I must confess the first thought that went through my head when I arrived at the Beaumont was “Damn. I’m old.” 
Hanson‘s “Use Your Sole” tour, which featured Steel Train, Sherwood and Hellogoodbye, attracted a crowd of girls, aged 12 to 16, and women aged in the early 20s to mid-30s. There were a few dudes at the show, too.
The ladies in the crowd were in high spirits through the entire show. The girls’ hair flailed, and heels clomped as they shouted and cheered in sheer joy. The fans’ screams reached an all time high when Hanson took the stage.
Now, I’m not a fan of Hanson’s music, but I must admit the band earned the loud adulation it received from the crowd.
I was a bit shocked when Hanson walked on stage.
I mean, they were all grown-up.
I suppose I shouldn’t have been too surprised by the band’s mature look, but the last time I saw a photo of Hanson, the guys’ were much younger and grungier.
On Friday evening, Isaac Hanson (guitar, bass, piano, vocals) wore a white shirt with a slim, black vest and tie, and Taylor Hanson (piano, guitar, drums, vocals), wore a fitted, black shirt. Although I wasn’t able to see what Zac Hanson (drums, piano, guitar, vocals) was wearing, I can report he had a mass amount of energy. He got up from his drum kit a few times during the performance and ran around the stage to get the audience moving.
Hanson started off its set with “Worlds Of Fire,” then “Blue Sky.” Both songs were upbeat, and elicited thoughts of bright, crisp aired mornings and happy times.
During the third song, “Where’s The Love,” many of the girls in the crowd began to dance (and push through the crowd, bumping into whoever blocked the path they choose. Grr). Whenever the band sang the lyrics “round and around,” many females made swirly hand motions and jumped up and down.
The band then began playing the sweet “Strong Enough To Break,” which incorporated light, airy guitar sounds.
After playing “A Minute Without You,” the band launched into “Great Divide,” which had a Maroon 5 groove.
Hanson’s music has changed a bit over the years. While they’re still very pop on some tunes, many of the band’s new songs have a bluesy feel. The musicians seem to be writing more passionate lyrics, too.
During the last half of Hanson’s set, the band played “Been There Before” and “Hey.”
“Hey,” which came from the band’s 2004 album Underneath, had a light country rock feel, while “Been There Before,” which came from the 2007 album The Walk, had John Mayer guitar influences, and was filled with rich keyboard chords.
Hanson ended the show with its big pop hit, “MmmBop,” and the feel good, “If Only.”
So, what did I learn after attending a Hanson show?
1) The guys in Hanson are talented musicians, and are still able to write fun, rompy music.
2) The band has a loyal fan base who enjoyed the new and old material.
3) The band is doing a heck of a lot of good for the world.
Set list:
Worlds On Fire
Blue Sky
Where’s The Love
A Minute Without You
Great Divide
Carry You There
Strong Enough To Break
Cecilia
These Walls
Watch Over Me
Waiting For This
Crazy Beautiful
Hey
Been There Before
Hard To Handle ?
MMMBop
Lost Without Each Other
Something Going
If Only (update: listed, but not played)
Hanson: website | myspace
Take the Walk: website
Photo by: Joshua Hammond
The four members of YAWN come from the underbelly of Chicago, with roots in neighborhoods like Little Lebanon, Baghdad Row, and Polski Park. Having grown up together both figuratively and literally, their hearts remain embedded in trash but their dreams of success run deeper than the cold waters of Lake Michigan.
