Something in the Wilderness

It's Brendan's second time on the podcast, but his first time talking about a specific song! We chose one that we both have a longstanding relationship with, which led to stories from our past. We also touched on how this song's meaning has changed for us over the years. It may not be a single, it may not be performed live a whole lot, and it may not even get a lot of attention in the present day, but we do believe it's a song that most Andrew fans remember fondly.

Song Audio: https://youtu.be/URMjazVFzvs?si=o4Z7ktNePtGzR4mp

Live on Holiday From Real, 2024: https://youtu.be/GTr117eeJak?si=R9hRc-KVVCmXo7WB&t=1470

Instagram Live, May 2020: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CAbpxyJA_0X/

RVA Mag interview with Andrew, 2022: https://rvamag.com/music/put-your-name-on-it-an-interview-with-andrew-mcmahon.html

Behind the Scenes of The Glass Passenger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH1o2A6dcBk

From The Michigan Daily interview, 2002: https://books.google.com/books?id=rv5JAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA5#v=onepage&q&f=false

Marci and Andy joined me for the recap in Chicago. I was able to spend time with each of them before and after the shows, so it felt fitting to review each show with each of them. We talk setlist, vibes, and the overall experience of these two very different shows in Chicago! I found the best way to celebrate a birthday is at an Andrew McMahon show with a bunch of fellow fans singing songs and celebrating together. Also, I had my very first VIP experience! Then, onto my second and final 3P experience! Catch it all and more on this episode.

Chicago (Garcia's) solo show setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/andrew-mcmahon/2026/garcias-chicago-chicago-il-43488ba7.html

Author Lindsay Bennett returns to the podcast to discuss her new novel and a song that we felt fit some of the themes of her novel. Join us as we discuss her story, her characters, and the world she's built. We also talk lyrics, themes, and Andrew's songwriting in general. It's Lindsay's 5th song episode on the podcast!

Song Audio: https://youtu.be/zhRXldOsMXY?si=OCaSNrcC4kSdT_ug

Author Lindsay Bennett's links: https://linktr.ee/authorlindsayjbennett

Order Lindsay's new book: https://tr.ee/a2OaKRH6_m

Live full band, 2014 (first time performed live): https://youtu.be/dhuCmVFmIvE?si=BJJW4mESPVF97UWa

Live solo, 2017: https://youtu.be/Pqzrmudohpg?si=w5hbcF8PF6fSYVDQ

HuffPost interview, 2014: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/clara-cullen/andrew-mcmahon_b_6020030.html

We're celebrating 6 years of the podcast this week! And what better what to kick off a celebration than two passionate guests, a recap of two Andrew McMahon shows, and a whole lot of great conversation! This is Part 1 of the Three Pianos experience this past month.

Jason Singer of Michigander joins the podcast to talk about the band's upcoming album "Over Before You Know It", their fall tour, and the journey of building a music career over more than a decade of writing, recording, and touring. We had a great conversation about his new music (and his last album), life on the road, the great state of Michigan, and more!

Michigander on Instagram: http://instagram.com/michiganderband

Order Michigander merch: https://shop.michiganderband.com/

Michigander 2026 tour: https://www.michiganderband.com/#shows

Reach out directly if you want to join the Gander Discord server!

You may know Zac Clark as the man behind the keys on stage with Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness and Something Corporate… take this opportunity to get to know Zac better as an artist and performer. In this episode, Zac reflects on his journey from fan to bandmate and solo artist, his approach to songwriting, the unique experience of performing intimate house shows, and the new music he's been working on. Whether you've followed Zac for years or have just discovered his music, this conversation offers a deeper dive into his career.

Zac's official site: https://inthewolfsmouth.com/

Follow Zac on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamzacclark/

Stream Zac's music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7IdCnVHtgDZJIJG5zOmDAE?si=RBdiqRHcQ7ekHxCqfjE4Yg

Returning guest, Morgan, and I discuss a song that we don't think gets enough love and attention. Join us as we go back to the summer of 2020 and find out what Andrew released into the world at such a strange time in history. We compare the song to others from the era, talk about how it fit into the catalog and in the live show, what the future may hold for this song, and our relationship with it!

