Here’s some trivia for you: What band did the Village Voice deem “secretly the finest straight-up rock band in America?”
Hanson.
Okay, okay. I think it’s weird, too. When I think of the pretty brothers who sang “MMMBop,” I don’t think ROCK! But countless of their diehard fans and our sister paper would differ.
I spoke with the very polite and um, HOT, Taylor Hanson on the phone last week. (EEEK! I wish I could say that casually, but I totally just giggled like a school girl. Taylor, I love you!)
So anyway, my good friend Taylor and his brothers are all in their mid-twenties now and have children of their own. They took a trip to South Africa a couple years ago and have since embarked on a mission to raise money to help fight poverty and AIDS there. Kind of like Bono. And he’s rock, right?! Therefore, Hanson might be too. I’m not sure what to expect as I’ve never seen Hanson live, but my prediction is that they’re something like Edwin McCain: a ‘90s phenomenon that continues to make less popular but respectable music that for some reason or another, has a bizzare cult-like following.
The Hanson boys—er, men—are performing an acoustic show at The Moore this evening. EEEEK again!!! EEK! Sorry, but my estrogen levels are still raging from seeing the Backstreet Boys on Saturday. My inner 12-year-old is going NUTS! Taylor, come to me!
Tomorrow I shall let you all know if Hanson live up to their title as a straight-up rock band. Sit tight, kiddies.
Article: Five Live:Music
From The Oregonian:
2. Hanson Where is this well-scrubbed trio of so-gagworthy-adorable boys now? Coming to Portland, and no longer the tykes behind the pop-sugar hit song “MMMBop” of the early ’90s. They’ve left their teenybopper success behind them, trying to prove, in the years since, that they’re worth taking seriously. 8 p.m. Sunday, Aladdin Theater, 3017 S.E. Milwaukie Ave.; $30, Ticketmaster, 503-224-4400
Seattle 9/8/08
1. Been There Before
2. Strong Enough to Break
3. Follow Your Lead
4. Penny & Me
5. Where’s the Love
6. Something Going ‘Round
7. Where Did It Start (Zac Solo)
8. Believe (Taylor Solo)
9. Change In My Life
10. Underneath
11. You Never Know
12. Great Divide
13. Hope It Comes Soon
14. MMMBop
15. Minute Without You
16. Use Me (Bill Withers Cover)
17. This Time Around
18. Crazy Beautiful
19. Hey
—Encore—
20. Get Up & Go
21. Great Divide (A capella)
Tonight is an off night for the guys, as they travel to Vancouver.
How YOU can contribute
Want to help out with the blog, it’s easy! Just send in whatever you have about the tours – videos from the walks, photos from the walks, concerts or at the bus, photos of the marquee at the venues that say HANSON, reviews, funny things that happened at the shows… and of course – TICKET STUBS!
You can submit items to: hansontickets@gmail.com
I try to check the account at least once a day. 🙂
(Also information on past openers tours and what they are up to is appreciated as well!)
Cool promo
Spotted near The Moore… I think it would get some people to do a double take, don’t you? Hopefully it also got some people to buy a ticket!
Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers tour starts tomorrow!
Spring Walk Tour openers – Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers start their tour tomorrow!
For tour dates, check out their official site, or myspace. Also – be sure to search for them on facebook (Name: Stephen Kelloggandthesixers) and RSVP to what shows you are going to!
We will try to get more details to you about other past openers and what they are up to now in the coming weeks! If you happen to know any of them that are currently touring – please give us a heads up in the comments!
Portland 9/7/08
The tour is underway! I hear the guys had a great turn out for the walk (200+ people) and that the show was great! Here is the set list from last night’s acoustic SOLD OUT show in Portland:
1. Been There Before
2. Follow Your Lead
3. Strong Enough To Break
4. Penny & Me
5. Georgia
6. Crazy Beautiful
7. Where Did It Start – Zac Solo
8. A Song To Sing – Taylor Solo
9.Change In My Life – A cappella
10. Yearbook
11. Go
12. Great Divide
13. New Song (Perhaps called – Hope It Comes Now?)
14. MMMBop
15. A Minute Without You
16. Oh Darling
17. Watch Over Me
18. Hey
Encore:
19. Never Been To Spain
20. Lost Without Each Other
Its nice to see the set list shaken up from the last couple of legs of the tour. And it looks like a few songs from the EP got played, even though the EP isn’t currently available.
Tonight the guys head to Seattle, WA to The Moore. The capacity for this venue is 1419.
It's all happening…
The fall tour kicks off TONIGHT in Portland, OR! The show will be at the Aladdin Theatre and the opener will be Everybody Else. The capacity of this venue is 620.
And here is the week at a glance –
Sunday, September 7 – Portland
Monday, September 8 – Seattle
Tuesday, September 9 – off
Wednesday, September 10 – Vancouver
Thursday, September 11 – off
Friday, September 12 – Calgary
Saturday, September 13 – Edmonton
Please leave comments with your memories from the shows you go to!
takethewalk.net
takethewalk.net is now up and running! This will be THE spot to find out about the walks on the tour!
There are various ways to donate to several causes listed on the page – with more to come!
The page also has a myspace to go along with it – so add that to your friends list!
Take The Walk Book/EP – DELAYED
With presales for the Take The Walk book/ep supposed to be starting this weekend, Hanson.net sent out an email stating that the presale was delayed. The good news is – it seems like there might be the opportunity for it to be released more mainstream. The bad news – it doesn’t seem like Hanson knows when it will become available!
We are delaying the beginning of the pre-sale for Take the Walk Book and EP to pursue new opportunities that have arisen which might expand the message and audience of The Walk Around The World.
Zac: “We know that many of you have been getting ready for the release of Take The Walk Book and EP. We are still planning on making the EP and book available before the end of the tour, but feel like it is important to pursue every opportunity and partnership that might help spread the message of The Walk Around The World.”
Hopefully any potential partnerships will work themselves out sooner rather than later – so we can get some new music and check out this new book! AND get the word out about the walks!