not lost on me. I embraced it as a symbol of myself . . . continuing to worship long after others evaporated into thin air.

Once inside, I began to realize, this was the tour I always dreamed of . . . Hanson sought us out and we reciprocated by doing what we could to meet them halfway. They didn't have to seek us out in remote areas . . . in Pontiac, right after a historic blackout that shut down the Subway up the street. The guys don't even have a big album they're promoting. This was the handwritten letter, delivered in person, from a long-lost friend. I almost broke down when the full weight of this thought began to take hold.

And the set list had the feel of an unfolding letter: (Call me a sentimentalist, but this is the reality I felt as I stood in the shadows near the concession to hear my favorite band on a random night in August, far but not impossibly far, from home):

the set list
annotated with possible messages from the band to their loyal fans

• strong enough to break
  Ask us why we broke from our label. Ask us what courage it took, what it meant to the integrity of our music. It's all right here. If you listen closely, we'll explain.
• river
  What's next? What are our goals? What do we want from the fans? "I guess we'll never know, exactly where this river's going to flow . . . " and even more amazing, "And I know you don't believe me when I say, I'll love you 'til the end forever and a day."
  Observation: At one point during the show after some enthusiastic cheering, Isaac says with a grin full of appreciation, "You guys don't know how to make us feel good."
• runaway run
  The significance that you're here, at this show, is not lost on us . . . we know, you waited for us . . . and you waited for us.
  Observation: By far, the knee melting moment of the evening, and I'm genuinely not overstating that!! If you haven't heard the new arrangement of the opening line of this song sung a cappella in harmony, you're going to think I'm gushing . . . but it's so personal, so heart-wrenching, so eerie. "And I waited for you . . . and I waited for you . . . and I waited for you" Of course, you read our minds and you came . . .
  
• rock and roll razorblade
  Are we at all angry about what happened? Is a little part of us bitter about the whole thing? You think you guys were outraged . . . are you kidding? This is our life, our passion.
  Observation: Taylor, in particular, shouted this song. I did not enjoy it very much as entertainment . . . more as the raw statement of the band's recent struggle to remain true to their music and the price you pay for that.
• Zac solo . . . a new song from the CD I guess (why I don't know this for sure is because the album was sold out) which includes the phrase, "Everybody must make a choice."
  Now that we can call all the shots, what changes are we making? Not only is Isaac at center stage for most of the show, but Zac will solo and play several instruments--and they're not all percussion.
  Observation: Zac's falsetto was pretty impressive, breaking at points, but bolstered by his beefy piano playing. It was a first to hear him alone on stage and it was like finally getting your vibrato, if you've ever played violin.
• Teach Your Children Well (Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young)
  Will we still sing a cappella for you? (It's a rhetorical question.)
  Observation: This song is amazingly well-suited for the band . . . it's as if they were meant to sing it. As Mrs. Hanson swayed with a baby (who was wearing a pair of giant-sized baby headphones) in the balcony, and as Mr. Hanson circled the band with his video camera while several other Hanson family members worked the concession, peered through tiny binoculars and generally hung out, the lyrics were even more chilling as the generations referenced in this song were represented in flesh and blood.
• When You're Gone (3 guitars)
  Are we going to sing more old stuff that's new? Another example of our new-found creative control. This is a song we wrote for the last album, but it didn't seem to make it on that one.
  Speculation: The band needed to give some distance to its personal nature?
• With You in Your Dreams
  This one is from the first record. You should know it. Our family is surrounding us and are no longer hesitant to be around you tonight at the show . . . but we haven't forgotten those who couldn't be with us also.
  Observation: I glanced in the direction of the band's mom (now a grandma herself) as the guys sang this one, wondering if she gets choked up a little each time this tribute to her own mother is played.
  I also had a fleeting fear that this song had its own hidden message, of reassuring us even if the band takes an even longer leave of absence next time.
• Underneath (Zac on harmonica)
  Can we make it any clearer? We're inviting you to go underneath with us . . . or at least it looks like you've already made the journey.
  Observation: This song is so haunting. For more than one reason, I feel an unexplained connection to it.
• Never Let Go, Taylor solo
  We know you've heard this one before but not without some digging. You thought you'd never hear it live. This is another one of our gifts to you.
  Observation: There definitely is a Titanic, the movie, quality about this song. Can you imagine being married to Taylor and hearing him sing this one to a room full of people, especially if you're holding your/his son in your arms the whole time? Exceptional.
• Call Me, Isaac solo
  We rarely give the background of our songs, but I (Isaac) wrote this one for a friend. She and I were both going through really messy break-ups and this song came from that.
  Observation: Ever Lonely also comes to mind. Almost too much information for me--as poor Isaac's explanation caused some audience members around me to speculate on Isaac's physical relationship with the recipient of this song.
• Penny and Me
  This is going to be our first single from our next album.
  Observation: A great choice for a single because it truly delivers live and the chorus probably has you rolling your windows down . . . gazing at starry nights . . . etc.
• Deeper
  We let Isaac memorialize another one of his poignant emotions to song.
  Observation: Frankly, this song is not my favorite. I guess it's the repetitive chorus . . . and, kind of like Elevation by U2, the word plays are almost too explicit for my taste. Or am I reading far too much into it?
• Hey
  Do you like this one? Of course you do. It's fun. You know you want to sing it with us. C'mon. "When we're making our movie . . . Sunset drive groovy . . . you keep stealing all my lines."
  Observation: What's not to love? I still think, "Cecilia" (Simon and Garfunkel) but it's fading a little bit as I get swept up into the charm of this number live.
• MMMBop
  We'll never stop singing it, but you get to start it this time. Everybody clap like this. You know it, so . . . go.
  Observation: We weren't standing up front due to the fact that we did not get in line until about 15 minutes before the 7:00 p.m. door opening. This meant that we didn't quite hear which song Taylor was prompting until about the third line . . . and then it was pure groundswell. This song is considered a karaoke impossibility?!! Ha! (c;
• Rip it Up (Little Richard)
  Isaac's iPod is definitely an upgrade from our old cassette player . . . but like those commercials for the iPod (or was it iTunes?) where that dorky cubicle worker is all, "I like big butts and I cannot lie" Isaac's obsession translates into pure entertainment.
  Observation: Okay, say what you will about Isaac's love of the 50s rock and roll which drives his passion for his mp3 player versus his semi-awkward self . . . but this kid knows how to throw a party when it comes to the oldies. This song was definitely a highlight of the evening for me. Not the least of which was Zac's head banging on the drums.
• This Time Around
  You told us it was your anthem. Your declaration of loyalty. Well, we get it too. So let's divide down the middle and half of you sing, "And we won't go down"--like this--and then at the same time, you guys over here sing, "You can't say I didn't give it, I won't wait another minute, we're on our way this time around." You got it? You got it?
  Observation: Our thoughts exactly, Hanson . . . our thoughts exactly.
  
