HANSON | LIVE REVIEW
Cardiff University Students Union, Fri 6 Dec.
Having performed together for more than twenty years, with nine studio albums, over 16 million record sales and legions of fans all over the world, it is somewhat surprising to discover that this is the first time that Grammy-nominated, 90’s boy band sensations Hanson have ever played in Cardiff.
Ever since the height of their fame 16 years ago, Hanson appear to have developed a rather curious reputation as ‘the band that did that really famous song ages ago… No, not that one. Yeah, that one,’ and who have continued to tour and perform off the success of it ever since. Yet this popular opinion doesn’t do justice to the sheer musical ability of Taylor, Isaac and Zac, the ludicrously talented brothers who have been performing together since the year of my birth, 1992.
Anticipation in the audience was high as local talent Sion Russell Jones opened proceedings, offering a decent selection of songs with his own twist on the on-man-and-his guitar routine.
And the boys do not disappoint; from the first beats of set opener Fired Up, it is as if the 400-strong crowd have been transported back to the late 1990s, when these three Southern heartthrobs were on top of the world and their brand of pop sold out arenas. Driven by their infectious energy and awesome musicality, each song drove the delirious crowd even wilder with excitement, and the boys demonstrated an astonishing versatility by ripping through an assortment of covers, a cappella pieces and solo songs with a skill and energy that didn’t abate for one moment. Classics such as ‘Penny and Me’ kept the nostalgia-seekers satisfied, whilst a raft of tracks from new album ‘Anthem’ were warmly received by the diehard Hanson fans that populated most of the audience. By the time that inevitable moment arrived and the trio kicked out a note perfect rendition of MmmBop, the crowd had been whipped to a state of genuine euphoria; whilst some may argue that Hanson’s best days have long since passed, on the evidence of tonight, the boys still have so much more to their game. The ease with which they performed indicated a band that, twenty years on was still playing for the sheer joy of it. As they closed with a two-song, Christmas special encore, the audience, from middle aged men enjoying their guilty pleasure to teenage girls sporting ‘I heart Hanson t-shirts,’ left with a huge, collective grin smeared across their faces. This was truly a masterclass in anthemic, catchy pop music from the boys who still do it best.
words JAMES AYLES