Hanson did two nights in New York City for their Finally It’s Christmas tour. Once I saw that the setlist was almost entirely Finally It’s Christmas + Snowed In every night, I wasn’t sure how they were going to mix up the two nights, but they managed! At the first night, I was able to get “Peace On Earth” added to my heard live list. Unfortunately even after 2 more nights, still no Happy Christmas so I’d have one chance left in Chicago! Taylor seemed to flub the words to a couple of songs night one – Someday at Christmas and I can’t recall the other one. Then they even had to stop and completely start a song over because half of the guys on stage started playing “Please Come Home For Christmas” and the other half, “Baby Please Come Home” – it’s amazing how many of the songs in the set were similarly named. The crowd was a lot better than the Toronto crowd but there did seem to be some girls who had never seen the band before going crazy like it was 1997. I thought we got that out of our systems on the Middle of Everywhere “comeback / reunion” tour, but I guess not!
The second night we were waiting around because our seats were on the aisle and we didn’t want to sit down only to have to stand up a million and one times to let people in our rows. While we were waiting, Mark Hudson walked by us. I freaked out and then wondered if he would end up joining the guys on stage for a song – and he did! Actually 2 songs. Well, really, 3 if you count the medley. I don’t think they were expecting him to stick around for the Wonderful Christmas Time / Come On It’s Christmas medley, but he did and was quite entertaining. I’ll trade in Happy Christmas for 2 special guest songs any day – but was really, really hoping it meant I’d be hearing it in Chicago!
Night 1
Finally It’s Christmas
What Christmas Means To Me
Little Saint Nick
Winter Wonderland
Run Rudolph Run
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Someday At Christmas
At Christmas
Christmas Time
White Christmas (acapella)
Joy To The Mountain (acapella)
Silent Night Medley
Peace On Earth
Merry Christmas Baby
Please Come Home For Christmas
Rockin Around The Christmas Tree
Wonderful Christmas Time / Come On It’s Christmas
All I Want For Christmas Is You
‘Til New Years Night
Everybody Knows The Claus
Encore:
Blue Christmas
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Night 2 :
Finally It’s Christmas
What Christmas Means To Me
Little Saint Nick
Winter Wonderland
Run Rudolph Run
Please Come Home For Christmas
Someday At Christmas
At Christmas
White Christmas (acapella)
Joy To The Mountain (acapella)
Peace On Earth
Christmas Time (With Mark Hudson)
Wonderful Christmas Time / Come On It’s Christmas (With Mark Hudson)
Merry Christmas Baby
All I Want For Christmas Is You
Rockin Around The Christmas Tree
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
‘Til New Years Night
Everybody Knows The Claus
Encore:
Blue Christmas
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas