Tulsa’s music scene may be known for Red Dirt music of Leon Russell, the country & western swing of Bob Wills at Cain’s Ballroom, and more of that ilk. But in 2019, Tulsa’s actual hometown heroes are HANSON. The brother band, known for its enormous 1997 hit “MMMBop,” still lives and works in its native Tulsa, and maintaining a recording studio in the arts district. They also throw a "festival” for their still-rabid fans called “Hanson Day,” which has combined with the Hop Jam beer festival, where they sell their MMMHops IPA.
So. I went. I listened. I wrote about it for The Tulsa Voice:
'“‘Hanson has never been driven by trends or fame,’ the band/fan club’s website reads. A cynical view is that the band has capitalized on the niche obsession it inspired, and its approach is fan service at the expense of art. Possessing total creative control and developing such a personal connection with fans protects Hanson from failure. ‘Hanson.net gives us a place…to throw the musical gloves off and know that those who hear what we’re up to will understand where we are coming from or at very least enjoy it,’ the website reads. ‘In other words… We trust you.’ How are you going to say Meh to musicians who treat you as though you’re part of an extended Hanson—Fanson—family?”