Philadelphia has long been a second home to Andrew McMahon, and he returned to a venue he’s been playing since he was 19 for a special solo show ahead of his Three Pianos show this weekend. The iconic Theater of Living Arts has hosted thousands of concerts, but none quite like this – the storied punk venue was transformed to fit just over 400 seats as McMahon gave his fans a special “evening with” show from behind his piano.
Those lucky enough to get a ticket were treated to a career-defining performance from one of the most prolific songwriters of this generation. To describe the show for those who weren’t there is truly a tough mountain to climb – the best explanation would be imagining what a solo performance would look like if you merged Whose Line Is It Anyway? with a technically flawless set from a symphony orchestra. McMahon toed the line of comedy, storytelling, and, of course, flawless renditions of some of his best and most obscure songs.
Fans laughed and cried, and two unlucky fans who arrived late were even subjected to a good-natured roast as they made their way to their front-row seats. McMahon opened with “Hey Hey Hey” which, despite being a somber song, received one of the loudest roars of the night at his mention of the “old TLA.” In a setlist filled with an incredible range, it’s hard to spotlight just a few moments, but crowd favorites were clearly “Hammer and Strings,” “Last Straw AZ,” and a reimagined “Punk Rock Princess” — you could hear every word being sung back over the crashing of his piano keys.
The show had its fair share of mainstays from Jack’s Mannequin, Something Corporate, and Wilderness shows, but fans would have been thrilled to hear any song from his catalog in such an intimate setting. As the night came to a close, there was a proposal on the balcony during the opening notes of “Dark Blue,” a baby in the crowd briefly stole the spotlight, and it would be remiss not to mention “Kimberly,” who became a recurring joke after someone shouted her name early in the show.
An Evening with Andrew McMahon was unlike any other performance from him – it opened him up to the audience in a way a full band show never could. While there’s no doubt his Three Pianos show at the Mann, spanning his entire career and all of his bands, will be the show of the summer, there was something truly magical about just him and one piano on the stage of one of Philadelphia’s most iconic venues.
