BY THOMAS CONNER
© Tulsa World If Hanson is the future of teeny-bop, I'm going to start hunting for the fountain of youth. But, no, this isn't music that can be easily lumped into that derisive category. Hanson shares nothing in common with bands usually referred to as teeny-bop, bubble gum or sugar pop. No way did New Kids on the Block put on a show with this much conviction, and I'll wager a good chunk of my retirement money that Taylor Hanson could wither every one of the Backstreet Boys to cinders with his voice alone. Hanson is much better than that, and the proof was in the group's eagerly awaited hometown concert Wednesday night at the Mabee Center. These three kids from Tulsa, America, have got soul. They're steeped in it. They drip it all over the stage. I don't know where they got it, but they've got a firm grip on it. They were kind enough to set the Mabee Center on fire with it for nearly two hours Wednesday. It makes sense — they were raised on '50s and '60s rhythm and blues and rock 'n' roll. They tried to justify those roots Wednesday night, too, by opening the show with “Gimme Some Lovin'' and covering other soulful oldies, like “Doctor, Doctor'' and “Summertime Blues.'' That's all well and good, and it pacifies the parents who feel dragged along, but it hardly makes a case to book three teen- agers into any city's biggest arena. Hanson, delightfully enough, shines brightest when they're Hanson, playing their own songs. After a cautious delivery of “Thinking of You,'' they launched into their second big hit, “Where's the Love,'' and the house started jumping. This was the moment they themselves seemed to come alive. This was a song in which they had a personal stake and one they could back with the impressive — but still limited — arsenal of life experiences. They can mimic the great soul pioneers — and Taylor easily does, frequently throwing in a very James Brown-ish “C'mon!'' But they can throw down by themselves, too. When they do, it's incredibly exciting. Even a completely silly, throw-away song like “Soldier'' became a dynamic performance live. It's an absurd little story of a lonely toy soldier, but when Taylor thwaps his keyboard and sings, “He sank to the bottom of the rivah,'' this goofy tale suddenly has almost historical importance. They played that song during a stripped-down, unplugged set, complete with armchair and mood lamps. The full-bore band sets that book-ended this intermission were exciting and tight, but this acoustic set illustrated just how durable these three mop-tops will prove to be. This is how Hanson's talent was sown, just sitting down and playing. That their songs are strengthened by this kind of delivery indicates a long life ahead. The acoustic set ended with Taylor and Zac leaving eldest brother Isaac alone on stage for a solo number at the piano. Isaac started off as the trio's lead singer, and he was shoved aside once the more buxom Taylor's voice came into its own. That was unfortunate, because as the latest record, “Three Car Garage,'' shows, Isaac is a strong singer. He definitely has an overly romantic streak, but his solo was surprisingly moving. If Fiona Apple ever experiences a relationship that doesn't make her feel dirty and cheap, she and Isaac could make beautiful music together. The show was sprinkled with moments that appeared to be special for the Tulsa audience. Other than repeatedly assuring us how glad they were to be playing at home, the Hansons played several songs introduced as “a song we played around here a lot'' or “a song that's only been played in Tulsa.'' The crowd, of course, loved every minute of it. Of course, Zac could have sat on the edge of the stage and clipped his toenails, and the girls still would have swooned. But one day, rest assured, these girls will look back on these exciting concert moments and listen to “Middle of Nowhere'' again. They'll cock their heads and realize how good the music is, how it still holds up, how it still gets them moving and brings to mind happy times. Comments are closed.
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Thomas Conner
These online "clips" reproduce a self-selection of my journalism (music etc) during the last 20+ years. It's a lotta stuff, but it only scratches the surface. I do not currently possess the time or resources to digitize the whole body of work. These posts are simply a bunch of pretty great days at the office. Archives
May 2014
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