HANSON

CONTINENTAL ARENA, 8/24/98

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ

If you haven't seen Hanson play a recent live show, buy your ticket right now and go. Its remarkable to see how they've developed since they became stars. For one, Taylor's voice sang an octave lower than normal, which made "MMMBop" sound significantly different. Although they've all grown up, they're still little kids at heart. Throughout the show, the band members would set down their instruments, pick up water guns, and soak the first few rows of the crowd. Isaac would ocassionally launch a beach ball into the audience, which made the audience go wild.

My ears are still buzzing from this show, but not because the music was loud, but because there were several thousand screaming pre-pubescent girls. The audience is a distinctive one. Glow sticks everywhere, homemade posters were abundant.

Hanson played all of their usual material, including "Weird," "Where's the Love?," "MMMBop," "River," and a wild rocking version of Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love." About halfway through their set, they stepped offstage and the crew set up a more intimate set, with reclining chairs onstage, and the entire band sitting within 3 feet of each other, as if trying to recreate the feeling they had while they were still striving for stardom in their "3 Car Garage."

-Chris Kelly