Jack’s Mannequin live!
Jack’s Mannequin
Bottom Lounge, Chicago
November 9, 2008
Despite hailing from sunny California, the Windy City is almost a second home for Jack’s Mannequin, at least according to frontman Andrew McMahon at Sunday night’s Bottom Lounge show. And judging by the commitment of the sold-out crowd (some camped out in the cold for hours to get in), he’s not kidding. Swarms of mostly high school/college-aged fans packed into the new West Loop venue for the alt-pop band’s performance.
As always, McMahon’s charisma took center-stage, as he and his trusty sidekick (the baby grand piano wheeled onstage only moments before he started) led the crowd through more than 90 minutes of music. The main focus of the night was JM’s latest release, The Glass Passenger, as he opened with the singles “Crashin'” and “Spinning,” then played through most the album’s tracks. The most beautiful moments came on McMahon’s ode to his road-tested piano (“Hammer And Strings”) and on “Caves,” the song he said inspired forming his leukemia- (of which he is a survivor) fighting foundation.
McMahon worked the crowd by throwing in past favorites like “The Mixed Tape” and “Dark Blue” (from JM’s previous Everything in Transit) and even a couple of songs from his Something Corporate days, like “Cavanaugh Park.” He also threw a curve ball by covering one of the better piano-rock ballads ever written, The Boss’ “I’m on Fire.” McMahon has mastered the art of fronting a show from his piano, whether rocking out on his feet while playing, getting lost in its melodies in one of his introspective ballads, or even standing on top and leaping off it. He’s Chris Martin on steroids, a flashback to greats like Elton John.
Chicago’s own Treaty Of Paris (recently signed to McMahon’s Airport Tapes And Records label) kicked off the show with an entirely acoustic set, per McMahon’s request. Unplugging often reveals the true musicality of a band, and in TOP’s case, it proved their talent even further. None of their alt-rock edge was lost in the acoustic translation, and Mike Chorvat’s vocals alternated nicely between angst and soothing pop, aided beautifully at times by the band’s four-part harmonies.
Fun was an even more eclectic choice, but they had a surprisingly huge fan base present considering this was allegedly only their fifth live show ever. Their violin-and-keyboard-laden acoustic art-rock (sans percussion) charmed the crowd, especially when they nailed a cover of “Come On Eileen.”
— Carter Moss
Category: Live Reviews, Weekly
