February 15, 2016

Five Setlist Themes for BTTI 2017







We know that Back to the Island 2017 attendees will be given the opportunity to vote on setlist themes, but so far, we have no idea what the theme options are.  Once again, minimal details plus maximum excitement means it's time for a healthy dose of speculation. Here are a few I'd like to see.

1. I'll Borrow Your Lead
A lead-swap set. Ever wondered what it would sound like for Zac to sing lead on Save Me, or Isaac to sing lead on Broken Angel? Now you have.

2. Fan club/B-sides/Rare songs set.
Self-explanatory. Doesn't everybody want this?

3. An Island-inspired covers set. 
I've already expressed my feelings on this one. I think it made more sense to do this in 2016 combined with their other R'n'R tour covers, but maybe there's still a way to combine it with another theme or mix in Hanson songs to create a full setlist.

4. A "Voice in the Chorus" set.
Songs with crowd participation parts.

5. Never Played Live/Unreleased

Not just "rare" songs, but songs that have never been played live anywhere. It's not gonna happen, but a girl can dream.

And an honorable mention for a few things that I think would draw very mixed reactions: A pre-1997 set. A Digital Pants set. And let's file a Fool's Banquet set under the "never gonna happen" heading, too. I'd also love the acoustic set that we were shorted at this BTTI to make a reappearance in the form of a chaotic and overcrowded campfire sing-a-long after a show.

Truthfully, I can't think of many themes that make sense as a full set, and I'm super curious what Hanson will come up with as our real options. I wonder if they're as stuck on this as I was, or if they're going about it in a completely different way. Here are a few failed ideas that came to mind when I was brainstorming for this post:

1. Songs with the most frequently forgotten lyrics.
Featuring Penny & Me, Best of Times, and Give Me Your Best Shot, for starters. We'll bring the cue cards.

2. A "No Cameras Allowed" set.
Please?? Also known as the #unpopularopinion set.

3. Tragic Symphony set
aka all the tearjerkers, Just no.

4. Love Song(s)
Don't hate me here. I feel like there is a chance some variation of this could be a real option. But as a (happily) forever single person, I just don't think I want a whole set of this.

5. Songs that are shorter than Isaac's introductions to them.

I say this with love...and amusement.

I'd love to hear some ideas from other fans, and we already have a conversation going about it over in the hanson.net forums. Feel free to join in! So far, my favorite suggestion came from Kelly, who pitched the idea of a "BTTI mixtape contest" where fans submit their own ideal setlist and have Hanson choose one to play. What potential theme excites you the most?


6 comments:

Unknown said...

You got me literally laughing out loud at "Songs shorter than Isaac's introductions to them." You are always entertaining. 😂

Courtney said...

Saaaaame

Courtney said...

I love (and have loved) your number 3. Get on board, Hanson!

Kelly said...

Thanks for the shoutout! I'm so with you on the "no cameras" idea. Talk about paradise. #unpopularopinionseconded

Unknown said...

ALL ABOUT THE NO CAMERAS! #teamnocameras

asphodelia said...

I'm voting for the Digital Pants and No Camera sets.
Please God, no Love songs set or I'll have to jump in the sea with a brick tied around my neck!