If you've been following me on Instagram or Twitter recently, you would know that I have been back on my nonsense and "following" the Jonas Brothers on tour. You also may have noticed that I am posting again, more engaged, and just straight up happier. This is not a coincidence. Being back to traveling and concerts and fangirl life has really really REALLY helped me find myself again and feel like my truest self for the first time in a LONG time.
If you've been around since pre-Covid life (thanks!), you would know that toward the end of 2019 I had started to travel more and go to concerts and just do things that brought me joy. I had started a job that was incredibly fulfilling and it showed in how I was behaving outside of work and on SBKxo platforms. I was motivated and happy and truly working on me. Part of the catalyst for this was the Jonas Brothers reuniting and releasing new music. Sometimes the things that made you happiest when you were 13 really do stick around and I don't think I realized how much that would impact my adult life.
When I was a lil middle schooler (lilmskaylad to be precise - I doubt any of you have been around THAT long), the thing that brought me the most joy in the world was, you guessed it, three brothers from New Jersey. If you ask anyone who knew me then, being a Jonas fan pretty much defined me. I saw the Jonas Brothers live for the first time on September 23rd, 2007 at the Puyallup Fair and I still remember that day being EVERYTHING. We bought floor seats, something my family RARELY did at the fair (we can handle the grandstands with how many concerts we go to) and me, my mom and my two little sisters went, not knowing what to expect and knowing that really only I knew any of their music. That first concert was an absolute blast and was a catalyst for what was to come.
After that first show I attended two more Jonas shows to finish that year (Hannah Montana tour and Jingle Bell Bash) and then my first show of 2008 was the Look Me in the Eyes tour. It became obvious to my parents that the Jonas Brothers would not be able to come to Washington State without me being in the audience. The next time they came into town was the 2009 World Tour and after much bargaining (and maybe also promising to dye my hair back blonde) I got tickets and we went to the Tacoma Dome and had the time of our lives! Of course, we had no ideas that that would be the last time I saw the Jonas Brothers together for more than a decade.
My Freshman year of college was tough, I've talked about it before, but between the newness of college, my parents divorce, and a medical nightmare of a fall semester, I really needed some joy in my life. so when the Jonas Brothers announced a Fall tour and a new album, my mom jumped to get me tickets and meet and greet for the show that would be the same week as my 19th birthday. And then... well we all know what happened in October 2013.
Now of course that wasn't the end of all of my Jonas love. I followed Nick and Joe's solo careers, watched Kevin's reality show, and my spotify most listened has Jonas Brothers music in it every year. But something about seeing Nick perform solo and Joe perform with DNCE just wasn't the same. So when I opened my phone on February 28th, 2019 to see that they were releasing new music and were back in my life, you bet I cried. Like a baby. Which I never in a million years expected to be my reaction. But it goes to show how much of an impact these three and their music have had on my life.
When tour was announced I was ready. The presale happened to fall during my lunch break. I was teaching 6th grade at the time and all my students knew they had to go immediately to lunch because Ms Littleton HAD to buy her Jonas Brothers tickets. I got tickets to the Tacoma show and planned on that being my only show... we all know how that worked out. I saw the boys three times in 2019 - Tacoma on October 12th, Portland on October 13th and Boston on November 24th, and each show made me happier than the last.
After this last year and a half of cancellations (RIP Vegas Residency) and being stuck at home, I was so excited when they announced a amphitheater tour. Being able to be at a concert felt like absolute heaven to me. This time around I knew myself better and immediately booked two shows, Auburn and Ridgefield (the ones that were one to three hours from me), with plans to maybe book one more show but that was it... I'm a filthy liar... I ended up booking SIX shows this tour...
One of my friends asked me the day before I left for Boston for my fourth show
of the tour "Why do you do it though? Go see multiple shows of the same tour? I know every performance feels different in every art, but what specifically about these shows?" And my response was joy. These shows bring me so much joy and after the last year and a half we've had that has been so devoid of joy, I am on a mission to take in as much of it as possible. This tour specifically, the venues have been a big draw too. I crossed off a bucket list item with Red Rocks show. I got to see my favorite band sell out Fenway Park! The people are a big part too. Four out of the six shows I'm seeing with one of my sisters, I'm getting to see Jonas Twitter friends from across the country, and I'm going to closing night with one of my best friends I haven't seen since before lockdown. Making memories is so important to me, and getting to do it with my favorite band playing my favorite music is so much better (pun intended).
The other benefit of all of this Jonas Brothers touring? I've found a new type of content I like making - travel vlogs. I love getting to share my adventures with all of you and am so glad I have two more coming your way very soon!
This tour has been a blast and I know for a fact that baby, I'm gonna wanna remember this.
xo,
Kayla
CHECK OUT MY PAST JONAS BROTHERS VLOGS
Comments