PHOTOS: The Hop Jam

Photos by Rachelohh

PHOTOS: THE HOP JAM

Photos by MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World

KJRH TV Tulsa: The Hop Jam

Hanson and beer fans mingle in Tulsa's Brady District for the first-ever Hop Jam

Photo Gallery: The Hop Jam 2014

Somebody was about to snap a picture of Taylor Hanson when a brawny security guard stepped in front of the iPhone.

“Excuse me,” he said, turning away from the excited fans to face the middle Hanson brother. “You need one of these if you want to be in here.”

So Hanson obediently put his arm out to get a wristband, mandatory for everybody — and that means everybody — in the over-21 section of this unique event, mixing equal portions of music and craft beer.

Thousands of people came to the Brady District for Sunday’s first-ever Hop Jam, but they didn’t all come for the same reason.

Some, like Jeanie Tanzola from Ontario, Canada, came for the music.

And judging by the Hanson tattoo behind her left ear, for one band in particular.

“There’s a song for every emotion. Everything that you’re feeling, you can listen to a Hanson song,” said Tanzola, who won a Tulsa World contest that included a meet and greet with the band Sunday night. “If you’re happy, it’s ‘MMMBop.’ When you’re sad, you listen to, like, ‘Me, Myself and I.’”

Others came for the beer.

In fact, during the first couple of hours of the festival, the crowd seemed sparse in front of the stage, while beer lovers were crammed shoulder-to-shoulder in the tasting area north of M.B. Brady Street.

Some vendors ran out within a couple of hours, and most of the craft beer was gone long before Hanson took the stage Sunday night.

“I haven’t really had a lot of exposure to Hanson, but you got to love anything from Tulsa,” said Jimmy Moore, from Collinsville, who was sampling a dark ale from Mustang Brewing. “I’ll definitely be a fan after tonight.”

Hanson’s fan appreciation day has been Tulsa tradition for several years, always coinciding with Mayfest weekend because that’s where the band first played in 1992, before becoming international celebrities.

But this was the first time the band added beer to the mix, closing most of the streets in the Brady District to accommodate the huge audience. With Hanson’s own MMMHop Pale Ale recently earning an exceptional 90 points from Tastings.com, their beer might someday be as famous as their music.

But not yet.

“This band has been a really big part of our lives growing up,” explained Abby Young, a fan from Spartanburg, S.C., who came to Tulsa this weekend with more than 20 other women from “The Island of Misfit Fansons,” a fan club with members around the world. One came from England to see HopJam.

“So when we meet for the first time, like a lot of us did this weekend, there’s no awkwardness. It’s like we’ve known each other for ages.”

Chris Easom has been a Hanson fan since the band’s 2000 tour of Britain, when she “was really thirsty for a new kind of music.”

“It was so upbeat and genuine and fresh and enthralling,” said Easom, who came to Tulsa for Hanson Day in 2007 and 2012, and now for Hop Jam 2014.

“I’m 57 years old and when they play, I’m 18. I don’t think I’m happier anywhere else than at a Hanson show.”

source: Tulsa World 

Hanson hosts inaugural Hop Jam in Brady District

Reported by: Miranda Christian

TULSA, Okla. – Hundreds of thousands of people packed downtown Tulsa this weekend for Mayfest and the Blue Dome Art Festival, but it was Hanson’s Hop Jam that wrapped up the weekend.

People streamed into the Hop Jam Beer and Music Festival all day Sunday. FOX23 spoke with the Hanson brothers before their performance about why the festival is so important to them.

“Music and beer are a great combination,” Zach Hanson said.

Local breweries and bands were all featured in Hanson’s hometown festival.

“Let’s host a great party where we can come together as a community and have Tulsa and Oklahoma support that community,” Hanson said.

There were food trucks, music and a total of 14 Oklahoma breweries.

“I love the scene. It’s pretty awesome and busy today,” Mel Howell said.

With so much happening downtown this weekend, Tulsans told FOX23 that Hop Jam was the perfect way to cap it off.

“Just enjoying some good downtown Tulsa fun,” Chrissy Lombard said.

Hanson said they hope the festival will shine light on Tulsa.

“We want to see Tulsa grow. We have barely scratched the surface of what Tulsans can do to celebrate the community and to be a destination,” Hanson said.

The brothers hope to make the festival an annual event.

SET LIST - MOE HANSON DAY 05/17/14

On the Road
Show me the way
Whats your name
Panic in the Streets
White Collar Crimes

Sunny Day / Cecilia
Down
Stories
Penny & Me

Never Let Go - Tay Solo
Deeper - Ike Solo

Rollercoaster Love
Scream and be Free
Thinking of you
Runaway Run
And I waited
Get up and go
Already Home
Sound of Light
Best of times
Man from Milwaukee

Encore

Waiting for This
In The City

OFFBEAT: Hanson Day set for May 17 with a weekend of activities

By JERRY WOFFORD World Scene Writer | Updated 3 months ago

Tulsa-based pop group Hanson is ready to roll out the red carpet for its fans.

The annual Hanson Day is set for May 16 and 17, with a special concert set for Cain's Ballroom May 17.

Thousands of fans from across the world will head to Tulsa for the day Hanson celebrates with its legions of fans. New events this year include more opportunities to hear the band speak and interact with the crowds, including a "State of the Band" session.

This year marks the 22nd anniversary of the band's formation.

Get the full schedule now at hanson.net (it's a long one).

In the meantime, check out this video of Isaac, Zac and Taylor Hanson announcing the big day.