Okay Okay I understand that this blog is mostly about television and movies, but I could not help post about my one of my favorite bands, I mean music is a form of entertainment so I guess it works.
Like most girls my age in 1997 I was in the middle of the boy band craze. I loved the Backsteet Boys and only them. Never once did my now favorite bad Hanson come into my sights. It was not until my summer before my junior year of high school that my friend asked me to go to a Hanson concert with her. At first I thought the same thing that most of you are probably thinking now, “Hanson, the ones that sang Mmmbop.” Yep that is what I was thinking. So I went as a sort of joke just to say that I saw them, and the fact that I wanted to go to a concert since at the time I have had never been to one and I never say no to a road trip. I went to the concert and my view on Hanson changed. They were real genuine musicians. They each write and play their own music, unlike most people of the time that would have songs written for them and their concerts were more like dance shows than actual singing performance.
Isaac, 29, Taylor, 27, and Zac, 24, who are now all fathers, just released their fifth studio album Shout it Out. It is just a pretty awesome cd. The cd is a good mix of songs that will get you up and dance and some ballads that showcase their trademark harmony. They have just started a summer tour that will be sure to showcase new songs off the Shout it Out cd as well as fan favorites from their previous albums, Middle of Nowhere, This Time Around, Underneath and The Walk. If you go to a concert you will not regret it. Check out their new single Thinking 'bout Somthin':
Hanson likes to stay connected with their fans. It is one thing to hear from your favorite band when they have a new cd coming out and they do many tv interviews, but from Hanson you hear from them all the time. Recently they have held events on their website called aLive @hnet. These are live streams with the band. In these live streams they answer fan questions from Twitter, play a couple songs, or even take you on a trip to Wal-Mart with them. They have also have had a live stream of entire concert, so people who tuned in got a free concert experience. Most of those steams are found on YouTube. They also because they are on tour they have a aLive stream before every show to answer fan questions or have a conversation with the opening band. It is really just fun because no matter where you are you can feel a part of the concert going experience.
Another thing that Hanson interacts with their fans is to hold a one mile walk before each of the shows. These one mile walks help to fight poverty in Africa. These walks started with a partnership with TOMS shoes. TOMS shoes has the one for one model that with every pair of TOMS shoes that are bought a pair is donated to a child in need in Africa. So Hanson would hold a one mile barefoot walk to see how these children have to deal with everyday. They would sell the TOMS shoes at their concerts. This then moved into helping more people. So now if you go on a walk Hanson will donate a dollar for the cause of your choice that they have listed which good go to buying a child a pair of TOMS, build a fresh water well, medical care for mother who are affected by AIDS, or to build a school. These walks are a good way to interact with fans and at the same time help people in need. To learn more about the walks go to http://www.takethewalk.net/
I prob could go on and on but I will stop now. If you would like to more about Hanson and their summer tour go to Hanson.net, I would also recommend watching their Taking the Walk documentary, documenting the making of their album The Walk.
Basically I think that you all should give Hanson a new look and see what kind of band they are today.
(Picture from Hanson's Facebook page)