Official Song Visualizer: https://youtu.be/Eh1_5vHRQh8?si=V_Etpww4fBMf6vXO

Live at the Troubadour with Strings, Nov 2021: https://youtu.be/A1jqX_5lwXw?si=aGuG20rCoTxyr53d

2020 Buzzbands Article: https://buzzbands.la/2020/07/31/stream-andrew-mcmahon-in-the-wilderness-get-on-my-wave/

A returning guest joins the podcast to talk about what we believe is a fan favorite live show song. We dig into the songwriting and lyrical content of this song, our personal histories and experiences with this song, and the Zombies on Broadway album as a whole.

Official Song Audio: https://youtu.be/2pL4GgXdJO8?si=d8wAqEA-57gqPIQR

Live, 2017: https://youtu.be/B6poeMWS2GE

Live in 2019, Upside Down flowers tour: https://youtu.be/68WlfmcVRus

Live on Holiday From Real, 2024: https://youtu.be/iSpsRGA69tk?si=tGEvO87s4Qr9vUBi

http://concord.com interview: https://concord.com/artist/andrew-mcmahon-in-the-wilderness/#:~:text=Consciously%20or%20unconsciously%20I%20began,work%20and%20done%20it%20well.

TimeOut Interview: https://www.timeout.com/newyork/blog/musician-andrew-mcmahon-takes-us-on-a-tour-of-his-favorite-new-york-spots-020117

Returning guest Cindy @cindycarrierviolin comes back to talk about a beloved collaboration between Lindsey Stirling and Andrew McMahon that will forever hold a special place in her heart. We talk about how this song came to fruition, our own personal history with the song, and recent events that made this song unforgettable for so many of us, especially Cindy herself.

Official Music Video: https://youtu.be/I2lVEiwKVFM?si=qqsQzvltpDJHeKRr

Live on Holiday From Real '26 feat. Cindy Carrier: https://youtu.be/la8n8buFXF4?si=ka0mFyaVnq_e4pAV

Cindy on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cindycarrierviolin

Cindy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cindycarrierviolin

Instrumental version by Lindsey Stirling: https://youtu.be/NQePDA2EisI?si=FgXYqNV-GuGChEj-

Live Acoustic Instrumental by Lindsey Stirling: https://youtu.be/l-d3KbLlrMo?si=iJRfU6ucF_o5yNJP

Live on the Today Show (both Lindsey and Andrew): https://youtu.be/9zJUhmkpEz8?si=m_Md13uchrzBrDfZ

Jessica joins the podcast this week for two reasons: First, we dive into a B-side that's newer to me but, deeply meaningful to her. Second, we compare stories from our recent Holiday From Real cruise! This episode explores how a song and shared moments among fans at sea intertwine in a powerful way.

Song Audio: https://youtu.be/_iSy8dTMGPU?si=JQ_ofn9WDG9xTuPv

Live in Poughkeepsie, January 2013: https://youtu.be/Nn4cHtih114?si=vy0eKgmW0UIGsp2-

Live at Dear Jack VIP Night (Chicago), November 2022: https://youtu.be/j933VmYe4Ws?si=Hx6Wg6EwCn5XGoE6

Live on Holiday From Real '26 (clip): https://youtu.be/06eF7ESxjkY?si=PmM-DSlzDc5iw2PY

Watch HFR '26 shared youtube playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX_KsnmAMJnh3IwDZOwwXng8zi2XYLJ-H&si=x1oGPe1J_OEBG3V3

Add your videos to the HFR '26 playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX_KsnmAMJnh3IwDZOwwXng8zi2XYLJ-H&jct=5yi5V8yeW9Nl-4bI0oKf8A

Andrew McMahon Fan Art Collective: https://www.facebook.com/groups/amfanartcollective

Keep Rising Therapy: Jessica's private practice: https://keeprisingtherapy.com

If you were on the recent Holiday From Real cruise, you may have noticed a fan wearing a yellow arrow above her head. What did it mean and why is it important? Coral and Hayley join the show to tell us about their cruise festival experience and share a special message to the fandom. We had a lot of fun sharing our memories and talking about unique moments!

Collaborative HFR video playlist on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX_KsnmAMJnh3IwDZOwwXng8zi2XYLJ-H&jct=Mk3NsIeaCCTKI9BBm7b2uw

(click the link, become a collaborator, upload your videos to your own account, then add them to this collaborative playlist!)

