London, O2 Discussion board Kentish City, April 26 2024
Life as a teen may be tough, and few of us come out unscathed, however that’s the place a band like The Maine are available.
Fashioned by 5 Arizona natives over sixteen years in the past, since 2007 The Maine have solid a fanbase that stretches worldwide. A neighborhood that oftentimes feels extra like a household, they’re often known as 8123. The deal with for a parking storage the 5 of them as soon as frolicked in, it’s develop into a tight-knit, inclusive collective fuelled by highly effective bonds and deep connections.
With 9 studio albums below their belt, sixteen years into their profession The Maine seemingly have a track for each event. From heartbreak and painful goodbyes to new loves and outdated friendships, they’ve lengthy served as a spot of safety and luxury for 1000’s of misfit people, many discovering a way of dwelling and neighborhood of their music.
Retaining the identical line-up since they signed their first document deal in 2007 – John O’Callaghan, Kennedy Brock, Jared Monaco, Garrett Nickelsen and Pat Kirch aren’t typical rockstars. Interacting with their followers as in the event that they have been expensive buddies, the five-piece have gained a popularity for the nice and cozy welcomes and heartfelt reconnections delivered to those that love their music. Making a aware effort to spend high quality time with those that come to each present, 8123 is a spot the place egos are checked on the door, and the place everyone seems to be welcome.
A salute to the final sixteen years, it’s lastly London’s flip to expertise the band’s ‘Candy 16 Tour’, a career-spanning set that includes songs from each chapter of The Maine. Over two-thousand followers shuffling into the room, whether or not they first heard the band while watching YouTube movies of their 2009 Vans Warped Tour units, or whether or not they joined the get together later down the road, there’s room for everybody in 8123 – and tonight is a celebration of that.
A glittery silver backdrop behind the stage, a disco ball dangling from the ceiling, the band dance onstage to the colourful ‘Dose No.2’. Welcoming the London crowd to their sixteenth birthday celebration, only a few minutes into their time onstage John calls for these seated upstairs get to their ft, the entire room now standing to consideration.
A sold-out venue of two,300 our bodies all revelling within the buoyant buzz of ‘Weight loss program Soda Society’ and the ethereal contemplative notes of ‘I take into consideration you on a regular basis’, by the point John has launched himself offstage to host a entrance row singalong to 2010 hit ‘Proper Lady’, the night time’s power is in full swing.
“Our band is named The Maine. We’re from Phoenix, Arizona… a protracted, good distance from right here,” the frontman smiles.
“I suppose that tonight is a end result of the final 16 years, so we’d higher play some outdated shit!”
2010 cuts ‘Saving Grace’ and ‘Whoever She Is’ getting their first ever performs within the metropolis while fan-favourite ‘American Sweet’ observe ‘English Ladies’ makes a welcome return to the set (successful a crowd vote towards ‘Slip The Noose’), if it’s ‘outdated shit’ anybody got here for tonight – The Maine ship. Taking time to take pleasure in nostalgia, ‘Like We Did (Home windows Down)’ sees Kennedy be a part of on vocal duties, John’s arm across the guitarists shoulder as their voices harmonise.
“What number of of you bastards on the market really feel fucking outdated proper now?” the frontman laughs.
“You may be proper, however I’m too… I’m in your crew!”
While reminiscing on the previous is actually excessive on tonight’s agenda, there’s loads of time saved for the current. Unveiling their self-titled album in 2023, ‘ exit a room’, ‘blame’, and ‘ideas I’ve whereas mendacity in mattress’ spark enormous singalongs, while standalone observe ‘Liked You A Little’ will get a raucous response even within the absence of visitor vocalists Charlotte Sands and Taking Again Sunday’s Adam Lazzara.
A reminder that The Maine haven’t solely endured the final sixteen years, however have triumphed of their evolution, by the point a euphoric rendition of ‘Numb With out You’ has echoed all through the room, the grins fastened upon the 5 faces onstage seemingly can’t develop any wider.
“That is loopy! I didn’t suppose anybody would present up tonight,” John laughs.
“Even you probably have work tomorrow… you don’t have work. Inform your boss that some random 36-year-old man stated it was okay.”
An invite to let free, after joking that they’ll be enjoying for an additional twelve hours (a quip that many within the room want was a actuality) the frontman calls for everybody to place their “fashionable lighters” within the air. The uncooked, darkish swagger of 2013 album nearer ‘Endlessly Halloween’ bringing a fleeting second of calm, as John hops into centre of the pit to befriend these inside it, he points a easy request for the rest of the night.
“You are able to do what you need, to procure the tickets, however I might implore you to place your telephones in your pockets now… This shit is on YouTube, you possibly can watch it on-line!”
Grinning as he bounces amongst the gang, welcoming them to borrow his microphone to belt out strains of ‘Sticky’, no matter barrier could have existed between these onstage and people under is shattered. Inviting a member of the viewers onstage for ‘Ladies Do What They Need’ – a fan from the Netherlands dubbed by John as “a tall Justin Bieber” – the band coach him via the efficiency, the gang screaming phrases of encouragement.
The entire room dancing and singing, every second of the night time brings a reminder that life is just too quick to not have a superb time, and nobody is aware of that higher than the 5 males onstage. A room crammed with individuals who have discovered a house of their band all through the final sixteen years, their gratitude radiates via each observe.
“We’re getting outdated, there’s no method round it… however this feels fucking superior,” John nods.
“We don’t deserve you!”
A closing assertion that everyone stood within the room would certainly disagree with, as ‘One other Evening On Mars’ brings the night time to an emotional shut, there’s little doubt that The Maine are an extremely particular band. 5 guys from Arizona with a bunch of songs and an entire lot of affection, they’ve created a household like no different, and in a world crammed with a lot uncertainty and discomfort – tonight is proof of simply how a lot that issues.