The Maine delivered a heartfelt and electric performance to Philadelphia’s Franklin Music Hall last Friday, on their tour for their most recent album, Joy Next Door. It was equal parts emo-rock celebration and a reunion for fans of the Arizona-based band, who welcomed them with open arms and a packed house.
Touring in support of their upcoming album Joy Next Door, released April 10, the band arrived with serious momentum. With over a billion global streams, multiple Billboard 200-charting records, and a recent Top 5 Alternative radio hit with “Loved You A Little,” The Maine have long since outgrown their “cult favorite” label. Still, nothing about the night felt distant or overly polished; instead, it leaned fully into the loyalty that defined their fanbase.
Nashville indie-pop trio Nightly began the night with songs from their most recent albums, THE VOID and songs to drive to, with guitarist Joey Beretta sporting an Eagles cap as a nod to where he and his bandmate and lead singer, Jonathan Capeci, grew up. Though based out of Nashville, the group was glad to be in what they called “home” again, even scoring their first-ever crowd surfer.
Pop-punk band Grayscale followed suit, bringing the energy to the balcony and beyond. Playing songs from The Hart – literally and figuratively – the group referred to Philadelphia as home as well, with their bassist Garrett Nickelsen sporting a Philadelphia Flyers jersey (made even sweeter knowing the home team made the playoffs!).
The Maine took the stage with the lights dim, as a small marquee in front of the drum head read Joy Next Door. Fog filled the stage and spilled out into the audience, phones held high in anticipation of the band’s arrival. Not even 30 seconds into “Thoughts I Have While Lying in Bed,” the fans took to crowd surfing – lace-up, knee-high Converse, canes, and wheelchairs were raised triumphantly and with ease.
Between songs, the band’s lead singer John O’Callaghan balanced humor with sincerity. At one point, they joked about changing their name, maybe dropping the “e,” before laughing it off, noting that being from Arizona already makes things confusing enough.
With fresh material like their recent single “Die To Fall” played third, the band continued to build momentum. At one point, O’Callaghan mentioned one of the first times the band played in Philadelphia: the venue kicked them out for not having enough fans, so they played to 11 people in the parking lot. “Die To Fall,” along with the Joy Next Door album, joins a catalog that already spans nearly a decade of releases, with the band demonstrating both growth and consistency and never losing sight of the connection that got them here.
With such a vast catalogue, the setlist spanned from album to album, project to project, including “Taxi” from Lovely Little Lonely, “Dose No. 2” from their self-titled record, and “We All Roll Along” from Can’t Stop Won’t Stop as the chosen song for fan participation. A cover of The Starting Line’s “The Best of Me” welcomed Kenny Vasoli before The Maine closed out the night with an encore of “Another Night on Mars.” Finally, The Maine left fans with one message that felt especially fitting, given the sense of community Philadelphia has brought: “Take care of each other, take care of yourselves.”
Catch The Maine “I Love You But I Chose The Maine Tour” remaining tour dates below:
4/21 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
4/23 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte
4/24 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
4/25 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade (Heaven)
4/26 – Lake Buena Vista, FL – House of Blues
4/28 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live
4/30 – Houston, TX – House of Blues Houston
5/1 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
5/2 – Dallas, TX – The Bomb Factory
Read more about The Maine in Melodic’s latest cover issue below, and purchase your copy while supplies last.
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