The Jonas Brothers are BACK! And they brought their happiness begins tour to the Arena at Mohegan Sun near the end of August. Both the onsale for tickets AND VIP M&Gs were an absolute shit show – yet somehow I managed to get a M&G (with a backstage tour I really didn’t want to take) and a really nice seat for the show.
With all the drama of the on sales behind me – I went to check in for VIP – and more drama! I believed the only email I had received from the VIP company was the receipt. But apparently I had also received and didn’t save (so unlike me, but whatever) another email with a confirmation code. The woman was very rude and assured me since SHE sent the emails – I had to have gotten one. My email trash deletes every 30 days or so – it’s August and I bought this in May – forced into a level higher than I wanted – and now they were acting like they weren’t going to let me in without this code – when my name and all my info were on her list and I was standing in front of her with an ID that matched. I remembered taking screen caps of things when I bought it, because it was such a nightmare I wasn’t convinced their servers would handle emailing out the confirmation. But my sD card in my phone had crapped out 2 weeks earlier – of course! Fortunately I pay for Google Photos extra storage backup and scrolled through to May and sure enough – the screen cap with the confirmation code was good enough (and she barely even looked at it, so WTF) and I was given my backstage tour wristband and let inside.
The backstage tour had us go down the arena steps, under the stage (a lot roomier than I was expecting, honestly) and then up the escalator. We went outside and waited for our “walk down memory lane” which was a couple dead-end aisles of clothes the boys had worn, Nick and Kevin’s guitars and one of Joe’s mic stands we could use for photo-ops.
We then were taken into another room and had to give up our purses and cell phones for the M&G – which I really didn’t mind but making us sit there for nearly an hour with no way to let my friends know I wouldn’t be able to meet them before doors wasn’t really fun. (Fortunately we have done enough M&Gs they knew I’d get in contact as soon as I could after their “where are you?” texts went unanswered for a bit) Finally it was time for the M&G where they lined up those with Lane One ‘first on the floor’ tickets and other perks first.
Then it was time for my M&G. I wore my “Id rather be at a Hanson concert” shirt because I was looking for a fun photo-op. I told them I wanted them to pose based on the shirt but I’d let them pick what to do. Kevin started instructing me where to stand and what they would all do – but Joe cut him off and said that he would give a thumbs up because he also wanted to be at a Hanson concert. Afterwards I told them I’d be seeing Hanson the next 2 days so I’d get my wish. Joe asked if I’d be meeting them and I said I didn’t know, but he told me if I did to let them know that they want the beer that they promised them “like 10 years ago.” I told him if I met them I would definitely let them know!
My seat for the show was more amazing than I could have even thought, basically as close to the stage as I could have been without being forced to stand in the GA pit all night. I was able to sit all night and only couldn’t see them when they went to the B-stage, but there was screens up front so I didn’t entirely miss out on what was going on. (Surrounded by stairs I didn’t trust myself to not fall right off!)
I was super excited when they came out on stage – so happy to see them happy and together again!! I thought the setlist was a great mix of old and new and fan requests – and a lot of fun and color! (but somehow despite being so close I only ended up with like 3 pieces of confetti. What the heck!?)
