Taking it back to 2008, you may remember yourself jamming to The Maine’s hits off their debut album, “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop”. Fast forward seven years and on October 2nd, the Arizona rock band, with their recently released album, “American Candy”, ended the last day of their Free for All tour at The District at Tustin Legacy with the energy, fun, and gratitude the band is known for.
Walking into the space of fans in front of the AMC theater where the band was set to perform later in the day, fans were abuzz to see the band perform. The show started a bit later than planned as the band had trailer trouble and had to do soundcheck in front of the excited crowd, causing everyone to move closer, as is the case with most shows.
The new four-piece band, Beach Weather, opened the show with some fun, dancy songs off of their EP, “What a Drag”. Singer, Nick Santino of A Rocket to The Moon fame, showed his skill as a seasoned performer with the cool dynamics in his voice and guitar playing. (Funny story: As they were soundchecking, A Rocket to the Moon’s “Whole Lotta You” music video started playing, setting the crowd into a bit of nostalgia and laughter as everyone urged them to look at the screen.) Austin Scates (drummer), Reeve Powers (bassist), and Ian Holubiak (guitarist), also brought the verve of a new band on their first tour, making them a band to watch out for. I recommend checking out their songs, “Wolf” and “Swoon”.
Roaring erupted from the crowd as the band stepped on stage and jumped right into their newest single, “English Girls”. You couldn’t help but jump with them as everyone belted the lyrics to the cheeky song. Going into the older “Some Days”, lead singer, John O’Callaghan, told everyone to put their phones and camcorders away. “This is a rock concert!”, he says to the crowd at every show and you feel it, this is truly a rock show. Members, Kennedy Brock (guitarist/vocals), Jared Monaco (guitarist), Garrett Nickelsen (bassist), and Pat Kirch (drummer), amped everyone up with their frenetic playing, showing that they’re all masters of their craft. This is unsurprising, knowing that the band has been together almost nine years.
Despite having to tone down their usual banter due to the public, outdoor setting, all of the stars aligned for them that night. A well-timed slowing down with “Kennedy Curse” and John on guitar was very complementary to the song’s dark tone and the night. They had fun fan interactions, from having a fan sing part of “Inside of You” to answering questions (“This is not outdoor mall appropriate”, John responded to a fan who handed them a funny t-shirt, resulting in inevitable laughter.,) to bringing a younger fan onstage during “Right Girl”.
When 2008 favorites were played, like “I Must Be Dreaming” and “Everything I Ask For”, there wasn’t a single person who wasn’t shouting or dancing along. The fifteen song set list was a nice balance of old and new.
Around the middle of the show, before they went into another CSWS song, “Whoever She Is”, the band expressed their immense gratitude toward their fans and their crew, naming each and every person who helped them head off their last show. Their authenticity can’t be faked and you know how truly grateful they were; A completely free tour to give back to their fans for their support at a show that came close to not happening. The band has faced many obstacles and genuinely wanted to do this. They worked for at least four months to make it happen, although the idea has been years in the making. They even stayed for two hours after the show ended to hang out with fans, many who’ve become their friends over the years. (They would’ve stayed longer, but they had to drive back to Arizona.) Some fun licks of “As Long As You Love Me” were added into that song, adding to the reminiscent feeling of the night.
“Another Night on Mars”, off “American Candy”, ended the show fittingly with lyrics like, “This one goes out to my closest friends, the ones who make me feel less alien. I do not think I would be here if not for them.” It’s the perfect sing-along with its bouncy piano and distinction in all instruments. The power in the last lines of the song, when they stop playing and go acapella with the crowd, rang true in every word sung, showing why this band is so unique and authentic. Keep your ears and minds open; The Maine is going to be around for a long, long time.