Concert Review: Hanson Comes Home for the Holidays

(c) PipPepPop

   On November 29^th, Hanson’s ‘Finally It’s Christmas’ tour stopped at the PlayStation Theater in New York. This show was the second of two nights at the theater, which was lit with festive white Christmas lights. Audience members showed up their holiday best, in a sea of red and green with the jingle of bells. The brothers played original and standard songs, opening with their new song, ‘Finally, It’s Christmas.’ The song was a retro-inspired throwback; Isaac and Zac supplemented their guitar and drums with a vocal bass line while Taylor played piano and sang lead vocals. The song is off their new Christmas album of the same name, released in October. Hanson released their music video for the new song earlier on the same day as the concert. The band, now celebrating their 25-year anniversary, expressed gratitude to the fans and promised the show would include songs from their now 20-year old Christmas album, ‘Snowed In.’


     The pop group added their own take to a number of classics and pop Christmas standards as they welcomed the intimate crowd to their family Christmas party. The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based trio was backed by 3 additional musicians, filling out the rock and roll portion of the show with a saxophone, bass guitar and synthesizer. Each member of the band took turns singing leads and verses of the songs. Hanson’s versions of Stevie Wonder’s ‘What Christmas Means to Me’ and Chuck Berry’s ‘Run Rudolph Run’ paid homage to their original singers, full of rocking guitar riffs, do whop harmonies, and dance-worthy drum solos. The band’s own rockabilly song, ‘Til New Year’s Night’ kept the party going when Taylor took a piano solo that reminded many in the audience of Jerry Lee Lewis.  Eldest brother Isaac introduced The Beach Boys’ ‘Little Saint Nick,’ offering his thanks and gratitude to the Wilson brothers for inspiring their family band. Hanson’s version of the surf rock song was brassy and rhythm-filled, reminiscent of a James Bond movie theme.  

With Mark Hudson. (C) PipPepPop

     The center of the show encompassed holiday ballads and tender vocal arrangements.  Another original song ‘At Christmas’ has not been played live since the band’s ‘Snowed In’ television special 20 years ago. The brothers crowded around a microphone for a Capella arrangements of ‘White Christmas’ and ‘Joy on the Mountain,’ a combination of ‘Joy to the World’ and ‘Go Tell it on the Mountain’.  Each brother seamlessly switched off conducting duties and clapping a rhythm for the songs, each guiding the beginnings and endings of phrases in his own style. The multi-instrument playing siblings traded their main ones for several songs, with Taylor switching to drums and Zac to the piano. The group almost began playing another song instead of The Eagles’ ‘Please Come Home for Christmas.’  Isaac offered an apology for almost ruining the mood before re-tuning his guitar. He confessed they almost began Darlene Love’s booming ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)’ during their melancholic section due to the similar song titles.
 

A Capella (c) PipPepPop

     As promised, their cover of Love’s song came later in the show as they took the mood to a euphoric level. The band went into a break as Taylor led the crowd in repeating “Christmas.” His brothers harmonized “…Baby please come home,” as Taylor challenged to bring the song out into the streets. Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’, included on the new album, got the Hanson treatment and a loud echo of the chorus from the crowd.  A surprise moment of the show came when the band’s longtime collaborator Mark Hudson joined them onstage (with jingle bells) for a blues-inspired version of The Beatles’ ‘Wonderful Christmastime.’ By the end of the set, the rocking organ solo on ‘Here Comes the Claus’ almost brought down the house.  The band’s encore echoed the feeling of the party wrapping up for the night. They played two songs, Elvis Priestley’s ‘Blue Christmas’ and one of the most covered Christmas songs, ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.’



Hanson’s ‘Finally It’s Christmas’ is out via S-Curve Records.
See more concert videos on my Youtube Channel, TheLiveMusicGirl.