All grown up and in synch
By Liane Kaneko
with inner childEVERY generation seems to have its teen sensation.When I was in high school, crowds were sent into huge frenzies over solo artists like Tiffany or groups like The New Kids on the Block. My friends went ga-ga over them, bought sheets and pillow cases printed with their images.
Where was I when all this was going on? I don't know. I guess I just wasn't into that sort of thing.
But all that has changed. When it comes to being a groupie I seem to be a late bloomer. The male singing group 'N Sync was the hottest thing to hit Hawaii the weekend of Nov. 13. This teen sensation is made up of five talented, as well as handsome, guys. They are Lance Bass, Joey Fastone Jr., JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick and Justin Timberlake.
I listen to their CD at least once a day. I'm listening to their Christmas album as I write this.
My little sister Kyle got me hooked on the band. She had fallen in love with the group and made my other sister Tara and I watch their concert video again and again.
Amazingly enough, my younger sister had a strong influence on Tara and I.
I already liked 'N Sync's music, but Kyle's enthusiasm and her knowledge about the band was contagious. We became groupies. Soon enough we were fighting over who had the 'N Sync CD and who had taken it where. Then the coveted CD broke and I had to buy another.
DOES it seem embarrassing to buy one, never mind two copies of a CD by such a trendy group? Some think so. One of my friends gave another friend the money to go into Sam Goody and buy the CD so she wouldn't have to be seen acting like a kid.
I can understand why. Here we are, my friends and I, college students acting like we are in intermediate school all over again.
Going to the 'N Sync concert was a big deal for my sister Kyle. I kept telling myself I was just going to keep her company. But that was the night I realized I had become a groupie.
We went to not one, but two 'N Sync concerts that night, the OIA pregame show and a later show at the high school carnival.
As time flew by before the first show, I watched Kyle getting giddy and found myself joining in with her. Warm-up acts included Tenderoni and Reality.
After a while, the crowd was getting all antsy waiting for 'N Sync to take the stage. As the group's limo drove onto the field, the crowd went wild, yours truly included. The concert was exactly what I expected.
Even the pouring rain couldn't drown the enthusiasm of the crowd. And 'N Sync did not disappoint its fans. They gave both performances 100 percent.
Fans started to gather at 7:30 p.m. for the second concert of the night. They huddled around the stage, trying to reserve a good "seat" for the show. And we huddled with them.
It was after 10 p.m. when 'N Sync took the stage and the crowd had gotten pretty chaotic. It was like a mosh pit.
'N Sync's fans were rowdy, with lots of pushing and shoving. Kyle got tired of being bashed around and moved farther back in the crowd. But I was possessed. I got tired of being polite and shoved, pushed and danced my way to the front. I was face to face with 'N Sync!
People will probably make fun of me for being so silly, or "lame" at this age. And even I find it hard to believe I would act like this. But I missed out on this kind of excitement when I was my sister's age.
Yes, it could be considered silly, but I think I'm just having fun.
I don't think it's too late to be a groupie.
Liane Kaneko is a freshman at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Rant & Rave is a Tuesday Star-Bulletin feature
allowing those 12 to 22 to serve up fresh perspectives.
Speak up by fax at 523-8509; by answering machine at 525-8666;
snail mail at P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802;
or e-mail, features@starbulletin.com
