Hanson Sayreville, NJ 7/27/10

Hanson took their tour to Sayreville, NJ once again, this time on their Shout It Out tour. This show was considered a “Shout It Out Tour” show while the two in MA were not.  I’m really not sure why, except for the fact that they did not have a local opener contest because the MA venues had a 10:30pm curfew and the show would have gone too long otherwise.

It took me about 3 hours to get to NJ when it should have taken two.  As usual, massive amounts of traffic at the George Washington Bridge. (One time it took me *7* hours to get to Sayreville, so, yeah. I was expecting traffic lol)  As I arrived it was just about time for doors and I saw my friend Lisa so we all went to find security to be let in early and get a seat.

We were let in a side door and it was SO DARK inside! I was tripping down stairs because I couldn’t see them on my way to the seat.  It would have made sense to let those with disabilities able to SEE their way to the seats.. but oh well.  We grabbed seats near Taylors piano and began to wait for show time.

The ourstage contest winner (who I was hoping would win) Brightside Drive, took the stage a little after 7 and played about 5 songs.  They were young, but their songs were good and I enjoyed them.  I was a bit worried at first that after all my hoping they would win they wouldn’t deliver, but they did 🙂

Next up was A Rocket To The Moon.  I wasn’t familiar with any of their stuff, but a few of my friends like them and I liked their set. I managed to get the names of almost all the songs they sang, with the exception of the last song so I have that listed under the cut if anyone is interested.  I think it was about their last song that the girl next to me started getting on my nerves.  We were in a row of chairs and somehow a space opened up between me and the girl who was next to me.  Then, this other girl made her way into the space even though there wasn’t really room for her… and well it really angered me and made it hard for me to get into the show.

Hanson came out really late. Like, really late, even for them.  I think they started at quarter to 10.  Doors opened at 6:30. So.. yeah.  It seemed to take forever and a day for the setlists to come out as well.  Once again they started with the medley – I thought this was just special for the curfew shows in MA, but it looks like it is something that has stuck for the tour.

I really wasn’t enjoying myself because of the girl next to me.  She was all up in my space which I know should be expected for a GA show – but we were in the section where they put those who were disabled. A little breathing room is usually expected in that section. (Not to mention I was very wiggly because the chair was high so my feet kept falling asleep – and couldn’t really wiggle because this girl was practically on my lap)  Eventually I decided that it wasn’t right to let this girl ruin my fun and I was just going to have to suck it up. (Plus, Taylor was giving me dirty looks for not clapping and enjoying myself!)

The setlist seemed pretty similar to the weekend shows until we hit the acoustic breakdown of the show.  They started with Georgia.  Which is not one of my favorites but I think it was karma because I have been talking so much crap about Georgia and the Braves lately!  Then they went back to 1997 and played I Will Come To You.  Then Zac did a solo of Use Me Up, which he hadn’t done in MA but had done on the fall tour so it really wasn’t all that out of place for him.  He had taken his shirt off while drumming (he had a button down on over a tshirt) and then put it back on before the acoustic set.  Before starting Use Me Up, he took it off and put it on again – commenting that it had been on inside out!

Zac then called for Taylor to come out on stage – Taylor sat at the piano, which again is not all that rare for him but then he started playing NEVER LET GO which is an incredibly rare and essentially unreleased track (I think it was on a fan club membership kit) that I had been lucky enough to have heard live 2 other times, but this song is hardly ever played.

Once Taylor was done he called Isaac out and Isaac ALSO went to the piano!  Isaac then went all the way back to before they were famous and did a song off of their first indie release from like 1995, which had previously only been done in 1998 and I really can not recall him ever doing it aside from on the Albertane Tour.  He sang “more than anything” and then we were all just like – WOW.  never let go and more than anything back to back?  How did we get to be so lucky!?

Then they went back to electric and played a cover – and not only was it a cover it was something I had never heard them do live before (hooray!) in “Hold On, I’m Coming”  I spazzed out so much I think I momentarily broke my phone and ended up trying to fix it during the next 2 songs Wheres The Love and Penny & Me.  The rest of the regular show didn’t have too many more surprises, but they did do Get Up And Go which they don’t play that often.  (I think doing 5 of 5 made them realize the songs they don’t play all that often because a lot of them are getting added into the set)

For the encore – we got Zac’s rendition of Oh Darlin (yay!) as well as Its A Long Way To The Top If You Want To Rock N Roll.  This one they did a lot a few years back, but not so much recently, so it was a nice way to end the show!

I ended up leaving the venue around midnight, stopping at a rest stop to get some food and water so I could stay awake and then proceeded to sit ON the GWB for about an hour bouncing around because of construction.  I finally made it home at 3:30 AM which was CRAZY. Luckily I was able to sleep relatively late!  A couple of times I was wondering why I was going to the show (even about to get off the exit to go to Queens and go to the Mets game instead) but I am glad I did end up going because it was what could end up being the best setlist – EVER.  It was definitely more of a show #50 setlist than a #49… and no way is #50 going to live up to it (since as of right now it is going to be a radio show), but that’s ok!

A Rocket To The Moon setlist:
Give a Damn
American Girl (cover)
If Only They Knew
On Your Side
Shes Killing Me
Baby Blue Eyes
Dakota
Mr Right
?

Hanson setlist: