Review | Even after 20 years, The Maine still rocks

If you’ve been around the alternative music scene in the past 15 years, chances are you’ve come across The Maine. The Arizona based band formed in 2007, a time when alternative music — especially emo/punk music — was all the rage. They gained a loyal following over the years, drawing fans in with their blend of emotional lyrics, upbeat pop-rock tunes and perfected indie aesthetic. These fans have stuck around through some musical shifts, though, with The Maine moving from pop-punk to a more mature and atmospheric style.

On April 14th, The Maine performed at Stage AE in downtown Pittsburgh on their “I love you, but I chose The Maine” tour. When I arrived at Stage AE, there was already a line for merch, and a group of fans had claimed their spots at the barricade — three hours before The Maine came on. As I stood on the main floor among everyone, I noticed that there weren’t very many young people. The crowd consisted of mainly millennials, some in big groups of friends, with their families, or some solo like myself. As we waited for the first opener to come on, I looked around at the other concertgoers and immediately felt a real sense of community. People were dancing to the preshow music together, a man and his daughter twirled around in circles and I even saw someone snap a Polaroid of a couple dancing and give it to them after. I leaned into the band’s aesthetic ahead of time and showed up dressed in all black, which turned out to be the unofficial uniform of the night. 

The three openers for the night were Friday Pilots Club, Nightly and Grayscale, all indie rock bands similar to the headliner. Friday Pilots Club opened the night and blew me away with their vocals. By the time the third set started, the venue was filled to the brim with people chatting among themselves and dancing along to the preshow music.

The headlining band finally came on stage at around 9:15 p.m., and even though we had been standing there waiting for hours, the whole crowd roared. They started the show with their hit song, “Thoughts I Have While Lying in Bed,” from their self-titled 2023 album. Their set list, thankfully, consisted of a good mix of their music, pulling songs from almost all 10 of their studio albums. Going into the concert, I didn’t know much of The Maine’s discography, but I found myself dancing along to their performance and even singing along to the choruses of some of their catchier tunes. 

John O’Callaghan, front-man and lead vocalist of the band, commanded the crowd with a confidence that showed his 19 years of rock-star experience. He flowed from song to song, keeping the energy of the crowd going even through some of their slower hits. Both the guitarists, Jared Monaco and Kennedy Brock, gave amazing performances, trading off turns in the spotlight with impressive riffs while their bassist Garrett Nickelsen led the band with his amazing rhythm. My favorite part of the show was the drummer. Pat Kirch blew me away with his skills and anchored the performance with ease. I could feel the drumline in my feet and throughout my whole body as the crowd went wild around me.

Mini mosh pits and dance circles formed within the standing area all night. At one point, I looked up and multiple people were being carried above the audience’s heads, all the way up to the stage. Though the crowdsurfers were stopped by security before they were able to go on with the band, O’Callaghan made sure to shout them out and give them a fist bump before they were carried out. I go to a lot of concerts, mainly at small venues just like Stage AE, but the energy here felt different. Everyone seemed to be having so much unrestrained fun, and it made me feel alive. As the concert came to a close, this energy didn’t fade. If anything, it grew crazier as the band finished off with some of their more nostalgic songs, like “Black Butterflies and Déjà vu.”

Leaving the venue, my ears were ringing, and my legs felt like jello, but I walked out of there buzzing. My Tumblr-loving, emo-music-enthusiast teen self felt satisfied deep inside knowing that I had finally gone to an old-school emo concert like the ones I had always heard about. The Maine brought the venue to life that night, and I’m glad I was there to experience it.