Kyle of Patterns in Traffic and Harsh Lights is back to discuss a UDF-era track that felt like a big one at the time, but in a sense, seems quickly to have been lost in the shuffle. Join us as we discuss the merits of this track and decide if this should be a regular staple, or if it's already had it's time in the sun. **Kyle also brought his brand new and unreleased Patterns in Traffic track to the pod so we could get a taste of what he's been working on.

Official Music Video: https://youtu.be/-ySLoP7wk-M

Live on Holiday from Real cruise, 2024: https://youtu.be/oeuVKOfAnws?si=uR8KTuqErOmti0fs or https://youtu.be/9ozyEI-MGMo?si=jiOY3MLZCP62inFu

Live on the Rock Boat, 2021 (acoustic guitar): https://youtu.be/fWUnCa_5cLU

Live at the Orpheum in LA w/ Butch Walker, 2019: https://youtu.be/MhHD8StD38Q?si=Alx1Wneq-a5m6cpA

Rocktail Hour, Blue Vacation: https://youtu.be/V-B8R38rKH4?si=Ir6kKwhfwbrtL8em

Cryptic Rock interview, 2018: https://crypticrock.com/interview-andrew-mcmahon/

This week, Hunter DeBlanc, host of the Sadurdays Radio podcast, musician, and self-proclaimed Andrew superfan, joined the show! We dig into how he came to know Andrew, why his late-night sets have become legendary, and how he builds intentional, emotional, and chaos-filled dance floors in a unique set, unlike one you've probably seen before! Hunter surprised me a few times this episode, and I think you'll be surprised and pleased with what you learn too!

https://www.hunterdeblanc.com/

Sadurdays Radio (Hunter interviews your favorite musicians and plays your favorite emo and pop-punk classics and more!): https://open.spotify.com/show/5fGqJytid4LDj7kfcRG0Gj?si=31369e352b064ceb

Hunter's NYE Mixtape Version 2.6 (you'll want to hear this to prepare for the pool deck party!): https://soundcloud.com/hunterdeblanc

Hunter recommends you listen to: https://open.spotify.com/album/2x8cBNEaveu3x7jA9resgN?si=GzQd9h6fTAmT9Oo15j8I_w

We are celebrating 100 songs on the podcast! Jenn and Megan from the Girls at the Rock Show pod joined the show this time around. Since both co-hosts are fellow Andrew McMahon fans, we brought them over to talk about a very important song to Andrew's life story! Be sure to check out Steve's guest spot on their podcast last week as well!

Song Audio: https://youtu.be/hqawSsFq48g?si=5IhWlnpxOe0GsYQe

Girls at The Rock Show Pod: https://solo.to/girlsattherockshow

From "Live at the El Rey", 2012: https://youtu.be/u_9yl5yZ68E?si=dEzmGdvUtne_r1Gq

From The Dear Jack Benefit livestream, 2020: https://youtu.be/7DtPJbQelBA

Live in Detroit, 2025: https://youtu.be/Jw9xCqpuYXo?si=DnkKdNidkB5Yhner

Instagram Live, March 2020: https://youtu.be/H2L8EUg3gro?si=jXBteuqzmNUDmpCj

Andrew discusses the song, 2009: https://youtu.be/bKdzVLBuYFk?si=OwP2GSQZQ4WJMRPu

Behind the Scenes of The Glass Passenger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH1o2A6dcBk

My wife Marci returns to the show for her first song episode in a few years. This time, I picked the song, so I wasn't quite sure where she stood on this one. Not an oft-discussed track in the fanbase, but its serious tones gave us a lot to discuss. Life story or pure fiction? How do you relate to the lyrics in this one?

Official Music Video: https://youtu.be/_BEw3N-AH6s

Instagram livestream, 2020 (audio only): https://youtu.be/svoiAkYrbNE?si=8muhpmue_zHz1dcG

Live on the Upside Down Flowers tour, 2019: https://youtu.be/0Wnkpka9O-k

Live on Holiday from Real, 2024: https://youtu.be/XIGVAQWUU_k?si=-XVsi07iPMzt0F49

Acoustic Ruby Red Studio version w/ Butch Walker: https://youtu.be/EnqmNWT8hoA?si=bz-RrVYs6CD6942J

Cryptic Rock interview, 2018: https://crypticrock.com/interview-andrew-mcmahon/

Kat from @katmcintyreart and the AMFan Art Collective joins the show to discuss one of her favorite Andrew songs. She shares what inspires her to make art and the special memories she has of the music in general, as well as her feelings on the song she chose. We also reflect back on the year of Jack's Mannequin as a whole.

