(In the pic above, I am on the left, and the girl Heather that we met there is on the right. As you can see, we're in the front row. Those are the flimsy barriers they used! lol!)
My friend Heather from Dallas came up to go to both Hanson concerts with me in Kansas. We got up at 3 a.m. on Wednesday the 21st. We had to drive about 45 minutes to an hour away to get to the Plaza in Kansas City where the concert was held. I had directions, but I've never driven there, and we got lost. I called home on the cell phone, and my parents told me where to go. We finally got there around 6 a.m. There were a few people there already. Some people had stayed the night. The Plaza is a large outdoor area with a lot of shops and stores. It is this very large square area with intersecting streets. They were going to perform on the corner of Pennsylvania and Nichols St. So Heather and I sat down and waited. We met another girl named Heather there when we went to McDonalds. She's really cool. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have had the awesome spot I did. Read about that later. So we waited, and waited, and waited. Finally around 8 a.m. or so a van from the radio station came, and two guys got out and started setting up a tent and things. He told us that the stage was going to be on the side on the sidewalk, so everyone flocked over there. Heather, Heather and I were in the very front. We were all just standing on the side of the street waiting. Then they broadcasted Hanson being interviewed at the radio station over the air from the van. The interview was hilarious!!! "Smoking doobies down by the river!" If you were there you know what I'm talking about!! It was great! So then they told us that they needed us to move, and that the stage actually was going to be in the middle of the street, not on the side. So everyone freaks out and runs to the middle of the street. By this time it was around 9 or 10 a.m. or so. There are quite a few people there. They kept saying hundreds. So Heather and Heather stay in the front and move with the crowd. They have police officers that set up barriers to keep the crowd from going where the stage would be. Then they start to build the stage. I am no longer in the crowd at all, I am sitting on the curb, like, in the area where the stage is being set up. I am not behind any barriers. I was sitting with the parents. I think that's why the police didn't tell me to move. They made all the kids go behind the barriers. (I'm 19, by the way.) So I watch the stage being set up, and Heather keeps motioning for me to come join her. Finally I realize that I'm not gonna get a good view from the side of the road, and so I try to go behind the barriers and stand by Heather. Of course the girls there don't want me to get up to the front, so I have to just stand there, and move up any chance I get. Eventually I work my way up to the Heathers. =) So then it is around 11 a.m. or so now. Everyone is VERY hot and thirsty and tired and I was VERY hungry because I hadn't eaten all day long. (remember we'd been up since 3 a.m.) Hanson was scheduled to come at 2 p.m. so I kept telling myself it wouldn't be that much longer. So we're all just standing there in the hot sun outside on this street staring at the stage. We were VERY close!!! The stage was about two feet away from us. The "barriers" were white plastic things used on streets when there was construction. They weren't very sturdy, as people in the front row would later find out! So for a very long time we stand in the sun sweating and listening to people scream every time the radio DJs mention Hanson. I was getting VERY sunburnt. I totally forgot to wear sunscreen. So anyway! Eventually it gets to 2 p.m., and everyone is wondering where Hanson are. The DJs come on stage and tell us that "Zac took a nap, and just woke up and had to fix his hair so they'll be late." I don't know if this is true or not. So everyone is really frustrated and want Hanson to come NOW. Another DJ tells us that first Hanson have to do a Meet and Greet before they come on stage, so even if they get there it will be a little bit more before they come on stage. So eventually Hanson come to do the Meet and Greet. What was really unfair was that people in the front who got to go meet Hanson came back to the front row, and expected to get their spots back after they had left. We were all like, "Hey! You just got to meet Hanson, so go to the back cuz you left your spot!" But the police made them squeeze in. And I mean squeeze! It was very crowded in the front!! So eventualy around 3 p.m. the DJs announce that Hanson is coming down the street. The screams were SO loud! I just plugged my ears and got my camera ready. Then we saw a large balck tour bus pull up, and the door opened and out came Isaac, Taylor, and Zac! I started taking a ton of pictures. It was incredibel how close they were! The first thing that happens is that Tay comes right over to the front row, and leans down to shake our hands. Well, everyone flocks to him, and those flimsy plastic barriers come down! Heh heh! And Tay immediately backs up, and he's like, "Woa...sorry about that" or something like that. Cuz now there are no barriers between the excited audience and them! The stage was only about 4 feet tall. So then these police people come over and push the crowd back and try to set up the barriers again. So they play the first song "Sure About It". I looked over at Zac, and he was looking at me. It was funny. We stared at each other for a bit, then I looked at Tay. I was singing along to every word. They looked really happy to be there. Someone threw silly string on Ike and his guitar, and Tay laughed! Then someone threw water on Tay, and he didn't look very happy. OK, people! Some advice: don't throw water at people with electrical equipment!! Geez! So I get pictures of Tay with water all over his shirt and jeans. Then they sand "Wish that I was There." Then "MMMBop". Then Ike's guitar string broke! Heh! And Tay goes, "Ike's guitar string broke, so I guess we're going to have to wait." I had to change film then, so I looked down to do that, and when I looked up again, Tay and Zac were totally gone, and Ike was down sitting with his guitar changing strings. I was like, "Hey, where'd they go?" And I'm looking all over, and then I see that Tay and Zac got off stage and went to shake people's hands. So then they get back on stage, and they say that they're going to play their last song, "If Only." I was sad it was their last song, but it was awesome! OK, you know how everyone says that Tay is big on eye contact? Well, it's very true! I found out just how true that was the next night on the 22nd in Wichita. You can read about that, too. So after the song, Tay tried to shake more hands, and the barriers keep falling down! lol! I did get to touch/hold/shake Tay's hand! =) His hand was very warm and soft. =) So then they leave, and they go shake more hands of people behind the stage. Then they get in their bus, and Tay goes right over to the window, opens it, and leans out to shake people's hands. The dumn police officers wouldn't let us get out of the front row!! They made us stay there! So we couldn't move to get to the bus. So then they pulled off and were gone! Heather, Heather, and I were sooo happy! It was great! But I was so sunburnt. The whole concert was around 20 minutes long. So then we say "bye" to the Heather we met there and we exchange e-mail addresses. My friend Heather from Dallas and I go to my car and drive home to my house. We have to get some rest because the next morning we have a long drive to get to Wichita for that concert! You can read all about that concert by going back to the Concert page. That concert was incredible!!
Here are the pix!
Look how cute Tay and Zac are!
Awww! Look at Zac!
Here we are after the show. I'm very sunburnt and sweaty! lol!
If you'd like to purchase any of these pics, you can e-mail me at wtl314@aol.com for prices. There are TONS more pictures that I didn't post here.
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