Tulsa World: The Jonas Brothers make them scream in the BOK Center

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The Jonas Brothers make them scream in the BOK Center

The Jonas Brothers perform in concert at the BOK Center Monday. SHERRY BROWN/Tulsa World

By ERIC BAILEY World Staff Writer
Published: 6/22/2009 11:05 PM
Last Modified: 6/26/2009 3:00 PM

Jonas-mania stormed into Tulsa on Monday night.

Girls age 3 to 63 screamed their hearts out for the Jonas Brothers, who brought their Beatles-esque World Tour to a nearly sold-out BOK Center.

From the opening song, “Paranoid,” to the finale, “Burnin’ Up,” the party never ended. Energy was pumped into the place by New Jersey brothers Nick, Joe and Kevin.

Fans blitzed the 18,000-seat arena, with males heavily outnumbered by females. Screams and sing-a-longs ruled the 90-minute set, including a cover song of “Sweet Caroline” for the parents in the house.

One Owasso dad — who may deserve a Father of the Year award for his appearance — entered wearing an AC/DC shirt.

“I’m a reluctant fan” of the Jonas Brothers, James Carl admitted when entering the concert with his 10-year-old daughter, Faith, and six other females.

Wayne Broadway of Langley said he isn’t a fan and sat outside the arena’s front doors for five hours while his daughter Breeanna was inside rocking with her mother.

“(Breeanna) is a big Jonas Brothers fan, and this was a reward for a 4.0 GPA,” Broadway said, setting down a well-read book.

For one mother-daughter duo, Tulsa was just the second stop in their pursuit of 45 cities featuring Jonas Brothers’ shows this summer.

Andrea and Hannah Hylen are from Baltimore, but their address this summer is a 2008 Toyota Highlander that will have 25,000 more miles on it after zig-zagging across the country watching the JoBros.

OK,

Mom. The million-dollar question: Why?

First, it’s been therapeutic, Andrea Hylen said. The Hylens went to 15 shows in 2008, which helped the pair cope with the loss two years ago of their husband and father, Hurley Hylen.

“(Going to the concerts) helped her connect with life again,” Andrea Hylen said of her 16-year-old daughter. “One of the powers of the Jonas Brothers is they are so heart-centered and have good intentions. They come from a good place, and it comes from their music.

“It’s also been my job as a mother to support my daughter’s passions. She has a passion for this and will edit film and write about them on our blog (tulsaworld.com/jonaswatch). She sees it as a job — not just going to concerts.”

The Hylens enjoyed the first show of this year’s tour in Dallas on Saturday but planned to leave Tulsa quickly.

Hannah Hylen needs a passport for a show next week in Vancouver, British Columbia, so the pair planned to drive overnight for a 10 a.m. Tuesday appointment at a Denver passport office. They’ll also take in a show in Denver on Wednesday.

How do they afford their own summer tour?

“We’re in the process of selling our house, so we’re living without expenses,” said Andrea Hylen, who home-schools her daughter. “We’re not staying in hotels all the time. We have family and friends and friends’ friends. … We’ll have some debt at the end of the summer, but I’m willing to do that to support a passion of hers which could lead to something.”

Hannah Hylen’s love for the brothers began in 2005. She doesn’t have a favorite one (maybe younger brother Frankie, who isn’t in the group, or bodyguard “Big Rob.” She’s met the brothers five or six times. Her favorite song is “Black Keys” and she’s sat anywhere from the front row to the back of an amphitheater. On Monday night, she was in section 109.

She’ll defend her favorite group at the drop of a hat.

“I think they definitely do go into labels and are called a boy band, but that’s not how I see them,” Hannah Hylen said. “They’re wonderful people with great values and good heads on their shoulders. People that don’t understand that — that’s their problem.”

Hannah Hylen said that with a smile, without any edge in her tone.

Guess that’s just the way she rolls.

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By ERIC BAILEY World Staff Writer

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Reader comments for this story have been moved to the most updated version of the story, now under the headline "Slide Show: Trio turns town into a party," which was published on 6/23/2009. So far, 9 comments have been made.