The Maine | House of Blues | Anaheim, CA
Photographed by Mila Solenberger
On August 21, 2026, The House of Blues in Anaheim, CA was packed to the brim, patiently awaiting The Maine’s career-highlighting double set.
Coined as “Arizona Emo,” The Maine originated in 2007 with lead vocalist, guitarist, and pianist John O’Callaghan, lead guitarist Jared Monaco, rhythm guitarist Kennedy Brock, bassist Garrett Nickelsen, and drummer Patrick Kirch. Almost 20 years later, the band is still as lively as ever, cementing their status as champions of the alternative scene.
To celebrate the release of their 10th record, Joy Next Door, The Maine embarked on their second tour of the year, The Tour Next Door, spanning across 11 cities. This tour is unique for several reasons, including double sets: one quiet (acoustic) and one loud (full band). This allowed them to curate the setlist to honor more of their discography more intimately and honestly.
Hellogoodbye, the high-energy power pop trio, kicked off the night. Founded in 2001, the Orange County natives have previously toured with the likes of Paramore and Boys Like Girls, and, like The Maine, frequented Warped Tour. The crowd was eager to groove with them, feeding off of their light-hearted nature. Forrest Kline, the charismatic frontman, was often seen wrapped in the stage string lights, even throwing them onto the crowd, which drew the audience in. They closed out the set with their beloved Myspace hit, “Here (In Your Arms),” which had the floor shaking.
Next up was The Maine! One by one, the members walked back onto the stage in full piece suits, all smiles. O’Callaghan’s keyboard was placed at the center edge of the stage, with two acoustic guitars surrounding it, waiting to be played. O’Callaghan immediately admired the size of the crowd, explaining that this was their largest Anaheim show to date, which sent the audience into a roar.
ACT I: The Quiet
The quiet set was the perfect blend of the band’s discography for both first-time listeners and longtime fans. The set opens with the acoustic version of “Bad Behavior,” a widely loved rendition they have been performing since 2017. No one anticipated that they’d cover “You’re Still the One” by Shania Twain live, but the rendition was pleasantly surprising. They had the audience in the palm of their hands, leaning into the song’s more folk elements. The highlight of the night was during “How to Exit a Room,” when a crowd surfer in a hot pink cowboy hat stole attention from the band, right before intermission. Post-wardrobe change, Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” blared on the speakers, welcoming the group back onto the stage.
ACT II: The Loud
In classic The Maine fashion, we have Garrett on bass, darting across the stage, Jared’s iconic headbanging, Kennedy’s attentive strumming, John’s silly dance moves, and Patt’s rhythmic precision. “Numb Without You” and “Slip the Noose,” two fan favorites from You Are OK, had the crowd on their feet and passionately screaming the lyrics back to them. Later came “Die To Fall,” from Joy Next Door, which is almost impossible not to headbang to. At this point in the set, the crowd was doing a lot of that.
Soon after, “Do You Remember? (The Other Part of 23)” was dedicated to Pat’s dad, who was in attendance for the night, making for a sweet tribute. The show ended with their beloved hit “Black Butterflies and Déjà Vu,” prompting O’Callaghan to thank the audience for all of their support. He signed off by saying, “We’ll see ya when we’re lookin’ at ya,” which we all can hope is sooner rather than later.
Time and time again, The Maine are a breath of fresh air; constantly challenging and reinventing themselves. Although this mini-tour leans into the nostalgia of their older music, it also allows them to showcase their growth as a band and connect more intimately with fans.
You can purchase your tickets to the Joy Next Door Tour here.
Check out The Maine on socials: Website / Spotify / Apple Music / Instagram
QUIET SETLIST:
- Bad Behavior
- Into Your Arms
- Funny How?
- You’re Still the One
- These Four Words
- And Then
- How to Exit a Room
LOUD SETLIST:
- Half a Spark
- I Think About You All the Time
- Numb Without You
- Die To Fall
- I Must Be Dreaming
- Do You Remember? (The Other Half of 23)
- Identify
- Sticky
- Touch
- Dose No.2
- Loved You a Little
- Palms
- Slip the Noose
- 3:31
- Like We Did (Windows Down)
- Dirty, Pretty, Beautiful
- Black Butterflies and Déjà Vu
