Concert Review: The Maine at Walters Downtown

This past Tuesday, The Maine took the stage at Houston’s own Walter’s Downtown on the last stop of their Texas mini-tour, which included shows in El Paso and San Antonio, before embarking on a full U.S. tour with Mayday Parade on the American Lines Tour.

Guitarist, Jared Monaco, mentioned in a previous interview with Coog Radio that although the tour was not scheduled to make any stops in Texas they were still able to work out a plan that allowed for them to play a few shows before meeting up with Mayday Parade.

AZ/TX in 15 seconds pic.twitter.com/YAQQGd6KIO

— The Maine (@themaine) March 9, 2016

Oh it is a wonderful day when you get to see one of your favorite bands and nothing, including the menacing thunderstorm clouds and flash flood warnings could stop countless of eager fans from gathering to see The Maine.

Opening up the set was a local band, Lost Element, who quickly got the crowd moving and shaking. With a recently released EP titled Stereo Dream, the band was energetic throughout their entire set and the crowd did not miss a beat despite not knowing the words to the catchy new tracks. Lost Element ended their set with more than a handful of new fans.

Check out Lost Element and their new EP Stereo Dream on Spotify or buy it on iTunes!

I have been attending The Maine’s concerts since 2008 and have seen them perform in venues all throughout Houston, but this was the first time the band was playing in Walter’s Downtown and I was already feeling anxious because this was a smaller venue meaning this was going to be an intimate show.

The Maine began their hour and a half long set with a twist to the song “Into Your Arms,” from their debut album Can’t Stop Won’t Stop. Throughout the night the band perfectly showcased all five albums [Can’t Stop Won’t Stop (2008), Black and White (2010), Pioneer (2011), Forever Halloween (2013) and American Candy (2015)] with tracks such as “Inside of You,” “Diet Soda Society,” “Right Girl,” “Like We Did (Windows Down),” and “Misery.”

As promised, the band released a poll via Twitter hours prior to the show asking fans what song they want to hear and be added to the set list. For Houston, it came down to “Some Days” and “Identify” with 57% of the vote going towards “Some Days.”

HOUSTON, TX! We are playing Walters Downtown tomorrow. Still some tix left! Come hang 👍🏼 What song should we play?

— The Maine (@themaine) March 7, 2016

During one of the band’s more veteran tracks, “Girls Do What They Want,” lead singer John O’Callaghan brought a fan up on stage to sing the rest of the song and as comical as it was the lucky fan’s name also happened to be John, who purposely flipped the lyric from “girls do what they want, boys do what they can” to “boys do what they want, girls do what they can,” which caught the band off guard but they were still amused and rather agreed with the fan.

The band treated their fans with a song that hasn’t been performed as much in recent tours, “Everything I Ask For.” At least for me, I would have liked to hear the song performed in its original rendition unlike how it had been performed in a previous tour, and they did just that. It was perfectly nostalgic. They ended the show with “Another Night on Mars,” a track from their latest release American Candy.

One of the best things about The Maine’s set is that no one knows what is going to happen. The band does not have a rehearsed script that most artists will tell each city. In fact, at one point O’Callaghan had the crowd chant “pizza party” and spewed out mock campaign promises like everyone in the crowd getting Heely’s shoes. If that did not win you over, the band still managed to stand outside in the pouring rain after the show just to meet all their fans. “We have the desire to give back to our fans because there is a real connection happening, said Monaco in an interview with Coog Radio, “there is something to be said about all of these people who buy our music or stream it or whatever and then feel that connection on such a level that they come to a show.”

The most important thing about a show is that no one is cool. We are all equal at a show and everyone is there for a common interest – the love for the music. The Maine has an unique sense about them that helps them generate all types of fans – from the new ones to the ones that grew up with their music – and bring them all together for one special night.

The Maine on Twitter | Facebook | iTunes | Spotify

Story by: Gleann Ignacio & Norma Becerra