Live Review: Hanson, Adam Martin

On arriving at the Enmore, you could almost taste the ‘90s nostalgia in the air as the line to see pop-rock band Hanson stretched down the street, life-long fans dressed in their best band gear. Before we got the headliners though it was former The Voice contestant Adam Martin, who took his acoustic guitar and indie sound to the stage with ease. The chirpy musician introduced the crowd to his own tracks, This World Is Yours and In My Dreams, and proved himself as an all-round musical treat.

As the lights went down, the screams became a roar as the three brothers that form Hanson stepped out onto the stage, kicking off with their edgy hit Fired Up. The song from their latest album, Anthem, had the desired effect, but the trio’s hit singles Where’s The Love and Thinking Of You took the crowd to a new level. If you hadn’t guessed it already, Hanson fans are passionate.

For almost two hours the Enmore was treated to tracks that span an entire decade, the band proving that despite leaving their teenage selves and most of their golden locks behind, they’ve still got something special. In a surprising and impressive performance, the brothers gathered around one microphone to sing an a cappella rendition of the Bee Gees classic, Too Much Heaven. You could hear a pin drop.

The boys continued to expose their talent, each performing on stage individually, the stanza serving as a golden opportunity for the crowd to showcase their long-standing love for each band member. Then after waiting patiently it finally happened: Mmmbop. The crowd went mental. Phones were out as fans scrambled to keep a memento of the song that’s been stuck in their heads for over a decade. Following this was the band’s latest pop-rock single, Get The Girl Back, and Something’s Going Round.

For the inevitable encore, Isaac, Taylor and Zac re-entered the stage to thunderous applause and cheers. Just before ending the night with This Time Around and This City, Taylor confirmed “It’s hard not to love Sydney.” And after all these years, it’s hard not to love Hanson. Don’t deny it.