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Meet Me in St. Louis
a fan story

I had seen the [MMMBop] video first on MTV, as luck would have it.  I didn't think they were brothers.  I thought they were some contest winners.  Local kids who won some contest with MTV and got their video on MTV.  The video seemed like it was taped with a camcorder or something.  It was just so laid back and relaxed.   I thought they were neighborhood friends.  Tamra Davis was the neighbor.   Hanson was their street name. 

Hanson came out when I was in 7th grade.  I can honestly say I know where I was and what I was doing on May 6, 1997.  My class took a trip to Jefferson City and we met our state's governor, Mel Carnahan.  The same week of the Saint Louis concert, he died.  Kinda weird, huh?  I don't know what it was about Hanson, but something clicked.  They made sense.  I was never really even into music or listened to the radio much before Hanson. 

I remember one of my father's really good friends died that summer.  He was an AMAZING person.  Everyone knew him.  The Chuck Berry knew him.   I spent every 4th Of July growing up at parties at his house.  He just seemed like one of the most wisest, most interesting people to me.  A few days after he died, I finally bought Middle Of Nowhere.  When I heard With You In Your Dreams, I remember just bawling my eyes out.  I don't think I really liked the whole album much... but it was on repeat constantly and every song just grew on me.   They all took on their own personal meanings.  I Will Come To You became my song that was just an emotional release that I could cry on cue with no reason for the tears. 

Through Hanson's music, I realize, I admitted a lot to myself.  Things I'd try to deny.  Things I wasn't able to face without the music.  Somewhere on your site you talked about... I'm trying to remember here... but how the music provided the comfort friends could never give?  The music seemed to fill a void in my life left because a dear family member is an alcoholic.  Not in the same way, but it makes that void... hurt less?

Every time Hanson would pump out a new album, I was always worried that I wouldn't like it.  Snowed In, I didn't think I would like.  Now, I think it's one of their best vocally.  This Time Around, I didn't like the talk of their new sound being more "rock."  TTA has become the one CD I have ever owned that now I LOVE every single song on there.

I love my life, the part where Hanson isn't the #1 thing.  I'm happy a person.   But Hanson's THE BEST thing in my life if that makes any sense.   They're what make me appreciate all I have.  They make me realize the importance of life and all the opportunities and blessings presented to me.  They made me realize I just can't sit back and watch life fly by and regret not doing things I want to do.  If I have a dream, you chase it.  If you see an opportunity, you ride it.

I'm probably the one only person in my school that doesn't drink, doesn't do drugs.   I do what I want.  I'll go to parties where everything on the face of the earth is readily waiting for me to experiment.  I don't want to.  Hanson's music has made me a strong enough (I like to think I'm strong in this way) to go my own way.  

I'm really guarded about letting people I know I like Hanson.  I'm not ashamed, heck no!  Just revealing that piece of who I really am, is like showing my most vulnerable side.  Hanson's music is what I put my insecurities, fears, and everything into.   Does that make sense?

When tour dates were released, Saint Louis was slated for Oct. 21.  By August, with the release of the 2nd leg of official dates... STL was gone.  My new friends and I just bawled and cried.  Island soon announced on their site Hanson would be at The Pageant on Oct. 20.  No one knew what The Pageant was.  For some reason, I knew I heard of it.  I talked to my dad. He told me that Chuck Berry played a venue called Blueberry Hill at least once monthly. From the day I found Hanson liked Chuck Berry, I always thought it would be cool for Hanson to play Blueberry Hill.  The owner of BH had decided he wanted to open a real venue to bring more artists into Saint Louis. On October 19, 2000 Blueberry Hill had the opening with good friend, Chuck Berry. The next day, the venue was publicly opened with Hanson. Talk about amazing.  The Pageant is down the street from BH. So, Hanson had their show at The Pageant. 

Note: Check out more about the St. Louis fans at Reese's site, Listen Please.