Well, I left for the Fair Grounds at 4:00 hoping to see them arrive. It took me 45 minutes to get there and I listened to TTA on the way there. After I got in to the fair I decided to go to the back of Veteran's Memorial Coliseum and see if I could see their tour bus. I walked in back but the buses weren't there. They must have come in the vans that were parked in back. A security guard asked me to keep moving so I left. Later I heard a guy say that they had been there since 4:00. Argh! If he's right I missed them by an hour. I thought since the chat (which I missed) was at 6:00 Az. time that they would not have a meet and greet but they did. I saw their catering truck arrive.
Next I got something to eat and a bottle of water so that I wouldn't make the same mistake that I made the last time. Then I went and found my seat. Again I was happy to see the wide age ranges of the people in the audience. The person behind me was wearing the Homemade Hanson jacket that has been to every U.S. date of the TTA tour and signed by the guys 5 times. People had handmade signs as usual. At 6:55 people started singing "happy birthday" to Zac ( a week late guys!) Then the "Hanson Hanson Hanson" chants started.
This time I decided to risk bringing my camera and good film so the pictures would turn out. Before the concert though the security guards said that we couldn't use cameras. I mentally said a few choice words. I wanted to get good pictures this time and that was one reason that I wanted 2nd row seats in the first place.
Well a little after 7:00 the guys came out and there is a reason the coliseum is nick-named "the Mad House on McDowell" . It didn't get as loud as when the Phoenix Suns used to play there but came close to it. Tay was wearing a blue shirt and jeans. Ike was wearing a black shirt over a green shirt and a black t-shirt and jeans. He took the black over shirt and the green shirt off during the show. Zac was wearing a red shirt with the number 11 on it and jeans.
They only played for 90 minutes but it was still a great show. I could actually hear what the guys were saying and the words to the songs. I also didn't go as deaf as I did the last time. It also wasn't to hot since it was only in the 60's outside. The only bad part was that since I was at the end of my row I had to make way for people coming and going from my row.
They played Thinking of You, MMMbop, Speechless, Where's the Love, Look at You, Runaway Run, Can't Stop, Love song, Wish That I was There, Sure About It, You Never Know, Hand in Hand, If Only, Save Me, Song to Sing.
Tay's cordless mic wasn't working during the show so he had to use the one by his keyboards. They did the acoustic set again. I was so glad to hear Wish that I was There. It and If Only are my favorite songs from TTA and they didn't play it last time. They still didn't play Bridges of Stone. I have yet to hear that song.
Tay of course had us bow to the band during Speachless. He encouraged us to jump and scream again too (again as if we needed his prompting to do this!). They were all full of energy tonight. Someone at alt.fan.hanson said that Zac looked depressed. I didn't think so. To me he had a look of concentration. He has become quite the drummer these past 3 years. He even had a smile on his face and looked up during the acousitc set unlike the Web Theatre performance. He also took his hair down before their last song and started head banging which he didn't do at the Web Theatre performance. Their talent still never ceases to amaze me.They left and then came back for the encore. By this time the people in the middle of my row had either moved to the front of the stage or had left so I moved to the center of our row. Tay had taken off his shirt and had a white tank top on. They played I Want You to Want Me. I could actually hear the lyrics this time. Tay of course played drums and Zac jumped off his kit at the end. Then they said that this was their last U.S. performance and that they knew that there were people in the audience who had followed them around to other cities during the tour. They thanked those people and the others in the audience for making it a great tour. I thought that that was neat and they didn't have to do that. Then the sang a verse of TTA acapella which they didn't do the last time. Then Ike threw out picks. As I was diving down for one along with others I saw a boy in the row behind me reach out for one so I picked up one for me (yea!) and then picked another one up and gave it to the boy. Then they bowed, waved, and left. I went to get a concert poster afterwards but they were sold out of the venue specific ones so I bought a lanyard to put my ticket in instead. I thought about seeing what was going on in back but I didn't want to get in trouble so I left. I listened to TTA on the way home to.
I must admit that I was lucky enough to get about 20 pictures of the concert. I tried to take pictures while the guards were not looking. But I know that they saw me a couple of times and ignored me. I also had to cover my flash with my hand each time I took a picture. I found out through alt.fan.hanson that some people had their film taken away. I didn't get mine taken away.
Again I had a great time at the show! Thanks to Hanson and god for making it happen. Thanks to Ike for the guitar pick, and to the guards for not taking my film.
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