REVIEW: Andrew McMahon brought summer to Chicago in March

Andrew McMahon

The Riv // Chicago, IL // March 2, 2019

Chicago really needed McMahon’s warm, sunny music, and he delivered.

Let’s be honest: it’s been a shitty winter. Here in Chicago, we had some of the coldest temps on record and a ton of ice and snow. We’re ready for some warm beams of sunlight, a bit of a soft breeze, and maybe even some humidity (Yeah, I said it. It’s so dry right now.) So when concert-goers flooded into The Riv on a cold Saturday night, they were excited to see a stage filled with beach umbrellas, colorful paper flowers, and AstroTurf. Andrew McMahon‘s Upside Down Flowers Tour has been making its way across the country with fellow indie lads Grizfolk and Flor, and the response has been amazing. McMahon’s set started with his bandmates coming out in flip flops and Hawaiian shirts and being silly with the crowd. One of them picked up a rubber ducky thermometer at the end of the stage and nodded at the hypothetical heat and sunshine, while another came out with a pool skimmer and picked up rubber duckies from fans. If you don’t know the correlation between Andrew McMahon and rubber duckies, you definitely need to learn.

Andrew McMahon by Kate Scott

The stage lit up and McMahon began singing “Everything Must Go”, but he was nowhere to be found. Fans sang along, but a few looked confused as neither McMahon nor his signature, sticker-covered piano were onstage. Suddenly, a lattice-covered spot at the back of the stage lit up, and McMahon wheeled his piano to the front of the stage, still playing while pushing the massive instrument. He flashed a massive smile and kept playing while standing up. It takes a lot for a musician to be so dynamic by playing the piano, but Andrew McMahon definitely pulls it off.

Andrew McMahon by Kate Scott

McMahon didn’t just spend the evening behind the piano; he got right up to the front of the stage and sang along with his fans. He played songs from his previous bands, Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin (I was pretty excited when he played “Dark Blue”). Towards the end of the night, McMahon and his band covered Cher’s “Believe” in an unexpected and delightful break from indie rock jams. And of course, before the night was over, McMahon was surfing over the crowd in a giant pool float. This time, however, it was in a big inflatable sun. It was a perfect way to end the evening.