4/8/13

SHOW REVIEW: Kate Earl / Andrew McMahon at St Andrews Hall Detroit

Coming back to the great city of Detroit after a year, it's like he never left. Andrew McMahon, former front man for Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin laid it all on the St. Andrews Hall stage for his biggest supporters. He played all of the fan favorites, new songs, and some unreleased tracks. He thanked everyone for sticking with him through two bands and a solo project. He seemed overcome with joy by the sold out Detroit audience.

            McMahon played a lot of songs, from his former bands, Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin. Opening the show with "Mixed Tape" the crowd swallowed the words. He also played three new songs from his solo project; he was surprised that everyone knew all of the words to those songs. When he introduced the song, Synesthesia from his new EP, The Pop Underground. He said, "I wrote this song when I saw some old friends in the news paper doing really well." Everyone in the crowd assumed he was talking the band Fun. 

            After a 16 song set, he left the stage. The crowd went wild and chanted for him to come back. He came back solo, and played No Man is an Island on the piano. Midway through his second encore song Konstantine, the band joined him for the ten minute long arrangement. Before playing his last song of the night, he congratulated Detroit on our opening day victory. McMahon closed the show with a crowd favorite, La La Lie. McMahon closed the show standing on the piano, and threw the set list into the sea of his fans.

            However a main act is only better with it's opening acts. Opening the show was Erland Wanberg, and his four-man band from Santa Barbara, California. He played a mix of folk and rock, creating a unique rhythm with the crowd. They played songs off their album, On Our Side, produced by Andrew McMahon. Kate Earl, a soulful songwriter from Alaska followed Earland and set the tone for the night with her poetic lyrics. This was her first stop on the tour and the Detroit crowd welcomed her with open arms. She played most songs from her newest album, Stronger.