Jack's Mannequin

Hitting the road at the top left corner of America, Jack’s Mannequin kicked off there Sing For Your Supper tour in Seattle WA. Carrying along with them Vedera from Kansas City, and fun. from New York City, pianos packed into trailers for the new years best yet piano rock tour.

The second night of the tour took place a few hours south in Portland, OR. The famous downtown Roseland Theater divided nicely. The lower level pit overflowed with teens gushing for Andrew McMahon whose Baldwin Piano would never know the feeling of being put to flame. A couple staircases vertical, the upper balcony housed those who struggled between gulps of overpriced Budweiser to reminisce old high school days spent listening to “Punk Rock Princess.” At all altitudes faces were beaming. Fans still remain overly thankful that their heroic piano genius is still around to stand upright atop his piano while still playing and singing notes perfectly.

By the time the pseudo-stalker-ific “Miss California” hit its bridge Andrew made it up to his piano. Hopping around like a five year old gymnast at their first lesson Andrew leaps down four feet missing drummer Jay McMillan’s kit by inches. Next is the cool down. The piano ballad “Lullaby” is introduced with a quick anecdote of the beloved piano it’s about to be played on. The colossal piano breakdown at the end was enough to melt every last heart in the room.

As the show nears its end Andrew acknowledges “this is a cover song” while the opening guitar riffs of U2’s “New Years Day” bounce off the Roseland walls. After an acoustic piano version of "Swim" and final encore of "Dark Blue" the guys thanked the crowd and just as humbly exited the stage. The house lights clanked on and blasted away the darkness leaving the crowd satisfied. The only thing that could have made the show better was a few dancing flames over the Baldwin.

Prior to this tour came the release of the documentary "Dear Jack." The hour long homemade DVD portrays the heart wrenching yet inspirational story of Andrew McMahon's battle against acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Diagnosed three months before the release of Jack's Mannequin’s debut full length Everything in Transit, McMahon left touring and was hospitalized. "Dear Jack" follows Andrew through endless struggles with love, music, and most importantly his treatment. The hour long documentation gives an honest and emotional look into McMahon's life as he fights. A box of tissues is necessary, but this is one happy ending you can expect to get.

Without any kind of big spectacle, the four members of Jack’s Mannequin humbly walked onto stage, Andrew squatting right down on his piano bench. “From an empty room on the first floor. As the cars pass by the liquor store. I deconstruct my thoughts at this piano.” Andrew sings the first lines of “Into the Airwaves” off Everything in Transit. Fans front row who spent the last forty minutes dangling, smashed over the barricades begin to sing wildly. The chorus kicks in and the loveable energy of Andrew McMahon fills the room like a fog machine.

The music continues with the song “Spinning” off of 2008’s The Glass Passenger (written aptly about Andrew’s jubilated recovery). With blustering inspiration the crowd is no longer still.