{"id":441500,"date":"2026-08-23T21:34:47","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T21:34:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/441500\/"},"modified":"2026-08-23T21:34:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T21:34:47","slug":"andrew-mcmahons-three-pianos-serves-as-a-career-spanning-family-reunion-daily-breeze","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/441500\/","title":{"rendered":"Andrew McMahon\u2019s \u2018Three Pianos\u2019 serves as a career-spanning family reunion \u2013 Daily Breeze"},"content":{"rendered":"

Orange County\u2019s own Andrew McMahon brought his career-spanning retrospective featuring hits from Something Corporate, Jack\u2019s Mannequin and his solo band to Long Beach for the last stop on his Three Pianos mini-tour.<\/p>\n

McMahon served as the frontman for all three acts during the \u201cThree Pianos<\/a>\u201d show on Saturday, Aug. 22 at the new 11,000-seat F&M Bank Amphitheater that opened this summer in front of the historic Queen Mary cruise ship in Long Beach Harbor.<\/p>\n

ALSO SEE: How Andrew McMahon got all three of his bands together on the same stage<\/a><\/p>\n

The concert featured individual sets by all three bands along with a greatest hits finale. McMahon bounced between three pianos that sat front and center throughout the show \u2014 each one representing one of his three bands and a chapter in his life.<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs on his upright piano during the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)<\/p>\n

McMahon called the Long Beach show the biggest headlining concert any one of the bands has ever played in Southern California.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has been truly a psychedelic experience for me,\u201d McMahon said toward the end of the night. \u201cI hope it\u2019s been as weird a journey for you guys as it\u2019s been for me and for these guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs on his upright piano during the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)<\/p>\n

The three bands marked stages in McMahon\u2019s personal and professional life.<\/p>\n

McMahon started Something Corporate with his friends in the 1990s while they were still high school students in Dana Point.<\/p>\n

ALSO SEE: Daisy Chain Fields Music Festival: What to know before you go\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Jack\u2019s Mannequin was a side project in the mid-2000s that coincided with his cancer diagnosis and treatment.<\/p>\n

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness was his third act when he was in his 30s, starting a family and staring into the metaphorical wilderness.<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs on his upright piano during the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
\nJack\u2019s Mannequin<\/p>\n

Each act started with an ode to one of the three pianos that played key roles in McMahon\u2019s career.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t judge me,\u201d McMahon said of the brown Baldwin grand he played with Jack\u2019s Mannequin. \u201cYou took the stage light like a mansion heirloom and you rode the highways with me and my new band 200 sleepless nights a year.\u201d<\/p>\n

ALSO SEE: Echo Park Rising returns with two days of free music, art and more<\/a><\/p>\n

An astronaut walked on the moon on a video screen during \u201cKill the Messenger\u201d and set a recurring theme for the evening that would feature songs about space, flight, moons, stars, satellites and even astronauts.<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs on his upright piano during the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)<\/p>\n

The stage glowed red as \u201cBloodshot\u201d toggled between heavy and light.<\/p>\n

The audience sang \u201cWhere are you now?\u201d as they formed a giant chorus during \u201cThe Mixed Tape.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Jack\u2019s Mannequin set concluded with \u201cBruised\u201d that proved popular with the legions of fans who showed up wearing t-shirts bearing the song title.<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs on his upright piano during the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
\nAndrew McMahon in the Wilderness<\/p>\n

The Wilderness set began with an ode to McMahon\u2019s black grand piano covered in stickers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dreams we dreamed together were born in those early days of discovery behind the keys of your gifted tool,\u201d McMahon said of the third of the Three Pianos in his career.<\/p>\n

ALSO SEE: Gustavo Dudamel says goodbye after 17 years as LA Phil conductor<\/a><\/p>\n

The crowd used the Wilderness set as a chance to take a break just as the band was getting warmed up \u2014 heading for the portapotties and beer stands at the back of the amphitheater.<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs on his upright piano during the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)<\/p>\n

McMahon introduced \u201cOhio\u201d by remembering childhood summers visiting his grandparents and dreaming of being a California kid.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a song about the road trip that took my family out to Dana Point,\u201d McMahon said. \u201cMy life just got better and better and better from that point forward because this was always home for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

McMahon hopped off the stage, climbed over the barricade and walked through the crowd as he sang \u201cCanyon Moon\u201d to the cheap seats.<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon is carried by the audience on a giant rubber duck during the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)<\/p>\n

He crowd surfed on a giant yellow duck pool float atop outstretched hands during \u201cIsland Radio.\u201d<\/p>\n

McMahon wrote \u201cSynesthesia\u201d about the jealousy he felt after his friends in Fun won Best New Artist and Song of the Year at the 2013 Grammy Awards.<\/p>\n

\u201cI quickly sat down at the piano,\u201d McMahon said. \u201cI used it as this moment of reflection to say, \u2018What do you have? What is it that you\u2019re craving?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs on his upright piano during the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
\nSomething Corporate<\/p>\n

The Something Corporate set started with an ode to McMahon\u2019s upright piano covered in Warped Tour band stickers from a series of tours in the early 2000s.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were my first true love,\u201d McMahon said. \u201cIt was there, on that world tour stage, flanked by my bandmates, my brothers and best friends, that we began a partnership forged in loud spaces where anything could go wrong and often did.\u201d<\/p>\n

