The Maine Beams With Bliss on the XOXO Tour in Anaheim

John O'Callaghan of The Maine performs at House of Blues in Anaheim, CA. Photo by Nikki Phillips.

Arizona rockers The Maine recently made their stop in Anaheim, CA at The House of Blues and certainly brought the heat with them. With Charlotte Sands and The Happy Fits as support, the XOXO tour was one for the books. Let’s rewind for a moment — Admittedly, the last time I saw The Maine live was way back at Bamboozle 2010 in New Jersey. It had been so long since I’ve seen them that I was genuinely thrilled to see what was in store for me twelve years later.

The two opening artists were seemingly crowd favorites on their own, each receiving fierce reception after their sets. Up and coming alt queen Charlotte Sands has a feature on The Maine’s newest track titled “Loved You A Little” along with cameos by Taking Back Sunday as well. The Happy Fits were also a fun find — bringing a unique pop-folk-indie rock sound to the stage. Did I mention the lead singer also plays cello? (Yes, you read correct.) That element adds a refreshing touch and contributes immensely to their distinctive sound.

Emerging from the curtains onto the stage to Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” with a flawless transition into “Sticky” was a memorable introductory moment for myself as well as many of The Maine’s most diehard fans… Some of which marked monumental numbers in their own personal records of attending The Maine’s shows. One fan was about to hit their 200th show later in the week. Lead singer John O’Callaghan called out a few names of those he recognized in the crowd, knowing who had traveled hours to see them (again) and giving them a warm welcome. What I immediately observed and truly admire about John is that he is an incredible frontman. He engaged with the audience on a level that is not seen very often nowadays. He held mini conversations, told jokes, did impromptu karaoke and even brought a fan up onstage to help sing one of their songs. Witnessing him bring together a room with over 1,500 people effortlessly was rather impressive — and made me feel oddly nostalgic, almost like catching up with old friends.

The other band members (guitarist Jared Monaco, bass guitarist Garrett Nickelsen, drummer Pat Kirch, and rhythm guitarist Kennedy Brock) followed suit in making everyone in attendance feel included and appreciated. There was a very natural flow of love and appreciation between the band and the audience. The guys expressed their gratitude often throughout their 15+ song set. Ambient yet vibrant lighting tied together their performance energy while highlighting the crowd’s multi-color LED light-up cowboy hats native to the band’s merch and fanbase. It is remarkable to see how much a band can grow in just a few years, let alone twelve. The fanbase I remember as a small hub of stateside believers, has now transformed into a worldwide community. Many tours and seven studio albums later, I too, felt the radiating positivity and feel-good energy reignited like old times. The Maine have not only stayed true to their biggest supporters, but also to themselves. Twelve years later, they are better than ever. While the tour has just wrapped, I am confident we will be seeing plenty more of these guys in the future. Check out our photo gallery below for a taste of the action!