Hanson will kick off a 25th anniversary world tour by performing as the music headliner at the fourth annual Hop Jam Festival. Hop Jam 2017 will take place Sunday, May 21 in downtown Tulsa’s Brady Arts District.
Hanson is a co-founder of Hop Jam, Oklahoma’s largest craft beer and music festival.
“We’re thrilled to announce the incredible lineup of brewers and artists taking part in this year’s Hop Jam, and excited to return to the stage to kick off our 25th year together,” said Taylor Hanson, who, along with brothers Isaac and Zac, make up the band Hanson. “We got our start 25 years ago right here in The Brady District.”
The music festival will again feature an all-ages free concert on two stages.
Joining Main Stage headliner Hanson will be Mayer Hawthorne, Kongos, Castro and Oklahoma natives John Fullbright and Johnny Polygon, plus an opening band that will be chosen by way of a contest.
The Craft Beer Festival will include more than 100 craft beers. It will bring together brewers from Oklahoma and all over the country, including local and regional favorites like Marshall, COOP, Boulevard and Hanson Brothers Beer, as well as coveted rare beers and iconic brands like Stone, Unibroue, Almanac, Flying Dog, Rahr & Sons, Destihl, Evil Twin, Sixpoint and Founders.
Hanson is again partnering with the McNellie’s Group to host the beer festival. The organizations have a shared interest in cultivating the craft beer community and fostering world-class events in the state.
Hop Jam tickets are on sale now. Multiple ticket levels are available online, including unlimited beer tasting, early entry, a VIP lounge and entry into the Hop Talks, where leading brewers share insights into their brewing process.
Ticket packages also include a limited edition hat, lanyard and tasting cup. Also on offer is a special music VIP ticket, designed for the discerning music fan, with a special reserved viewing area and its own VIP lounge.
Ticket and event information is available at www.TheHopJam.com.
Hanson announced March 9 on social media that a world tour announcement was coming March 13. The homegrown band, which prides itself on a unique blend of soulful pop/rock with harmony-driven melodies, was formed in May of 1992.
The lads in Hanson spent five years building a fan base as an independent band. Then came a meteoric rise with the 1997 international smash single “MMMBop” from a debut album (“Middle of Nowhere”) that earned three Grammy nominations.
More hits and more albums followed. Hanson has sold over 16 million albums, according to the band’s official site, hanson.net.
Though Hanson’s first love is music, the band also has an interest in craft beer. Hanson Brothers Beer’s flagship beer is named Mmmhops.
According to a release, this year’s Hop Jam Festival is proud to acknowledge some of the key partners helping lend their support to make the event possible, including iHeart Media, KMOD, The Beat, Tulsa World Media, Jaguar Land Rover, LDF, Tulsa Film + Music Office, the BOK Center and many more.
Hanson did not play the headlining gig at last year’s Hop Jam, but band members took the stage for the encore, along with other bands who played throughout the day. After the 2016 Hop Jam, a Tulsa World reviewer wrote that Hop Jam “easily solidified its place as a must for Oklahoma festivals.”