Four Nights of Hanson
Katie 
If there’s a better kind of tired than four Hanson shows in four days, I haven’t found it yet. Somewhere between the harmonies, clapping, and the hundredth (or more!) sing a long to MMMBop, I remembered why this band has been my happy place since 1997. From Englewood to Atlantic City (twice!) to Baltimore, we were ready to rock and remind the band why we keep showing up decade after decade.
Night One – Englewood, NJ at Bergen PAC felt like ignition. Opening with Fired Up, Hanson set the tone: loud, joyful and a little nostalgic. The acoustic section was golden-hour perfection: Isaac crooned Hand in Hand, Zac gave us Good Days, and Taylor melted hearts with Save Me. When the encore rolled around, A Song to Sing (with an extra verse!) turned the theater into a sea of harmonies and smiles. (The only thing better was the amazing parking spot we scored out front!)
Night Two – Atlantic City, NJ brought the energy of a casino floor straight into the Music Box. The band leaned into groove and grit: River was a full band surprise, I’ve Got Soul pulsed with swagger, and Taylor’s solo on Weird hit right in the nostalgic feels. A triple-shot of Get Up and Go, I Was Born, and MMMBop had everyone on their feet (yes, even me!) before Lost Without Each Other closed the night with pure rock-band electricity.
Night Three – same city, different vibe. The second Atlantic City show was the deeper-cut set. Thinking of You and Runaway Run had longtime fans in bliss, and Atlantic City (Isaac solo!) gave those of us ‘in the know’ a laugh when the crowd cheered “Bruuuuuuce” and the band thought they were getting boo’ed. The mix of acoustic intimacy (Strong Enough to Break, Go) and full-band jumpalongs (If Only, In the City) made this one feel like a greatest-hits mixtape made just for the diehards.
Night Four – Baltimore, MD, the tour energy could’ve dipped, but nope. Hanson came out Fired Up and never let up. The solos switched up again: Isaac did I’m a Song for the first time without his band, Mother Road Sons, Zac’s Juliet shimmered and Taylor’s Save Me was a massive sing a long with the crowd. The closing stretch from Write You a Song through In the City was pure joy, capped again by A Song to Sing with that now-familiar bonus verse, like a secret handshake between band and fans, even if it did show up early and was sung by Isaac instead of Taylor. (AND I managed to win $143 in the casino during Taylor’s after party!)
As the lights faded after that final encore in Baltimore, a hush settled in that felt heavier than usual, the kind that comes when you realize you’ve just seen the last Hanson show of the year. Four nights of music, laughter and familiar faces had flown by in a blur, and suddenly there was that bittersweet ache of not knowing what comes next. Likely a quiet stretch while the brothers recharge and dream up whatever’s next. The uncertainty is real, but so is the faith that Hanson always finds their way back to the stage—and when they do, we’ll be right there, waiting for this with a song to sing.