Song Audio: https://youtu.be/XqIHyHN4Nu0?si=CbqHvdog6nQN0AYn

Kat's Andrew McMahon-inspired art: https://linktr.ee/katmcintyreart

Live at Lollapalooza, 2007 (1st time ever played live): https://youtu.be/JSVeaVwJGww?si=kIMH73a9_ArNRO4B

Instagram Live, April 2020: https://youtu.be/EBejhRm7sDk?si=0dF6Osm3MszCjLRG&t=3540

Live in Philadelphia, 2025: https://youtu.be/J99RPPvNzPM?si=75thK1cAUQwrOOx0

Chad in the Lounge joined the podcast this week to reflect on our last adventure at sea and talk about how the late night parties on the ship became a memorable event for many cruisers! He's not officially on the bill, he doesn't work for Sixthman, he is one of us! We talked about memories from the last Holiday from Real and what we're looking forward to on the next! Find out what happens on the ship when the bands stop playing for the night. Even if you're not cruising, this is a fun conversation with a fellow fan!

Reserve your cabin on Holiday From Real '26: https://www.holidayfromrealcruise.com/

Emotional Support band's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/emotionalsupportmusic

Arielle & Kristie, members of the AMFan Art Collective fundraising team for the Dear Jack Foundation's 300K challenge, joined the show to recap the Detroit 11/11 events, including VIP night, the 11/11 show, and more! Many Andrew McMahon fans descended upon the city of Detroit for these special events. We also touched upon this year's fundraising season and talked about our experience in the community. We recorded this show prior to the announcement, but the AMFan Art Collective fundraising team won the DJF 300K fundraising challenge for 2025 with over $50,000 raised this year!

Learn more about DJF fundraising: https://give.dearjackfoundation.org/campaign/raise-your-voice-300k-challenge/c714411

The AMFan Art Collective: https://www.instagram.com/amfanartcollective/

The Lights and Buzz, 11/10 Detroit: https://youtu.be/LMYKZ9n77OA?si=-2hyr7CW4gqvm9Qf

The Resolution, 11/11 Detroit: https://youtu.be/5ZMTSKmnSEo?si=NKPRpqWxHEcvCZGU

Featured artists Ivory Layne joins the show to talk about her time on the last cruise and also her upcoming performances on the '26 Holiday From Real cruise. If you're not yet familiar with Ivory, get to know her music and learn about her connections to Andrew McMahon. This was such a fun interview and I can not WAIT to see her sets on the next cruise! If you weren't a fan before, I think you will be after this listen.

Visit https://www.ivorylayne.com to support, buy merch, join her Patreon, and anything else to support the band.

Music Video: https://youtu.be/IvL24hPuYT8?si=zZvgL-l1S9hGvPwV

Brothers Phil and Chris of the band 4 Normandy share how Andrew's music inspired them to play music together and how it keeps them connected even today. We talk about their own music at the beginning and how that came together, then transition into our conversation about the Andrew McMahon song we chose. You'll hear some of their own song, "Alive" within the episode, as well as in the outro. You can stream this song and others wherever you like. The Spotify link to their music is below.

Song Audio: https://youtu.be/1OxW5c42o4s?si=Y_OQ-tccwnRCBWjW

4 Normandy on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1DbbOzpdDqQ837KjYARGSf?si=tenrsQuQQ2-G4uRAr-yBmA

Live in Los Angeles, 2008: https://youtu.be/u_9yl5yZ68E?si=dEzmGdvUtne_r1Gq

Live at Sound Check, Pittsburgh, 2025: https://youtu.be/Dd6R2IkTRAE?si=LWdyQBuzGLu9C_CF

Andrew discusses the song, 2009: https://youtu.be/YYc62PTjekA?si=iGtIxsAVEeFNIfWv

4 Normandy (Phil & Chris' former band) Starland Ballroom performance: https://youtu.be/ka186RIAS-s?si=nz8S7JB_7JSEk3Mf