The Oklahoma Daily
22 September 2008
[Original Article]

Instead of butterflies, there were Hanson stamps tattooed on girls’ lower backs Friday night.

Maybe it was the Oklahoma State Fair, or maybe Hanson fans are just crazy, but that circular signal which incorporates every letter in the band name was everywhere for the group’s Friday set in Oklahoma City

More than 10 years after “MMMbop,” Hanson is still around.

Maybe more surprising, they can still put on a good show.

“A show is always a show, but it is fun to come back,” vocalist and pianist Taylor Hanson said. “We are proud of where we are from.”

Hanson is a much-evolved band since the “Middle of Nowhere” album hit record stores in 1997.

The guys aren’t preteens anymore — they are all grown up. Their music shows it, too.

Hanson sounded like a band that has been playing together for over a decade. While they are still a full-blown pop band, they continue to produce music that is frustratingly catchy.

Hanson walked onto the stage Friday night at the pinnacle of screams and tears from adoring fans.

They opened the show with “The Great Divide,” the most recognizable song from their latest album, “The Walk.”

As the band rolled through the setlist, fans never quieted down.

Hanson proved the band hasn’t forgotten its past, incorporating “Where’s the Love,” “Penny & Me,” and “MMMbop” into the set.

“I really enjoyed that Hanson played songs from each of their albums from the past 10 years, not just their latest one,” said Christina Canamar, letters sophomore.

During the middle of the show, the band quieted the crowd for three acoustic songs, including singing a hymn a capella.

Between Isaac Hanson’s guitar solos and Taylor Hanson flirtatiously waving his hands through his hair, the band had little trouble rejuvenating the crowd.

“I enjoy how interactive they are with the crowd, which makes their shows more intimate than most other band’s shows,” said Joseph Wright, a technician for the band.

After closing its hour-and-a-half-long set with the energizing “Hey,” Hanson encored, showing their Oklahoma pride by covering Three Dog Night’s “Never Been to Spain.”

After jumping from his drum set, Zac joined his brothers for a final bow and the lights were turned off.

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