Sure I’m sat here in the UK where it is 22:16 and I am listening to The Holy Bible, but on the other side of the ocean, my other favourite band Jonas Brothers are getting ready to play a five night stint on Broadway. Amazing. Sure, you might not realise their importance to me or my American friends, you might have only discovered them through ‘Sucker’ and that is fine, that is cool, I am not trying to play the ‘I’m the best’ fan game, honestly, but at the same time, I discovered this band at a time when I was at the bottom and they gave me a lift.
Losing my father was one of the worst things I ever experienced. I had already hit the bottom when my mom died, but I kept myself together to work alongside my dad, but those days were dark as hell, sure I cherish every Wednesday when I would wake up to NME and Melody Maker but I also remember cutting myself before being able to work. Then I moved away to work on various magazines and then he got sick and…then I had lost both parents at a very young age. Two of my three favourite people (my sister has had to put up with a lot of downer Kendall before these days and I love her for it) were gone and I was in a vacuum.
Sooo, the only thing I wanted to do was go to Walt Disney World, the place that me and my sister and my parents had enjoyed and been the most happy in. It remains my favourite place in the world. Magic. I listened constantly to Radio Disney and I heard a song I loved and jumped out of the shower (sorry for that image) to write it down. It was S.O.S. by Jonas Brothers. Theeeeeen, the next day, the same thing, When You Look Me In The Eyes. Magical. If you know me at all, you know I am obsessive about stuff, so that day I went down into Downtown Disney and picked up any Jonas things I could, essentially the second album and a shirt and from that day, I was locked in.
The first time I got to see them live was in Bournemouth, strangely supporting Avril Lavigne. An incredible show, I got to watch from the front row as Emo Grrrls were not interested in the support, which is also cool as I have seen Manic Street Preachers 56 times and I have had to see some terrible bands. They had a grand piano on the stage! Joe was right in front of me! And again, that is 15 years ago and they are still my favourite band in the world. Second time was Wembley Arena after the reformation, which I never thought would happen, incredible show, Livvia in support who you should check out. A little stage near the back of the venue where Joe played ‘Hesitate’ and that was one of the best things in my entire life.
Now it is 2023, already this week Nick Jonas has presented a speech to get people talking more about Type One Diabetes (yes, I am type one) and helping it get more into normal speech, amazing. Now I know my friends are already queuing for the five Broadway shows this week, each night is a single album in its entirety and ‘greatest hits’ which blows my tiny mind. Tonight is the second album, the one that started it for me, imagine hearing Hello, Beautiful and Hollywood and That’s Just The Way We Roll, it will be mindblowing. Thanks to modern technology, I can follow my cherished friends waiting outside, buying merchandise, seeing the show, in the old days I used to go to Camden Market to buy old Manics and Suede live shows, but I know that tomorrow I will be able to wake up and watch the first of five nights of magic.
Also tomorrow…for those of us who have already pre-ordered the new album The Album we will get a chance to get tickets for Jonas Brothers at the Royal Albert Hall. WHA? Firstly a band that everyone tells me are just a pop group are playing the most prestigious venue in Europe, this makes my heart leap. Secondly, this is a venue that owns my heart. I have seen Manic Street Preachers there which was absolutely amazing but more amazing are the times I went there with my beloved father. Homer (sure his real name was Tony Kendall Lacey, that’s where I got it from) was never a music dude, sure I remember him buying Love Over Gold with me for the car on cassette in WH Smith and also I bought him ZZ Top tapes for Christmas as he also loved them, but he listened patiently to me talking about Menswe@r, Motley Crue, and he got me KISS cassingles from America. But then The Who started playing Cancer gigs which hit both our hearts and we would go see The Who at the Royal Albert Hall. Magic. The first ones, would be a normal gig but the later ones, we had to get a special taxi for his wheelchair. He loved it “Hey, look at our special seats!” AMAZING MEMORIES.
So, when I am there in a favourite venue seeing one of my favourite bands ever (The Beach Boys, Manic Street Preachers, The Beatles, Jonas Brothers, KISS for those asking) I will look at the ceiling, be so happy that I have somehow managed to live through what I have lived through and also be able to tell my US Jonatics about my adventures.
Sure, tell me that they are just a pop band, but my god, they call us freaks, but that’s just the way we roll. ❤
Kendall Lacey's Webworld 