The Maine Blows The Crowd Away in the Windy City

The Maine

Dreamers

Night Riots

The band that opened up the Modern Nostalgia Tour was one I had never heard of but quickly liked. They were called Night Riots, and not only did they wow me, but the audience was rocking and having a great time as well. The light show they put on with some fancy drum work really impressed me. They opened up with a slower song but continued with several more upbeat songs. I totally felt that the band loved what they did, and the music they performed showed it. I would definitely check them out again!

The second band that played was called Dreamers. This three-piece band was amazing. They had a lot of talent and kept everyone going with dancing and singing. The crowd’s excitement was contagious.  It was very obvious that even for those who hadn’t hear of them before, this band was definitely a crowd pleaser!

After Dreamers performed, the audience patiently waited for the Maine to come out. During this intermission, the venue had music playing over the speakers, and the audience happily sang along. When they realized The Maine was coming out, the screams and excitement filled the whole room. I felt the energy. The band was in all white suits, and it fit the theme of the set up. These once 12 and 13 year old fans were now 20 somethings, and the love for the band was still there ten years later. The Maine played their two most recent albums, American Candy and Lovely Little Lonely, from front to back.

The stage set up was done in all white with red carpet and red roses around the drums. The lights for the night were red and blue, matching the color schemes of the two albums. 

The first song up was Don’t Come Down. The crowd sang along and kept up with every beat. The lead singer, John O’Callaghan, interacted with the crowd all night. The band was super upbeat, extremely energetic, and amazing. I found myself wondering how they were going to do 2 back to back albums and keep up the energy. They definitely spread the love throughout the room. They continued through Lovely Little Lonely by playing their songs Bad Behavior, Lovely, Black Butterflies and Deja Vu, Taxi, and the rest of the Album. They never missed a beat.

They then went on to take a short break, and when they came back, the audience screamed with excitement for the next album, which was American Candy. They started out with Miles Away and went straight in to Same Suit, Different Tie. The band really got into it. The audience was having a blast singing. The Maine sure put on a show. The band danced around the stage the whole night. They never quit. Several more songs played, and then it got serious right before their song 24 Floors. Before they played this song, O’Callaghan made a speech about how everyone in that room was somebody, and although we may get lost in life at times, it was okay. He also reminded everyone in the crowd that they are someone who is very much loved. He told the crowd, “You’re all meant to be here. Don’t ever forget that.” He made a point to let everyone know they counted and they should always talk to someone if they needed it.

The night finished out with Diet Soda Society, Am I Pretty? (Un)Lost which is one of my favorites and American Candy and Another Night on Mars. This was a great show to be a part of.

One thing I loved was The Maine came out after the set and when they cleaned up and changed to meet each person. They had said before and stuck to it that one human shouldn’t have to pay to meet another. They continue with this no matter how famous they get. This is a rare find and so are they!

www.wearethemaine.net

Words and photos by Diane Henning