My Hanson Story:
Friday, September 11th, I woke up and still couldn't believe it. I thought I'd be so excited.. but it didn't seem something like that would be happening to me. I got to go to a hanson concert. All day in school.. I told everyone. Which isn't easy.. becasue most people are Anti-Hanson. But I don't care. Since last year so many people have grown up enough to respect my opinions. Before I heard of Hanson.. I was so shy and quiet and secluded. Now I'm not saying "Hanson made me not shy" but in a kinda way
it helped. My respect for Hanson was so large that I HAD to stand up for myself and this made me such a strong person.After school..we stopped as Jill's so she could change.. beacsue she was attending the concert with me. Then we went to Physical Therepy and I asked for my theripist, Rick. He wasn't there. So I told my story about how I had to get in ASAP and this lady worked on my leg and then we left to go to my mom's friends house, Patty. Patty and her daugter, Allison,were going with us. They rented a limo for us. We got pictures in front of the limo and we drove to a fancy resturant to eat. We were all dressed for
a concert.. not nice. I felt out of place at that moment,..but it didn't matter. I went in there and screamed "WERE GOING TO
SEE HANSON". I was crazy.We went back to the limo and stopped at a store to rent me a wheelchair so I didn't have to walk around on the crutches to find our seat (cuz I have a broken leg.)
Allison and I stood up in the limo and stuck our heads out of the sun roof and started going crazy. We screamed "HI" and "I
LOVE YOU" and other crazy hyper things. We really made it fun. Then we drove away and stuck our heads out the window screaming still. All the way from Amsterdam to Albany we screamed. That's about an hour drive. My throat hurt.. but I didn't care.
When there was a backup of cars at the toll booth I nearly stood out the window and screamed "WERE GOING TO SEE HANSON.. WOO HOO" and "ARE YOU GOING TO HANSON". We met three cool chics from Mexico who had FOURTH row. Then I screamed to this guy "Are you gonna see Hanson"... "no"... "well..you should go buy their album.. it's caslled Middle Of NoWhere... did you get that.. MIDDLE... OF ... NOWHERE".We got out and me and Allison saw a News camera and we ran there and jumped up and screamed. Then we went and found our seats. I was shocked at how good they were. I was happy. We talked to so many people. We tried flirting with al the security guards, especially Hector. They wouldn't
help us. Everyone was so happy and friendly. Then Admiral Twin came out.Jill even acmitted they had a lot of potential. I thought they were amazing. Then the girls behind us come running up "they're letting people sit down there".. and I go "WHAT?!" and I grabbed my crutches and headed down the stairs and all these security guards that we annoyed to death told us to leave but for Hanson.. I couldn't. I seen this guy with headphones on and go "can I please sit here. My mother doesn't think it is
safe for me to be on the stairs". He goes "yah sit in the back by the railing". Well.. the "back" ended up being the fourth row! Then (we'll call him Security Guard #1) goes "where are your tickets". I say "well, we don't have any. That guy said we can sit here". He looks at the guy and goes "are they ok?". He goes "well I said that ONE girl could sit there".Then Security Guard #2 says "No they're not hurting anyone. They're fine".
YAHOO! FOURTH ROW SEATS!!!!!Then I was talking to Jill and out of the corner of my eye I see Hanson running up the side stairs to go on stage.I SCREAM! And they start playing music. My blood was rushing, my ears were throbing, my heart was beating, my throat was screaming, myself was happy. The happiest I've been
in so long. Song after song after song.. it kept getting better.
These two people behind us were like "can you sit down please.. we can't
see". Jill... flips out. And starts yelling at them. I turn around and go
"excuse me.. this is a concert.. not even JUST a concert.. a hanson
concert.. the RULES are no one sits.." and I turn around. He yells at Jill
and Allison more until they sit. The lady then comes to me "excuse me..
sit down" I go "no, excuse me.. your NOT going to ruin this for me" and I
pull Jill and Alllison up.
They stopped playing and ran off stage and the crew guys came out and
changed it. They acme out again and sang Stories. If there was ONE song I
wanted to hear it was stories. Taylor sang it to my surprise. I thought it
was Zac on lead. I was estatic. And I aslo really had to go the bathroom.
So after they were done with a few songs they went off stage again to
re-change the set. I literally RUN up the stairs on my crutches, jump into
the wheelchair, Allison RUNS with me to the stairs, I run down so to the
bathhroom and omce back and Allison runs me back. My mom came out
"heather.. you just missed it. Taylor was RIGHT near you and he talked to
them and threw water on them". I was saddened. I went back down and jill
told me that I missed it.. and I was devastated.. heh. And she goes "but I
got pictures for you". I was like "OH THANK YOU" and gave her a big hug
and started dancing again.
They sang LOTS and LOTS of songs and I was so out of breath and
everything. But I didn't care. I was soo amazing by their
performance.
Some bands sound so different on stage.. but they didn't. I'm not saying
that becasue I adore them so much.. I am saying that becasue it was great.
It sounds BETTER than on the cd even. Jill even thought so. Jill isn't
that big of a hanson fan.
Isaac played this solo on the piano. It was amazing! He is not only an
excellent guitar player.. but he was SOO great. It was like a Beetoven or
something. His eyes were closed and he pushed the keys and his head moved
all over with the music. Allison cried.
Then they played MMMBop. Taylor brought his bongo's out and they were
facing us. Then I stood up on my chair.. on ONE leg.. and danced. All the
people behind me were sitting.. well.. only like two rows.. and the people
in front of my were all little girls.. so I was like the tallest thing
there. And I swear that Taylor looked at me. I just smiled and danced and
didn't scream. I swear he looked like RIGHT at me and did so for about TEN
seconds. It was amazing. I adore him so much. I adore all of them. ( I bet
he'd never remember.. either that or he never looked at me.. SLIM chance
that he did.. but it looked like he did).
Then was Man From Milwakke and it was the last song. It was great. I sat
after wards just talking then Tay came back out and so many people were on
their way out just came back and Taylor said "do you wanna hear a few more
songs" Dumb question, huh?
Everyone shreiked. They sang a few more songs.. and they sang "Summertime
Blues". I knew that song heh. Then they gave us a special treat.. they
sang "Where's The Love" acapella. I loved the acepella.
This was the greatest expirence of my life. I will never forget it.
Hanson is soo amazing to me. It's so much more than a obsession thing.
It's such a great deal of admiration and respect and idolization. I really
think they've helped me in so many ways. Their music may be serious
subjects but they find the goods things about those bad ones. It really
teaches people, if you listen with an open mind, that life isn't eaasy but
it's always better than it could be. And to be positive and follow your
dreams. When my friends on the net got to meet Hanson, I started losing a
lot of hope. Al of that was gained that night. It was just simply amazing.
They are just doing what they love and helping so many people along with
it. Right now, my voice is cracking, and my throat hurts, and I'm exhausted. G'night.
Peace, Love , Hanson forever
Heather Reppenhagen
© 1998