JSOnline 

Rick Wood

Isaac Hanson of Hanson performs at the Potawatomi Bingo Casino Stage and Pavilion on Sunday.

Someone at Summerfest seriously underestimated the size of the Hanson fan base. The brotherly band largely, and incorrectly, classified as the one-hit wonder behind 1997 earworm “MMMBop,” was designated to one of the Big Gig’s smaller stages, the Potawatomi Bingo Casino Stage & Pavilion, for its Sunday headlining set.

Even with people standing on top of each other on benches and picnic tables, fans still spilled out into the main drag.

It was fitting that Hanson, celebrating its 20th anniversary, kicked things off with “Shout It Out”: This was one loud, excited crowd, showing its appreciation with ear-splitting screams, clap-alongs, fist pumps and singing (“There are beautiful voices here,” lead singer and pianist Taylor Hanson told the crowd). The band seemed just as excited to be there: Taylor and drummer Zac were all smiles, while guitarist Isaac sported some dark shades during the Motown-indebted “Thinking ’bout Somethin.’ ”

– Piet Levy, Special to the Journal Sentinel

Nine to Five 

WHERE have the brothers with long blond hair been since their hit song MMMBop?

They left Def Jam Records to start their own label 3CG Records, got married, had children, toured the States and worked on their latest album Shout it Out.

But after seven long years, the boys from Hanson are back to put on a show for their Australian fans.

“Truth is we have been working on our Australian tour for two years,” eldest brother Isaac said. “We had been saying how we needed to get back but it wasn’t happening the way we wanted it to … there was a lot going on with our American tour.

“We would do from 50 to 100 shows a year and realised among everything we had to cut it short.”

Before the boys shot to fame in 1997 and had millions of teenage girls lusting after them, they were just three teenage boys making music in their garage.

“We handled it well – as well as you can handle something that insane, but thought if it wasn’t me it will be someone else so I better be grateful,” Isaac said.

The brothers, Isaac, 31, Taylor, 29 and Zac 26, were known as the boys with flowing blonde locks and while it doesn’t bother them all too much, Isaac said it’s the music they hope matters most.

“I’m poking fun at my self when talking about long blond hair. I understand the realities to make a strong impression early on in your career and that’s something we are extremely proud of, but that’s just an image – what matters is music,” Isaac said.

This time around expect to see and experience a slightly different Hanson.

“Shout it Out is more of an R’n’B record – it’s very up tempo,” Isaac said. “What’s interesting is we have grown up and definitely evolved as a band but I think much of who we are and have been has stayed the same.”

DETAILS

Hansons Shout it Out Australian Tour at The Enmore Theatre, on September 16.

Tickets visit enmoretheatre.com.au or ticketek.com.au

JSOnline

HANSON, 9:30 p.m. July 8: Almost everyone who remembers Hanson remembers three fresh-faced kids and the 1997 hit “MMMBop.” But as the Hanson brothers have gotten older, they’ve relied more on sheer pop craft and have thus remained musically if not commercially reliable.