They’re All Grown Up Now: HANSON “Shout It Out” Tour Live in Manila

 

Everyone alive and kicking since 1997  will remember three grungy-looking kids with their long locks singing “Mmm bop, ba duba dop, du bop, mmm bop…” It was a feel-good song that both young and old listened to as it was incessantly played by radio stations across the metro. People loved it, though everyone knew not a single utterance in the chorus made sense. (If you were able to make sense of it, please enlighten me, my friend).

 

Taken as a whole, the song is surprisingly philosophical for a band their age to be singing. I mean, literally they’re talking about end of life issues like which relationships will last a lifetime whereas their lead singer had his falsetto well intact, confusing a lot of folks with his freakishly charming face, long locks, and a rather androgynous name in “Taylor” whether he was indeed a “he” or a “she”!

 

When In Manila or Cebu and curious to hear the boys 15 years and five studio albums later, HANSON will play live at the Smart Araneta Coliseum this March 30 and the Waterfront Cebu Hotel and Casino on the 31st.

 

 

The boys have indeed grown up. Since 2003, they founded their own label 3CG Records and has since then embraced their identity as independent artists. They chronicled this painful yet wisdom-giving journey towards creative freedom in the documentary “Strong Enough to Break”, and visited schools and communities to highlight the role of independent artists in the music industry.

 

Their 2007 album “The Walk” championed the cause of pursuing humanitarian efforts, most notably the song “Great Divide” that tackled the hard-pressed issue of HIV/AIDS. They campaigned against poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa through awareness initiatives that they engaged their fans with.

 

Expect the lyrics of their newer songs to be more mature, but at the same time remain true to the Blues tradition that they grew up with. “Shout It Out” is their fifth studio album, the songs written as they toured across the States for “The Walk”. It is a homage to the music they listened to as children, and the feel is reminiscent of their first album in terms of music and content.

 

You cannot find a band like HANSON these days. From a pop rock sensation that garnered three Grammy nominations early on in their career to an indie band that champions humanitarian causes, the boys have taken the compass and charted their own path.

 

When In Manila or Cebu, be sure to catch them this March 30 and 31. As musically talented as these boys are, I’m pretty sure fans will appreciate HANSON beyond the songs from “Middle of Nowhere”. But yeah, I for one would enjoy singing “MMMBop” in the concert if it’s the last time I do it!

 

This concert is brought to us by Dayly Entertainment. Manila tickets are available at all Ticketnet outlets. Prices indicated in the poster above.