Columbus Celebrates 20 Years of The Maine

The Maine brought their typical high energy and vibrancy to Columbus on Sunday, April 12 for their headlining tour, I Love You But I Choose the Maine. The Phoenix-based band reminisced about 20 years of memories with fans packed to the barricade at KEMBA Live! and a 21-song setlist that touched on fan-favorites from all 10 of their studio albums.

Friday Pilots Club is exactly the kind of band you’d expect to open for The Maine on such an important tour. The Chicago natives took the stage at 6:30 p.m. and brought their dancing shoes with fun, upbeat songs that got the crowd moving immediately. If fans of The Maine hadn’t heard of Friday Pilots Club before the show, they’re sure to go home and put on their music later (which can only be described as if The Neighbourhood made upbeat music, or, as Friday Night Pilots puts it: Vampire Disco).

At 7:15 P.M., Grayscale graced the stage with one of their sexiest setlists to date. Fans were ecstatic to watch Collin Patrick Walsh And Co. play “Motown” and “Twist and Shout” (Top Notes cover) back to back mid-set. It’s easy for avid Grayscale listeners to fall back in love with the band every time they see them perform live because of the emotional rollercoaster of unapologetic, sad lyrics paired with a funky and energetic sound in the pop-punk scene.

Groovy Nashville alternative pop band Nightly caught the eyes of concert-goers even before they took the stage at 8:10 P.M. The Nashville locals had a gorgeous set of pretty pink, purple, and blue lights with a lit up “<3” sign in the middle of the stage that encapsulated the vibe of Nightly’s set. The band has a sound and lyrics that can be described as late One Direction, Flor, and The 1975, of which two of the three are incredibly fitting since Nightly has a song about Taylor Swift called “1989” (the crowd was very excited about this one). The crowd soaked in the slower tempo love songs and prepared themselves for what was to come: “Another Night on Mars” with approximately 2,200 of their closest friends.

Less than 48 hours after releasing their new album Joy Next Door, Members of The Maine stepped on stage at 9:10 and set the stage with the above song which is usually reserved as one of their closers on tour, immediately letting fans know that it would be a night full of reminiscing, nostalgia, and a deep appreciation for the 20 years the band has spent with them. The band did a flawless job all night interlacing the old with the new with both songs and fans, which is something really special that only few bands are able to achieve

The next three songs on the setlist, arguably their most popular songs from their three most recent albums, were a reminder that The Maine is still here tearing up the music scene in 2026. It was incredible to see fans belting the words to “I Think About You All The Time,” “Die To Fall,” and “Sticky” just as loud as they did to the next song: “Like We Did (Windows Down).” 

There’s something about hearing a song from Lovely Little Lonely live, and the love for the album was palpable when “Taxi” came on. A slower song on the setlist, but the crowd was no less chaotic, and the energy only increased with the next two songs: fast-paced “Touch,” and “Dose No. 2.” Even those who didn’t know the lyrics raised their hands towards the sky and moved to the music.

The band reached deep into their discography and pulled out cult-classic “Kennedy Curse” next, which created a shift in the venue. Before this, seven of the eight songs played were from their last five studio albums. It was time for OG fans of The Maine (and conspiracy theorists) to have their moment. While the amount of people singing in the venue may have dwindled slightly, those who knew the song made up the volume for those who didn’t.

The night continued with the first track (literally and of the night) off Can’t Stop Won’t Stop. “Everything I Ask For” serves as a reminder that even though The Maine has written about the same concepts for 20 years straight, they find new ways to grow both creatively and as a band. “She makes me feel like shit / It’s always something / But I can’t get over it,” has blossomed into “So when there’s nowherе left to go and nothing left to find / It’s alright / Can’t separatе the rose from the prick sometimes.”

Next up was probably one of the best collaborations The Maine has done with other bands/artists: “Loved You A Little.” When The Maine, Taking Back Sunday, and Charlotte Sands released this masterpiece in 2023, angsty emo hearts everywhere heard it and loved it immediately. Even though there were no guest appearances for this song, it was one of the loudest ones of the night. The best part was the crowd singing Charlotte Sands verses as the band on stage stayed silent. Chills.

Starting off the back half of the set, the mood turned light and airy as The Maine performed “Palms,” a song off their newest album about living life in the moment. An obviously conscious choice by The Maine to put this song here as many fans are completely immersed in the music yet aware that the night must come to an end at some point, which is why “We All Roll Along” was the perfect song to transition to. Hearing “Eighty One Twenty Three means everything to me,” was a gut punch; it’s the same “live in the moment” messaging, but hits so much deeper because it’s a reminder that this is more than just a band and its’ fanbase. 8123 is a community. It’s family. The song is a reminder of all the good times and memories people have shared because of The Maine, and it’s all the moments that will continue to bring people together because of them.

After we got the tears of nostalgia out of the way, fans were pulled into the darkness with “Bad Behavior,” “Slip The Noose,” “Quiet Part Loud,” “Blame,” and “Take Me Dancing;” five songs on five different albums that all have a common through line: coping with the world in front of us. “Bad Behavior” indulges in temptation. “Slip The Noose” talks about mental illness and expresses gratitude for being rescued by a loved one. “Quiet Part Loud” knows how fleeting time can be, so now is the time to act. “Blame” takes accountability for previous mistakes. And “Take Me Dancing” is about finding joy despite it all. This part of the night felt like a reminder to the fans that there is pain in the world, but there is also good. Mistakes will be made, but there will be successes too. Life is dialectical, and one of choice, one moment, does not define who a person is. 

As the buzz died down after 19 songs, The Maine thanked the fans for what felt like the hundredth time for being a part of this adventure, as it wouldn’t be anything without them. The band announced they had two more songs left in the set. As the beginning notes of “Right Girl” played, the crowd jolted back into celebration, even more so when William Beckett of The Academy Is joined The Maine on stage to finish off the set. The night ended with their most beloved song, “Black Butterflies and Déjà Vu,” and everything came full circle. Fans screamed the words as loud as they could with their hands in the air, letting the guys on stage know how much they mean to the city of Columbus. Confetti could’ve fallen from the sky, and it would’ve felt exactly right. 

Friday Pilots Club :

Grayscale :

Nightly :

The Maine :