South By Southwest is full of shows and free showcases, so many that it’s hard to keep track of them all. More often than not you’ll hear about showcases from word of mouth, which is how I found out about Andrew McMahon playing a free show on Friday at Whole Foods. The event was hosted by Quantum Collective and Amazon who had many bands scheduled to play that day, even the famous Rick Springfield who I saw before Andrew McMahon.
There were lots people lounging around on the rooftop of Whole Foods with friends, kids and dogs in tow, all enjoying the live music, free food, and the atmosphere. When Andrew McMahon and his band started setting up people gathered under the pergola to watch him.
Since the end of Jack’s Mannequin and the start of Andrew McMahon touring under his own name, he added several band mates to his live band so that he could have a fuller, more complete live sound. Andrew and his five bands mates packed keyboards, synthesizers, basses, guitars, mics, and all the pedals and wires that go along with it onto a stage that would be considered small even for four people. He began his set about 40 minutes later after all the instruments were sound checked and they got his piano working.
After playing “Television” (Jack’s Mannequin), “Learn to Dance” (new), and “I Woke Up In a Car” (Something Corporate), he started to play his newest song “Synesthesia” but had to cut it because one of the synthesizers stopped working. The thing about SXSW is that everything is spontaneous and problems happen and you just have to keep going. So Andrew finished his set with one of his personal favorite Jack’s songs “Bruised.”
After seeing him at SXSW and again for his show in Dallas I realize how much of a true musician and performer he is. He is so true and real in his music and so genuine when he performs. Andrew McMahon is something special.
You can read about my one of a kind experience at his show in Dallas and see even more photos by clicking here.
Watch Andrew McMahon’s performance of “Television”.
For more photos of Andrew McMahon from SXSW, you can visit my Flickr page.
