In The Middle Of Something
BENJAMIN SIEGEL - UB Arts & Life Editor

Zac, Isaac and Taylor Hanson, known for their 1997 mega-hit "MmmBop" performed for a frenzied crowd of adoring fans Saturday night at the Sphere Entertainment Complex.

Screaming. Crying. Running. Jumping.

This is not a haiku. These are the actions of a Hanson fan.

Take it from Lindsay Bloom, a sophomore media study major -- she not only traveled to Toronto to see the three brothers' acoustic concert Friday night, she camped outside the Sphere Entertainment Complex in downtown Buffalo for their Saturday night show as well.

"It was amazing," said Bloom simply, waiting outside Sphere after the concert in hopes of sneaking a glance at the band.

The brothers Hanson -- Isaac, 22; Taylor, 20; Zac, 17 -- quickly rose to fame in 1997 with their chart-topping ode to gobbledygook, "MmmBop," and were in town Saturday night to promote their yet-to-be-released third studio album "Underneath."

The top-10 singles off of their 1997 debut album, "Middle of Nowhere," were popular in part to the boys' pre-teen adorableness, but those who attend their shows these days appear to have a greater appreciation for their music, as well as their matured sound and image.

The new attitude didn't stop some from acting in uncontrollable frenzy, though. One girl, about 6 years old, burst into violent tears as the band took the stage. Meanwhile, teenage girls on the top level of the tiered club ran from one side to the other, craning their necks over the heads of patrons blocking their view.

Kicking off the third leg of their acoustic tour with the Toronto and Buffalo shows, their remaining dates include Cincinnati, London and New York City's prestigious Carnegie Hall. That's quite an impressive trek for the three former tikes, who recorded and released their first EP in 1994, when none of them were older than 12.

But now older, and presumably wiser, the boys from Tulsa, Okla., put forth a sophisticated attitude on this acoustic outing. A bare stage with no fewer than eight guitars, a spare drum kit and a used-looking piano was unassuming and to the point -- Hanson clearly likes its music done right.

A typical "unplugged" blend of acoustic guitar, piano and conga drum accompanied most songs, such as the opening "Strong Enough To Break." Zac, multi-faceted with his limited percussion section, also threw in the flavors of the egg shaker and tambourine. Meanwhile, Taylor and Isaac mixed it up between various acoustic guitars and piano, often changing instruments and setups with each song.

Earlier "classics" were brought out of the trunk of tricks, including toned-down versions of "You Never Know" and "Where's The Love," which served as the first of two encores. Of the new songs, however, only a few stood out. A down-on-the-farm rendition of "In This Place" was as country as a Hidden Valley Ranch commercial.

Isaac's solo performance of "Call Me" was actually quite moving. It was nothing that Hootie and the Blowfish couldn't have written, but moving nonetheless. Truth be told, each of the members' solo songs were the best of the concert. Taylor's "Treat Me Like A Fool" was downright emotive, exposing the intimate nature of a man sulking on a piano bench. Quiet in tone while loud in anger, his vocal performance was noteworthy in an evening of sugary pop harmonies and screeching high notes.

Another such moment was the band's cover of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine," which they performed in honor of their upcoming Carnegie Hall gig. (Withers once released a live recording of the song at that venue.) The set-closing "Rip It Up," with an orchestrated clapping audience, was extremely catchy. It was enough to drive the already-crazy crowd into further levels of Beatlesesque pandemonium.

For the hardcore fans, each song was a classic, so much so that when the boys announced "Penny and Me" as new, and therefore unreleased, cigarette lighters flew into the air, paying homage to the song before it even began. For those uneducated of the Hanson repertoire, there's a basic musical mantra that drives the band's attitude: celebrate the fun times, forget about the bad times, and gosh-darn it, "MmmBop."

Whatever the indecipherable lyrics of that song mean -- it's the only song that can be sung accurately with a mouthful of food -- they got people moving their booties in ways only Elvis could.

Just like Bloom, the senior media study major, though, it's the music and attitude of the Hanson boys that get most fans excited beyond healthy levels.

"They're totally different than most," said sophomore media study major Tracy Giuliano.

Others said the crowd's frantic reaction to the Buffalo concert paled in comparison to others on this tour.

"This was mellow," said Bloom.

Heaven help the casual concertgoer at Carnegie Hall.

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