  Encore
• As Long as We Got Each Other (not sure of the song title)
  Let's have more fun tonight!
  Observation: Taylor came out and began his characteristic jumping up and down. Does it get much better than that? Really.
• Weird
  If you didn't get it at any point along the way tonight, we'll pull you into the driveway with this one. "Reaching for a hand that'll understand, someone who feels the same. When you live in a cookie cutter world, being different you can't win . . . so you don't stand out and you don't fit in. Weird."
  Observation: When I heard the guys sang "Dirrty" (sp?) in NYC, I wondered about the significance of this choice (not to jump to unfounded conclusions, but why stop now?) so I really hoped they wouldn't sing this cover in Detroit. This meant that I was especially charmed that the guys sang, not only my favorite song from their first album (MMMBop is tied), but that it underscored the entire tone and flavor of the evening. Extremely fitting!

final thoughts
The whole evening was oddly one of my favorite concert experiences for about 3 reasons:

1. I had already met the band at the last concert I had attended which provided amazing relief from having to meet them again. It's hard to articulate the sense of perspective that I gained from that meeting. It's as if I realized Hanson and I were in some kind of social contract that we were strangers and would always remain this way. Nevertheless, anytime we came in contact, we would continue as strangers who indeed respect one another passionately from the context of performer / audience.
2. I met an online friend who I had been trying to meet up with on at least 3 different occasions. Jenn, you're so much fun to attend a concert with because of your sense of humor, but also our shared dual decorum and enthusiasm regarding the band. And wasn't it fun to meet Bravo? So cute!
3. The Hanson family was all there and mingling casually, but not mobbed by fans. They love us . . . they really love us. Or at least, aren't frightened by us any more. ::sigh:: I felt their hospitality . . . when Mrs. Hanson informed me that they had run out of the CDs for a couple of days, she quickly reassured me that the online price was cheaper anyway. So thoughtful.
4. One more . . . the intimate setting, no bigger than a high school gym, was evidence that Hanson really didn't have to come out--but they did. They did, for us . . . the ones who would come to an old church we had never heard of just to hear them evolving. It's not just about MMMBop any more. . . and yet it is (I don't have to tell you about the "only one or two who last").

Most entertaining exchange with the audience:

Fan: Let's go streaking!

Taylor: Did someone just say, let's go streaking? Okay, we'll see you there.

Zac: Then we'd have to take off our girdles and all our fat would fall out. If you don't know what a girdle is, it's something people used to wear to hold their fat in.

Fan: Let's not go streaking.

Hanson: Yeah, let's not.

Random thoughts as my anticipation took a steep spike in the last 20 minutes before arriving in Pontiac:

• At times Hanson must alternately bless and curse the challenge they gave their most loyal fans in the very early words of MMMBop . . . "And when you get old and start losing your hair, tell me who will still care."
• What if fans had not caught onto the ever popular, "Where's the Love" concert shout . . . but instead latched onto the obscure title, "I Don't Know" . . . this request sounds counter-intuitive, but unexplainably amusing to me . . . "I don't know, Hanson . . . I don't know!!!"

P.S. The opening guitar player (not band, exactly), Teitur, looks very much like Giovanni Ribisi. It was almost amusing. His music was mellow and thoughtful, meanwhile fans chatted away, but did not boo. Someone yelled, "Hanson is hot" and Teitur responded in his Danish accent, genuinely amused, "I know they are." Hilarious. Oh, and at one point during his set the poor guy was harassed by a bat!

pictures
click on images to see larger version

prologue in the epilogue

"This is my make or break fanhood moment. I mean, I'm driving 6 hours round trip coming off of a weekend of moving and school starting in a week . . . I may not even be that much of a fan." --Me, in several conversations before the show to friends who expressed surprise that I was attending another Hanson concert in "Detroit"

But, was there ever any doubt . . . I mean really? Big thanks to Kim for saving my life with her warm hospitality. You rock!

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