Hanson at Revolution Live, November 6

Hanson
With Jarrod Gorbel
Revolution Live
Saturday, November 6, 2010

Better than: Watching a boy band with choreographed dance moves.

Surely you remember those three cute boys from the '90s who used to provide a serious gender fake-out and their earworm "Mmmbop." Yes, they're still around.

The shows themselves have aged much like the fans. On Saturday, the Hanson brothers burst onto stage after a mind-numbing act by Jarrod Gorbel and his admittedly very pretty female sidekick/violin player, which included crowd favorite "Rock and Roll Razorblades." As soon as lead singer Taylor Hanson beckoned the girls with his tight pants and gyrating hips, they screamed. Really, really, loud.

Fans aren't afraid to be boisterous, as described by the eardrum bashing decibel level. Toward the end of the show, one such fan begged for the song "Save Me", prompting Taylor to tell her to "keep your panties on." She was rewarded during the encore.

The surprise of the night had to be "Speechless" which is from their Middle of Nowhere album (the one that got them famous.) They never play more than a select few songs from that album so this song jarred the crowd to a frenzy.

Unfortunately, Taylor's voice sounded uncharacteristically flat. At least three songs featured drummer Zac Hanson, who normally sits at his kit looking bashful or pissed, as the lead singer. While Taylor and Isaac seem to really enjoy their time with the fans, smiling and talking about music, Zac always looks bored with the lifestyle. Instead of embracing his life as a role model he almost hides on stage.

What's interesting about Hanson shows is that they will get personal with the fans. The brothers walk a mile with their fans before each concert to raise awareness for the world's plights. So it didn't really surprise anyone in the crowd when they started hinting at infidelity in the family during their explanation of "Thinking 'Bout Somethin'." Taylor described it as "that song for anyone that's ever been cheated on" while subtly pointing his thumb in Zac's direction. Isaac offered a second explanation, also taking a very pointed glance toward the drum set. When it was Zac's turn to explain the song he took a whole other approach, describing how he feels like he's cheating on Cheese Puffs when eating fruit.

Thankfully this side of the drummer didn't really affect the show. Ultimately their performance itself was spot-on and left all the single ladies wanting just a little bit more.

Critic's Notebook

The Crowd: The fans are no longer screaming 10-year-olds but have aged into crazed middle-aged women.  The crowd at Saturday's Hanson show at Revolution Live was a mix of the crazed women, a few sultry indie girls, and surprisingly quite a few straight men that enjoy the brothers' musical talents.

Personal Bias: I love Hanson but Zac's attitude is getting really old.

Seen: A guy in a wheelchair who was able to jump with the crowd during "If Only" thanks to the helping hands (who I assume to be) of his father. I went over to him afterward and told him how awesome he is. That's dedication to a band.

Overheard (kind of): A girl in the crowd tweeted after the show "Joe Jonas has competition, his name is Zac Hanson."

Hanson Set List
Shout It Out (mixed with Rock and Roll Razorblades and Do You Love Me)
Make It Out Alive
Minute Without You
And I Waited
Speechless
Thinking 'Bout Somethin'
Strong Enough to Break
Go
Carry You There
You Don't Know Me
Voice in the Chorus
This Time Around
Hand in Hand
Where's the Love
Running Man
Cover of The Beatles' Oh! Darling
Hey
Mmmbop
Give a Little
If Only

Encore:
Save Me
Lost Without Each Other