Jack’s Mannequin « inTuneMusic

Jack’s Mannequin / fun. / Vedera @ Philadelphia 3/1/10

March 1, 2010

Proving that pop music isn’t just near-naked, big-breasted blondes singing about bad romances, Jack’s Mannequin stopped in Philadelphia to demonstrate that the genre still has substance. With support from two other like-minded pop acts and a sold-out crowd, the California four-piece was equipped to defend the genre.

Vedera

Kansas quartet Vedera kicked off the evening with “Loving Ghosts”, the first of six songs from their sophomore and latest full-length, Stages. Effortlessly switching from rhythm guitar to piano throughout the set while also providing powerful lead vocals, frontwoman Kristen May caught the attention of the sold out Philadelphia crowd. May’s husband and co-songwriter, Brian Little, provided excellent leads; drummer Drew Little and bassist Jason Douglas make up the four-piece’s rocksteady rhythm section. The set’s highlight was “Lover’s Lie” from the band’s superior debut, The Weight of an Empty Room:

Loving Ghosts
Forgive You
A World Apart
Goodbye My Love
Satisfy
Lover’s Lie
We Sing

fun.

Providing direct support, fun. began their set at 8:30. Things started off shaky, with the excellent “Walking the Dog” plagued with unnecessary use of strange effects. Thankfully, though, the band returned to form on the next song with pop masterpiece “I Wanna Be the One”. Andrew Dost sounded excellent on the piano; touring member Emily Moore’s female vocals helped complete the band’s soaring harmonies. Touring bassist Michael Newsted backed a riveting performance of “All the Pretty Girls on a Saturday Night”, while “Barlights” showcased frontman Nate Ruess’s intimate storytelling. A heartwarming performance of “Take Your Time (Coming Home)” finished fun.’s wonderful seven-song setlist.

Walking the Dog
I Wanna Be the One
All the Pretty Girls on a Saturday Night
Barlights
The Gambler
At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used to Be)
Take Your Time (Coming Home)

As Jack’s Mannequin frontman Andrew McMahon walked on stage, the crowd erupted in applause and the band jumped into a great performance of “Holiday from Real”. Guitarist Bobby Anderson slammed the first few chords of “The Mixed Tape” to kick off the hit single, with the band then moving onto the first two tracks from their latest album, The Glass Passenger. “Kill the Messenger” was injected with bits of The Police’s “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”; “The Resolution” was a full-crowd singalong.

Jack's Mannequin

Slowing things down, “Hammers and Strings (A Lullaby)” found McMahon offering farewell to his very first piano while remembering the amazing memories associated with it. The song’s haunting piano echoed through the Electric Factory, silencing the sold-out crowd while McMahon lamented, “My friend calls me up with her heart heavy still, she says, Andy, the doctors prescribed me the pills but I know I’m not crazy. I just lost my will. So why am I taking them still?”

Things didn’t stay somber for long, though, with pounding performances of “Bloodshot”, “I’m Ready”, and “Bruised” moving the crowd to dance along. A very respectable cover of U2′s “New Year’s Day” was surprisingly well-received by the young crowd. Following a talk about enjoying some of the band’s deep cuts — that is, songs recorded for but not released on a full-length album — Jack’s Mannequin played “Miss California”, a bonus track from The Glass Passenger.

Jack's Mannequin

Two of the band’s best cuts, “Dark Blue” and “MFEO”, closed out the setlist. Both songs received extended instrumental parts, with the latter featuring an enormous outro lead by drummer Jay McMillan’s rhythmic percussion and McMahon’s swooning vocals: “I said maybe, maybe we were made for each other…where are you now?”

An encore performance began with current single, “Swim”, and ended with “La La Lie”, featuring McMahon on harmonica. The night wasn’t complete, though, until McMahon leapt off stage, into the crowd, and surfed to the sound booth near the back of the venue. Being carried by just the flow of the crowd, McMahon safely made the trip and also the return voyage back to stage.

Holiday from Real
The Mixed Tape
Crashin’
Spinning
Kill the Messenger
The Resolution
Hammers and Strings (A Lullaby)
Bloodshot
I’m Ready
Bruised
New Year’s Day (U2 cover)
Miss California
Dark Blue
MFEO
Swim
La La Lie

Jack’s Mannequin sounded great at the normally-shoddy Electric Factory, putting on an extremely enjoyable show full of singalongs and crowd participation. With such a solid catalog at their disposal, however, it comes as absolutely no surprise. McMahon will be returning to duties in his former band, Something Corporate, over the coming months, but expect a new Jack’s Mannequin album and a tour supporting that album in the near future as the frontman juggles his responsibilities in both pop powerhouses.

All photos by Lindsay Voldandt.

