The Maine Review

Review + photographs by Nicolette Cunningham,
House of Blues | Anaheim, CA
August 21, 2026

I think The Maine might’ve cracked the code on a concert run of shows. Starting with an acoustic-style “quiet” set and moving into an intoxicatingly energetic set (the “loud” part) set the evening up as one of the best concerts I’ve been to in a while.

Their latest release, Joy Next Door, is an extraordinary addition to the past eras of The Maine. Being a fan myself since 2014, I can confirm that Joy Next Door is an album of back-to-back hits. Starting the evening with the “quiet part,” The Maine played a handful of acoustic-style bangers, including “Into Your Arms,” a gorgeous cover of Shania Twain’s “You’re Still The One,” a Forever Halloween throwback, “These Four Words,” and the newly released “And Then.” The quiet set featured the entirety of the five-piece band, creating a feeling of comfortability and genuine artistry. This band has the ability to make any song, any rendition, seem to take root in your soul and become your next favorite song.

After a random (yet typical) anecdote from John about his mustache and his use of “Just For Men” to finally have what he deemed an appropriate ’stache, they wrapped up with a personal favorite, “How to Exit a Room,” and then just like that — they were away for a quick intermission and onto the electric, loud part of the evening.

Returning to the stage after a quick wardrobe change, The Maine walked out to Metallica’s “Master of Puppets,” and it is apparent now more than ever that Metallica is “dad rock” and that’s lowkey the vibe from this. Ripping off that energy and going right into the first song, “Half A Spark,” they were off.

One of my favorite aspects of The Maine is their absolute love of performing. Between Garrett practically running laps on stage with his bass, Jared’s incredible hair flip while he’s shredding, Kennedy’s incredible harmonies, Pat never once missing a beat, or John’s very questionable (yet endearing) dance moves — how is someone supposed to pick a favorite moment?

The setlist pivoted a small amount from the show the day before, playing “Do You Remember? (The Other Part of 23)” on behalf of Pat’s dad, who lovingly watched from the balcony. Swinging right into a fan favorite that invited many, many crowd surfers, “Identify” from Pioneer brought everyone to their feet. With lyrics ringing off the walls from the fans alone, The Maine shone.

The reason this band has been active for nearly twenty years is because of the genuine light that radiates throughout their music. Consistent tours, albums, and their very own 8123 Fest in Arizona prove the sheer dedication of this band.

Wrapping the evening with “Dirty, Pretty, Beautiful” and clear crowd favorite “Black Butterflies and Déjà Vu,” John ended with his trademarked goodbye of “we’ll see ya when we’re lookin’ at ya,” and that was that.

The consensus of the fans on the awkward shuffle out of Anaheim’s House of Blues was, “that was f*cking awesome,” and you know what? Yeah, it was.