The seats that had emptied during the Wilderness were full again by the time Something Corporate took the stage after fans emptied their bladders and refilled their beers.<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs his last song of the night as kids from the families of band members gather around the piano for the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)<\/p>\n

The crowd knew all the words and warbles to the \u201cCavanaugh Park\u201d opener and \u201cI Want to Save You\u201d that followed. The opening chords of \u201cFall\u201d brought a huge cheer as the crunchy guitar riff drove the beat.<\/p>\n

McMahon introduced \u201cShe Paints Me Blue\u201d by recalling the earliest days of Something Corporate.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started this band in a couple of garages, but largely in my parents\u2019 garage over off of Goldenspring Drive in Dana Point,\u201d McMahon said. \u201cNever had the cops called on us once.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs on his upright piano during the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)<\/p>\n

The sound was fantastic in the new F&M Amphitheater even if the seating was worse than flying coach on a bargain airline.<\/p>\n

The lyrics of \u201cSpace\u201d perfectly summed up the lack of legroom: \u201cGive me space so I can breathe\u2026 Give me just one inch, I swear that\u2019s all I need.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs on his upright piano during the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)<\/p>\n

McMahon looked out at the moon hanging over the F&M Amphitheater seats as he introduced \u201cMe and the Moon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a rare occasion that we get to play this song under the light of the moon,\u201d McMahon said.<\/p>\n

The \u201cHurricane\u201d rocker that rounded out Something Corporate\u2019s set could have ended the night, but the trio of bands were just getting started.<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs on the \u201cB-Stage\u201d, behind most of the audience, next to the soundboard during the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)<\/p>\n

A brief acoustic set on a tiny stage at the back of the amphitheater served as a palette cleanser and gave McMahon the opportunity to see the show from the audience\u2019s point of view.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Queen Mary\u2019s right there. That\u2019s weird,\u201d McMahon said. \u201cI feel like I\u2019m at Disneyland or something. That doesn\u2019t feel real exactly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs on his upright piano during the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
\nThree Pianos<\/p>\n

The inspiration for this year\u2019s Three Pianos shows happened on McMahon\u2019s 40th birthday when Something Corporate joined him on stage during a solo show at the House of Blues Anaheim.<\/p>\n

The six-song encore performance led to a \u201cThree Pianos\u201d concert in 2025 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado with Something Corporate, Jack\u2019s Mannequin and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness that was supposed to be a one-off show. Something Corporate and Jack\u2019s Mannequin reunion tours followed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a three-year journey getting these bands back together one at a time and then finally making our way to the stage all together,\u201d McMahon said. \u201cWatching the sun set on the palm trees feels just about right for the occasion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saturday night\u2019s Long Beach performance marked the final stop of the three-city Three Pianos tour \u2014 at least for now.<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs on the \u201cB-Stage\u201d, behind most of the audience, next to the soundboard during the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
\nFinal Act<\/p>\n

The finale brought everyone from all three bands back onto the main stage and \u201cPunk Rock Princess\u201d got everyone in the crowd bouncing in their seats.<\/p>\n

McMahon dedicated \u201cStars\u201d to his wife Kelly Ann who was at the heart of most of the three dozen songs he played Saturday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout her, I would not be on this stage today,\u201d McMahon said.<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon leaps from the keyboard as he performs his last song of the night while kids from the families of band members gather around the piano for the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)<\/p>\n

McMahon turned to the crowd and let them sing \u201cbecome a rock star\u201d on cue during the epic 10-minute-long \u201cKonstantine.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fourth and final set closed with \u201cIf You C Jordan,\u201d giving fans a chance to raise a unified middle finger to everyone they\u2019ve ever wanted to give a piece of their mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never apologized for this song,\u201d McMahon said. \u201cI thought about maybe doing it tonight. Nope.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs with his 12-year-old daughter, Cecilia, during the second-to-last song of the night for the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)<\/p>\n

McMahon\u2019s 12-year-old daughter Cecilia joined the band on stage during the encore to sing along with \u201cCecilia and The Satellite\u201d \u2014 just as she did during the Red Rocks show.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis song is one of the greatest gifts and this kid is one of the greatest gifts,\u201d McMahon said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to try and sing this one together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AndrewAndrew McMahon performs his last song of the night as kids from the families of band members gather around the piano for the Three Pianos tour, August 22, 2026, at the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)<\/p>\n

\u201cLa La Lie\u201d was an appropriate end to an evening that was all about friendship, family and reunion. All of the band members\u2019 kids, wives and significant others joined them on stage \u2014 singing along arm in arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just want to tip my hat to our families,\u201d McMahon said. \u201cThis would not be possible without them.\u201d<\/p>\n

McMahon will embark on a solo tour in October that will finish up with a sold out show on Nov. 22 at the Belly Up Tavern in Solano Beach.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Orange County\u2019s own Andrew McMahon brought his career-spanning retrospective featuring hits from Something Corporate, Jack\u2019s Mannequin and his…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":441395,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[7,2644,12,131,133,132,137,6998,611,420],"class_list":["post-441500","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-long-beach","tag-california","tag-concerts","tag-dana-point","tag-long-beach","tag-long-beach-headlines","tag-long-beach-news","tag-los-angeles-county","tag-music-concerts","tag-orange-county","tag-things-to-do"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/441500","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=441500"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/441500\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/441395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=441500"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=441500"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=441500"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}