Manic Presents: The New Friends Tour 2023 November 28th, in New Haven, Connecticut
Words and Photos by: Jacklyn Lipscomb | @photobyjacklyn
Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness brought his New Friends tour to College Street Music Hall in New Haven on Tuesday, November 28th 2023. With support from rising acts Wildermiss and Michigander, fans traveled from near and far to experience an incredible night of live music and comradery together.
Wildermiss and Michigander
Embracing his wild side, Andrew McMahon and crew planned every detail of their live performance with precision, as the stage setup resembled a campground complete with a yellow tent, trees, raccoon plushies, an owl, and Bones the howling dog all surrounding McMahon's piano that sat front and center stage.
Kicking off the set with "Nobody Tells You When You're Young", McMahon entered through the back of the music hall and walked through the crowd to greet and embrace all of the adorning concert goers in an intimate and up close and personal setting. After making his way to the stage for "The Mixed Tape" and "Stars", McMahon was stationed at the piano for the majority of the performance, with brief pauses to stride across the stage with the microphone in hand, singing and dancing to the crowd with pure enthusiasm. Going on to play favorites like "Fire Escape", "Hurricane", "High Dive", "Dark Blue", and "I Woke Up in a Car", McMahon included something for everyone to enjoy by incorporating tracks from both previous eras of his Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin days. Keeping the energy strong, McMahon spoke of the Dear Jack Foundation- providing programs and support for young adults diagnosed with cancer- before letting a fan join him onstage for a heartwarming duet during "Bruises" which instantly became a highlight of the entire evening. McMahon went on to wow the audience with his claim-to-fame track "Cecilia and the Satellite" which had the entire room up and dancing. He continued to finish off the performance with a trip across the crowd, surfing on his signature inflatable llama pool floatie for "La La Lie" and throwing marshmallows into the crowd after an impromptu campfire appeared onstage for "New Friends" before the final song of the night "Dark Blue." While watching Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness perform, it became overwhelmingly apparent just how close-knit McMahon and his fans are, always celebrating the true gift of music and their ever-growing relationship throughout the years of his musical career together. With frequent past stops in Connecticut throughout the years, this show at College Street Music Hall was amongst one of the best experiences yet, leaving all of us excited for the next adventure that will await when McMahon returns next time with all of his new friends by his side.
Check out the full gallery of Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness below!
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