Some nights feel more like time travel than live music, and the MFEO Tour stop at the sold-out Stage AE with Jack’s Mannequin was exactly that kind of evening. With the return of Andrew McMahon’s beloved piano-driven project, fans were given a chance to revisit the songs that once filled bedrooms, road trips, and summer heartbreaks. Jack’s Mannequin started touring last year after a nearly 10 year hiatus toncelebrate their 20th anniversary, making this celebration a heartfelt reunion with melodies that defined an era of pop rock, a glowing love letter to memory, hope, and the power of honest songwriting.
Yoke Lore opened the night with a haunting yet high energy set that set the emotional tone just right. Armed with a banjo and a voice full of texture, Adrian Galvin created swirling, atmospheric layers that filled the venue with a sense of calm and intimacy. The set had a mix of slow, emotionally powerful ballads and spunky riffs that were perfect for jumping and dancing around. He joked between songs but always returned to the music with a seriousness that made the crowd pay attention. It was an opener that felt less like a warm-up and more like a meaningful prelude to what would come next.
From the moment Jack’s Mannequin took the stage, the energy shifted to absolutely magnetic. With vibrant lighting that drenched the stage in warm hues of orange, pink, and blue and projector screens alternating betreen fun, colourful images and video clips from their past, the show felt less like a concert and more like stepping into a living, breathing memory. Andrew McMahon sat confidently behind his piano, launching straight into a cascade of fan favourites with the kind of passion that can only come from someone reliving the songs as much as the audience. “The Mixed Tape” and “Bruised” hit hard, both received with full-volume singalongs and swaying hands in the air.
Between songs, McMahon took time to reflect: on writing his first Jack’s Mannequin record while battling leukemia, on being young and uncertain, on how these songs helped him find his way. His stories were raw but uplifting, and they cast new light on familiar lyrics. “Dark Blue” felt like a rallying cry for anyone who ever felt lost and kept going, while “Hammers and Strings” slowed things down with emotional weight and beauty. The colours of the lights seemed to pulse with the music, shifting in time with every memory relived and every word belted out by the crowd.
It was hard not to feel overwhelmed by the emotion in the room. Jack’s Mannequin delivered more than just a trip down memory lane. They turned those memories into something alive and glowing. With vibrant visuals, a setlist full of heart, and a performer who clearly still believes in every single note, this show proved why Jack’s Mannequin still matters. The MFEO Tour is about honoring the moments that shaped us, and finding joy in the fact that we’re still here, singing along.
June 13th, 2025
