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Jonas Brothers, Part 2

Beacon Journal pop music writer Malcolm X Abram was invited to spend Friday afternoon with the Jonas Brothers as they toured Northeast Ohio before their sold-out Blossom concert. Here's how the second part of the day unfolded.

1:37 p.m. — The Jonas Brothers including little brother Frankie, who constantly shuffles himself between his older brothers and bodyguard Big Rob, and the accompanying swarm are learning about rock's 500 most important songs. Every time the boys stop moving, the swarm stops moving, too — except for the folks who are walking in front of the teen phenoms to get pictures or trying to squeeze close enough for an autograph. Any fans who get near enough to catch the eye of one of the boys (they may be young stars, but all three boys are savvy enough to know how to look past people when they want to keep moving) gets a hello, a handshake, an autograph and a thanks. While curator Jim Henke tells the many stories of the rock hall artifacts, it occasionally appears that Joe Jonas is a bit bored.

1:40 p.m. — While checking out the artifacts, regular museum guests turn around and either ask what's going on or join the swarm. In the display of famous onstage outfits, Kevin stares at a silver, winged cat suit worn by Freddie Mercury.

''I think I'm gonna start dressing like that onstage,'' he says.

A few minutes later, Henke shows the band the many rejection letters received by hall of fame inductees.

''That's awesome,'' Kevin says, looking at Arista's rejection letter to some band called U2.

''We have a few rejection letters we could give you,'' he says, chuckling.

After the exhibition tour, it's time for the boys to head upstairs to see more stuff, which means back into the lobby with more of the fans.

While standing at the escalator, Joe Poindexter, Disney's international press point man, stops the boys and suggests a quick sound/video bite for the assembled press. The three stand side by side for television cameras and answer a couple of mundane questions. They are both accommodating and respectful.

But there is a sense that they are giving their professional pop star answers to these professional pop journalist questions. There will be a few more of these stand-up moments throughout the museum tour, and the band easily sails through each one — dropping perfect sound bites that would have made Walt Disney proud.

1:45 p.m. Screams fill the hall as the boys head up to the escalator to get to the rock hall of fame. A growing crowd waits by the main stage to watch the Jonas Brothers present to the museum the outfits worn on the cover of their latest album, A Little Bit Longer.

The group looks at a display on the ingenuity of electric guitar pioneer and fellow New Jersey boy Les Paul.

The three rest in the rock hall's induction theater and watch a movie about each of the inductees.

The brothers and their parents groove to the music of Sam & Dave, the Doors and Cream. For those few moments in the small dark theater, the Jonas clan looks like any other American family on vacation. That is, if the family had a very large black bodyguard nearby at all times. But soon, it's back to business.

2:17 p.m. More screams. The band hasn't even taken the stage yet, but the crowd of around 250 young fans — some who had inside information and others who just happen to be in the building at the right time — continues to loosen up vocal cords for the big moment.

''Omigod, I'm going to faint,'' says Macie Ludwig, 12, of Amherst.

''We were just on vacation,'' adds Jessiminne Knepper, 15, of Erie.

''Best vacation ever,'' says her sister Jacquelynne, 12.

''I see something!'' yells Ludwig while pointing backstage and inducing a collective screech from the crowd.

When Henke takes the stage to begin the presentation, he gets the biggest round of applause of his career.

2:25 p.m. The band takes the stage. Pauses for the requisite photos. Offers a few words and presents the clothes. One little girl stares open-mouthed at the band with tears welling in her eyes. Her companion, one of the few boys present, snaps her out of it with a stern command: ''Say it!''

''I LOVE YOU, JOE!!!!'' she screams as tears stream down her face.

Before they leave the stage, she screams her declaration a few more times in Joe's direction. And then they are gone.

More to come. . .

Beacon Journal pop music writer Malcolm X Abram was invited to spend Friday afternoon with the Jonas Brothers as they toured Northeast Ohio before their sold-out Blossom concert. Here's how the second part of the day unfolded.

1:37 p.m. — The Jonas Brothers including little brother Frankie, who constantly shuffles himself between his older brothers and bodyguard Big Rob, and the accompanying swarm are learning about rock's 500 most important songs. Every time the boys stop moving, the swarm stops moving, too — except for the folks who are walking in front of the teen phenoms to get pictures or trying to squeeze close enough for an autograph. Any fans who get near enough to catch the eye of one of the boys (they may be young stars, but all three boys are savvy enough to know how to look past people when they want to keep moving) gets a hello, a handshake, an autograph and a thanks. While curator Jim Henke tells the many stories of the rock hall artifacts, it occasionally appears that Joe Jonas is a bit bored.

1:40 p.m. — While checking out the artifacts, regular museum guests turn around and either ask what's going on or join the swarm. In the display of famous onstage outfits, Kevin stares at a silver, winged cat suit worn by Freddie Mercury.

''I think I'm gonna start dressing like that onstage,'' he says.

A few minutes later, Henke shows the band the many rejection letters received by hall of fame inductees.

''That's awesome,'' Kevin says, looking at Arista's rejection letter to some band called U2.

''We have a few rejection letters we could give you,'' he says, chuckling.

After the exhibition tour, it's time for the boys to head upstairs to see more stuff, which means back into the lobby with more of the fans.

While standing at the escalator, Joe Poindexter, Disney's international press point man, stops the boys and suggests a quick sound/video bite for the assembled press. The three stand side by side for television cameras and answer a couple of mundane questions. They are both accommodating and respectful.

But there is a sense that they are giving their professional pop star answers to these professional pop journalist questions. There will be a few more of these stand-up moments throughout the museum tour, and the band easily sails through each one — dropping perfect sound bites that would have made Walt Disney proud.

1:45 p.m. Screams fill the hall as the boys head up to the escalator to get to the rock hall of fame. A growing crowd waits by the main stage to watch the Jonas Brothers present to the museum the outfits worn on the cover of their latest album, A Little Bit Longer.

The group looks at a display on the ingenuity of electric guitar pioneer and fellow New Jersey boy Les Paul.

The three rest in the rock hall's induction theater and watch a movie about each of the inductees.

The brothers and their parents groove to the music of Sam & Dave, the Doors and Cream. For those few moments in the small dark theater, the Jonas clan looks like any other American family on vacation. That is, if the family had a very large black bodyguard nearby at all times. But soon, it's back to business.

2:17 p.m. More screams. The band hasn't even taken the stage yet, but the crowd of around 250 young fans — some who had inside information and others who just happen to be in the building at the right time — continues to loosen up vocal cords for the big moment.

''Omigod, I'm going to faint,'' says Macie Ludwig, 12, of Amherst.

''We were just on vacation,'' adds Jessiminne Knepper, 15, of Erie.

''Best vacation ever,'' says her sister Jacquelynne, 12.

''I see something!'' yells Ludwig while pointing backstage and inducing a collective screech from the crowd.

When Henke takes the stage to begin the presentation, he gets the biggest round of applause of his career.

2:25 p.m. The band takes the stage. Pauses for the requisite photos. Offers a few words and presents the clothes. One little girl stares open-mouthed at the band with tears welling in her eyes. Her companion, one of the few boys present, snaps her out of it with a stern command: ''Say it!''

''I LOVE YOU, JOE!!!!'' she screams as tears stream down her face.

Before they leave the stage, she screams her declaration a few more times in Joe's direction. And then they are gone.

More to come. . .



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