They’re MMMback!
The three brothers from Oklahoma made their Rochester debut at Water Street Music Hall on Monday, April 21, to an enthusiastic group of fans. From teenagers with their parents to 20-something’s reliving their middle school fantasies, Hanson fans packed the house after an eleven year wait for the band to hit our western New York city.
The brothers’ day began with a live show and in store appearance at the Record Archive on Rockwood Street. The band later took fans on a barefoot one-mile walk around the Water Street Music Hall to raise awareness of poverty and AIDS in Africa. The brothers lead their fans in “The Walk” at every stop they make as a result of a trip they made to Africa to record the charity single, “Great Divide.” Hanson has teamed up with TOMS shoes founder Blake Mycosis to help encourage people to take simple actions to improve the future of the world, like buying a pair of TOMS shoes.
Whenever fans buy a pair of TOMS shoes, founder Mycoskie will donate a pair to a deserving child. In 2006, Mycoskie held his first ‘shoe drop’ in Argentina where 8,000 pairs of shoes were donated. Following Hanson’s “The Walk” tour, the team will head back to Africa for the next ‘shoe drop.’
Monday’s show had plenty of support for Hanson’s heartening message. Following their one-mile walk, fans waited eagerly in line to get into Water Street where Kate Voegele and Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers kicked off the show. With a support group of their own swarming the crowd, the opening acts shared praise and approval from the enthusiastic fans. Lead singer Kellogg shared a enriching story of his fight to get to Rochester from Connecticut despite delayed and canceled flights, ultimately resulting in a long car ride bringing the band to Water Street just 20 minutes before they hit the stage.
Hanson embraced the longing crowd with blonde hair shimmering under the stage lights. Fans enjoyed several features from Hanson’s newest album, “The Walk,” before they broke into some of their old classics, including an acoustic version of their breakout hit “MMMbop.” Hanson’s newer music is by far less pop-influenced then their earlier albums. Since starting their own record company 3CG Records, Hanson has been considered part of the rock/indie scene. Incorporating more mature voices, more experienced instrumentals and more knowledgeable song writers, “The Walk” reflects the sixteen years the brothers have in the business now since their start as a band back in 1992.
Only two of the three brothers wear their hair long now, but not nearly as long as their “MMMbop” days. The oldest brother, Isaac, has gone military style with a buzzcut while keyboardist Taylor and drummer Zac still prefer the longer surfer look.
The animated crowd kept the band going into the late hours of the night on Monday, yearning for song after song as the band fed them what they wanted. With such a positive response and widespread turnout it’s obvious Hanson still has a place in the music world and in the hearts of their fans. Here’s hoping it’s not another eleven years before they decide to return to the Rochester area.
Comments
Hanson?!
Submitted on April 25th, 2008 by Vassana PraseutsinhWow…I did not think they were in Rochester. I used to love them!