Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness Blend Old & New at the Neptune

Andrew McMahon at The Neptune (Photo by Mocha Charlie)

Last Wednesday night, the Neptune Theater was the place to be. Headliner Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness along with Hunter Hunted and Junior Prom created a high-energy night of incredible tunes. The dynamic duo, Junior Prom were the first to take the stage. Armed with a minimal setup of electric guitar and drum kit, this group filled out their sound with well-placed vocal reverb and canned electronic samples. It may not sound fancy, but it totally was. The sound these two create is incredible, and their tunes are catchy enough to sustain a constant head bob. That’s a pretty big deal.

Hunter Hunted was next on the bill. Another band with catchy, energetic tunes, this band is what would happen if The Head and the Heart or The Lumineers traded in their acoustic guitars for a synthesizer. Heavy on group vocals and oozing positivity and general happy-to-be-here attitudes, this is a band as fun to watch as it is to dance to their tunes. I’m really looking forward to seeing where this band goes in the future, because they are headed for great things.

The crowd was anxious as they awaited Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness to take the stage. Formerly of bands Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin, Andrew McMahon’s new project is an exciting development for long-time fans as it allows him to play songs from the vaults. The set was a fantastic collage of songs off of his new album and various selections from both Jack’s Mannequin and Something Corporate songs catalogs. One of the most memorable moments of the evening was when he began playing Something Corporate’s “Cavanaugh Park” and started singing the wrong lyrics. To cover the mistake, he launched into a dialogue about the real Cavanaugh Park (basically a basketball court next to a McDonald’s) before launching into the song again. Like one of the later lines in the song, he really made “f-in’ up look cool.” With piano-heavy tunes and one hella-talented band to fill out the sound and bring the energy, this new incarnation of an old favorite was well worth braving the wind and rain to experience.

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