The article previewing the Hanson show in Ottawa, Dec. 2009

Hanson coming to Ottawa Dec. 5
By Rosalyn Stevens

Ten years after they hit the music scene with their infectious pop beats, Tulsa OK based Hanson is getting ready to bring their new music—and new message—to Ottawa.
For only the second time in a decade, Hanson will be bringing their tour to the capital, playing at the Bronson Centre on December 5.
The tour, named after their latest album The Walk, is bringing the music with a bit more punch, explained keyboardist and vocalist Taylor Hanson.
“I think the whole show has a slightly more, I don’t want to say tougher, but it definitely has a bit more punch to it, sort of a more in your face kind of attitude,” he said during a phone interview from San Francisco.
Traveling hand in hand with the band’s more mature sound is the message of hope and empowerment, which Mr. Hanson said comes out loud and clear on the new album. The first track on The Walk was recorded in Africa, at an orphanage the band visited during a short stay in the troubled region. The chilling sound of children chanting “Ngi Ne Themba,” which is translated to mean, “We have hope,” prefaces the song Great Divide, talking about coming together to overcome difficulties and challenges.
“We want you to hear this record and get it, get what we’re talking about,” he said. “And I think if you don’t hear the African chant at the front of the record, and then hear Great Divide and understand that there’s some really strong messages on this album, then you’re definitely not listening.”
Mr. Hanson said the band has always relayed strong messages in their music, though he said he’s aware many people didn’t hear them in earlier albums.
“We’ve always been really metaphoric in our lyrics, and I think a lot of times people are lazy and they don’t really pick up what we’re talking about in a lot of these songs and getting the meanings.”
The band, which consists of brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac, was inspired into action by a recent trip to Africa, where they saw and experienced firsthand the hardships of AIDS and poverty. From that point on, Mr. Hanson said he and his brothers realized they had something they could use to help out those in need around the world.
“I think the world, the global economy has grown, and we’ve become more connected,” he said. “And we just came back and said, ‘you know what, we’ve got something we can use. We can use music.’”
Unique to this tour, Hanson precedes each show with a one-mile walk, designed to inspire fans to get directly involved in the fight they’ve taken to heart. Mr. Hanson explained that by inviting fans to join the walk, the band is showing their fans that they too can help those in need around the world.
“Our whole message after Africa has been to promote the idea that everyone has something they can use,” he explained. “Everybody has something that they can put to work. And I think that the walk is the idea that we’re doing something as simple as walking.”
“The direct action that we’re trying to inspire is for people to buy a pair of TOMS shoes. TOMS is a shoe company where every time you buy a pair of their shoes, they donate a pair to a child in poverty. And we’d like people to walk barefoot.”
To date, Hanson has helped TOMS reach its goal of donating 50,000 pairs of shoes to children in poverty. On tour in San Francisco when he called The Now, Mr. Hanson said the band would be walking its 31st mile before that show last week.
“That first batch (of shoes) has been delivered to Africa, and after our 35th show, we are joining TOMS back in Africa for our first trip back, to help deliver shoes and really connect,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is really connect the idea that, especially average Americans, that we can begin to look at the things we do—the things we buy, the jobs we take—and the simple actions, and really connect to the problems in Africa.”
Over the past ten years, Mr. Hanson said he and his brothers have watched their fan base grow and change with them.
“Ya, we’ve noticed a big change,” he said. “I mean, many of our fans have grown up over the last ten years with us. Our most devoted fans are the ones that were 16, 17 years old, or for that matter, maybe nine or ten, depending on, and they’ve grown up with us.”
Now in their twenties—Isaac is 26, Taylor 24 and Zac 22—the middle brother said it’s been fun to watch their fans grow and change, but remain connected to the band.
“It is really interesting too, because they’re a very diverse group. I mean, when you come to a Hanson show, you’re going to see the guy in the khakis next to the girl with piercings, next to, you know, somebody who’s the hippie, all hanging out next to each other. And I think a big part of that is the fact that people have changed, and they still maintain a connection with this band, even though they’re totally different than they were originally.”
And lately, since the release of their previous album, Underneath, and with the current release, Mr. Hanson said new fans are being turned onto the music.
“It’s also even, kind of a weird thing of young kids that are introduced to the music through an older brother or sister, or some friend that knew the band from when we first came out,” he said. “So it’s kind of cool to see the cycle of the fans that have kind of been passionate from the beginning and now also fans that are just getting turned onto the music.”
Fans planning to see the show in Ottawa will be happy to know that the precursor walk is on the schedule—and they’re even planning to walk barefoot—before the show. And when the band hits the stage, Mr. Hanson said fans should get ready for an interactive show. Fans will be treated to a mix of a decades worth of Hanson, blended with covers of music that’s inspired the band over the years. With a “more in your face attitude” on this tour, Mr. Hanson said he and his brothers hope fans will get involved in the show.
“It’s about coming in and being a part of something. We don’t like people to be sitting down, and sort of golf clapping, you know? This is about getting up and enjoying a rock and roll show,” he said.
“This is about getting involved. We want you to sweat. We want you to get on your feet and clap with us, and sing along.”