1 Comment | Electric Factory, Fun, Jack's Mannequin, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Vedera | Permalink
Posted by Anthony Charles Ambrose

Phoenix / Passion Pit / Jack’s Mannequin / Manchester Orchestra @ NYC 12/2

December 2, 2009

For the first of two holiday concerts sponsored by 101.9 WRXP, the radio station booked French dance-rock outfit Phoenix to headline the Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center Studios. Still touring in support of their latest album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, the year’s biggest breakout rock act was joined by a handful of excellent acts on a rainy Wednesday evening.

Manchester Orchestra

Manchester Orchestra began the evening with “Pride” from their latest album, Mean Everything to Nothing, and the Atlanta five-piece stuck to that 2009 effort for the rest of their set. Frontman Andy Hull sounded great, and the rest of the band clicked together for an incredibly strong performance to a fairly unreceptive crowd. The full set:

Pride
I’ve Got Friends
Shake It Out
Everything To Nothing
The River

California piano-rockers Jack’s Mannequin followed, beginning with three cuts from their 2005 debut, Everything in Transit. “La La Lie” had the crowd in each others’ arms, swaying during its harmonica solo; “Kill the Messenger” found frontman Andrew McMahon name-checking the rain-soaked Manhattan crowd in an extended bridge: “Tonight I watched the rain pour down on New York City..”.

The Glass Passenger‘s “The Resolution” was strong, but the crowd’s biggest reaction came from “The Mixed Tape”, which had most of the audience at least humming along. Things slowed down with current single “Swim” before picking up again with “Spinning” and “Dark Blue”. The fairly abrasive “Bloodshot” closed the band’s extremely solid nine-song set:

Bruised
La La Lie
Kill the Messenger
The Resolution
The Mixed Tape
Swim
Spinning
Dark Blue
Bloodshot

Passion Pit, easily capable of headlining Hammerstein themselves, received a gigantic response from the plethora of L-train hipsters posted throughout the crowd. Throwing in older cuts from their 2008 effort, Chunk of Change EP, the band stuck mostly to their debut full-length, 2009′s Manners. “Little Secrets” was not just one of the band’s strongest moments but indeed one of the night’s; the entire crowd jumped and danced around to the song’s infectious chorus.

Since forming in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just two years ago, the indie/dance-rock quintet has exploded out of the indie community and into mainstream radio on strength of hook-heavy songs like “Sleepyhead” and the aforementioned “Little Secrets”. The band’s biggest single, “The Reeling”, began with a shaky synthesized riff that exploded into a full-blown dance number, closing the set with the audience singing “oh no, oh no.” The full set:

Make Light
I’ve Got Your Number
Let Your Love Grow Tall
Little Secrets
To Kingdom Come
Moth’s Wings
Sleepyhead
Smile Upon Me
The Reeling

If “Lisztomania” is a valid term to describe the hysteria surrounding Hungarian virtuoso Franz Liszt, then one may consider coining a similar term for Phoenix, as the band opened with that very song to a crowd of at least five-thousand screaming fans. “Long Distance Call”, from the bands third studio album, It’s Never Been Like That, followed. After a few staples (the rhythmic “Lasso” and the groovy “Fences”) from their stellar 2009 effort, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, the band dug back to the turn of the century with “If I Ever Feel Better”, the first of two songs from 2000′s United to make the setlist.

Laurent Brancowitz and Christian Mazzalai traded riffs during an intense performance of “Love Like a Sunset”, and, aside from “Countdown”, the band tackled all of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, closing with “Rome” and hit single “1901″. Frontman Thomas Mars jumped into the crowd for the band’s final moments, inducing a Phoenixmania of girls rushing to touch the French singer. Safely on stage, the rhythm section (anchored by drummer Thomas Hedlund and bassist Deck D’Arcy) provided keyboardist Robin Coudert with a steady beat to lay the song’s instantly recognizable fuzzy synth riffs. The full set:

Phoenix

Lisztomania
Long Distance Call
Lasso
Fences
If I Ever Feel Better
Girlfriend
Armistice
Love Like a Sunset Pt. I
Love Like a Sunset Pt. II
Too Young
Consolation Prizes
Rome
1901

By midnight the dance party had ended, bringing 101.9 WRXP’s holiday celebration to a close. With solid performances from each of the opening bands and a gigantic performance from headliner Phoenix, the night was a resounding success. Hordes of fans continued to validate Phoenixmania at the merch table, while the rest of the crowd walked into the New York City streets. Soaked with sweat, and soon to be soaked with a torrential downpour, the general consensus of the night could be easily determined by glancing at the thousands.

Phoenix’s full set can viewed right here in eight parts: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

inTuneMusic is very interested in any submissions/corrections from this event including photographs, setlists, and audio/video. Please contact us, you will receive complete credit for any submission.

