Live Review: The Maine + Nightly + Grayscale + Moody Joody @ The Masquerade, Atlanta - April 25th, 2026

Apr 26
4 min read

Singer in a green shirt passionately performs onstage, holding a microphone. The background has orange lighting with circular patterns. — The Maine photo by Anna Daugherty

The Maine packed Heaven at The Masquerade on April 25th, taking the night to celebrate their tenth studio album, Joy Next Door, and also play all the hits. The room had a palpable energy, filled by a dedicated fanbase, some of whom have been following the group for nearly twenty years.

The evening kicked off with Moody Joody, a Nashville-based alt-pop trio that immediately brought up the energy in the room. Their set had frequent harmonies and was punctuated by synchronized choreography from Kaitie Forbes and Kayla Hall during tracks like "OOPS!". The theatrics continued when they brought out prop phones and closed with "Little Blue House," an unreleased song coming out on May 6th.

Two women sing passionately on stage, kneeling with microphones. Blue and black stage lights and instruments set the energetic concert scene. — Moody Joody photo by Anna Daugherty

Grayscale followed, shifting the atmosphere with their signature blend of raw emotion and pop-punk melodies. The visual landscape was shaped by colored LED lights that changed with every song. Frontman Collin Walsh commanded the stage, leading the audience through a journey that included the "hot and sexy" "Motown" and an energetic cover of "Twist and Shout." They further got the audience engaged by having them take out their phone flashlights for “Fever Dream,” and they got the audience clapping for their final song “Not Afraid to Die.”

Singer passionately performs on stage, arm raised, with a drummer in the background. Blue lighting creates a vibrant concert atmosphere. — Grayscale photo by Anna Daugherty

Next, Nightly took the stage under the glow of a massive neon "<3" logo that would change colors depending on the song. They gave Atlanta a special shout out, as one of their top 3 favorite shows ever was at Eddie's Attic back in 2018. While the vibes were more chill, they really brought the energy for their final two songs, “1989” and “hate my favorite band.”

Musician sings and plays guitar on stage, with a drummer nearby. Bright stage lights and a neon sign create a lively concert atmosphere. — Nightly photo by Anna Daugherty

It was finally time for The Maine. As soon as the first song started, the crowd roared and sang along to every word. You could feel the energy in the room, and lead singer John O'Callaghan would frequently ask the “young people” (new fans) to show the “old people” (old fans) how it’s done.

It was banger after banger until they finally slowed the show down with “Taxi,” where O'Callaghan got out his acoustic guitar. However, the energy picked right back up with “Touch.” It almost felt like every song was crowd favorite, and the audience was particularly loud for “Loved You A Little." More and more crowdsurfers got up and going as set continued.

Band performing live on stage; singer in green shirt at center, guitarist and bassist on either side. Bright lights create a dynamic atmosphere. — The Maine photo by Anna Daugherty

O'Callaghan then got down into the audience. He handed the mic over and asked two audience members to sing along with him. While he asked for no moshing (and made a joke about his age), when the beat dropped, he got swept in the crowd, which just goes to show the excitement of the audience. He was also given an Atlanta Hawks jersey, which he then took back to stage, put on shortly after, and wore for the rest of the show. At one point, he also started flapping his arms and making hawk noises to really lean into the bit.

Man in green shirt holds red jersey, singing into mic, surrounded by smiling crowd with phones. Energetic concert atmosphere. — The Maine photo by Anna Daugherty

When “Quiet Part Loud” came, the slowed it down again, and O'Callaghan finally went up to the couch on the top of the stage while the rest of the band took a seat. He shouted out all the crew that make their shows happen and the fans that let them keep touring. The next song “Blame” was a cult classic, and the audience knew exactly where to clap. The crowd engagement continued in a wholesome moment before “Take Me Dancing” where they asked the audience to tell their friends what they love about each other. They then brought out all the openers, who then danced in back, building a real sense of community.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBE2SMg0fKE

For the last song, “Black Butterflies and Déjà Vu,” O'Callaghan mentioned that earlier in the day, while the band was doing a signing for Joy Next Door at Criminal Records, he got a request to dedicate the song to a fan who had passed away. He honored the request and then went all-out. There was even a kid that crowdsurfed to the front that O'Callaghan then brought on stage to close out the show.

Right after, instead of leaving the stage, the band members all hopped down to sign things and take selfies with fans at the barricade. That sense of community and care for the fans throughout the show shows exactly why people keep turning out for them.