“I hope you checked your coats at the door. The ones that say ‘cool’ on them. No one in here is allowed to be cool,” John O’Callaghan said.
The album Lovely Little Lonely comes out in a matter of days and I got to be a part of it Thursday night with a little band called The Maine. Denver was the first show of the tour and I was third row, ready to embrace the new album in all its glory.
I found The Maine a little late to be honest. I had heard a few songs a long time ago, but I didn’t truly fall in love with them until the release of American Candy in 2015. I just really enjoy their new sound and though the old stuff has grown on me and I love it immensely, I wasn’t always on board with The Maine. But, now that I am, I can’t imagine why I wouldn’t be, this band is nothing shy of amazing.
I saw them at Warped Tour last summer, only two months after my spinal fusion, which may not have been the brightest idea, but I don’t regret a moment of it. It made my appreciation for them grow, for I met them after their set that day and they reminded me to stay weird and that being cool was never an option. I don’t know what it is about that concept, but I absolutely love it and it really stuck with me. When I walked into the Summit Music Hall on March 30 with my friend Sam, I was so ready to be weird without a care.
The crowd was terrible, I didn’t expect it at all, but it was, so we only stayed in our third-row spot for a few songs. Before the show started though, I took the time to take in the stage setup. Clouds were hanging from the ceiling and trees made up of little lights were in the the corners; the backdrop was a starry night sky and there were roses all over the place with grass on the stage. I loved the vibe of the new album already and I haven’t even heard all but a few songs from it.
As the lights began to dim, I smiled from ear to ear. It was time to see a band I’ve missed since the summer. They all came out one by one, Kennedy, Pat, Garrett, Jared and of course, John. They were dressed to the nines, John was in a sparkly blazer and he was standing right in front of my eyes in perfect view and oh boy, was he beautiful. I didn’t get the chance to fully react before they started playing “Black Butterflies and Déjà vu.” I began to dance, so happy to see them smiling and so excited to kick off tour.
I was getting torn apart in the crowd and I wanted to leave to go to the balcony, but then “(un)lost” began to play and I was frozen in my spot. This song means so much to me and was a song I turned to a lot after my surgery. It’s one of my favorite songs by them so I had to stay and take it all in from my close spot. It was perfect and it still plays in my head as I write this.
We moved to the balcony shortly after “(un)lost” and it felt so much better. I loved watching the crowd and the band interact. John’s stage presence as a front man is so unique. He loves picking out fans in the crowd and letting them have a moment to shine. He truly makes the concert feel like it’s just you and the band.
They flew through songs from “The Way We Talk” to “English Girls” and I danced and sang, all while trying to savor the short time I have with them before they go to the next city. They played “Diet Soda Society” and “Bad Behavior” and before I knew it, the show was about done.
“It’s supposed to snow here in Denver and we’re getting the f*** out of here before it does. We love you, goodnight,” John said before they closed out with “Another Night on Mars.”
I sang my heart out and paid close attention to the final song because I knew I’d have to wait for months before I could have this moment again. They left the stage and we raced outside to meet them.
The coolest part about The Maine is they love their fans more than any band I’ve ever seen. They never charge for meet and greets and come out after every show to hang out with fans for a couple hours no matter the weather and no matter where they are travelling to next. It’s one of the many things I love about them and I was so pumped to chat with them that I walked so fast to the side of the building by the stage door.
We waited for a good 30 minutes and Pat came out to chat with us at the front of the building We shared hugs and laughs before taking a picture together and parting ways. Shortly after, we saw Garrett, who came out and chatted with us for a few minutes about tour and we got a picture with him too. Not long after we saw Jared and Kennedy down the street and ran down to chat with them. Jared was so happy to see us and hugged me so hard. We took a picture and he thanked me for coming to the show and all I could say was, “Thanks for being so talented, the show was amazing.” He laughed and said it was no problem. We walked over to Kennedy and he was quick to compliment my shirt; he made sure to tell me before taking a photo. When Sam and I told him we liked his purple pants he danced for us because he was so happy.
I was waiting for John after all our wonderful encounters with the rest of the band and soon enough we saw him with other fans and waited our turn. When it was my chance to say hi, I just walked up and immediately hugged him. He laughed and said hi, then I couldn’t resist. I told him, “John, you look so dapper! Just look at you!” He was like, “Who me?! Why thank you!” He loved the compliment and was happy to take a picture with me and thank me for coming.
As I was walking away, he pointed at me and said, “HEY! Drive safely.” I laughed and told him to do the same before walking with Sam back to our cars. I couldn’t resist gushing over The Maine with Sam all the way to the parking garage because they’re such nice human beings. I love being able to hug them and tell them how much I appreciate them and get the same thing back.
I know fans are probably frustrating sometimes and meeting so many every night is probably exhausting but the guys in The Maine don’t even mind and they are so grateful to spend time with us that it’s refreshing. It makes me feel like I’m someone they know and appreciate because I support them and their endeavors. You can tell the second you interact with them that they have this lifestyle because of their passion for music and their fans and the last thing they’re probably thinking about is the money.
To sum all of this up, the concert was amazing and my time with them after the show was just as perfect. Though I’m sad it’s over and I haven’t listened to any other artist since that night, I’m so grateful for another wonderful concert experience. I know that if you support the bands you love, you’ll get love in return. That’s why I’ll keep going to this band’s shows and why I never want to be anything but weird with the Arizona Emo Group most people know as The Maine.
My favorite photo out of all of the ones I took with the band. Pat, the drummer and the cutest human ever (just look at him) and I.
My friend Sam took this photo for me. Lovely Little Lonely’s stage setup was so pretty.