2 Comments | Hammerstein Ballroom, Jack's Mannequin, Manchester Orchestra, New York, New York City, Passion Pit, Phoenix | Permalink
Posted by Anthony Charles Ambrose

Jack’s Mannequin @ New Brunswick 10/21

October 21, 2009

In between Andrew McMahon’s solo tour and Dear Jack charity screenings, Jack’s Mannequin is performing one-off dates at various colleges across America. In late October, the band rolled into the Rutgers University gym on College Avenue in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Jack's Mannequin guitarist Bobby Anderson

“Crashin’” kicked the set off right, with the band’s debut single, “The Mixed Tape”, on its tail getting the crowd involved early in the night. “Spinning” followed, and the song was noticeably stronger and fuller with the addition of guitarist Bobby Anderson providing lush vocal harmonies. In fact, the entire night was enhanced with not only Anderson but also bassist Jon Anderson providing harmonies to many of the songs.

The pop quartet stuck closely to their first (and more widely known) album, Everything in Transit, with the next five songs coming from that effort. “Holiday From Real” began with a quieter introduction, and “Kill the Messenger” was spiced up with a bit of The Police’s “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic”.

“Bruised” found the crowd jumping around for the first time before “La La Lie” put friends and lovers in the crowd in each others arms during a noticably extended harmonica solo. Current single “Swim” was cynically dedicated to the students working out in the pool below the gym. An abrasive and discordant introduction began “Bloodshot”, catching most of the crowd off guard during an otherwise melodious night.

Jack's Mannequin frontman Andrew McMahon

Something Corporate’s “Watch the Sky” became the night’s highlight, the first time Jack’s Mannequin has performed the song in a headliner role in New Jersey. McMahon explained some of the song’s origins about it being written in Seattle, Washington, before the entire band joined in for an excellent performance of the North b-side.

“Dark Blue” received the biggest response of the evening, and “The Resolution” sounded great. The first part of the set finished with a rousing rendition of “MFEO”, including pieces of “With or Without You” (from U2′s brilliant 1987 album, The Joshua Tree) and a tremendous performance from drummer Jay McMillan. The full set:

Crashin’
The Mixed Tape
Spinning
Holiday From Real
Kill the Messenger
I’m Ready
Bruised
La La Lie
Swim
Bloodshot
Watch the Sky (Something Corporate cover)
Dark Blue
The Resolution
MFEO
Rescused
Into the Airwaves

Jack's Mannequin drummer Jay McMillan

The two-song encore began with McMahon walking on stage wearing a shirt in “honor” of the Twitter trendy “balloon boy”–appropriate attire for a song entitled “Rescued”. Everything in Transit-closer “Into the Airwaves” finished the evening, a befitting end to a solid sixteen-song setlist that drew from ten of the album’s eleven tracks, likely designed to please a college crowd less familiar with The Glass Passenger. To an audience filled with fans and fratboys alike, Jack’s Mannequin put on an excellent show likely to convince the casual college student to pick up at least one of the band’s albums — fulfilling the night’s goal.

Leave a Comment » | Jack's Mannequin, New Brunswick, New Jersey, Rutgers University | Permalink
Posted by Anthony Charles Ambrose

Andrew McMahon @ NYC 10/12

October 12, 2009

At 9PM on a Monday evening, singer-songwriter Andrew McMahon walked onto the Highline Ballroom stage with a set of handwritten posters. Seemingly pulled from a Wes Anderson movie, the completely silent McMahon used the giant note cards to make introductions (“Hello…I’m Andrew”), define expectations (“Tonight you’ll hear lot’s of songs…some old..some new”), and lay out the evening’s ground rules (“singing-dancing-clapping…go for it!” and “requests are for karaoke bars!”)

Andrew McMahon's greetings, as told by a series of handmade signs.

The Glass Passenger‘s “Hammers and Strings (A Lullaby)” opened the evening. Over luscious chords and a soothing melody, McMahon’s lullaby was a farewell to an old piano from his first days of touring. Jack’s Mannequin guitarist Bobby Anderson joined for “The Mixed Tape”, a pleasant surprise that added depth to the rest of the set.

Fulfilling his poster promise of “old songs”, McMahon reached back to 2003 to perform “As You Sleep” from Something Corporate’s North. Great performances of “Crashin’” and “Holiday From Real” followed, and McMahon took a break to tell the story of “Annie Use Your Telescope”, a song written during a tour in Australia. “She Paints Me Blue”, another cut from North, was preceded with a story about the song’s origins: McMahon moved out of his parents’ house for the first time and one of the decorations for his new apartment was a blue light, which painted his depressed mood during that time.

Audioboxer EP‘s “Walking By” received the lengthiest explanation of the evening, with McMahon explaining the song’s “Cheshire cat doorstep”, an actual brick doorstep that his older siblings dropped on his head when he was younger. A rarely performed ballad, McMahon explained that although the song is one of his favorites, its slow-paced structure didn’t fit into Something Corporate’s “punky” tours in 2001 and 2002 when it was released.

