By photojournalist Marcela Oleson

Jannus Live was packed with energy Tuesday night as The Maine brought their I Love You But… I Chose The Maine tour to St. Petersburg on April 28, turning the outdoor courtyard into a full-force celebration of connection, movement, and the loyal fan community the band has built over nearly two decades.

The show took place at Jannus Live in downtown St. Petersburg, with doors listed for 5:30 p.m. and The Maine headlining a bill that included Moody Joody, Nightly, and Grayscale. The Maine were touring behind their new album Joy Next Door, with Moody Joody opening on select dates throughout the run.

Moody Joody opened while the sky still held the warmth of sunset, giving the early part of the night a bright, colorful lift. The Nashville-based trio, made up of Kaitie Forbes, Kayla Hall, and Andrew Pacheco, brought a polished but playful presence to the stage. Their sound sits in a glittering, guitar-heavy alt-pop space, with the band’s own bio describing their music as high-energy while still carrying emotional undercurrents of longing, loneliness, regret, and reflection.

That balance came through live. Moody Joody’s set felt upbeat and approachable, but not shallow. Their music had the kind of shimmer-pop movement that worked naturally in an outdoor venue, especially as daylight faded over Jannus. Recent singles like “OOPS!” and “Loretta’s Last Call” have helped define the band’s current era, with “OOPS!” released via Photo Finish Records and co-written with hitmaker Scott Harris, whose credits include work with Shawn Mendes and Dua Lipa.

By the time The Maine stepped onto the stage, night had fully taken over, and the energy shifted from warm-up to eruption. The Tempe, Arizona band, formed in 2007, has long moved between alternative rock, pop rock, pop punk, and emo-influenced sounds. Their current lineup includes John O’Callaghan on lead vocals, Kennedy Brock, Jared Monaco, Garrett Nickelsen, and Pat Kirch.
But what defined the night was not just the band’s longevity. It was the way they carried it.

The Maine performed with the confidence of a band that knows exactly who is standing in front of them. Their audience was not passive. It moved, sang, answered, and pushed the night forward with them. The crowd’s devotion, often referred to around the band as the “8123 Family,” was easy to see at Jannus. The connection did not feel like a slogan. It felt lived in.
Frontman John O’Callaghan worked the stage with a looseness that never lost control, leading the crowd without forcing the moment. At one point, a fan came up and sang, and instead of breaking the momentum, the moment lifted it. O’Callaghan appeared to enjoy it, letting the exchange become part of the show’s electricity. It gave the night one of those live-music moments that cannot be manufactured: spontaneous, human, and fully shared between band and audience.

The Maine are touring behind Joy Next Door, their tenth studio album, released April 10, 2026. The record arrived after singles including “Die To Fall,” “Quiet Part Loud,” and “Palms,” and has been described as part of a new chapter for the band. On stage, that newer era did not feel disconnected from their history. Instead, it folded into the larger story of a band that has grown up with its audience while still protecting the immediacy that made fans attach to them in the first place.

At Jannus, The Maine’s sound landed with bright hooks, rock-driven movement, and the kind of emotional openness that has allowed them to survive well beyond a single scene or trend. Their influences have often been tied to alternative rock, pop punk, pop rock, and emo, with past references pointing toward bands like Third Eye Blind, Death Cab for Cutie, and Ivory. That mix helps explain why their live show can feel both nostalgic and current, polished and loose, big enough for a full crowd but personal enough to make individual fans feel seen.
The night worked because both acts understood how to build atmosphere. Moody Joody gave the evening its sunset glow, full of shimmer, charm, and movement. The Maine took the stage after dark and turned the courtyard into something bigger: a gathering, a release, and a reminder of what happens when a band’s catalog and its community grow together.

By the end of the night, Jannus Live did not just feel full. It felt alive.