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Conclusion (Heroin, be the death of me)




Without a doubt, Jamaica 2016 wins hands down over Mexico 2015: everything has been better - the location, the resort, the staff, the way things ran seamlessly - with the exception of the weather on day 2. Numbers were lower and it showed, in a good way: you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars to be packed like sardines. What perhaps made it less special to me was the fact that I’d done it before, and I already knew what to expect. I guess it’s inevitable and not Hanson’s fault, or Island Gigs’.

My friends and I always joke that Hanson is a cult, and as devoted cult sisters, we feel compelled to give most of our income to the band. We’re joking, but only just: you can see how tempting it becomes to stretch your finances to the limit, year after year, so that you can be with your friends on a tropical island, watching Zac Hanson show you how to make bracelets that you’ll never wear, bingeing on music for four unforgettable days. That’s why most BTTI attendees are alumni - just like hard drugs, it’s a lot harder to say no to this trip once you’ve tried it, especially when everybody else is doing it.

Something tells me that if I don’t take a step back now, I’ll end up getting sucked into a vortex from which I may never re-emerge. Is that what I really want? To spend every year paying for my next Hanson holiday? Am I insane? Do I want to be that kind of person? What is wrong with me?

So many questions. And I guess that I just don’t know.



I don't know just where I'm going
But I'm goin' to try for the kingdom if I can
'Cause it makes me feel like I'm a man
When I put a spike into my vein
Then I tell you things aren't quite the same
When I'm rushing on my run
And I feel just like Jesus' son
And I guess I just don't know
And I guess that I just don't know.

The Velvet Underground, "Heroin"

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Comments

  1. The Good Groupie14 January 2016 at 20:13

    This is the exact reason I haven't gone yet. I'm afraid if I do...I'll want to go every year. That's reasonable for MOE when I can drive and have friends to stay with. But for a tropical vacation? The temptation is too great. One of these years I'll make it happen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. asphodelia15 January 2016 at 05:14

      Maybe we can orchestrate to both be there that year!

      Delete
  2. Kelly14 January 2016 at 20:22

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. Holly15 January 2016 at 15:46

    I applaud you if you're able to say no to returning next year, and I hope you make a decision you'll be happy with. It looks like for the foreseeable future anyway, that you can always skip a year and choose to go back to the next one. I knew I was doomed the minute they announced a second "annual" BTTI while we were still at the first one.

    "Are Hanson trying to play safe to the crowd (but why? we’re all fan club members) or - worse - is it because the old and trusted classics need little or no rehearsing? [opinions are welcome in the comments section]"

    I suspect this had something to do with the Covers show, too, since those were all fresh in their minds. I'm not saying they should leave all of the "usuals" and singles at home, but it did feel like a lot. I'm sure it's a tough call for them because plenty of the singles are the ones that people first fell in love with, and for every person groaning when they play "Where's the Love" again, there's someone who has never seen it live and is left disappointed when they don't play it.

    We're also on the same page about Isaac's set and Great Divide and Tonight (which is my favorite song I was referring to in my post), and I love the childbirth analogy.

    I'm glad you went and had a good time and that we were both able to have something good to look forward to and step away from the real world for a bit. :-)

    ReplyDelete

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