A crowd of nearly 2,000 people was ready for the legendary Andrew McMahon to take the stage. The overwhelming amount of love that filled the Newport Music Hall last night was a sight to behold. I’ve been to a lot of shows over the past few years and have seen dozens of opening bands. Sometimes openers are met with a cold crowd who are just there to see the main act; this was not the case last night.

Grizfolk and Flor were not only welcomed to Newport Music Hall with open arms, but they blew away any expectations that were set for them. Grizfolk is made up of five members who play the hell out of alternative rock. Members include Adam Roth, Sebastian Fritze, Fredrik Eriksson, and Bill Delia. The band has been making music together for over five years and are currently based out of Los Angeles.

Flor Takes the Stage

Flor is an indie/alt rock band from Oregon who came to Columbus and gave us everything they had. This is one of the most genuine bands whom I have had the pleasure of seeing. It is so obvious that they love what they do, and that love feeds into their energy and the crowd. Zach Grace is the band’s lead singer; throughout nearly their entire set he was smiling ear to ear. He even took a few moments to thank the crowd and said: “Is there really anywhere better to play music than in Columbus, Ohio?” The crowd erupted, so, no, Zach, I don’t think there is.

Meet Me on the High Dive

A few piano chords stopped the crowd’s chatter as band members took the stage with pool skimmers and rubber ducky thermostats in hand. Soon the opening lyrics to “Everything Must Go” filled the venue, but Andrew McMahon was nowhere in site. A solid 30 seconds went by before he was brought out from behind a latticed wall, piano and all. From that moment on I knew I was about to be part of one of the best live shows Columbus will see that year.

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness were nothing short of spectacular last night in Columbus, Ohio, just one of the many stops on their Upside Down Flowers Tour. They played throughout some of the band’s most beloved songs including “High Dive” & “Fire Escape” as well as some of their newer stuff, including my personal favorites “Ohio” and “Teenage Rockstars.” Jack’s Mannequin, Something Corporate, and even a Cher cover were part of their diverse and wildly energetic set. The adoration of their fans and the liviless of their show didn’t cease at any point during their two-hour set.

The Dear Jack Foundation

Upon entering the venue, friendly faces greeted you and asked if you knew about the Dear Jack Foundation. This nonprofit was started by Andrew McMahon after he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The Dear Jack Foundation “provides impactful programming that directly benefits adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer in order to improve quality of life and create positive health outcomes from treatment to survivorship for patients and their families.” It was amazing to see so many people openly support this extremely important organization.

Check out our full photo album from their show last night as well as upcoming tour dates below!

Andrew McMahon in The Wilderness
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Andrew McMahon in The Wilderness Tour with Flor and Grizfolk

February 28th

Egyptian Room at Old National Centre

Thursday, 7:00PM

Indianapolis, IN