The Maine at the Fillmore Silver Spring
BY ANNA PORCELLA (THEY/THEM)Earlier this year, Arizona pop punk band The Maine released a self-titled album, a record that reflects back on their previous projects and creates a culmination of the sounds they have explored. In celebration, they have embarked on “The Sweet Sixteen Tour,” a nostalgia filled show commemorating not only their most recent album but everything that came before it in the band’s sixteen years. The Maine brought the tour to Silver Spring amidst a downpour this Sunday, bringing with them alt pop duo Daisy Grenade and indie rock band Flor.
Led by charismatic frontman John O’Callaghan, the five-piece band opens with “dose no. 2,” the first song from their most recent album. Following it is “I Must Be Dreaming,” from their first album “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop.” Right away, these first two songs set the tone of the rest of the setlist, spanning all nine of The Maine’s albums from the hits to the deep cuts. The crowd reflected the band’s pop punk roots with a mosh pit opening up during a few of the older songs and plenty of crowd surfing (and according to John, dethroning Philly as the crowd surfing capital in the process). Whether you’ve been a fan since day one or just for a few months, each chapter of the band’s discography has its moment to shine within this show.
The show’s production matches the aesthetic of the self-titled album beautifully. The stage floor is covered in a reflective silver material, stars decorate the backdrop, and a massive disco ball hovers over center stage. Fans are decked out in the band’s appointed dress code of black, silver, and sparkles, with several also sporting light up cowboy hats. The band is dressed similarly, though I was particularly fond of bassist Garrett Nickelsen’s shiny silver pants.
The band closes with “Another Night on Mars,” a touching song about close friends and finding a home among them. The Maine has always been vocal about the community that has formed around their music, and this song in particular is a testimony to how much it means to both them and the audience. The room is filled with a sense of belonging, the crowd audible in every lyric and smiles visible the entire night.
