Something Corporate, Jack's Mannequin, und Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

Seeing Something Corporate live in concert was one of the most fun shows of my life. I had been listening to the pop punk band for a while before the concert and was really excited to see them in person.
I saw the band at a bowling alley with a venue inside of it. It was a small show with less then two hundred people, which made me even more excited. I was going to get to see one of my favorite bands in a small intimate atmosphere.
I waited patiently for the opening bands to play, they were all local pop punk bands. Then Andrew McMahon, the front man of Something Corporate took the stage. He started jumping from one side of the stage to the other. Boom the guitar and drums hit and they started playing “Hurricane”. Me and several other fans were singing the lyrics as Andrew came over and held out the microphone for us to sing along.
The show went on with the same high intensity and energy. The band was on top of their game that night and even though it was a small turn out, they still gave it their all. They closed the show with “21”, but Andrew was nice enough to stick around after the show and shake hands and meet us. They were are good guys and made for a really fun night.

Initially starting as a solo project for ex lead vocalist of Californian piano rock band Something Corporate, Andrew McMahon used Jack’s Mannequin as form of therapy. Some of the material he had written during his Something Corporate days he felt didn’t really suit the style of the band, so reserved them for his own personal use. While writing songs therapeutically created a more personal and intimate nature, McMahon had never planned for them to be release. However he unintentionally found cohesion in the tracks which he decided to get the tracks professionally produced which would eventually become his debut album “Everything In Transit” released in 2005. Subsequent releases “The Glass Passenger” (2008) and “People and Things” (2010) continued themes of life, love and loss progressing from introspective melancholy to more upbeat and catchier.
One thing you’re guaranteed at a Jack’s Mannequin show is generous helping of heart and soul as McMahon takes you on a journey through his eyes narrated through a series of life story inspired tracks. Opening with “Holiday from the Real” has the crowd singing along in perfect harmony as McMahon sits comfortably at the piano surrounded by lamps before throwing his whole body into the performance shrouded by an array of soft lighting. “Release Me” shows the more upbeat and funkier side of Jack’s Mannequin and is infectiously catchy. As the crowd start clapping in unison, it’s a perfect opportunity for McMahon to get off the piano and dance on stage. “The Mixed Tape” sends the crowd wild, screaming and singing at the top of their lungs while recording the stunning performance on their cameras. The already beautiful track is a million times more incredible live as he puts all his energy and love into it. Closing the set with “La La Lie” sees McMahon simultaneously play the harmonica and the piano as he is joined on stage by friends for gang vocals on the chorus. It’s a perfect upbeat track to end on as the crowd cheer and chant “La La Lie” as confetti shoots out over them. Jack’s Mannequin are an incredible live band, led by McMahon’s charm and soothing vocals creates a beautifully chilled atmosphere.

Andrew McMahon is one of the most humble artists, always surprised by how much he is loved, but even he cannot deny how wonderfully his music is progressing. I have loved his work since the days of Something Corporate in the early 2000's and the new songs that we were treated with were some of the best music I have ever heard in my life. I cannot stress enough that I am not exaggerating.
Andrew McMahon has grown up significantly through the various events in his life and his music has changed with him. The shift from delightful piano pop punk in Something Corporate to a more piano laden Jack's Mannequin was enough to prepare you for the idea that Andrew is very versatile. However, that difference was just the beginning. McMahon has been experimenting with his band again, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, and the result is strong piano chords that are backed up with a sound that cannot be denied. The new music will impress you, there is no other way to say it. I would say that the new songs are a realization. His past has been a rocky one, and we as listeners and fans are lucky to still have him. Many of his old songs have been slightly edited by the artist to truly drive home the emotion of the time that they were written. I believe that this is Andrew admitting that the past was hard, but it has been survived. The backdrop that this gives his new work is empowering. "Cecilia and the Satellite" is written to his newborn daughter, a song of love, hope, and a wonderful future.
My favorite aspect of seeing Andrew McMahon now is that he does not ignore the path we took as fans to love him. He plays a variety of songs from Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin with a sprinkling of new work written with Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. This has the unique advantage of getting to see three amazing bands at once. There is no way to accomplish that with any other band you might see.
In short, if you are given the chance... do not hesitate. Andrew McMahon has an amazing gift and he will not disappoint.