
In Europe, Hanson Is in Middle of Somewhere
The trio of brothers from Tulsa, Okla., scaled the pop heights in 1997 like few other acts in that decade, with global multiplatinum honors for the single “MMMBop” and album “Middle of Nowhere” (Mercury). Now, a combination of hard work, business savvy and an experienced new independent partner is creating an audience for Hanson beyond the top 40 format.
On the evidence of an acoustic London show Nov. 5 at Shepherd’s Bush Empire club, that audience comprises new admirers and original fans from the act’s teen-driven commercial heyday.
Hanson’s first album in four years, “Underneath,” was released last spring in the United States on the group’s 3CG label, distributed by Alternative Distribution Alliance. It debuted on The Billboard 200 at No. 25, its peak position.