A charming cover of Bob Dylan’s “Just Like a Woman” preceded “21 and Invincible”, a song McMahon said he wrote after being made fun of by his older brother. “Dark Blue” and “Bloodshot” followed, the latter of which McMahon remarked is about “climbing a mountain”.

Andrew McMahon played a variety of covers throughout the evening.

Andrew McMahon on the piano.

“Moon River”, made famous by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, received interesting treatment (the song is, despite McMahon’s best efforts, most certainly out of his vocal range). “West Coast Winter”, an older version of “La La Lie”, was the last song before McMahon walked off stage to take a breather.

“Heroine”, written for a girl whom McMahon took to a Face to Face concert, began the five-song encore which also included a cover of Bikelock’s “Olive”, a project between ex-River City High members Anderson and drummer Jay McMillan (both of whom now also play with Jack’s Mannequin). “The Astronaut” was dedicated to McMahon’s mother (in attendance with his sister); “Bruised” closed out the evening. The full set:

Hammers and Strings (A Lullaby)
The Mixed Tape
As You Sleep
Crashin’
Holiday From Real
Annie Use Your Telescope
The Resolution
She Paints Me Blue
Spinning
Walking By
Just Like A Woman (Bob Dylan cover)
21 and Invincible
Dark Blue
Bloodshot
Moon River (Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini cover)
West Coast Winter (La La Lie)
Heroine (Punk Rock Princess)
Swim
Olive (Bikelock cover)
The Astronaut
Bruised

Taking six songs from the Something Corporate era, McMahon pleased old fans and new fans alike with his exhaustive twenty-one song setlist. With help from Anderson, the true beauty of McMahon’s songwriting became evident when songs with often over-the-top production stood well up to the stripped-down acoustic test. Certainly, McMahon excels when he’s with his band on stage in front of thousands, but sometimes a quiet intimate evening with the songwriter is a pleasant change of pace. A portion of the night’s proceeds went towards the charitable Dear Jack Foundation.

McMahon returns to the area a few more times in October, including a solo session at Bowery Ballroom, a Jack’s Mannequin concert at Rutgers University, and a Dear Jack screening at IFC Theater.

Photos courtesy of Cristina Velasco

1 Comment | Andrew McMahon, Highline Ballroom, Jack's Mannequin, New York, New York City | Permalink
Posted by Anthony Charles Ambrose

Jack’s Mannequin @ NYC 6/19

June 19, 2009

EXCLUSIVE! Download the full show right now!

On a warm Friday afternoon, Andrew McMahon headed into Midtown’s City Winery to play a handful of Jack’s Mannequin songs acoustic in front of a private audience. I was seated for lunch at the lovely restaurant around 12PM, ordered a glass of wine, and waited until McMahon came on stage near 12:30. Mixing up a set of old favorites, new songs, and even a cover of New York’s MGMT, McMahon sounded great. The full set:

Andrew McMahon

The Resolution
The Mixed Tape
Hammers and Strings (A Lullaby)
La La Lie
Kids (MGMT cover)
Swim

Even without the rest of the band, the songs sounded big; a few hitches aside (an improvised “La La Lie” solo fell apart), the performance was near perfect and showcased exactly why McMahon is one of the strongest pop songwriters alive. I spoke briefly with McMahon after the set; we discussed his first tour, which I caught in Philadelphia before he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Sparked by the news that Jack’s Mannequin recently played the Something Corporate b-side “Watch the Sky” for the first time, I let Andrew know that my iPod was filled with his b-sides, acquired illegally. Without hesitation he smiled, put his arm around me, and said “as long as you’re listening, man”. He then signed my iPod, signing off that he was okay with that fact–not too surprising, since he angered his own record label by releasing a holiday EP for free on his website a few years back.

Jack’s Mannequin will open for The Fray in New Jersey at the PNC Bank Arts Center later tonight. The show is not yet sold out, and lawn tickets can be acquired from LiveNation’s website for about $25. Black and white photograph of Andrew McMahon is courtesy of the lovely Sara Brodster, who provides many pictures to inTuneMusic.

Jack's Mannequin

20 Comments | City Winery, Jack's Mannequin, New York, New York City | Permalink
Posted by Anthony Charles Ambrose

inTuneMusic

Jack’s Mannequin / fun. / Vedera @ Philadelphia 3/1/10

Phoenix / Passion Pit / Jack’s Mannequin / Manchester Orchestra @ NYC 12/2

Jack’s Mannequin @ New Brunswick 10/21

Andrew McMahon @ NYC 10/12

Jack’s Mannequin @ NYC 6/19

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