ANDREW MCMAHON
Andrew McMahon, Theater of the Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA 8/6/2026
It’s not every day you get to see Andrew McMahon in such an intimate setting as the TLA in Philadelphia, so I couldn’t wait for this show. Andrew came out to a sea of cheers from the Philly crowd, waving to the fans before kicking things off with Jack’s Mannequin’s “Hey Hey Hey (We’re All Gonna Die),” a song I hadn’t heard performed live in more than 15 years.
Early in the set, we got to hear one of Andrew’s biggest hits, “High Dive,” reimagined as a stripped-down piano performance. It was a completely different take on the song and fit perfectly with the intimate atmosphere of the show.
One of the coolest parts of the night was getting to experience music from all three chapters of Andrew’s career. We heard songs from Something Corporate, Jack’s Mannequin, and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, making the three-piano format feel like a celebration of his entire musical journey. Another crowd favorite was “Fire Escape,” his 2017 hit that received plenty of airplay on Philadelphia’s local 104.5 station. Hearing the entire room sing along was a great moment.
The biggest highlight of the night came late in the set when a fan in the balcony proposed to his girlfriend. After she said yes, Andrew and the entire crowd erupted in cheers. It was one of those spontaneous moments that made the intimate setting of the TLA feel even more special.
Andrew eventually closed out the main set with Jack’s Mannequin’s “Dark Blue,” but the Philly crowd wasn’t ready to let him go. The cheers brought him back out for two more songs, including his all-time favorite, “Cecilia and the Satellite.”
With three pianos, three different chapters of his career, and a crowd that was completely invested from beginning to end, this was a special night in Philadelphia. It was the kind of show that reminded me why Andrew McMahon’s music has remained so meaningful for so many years.
Shot and Written by Jonah van Bemmelen
