Inside The Maine’s Emotional Night at The Novo
march 28th, 2026 • the novo • los angeles, california
all photos credited to Salma Bustos
On Saturday, March 28th, The Maine brought their “I Love You But I Chose The Maine” tour to The Novo, turning an already electric Los Angeles crowd into something that felt almost ecstatic. With support from Franklin Jonas & The Byzantines, Nightly, and Grayscale, the night felt carefully curated from beginning to end — a lineup built for fans who love emotionally driven alternative music delivered with heart.
There’s something uniquely comforting about a The Maine concert. Even before the first song begins, there’s an unspoken understanding in the room that everyone is there for the same reason: to feel something fully. It’s a connection the band has spent years building, and somehow every tour still feels more intimate than the last. At any concert, the audience gathers for the same reason — to see the show — but with The Maine, it has always felt like something far more personal than that.
The night opened with Franklin Jonas & The Byzantines, whose set brought a surprisingly refreshing and charismatic energy to the room early on. Blending indie-rock textures with a slightly loose, garage-inspired charm, the set immediately captured the crowd’s attention. There was an effortless quality to the performance that worked especially well as the first introduction to the night, easing fans into the atmosphere while still maintaining enough momentum to keep the room engaged from the start. The group managed to establish an identity of their own, setting the tone for the emotionally driven lineup that followed.
Next up was Nightly, who shifted the mood into something more atmospheric and cinematic. Their shimmering synth-driven sound paired beautifully with the venue lighting, creating moments that felt almost dreamlike before the chaos of The Maine’s headlining set.
Following them was Grayscale, whose set injected a heavier emotional urgency into the venue. Their blend of polished alternative rock and pop-punk intensity felt perfectly suited for a crowd that clearly knew every word. Even during a shorter opening set, the band commanded the stage with confidence, delivering the kind of performance that never once felt like background music before the headliner. The transition between all three opening acts worked especially well because each brought its own distinct emotional atmosphere to the night.
By the time The Maine took the stage, the energy inside The Novo had become absolutely electric. Fans screamed every lyric back with unwavering intensity, creating the kind of deafening chorus that only happens when a band’s music has genuinely embedded itself into people’s lives. The setlist balanced longtime favorites with newer material seamlessly, never allowing the momentum to dip for even a moment.
Visually, the show struck a perfect balance between polished and intimate. Warm lighting washed over the stage in deep reds, golds, and cool blues while the production design remained immersive without overshadowing the performances themselves. One of the more unique additions to the set was an orangish-brown couch positioned onstage, giving parts of the performance an almost living-room-like atmosphere that reinforced the personal, welcoming energy The Maine is known for. Every lighting cue felt intentional, heightening emotional moments during softer songs while amplifying the explosive energy during larger anthems.
What continues to make The Maine stand out after nearly two decades is their consistency. There’s never a sense of obligation in their performances. Even in a city they’ve played countless times before, the band performs with genuine gratitude and enthusiasm, as though every single show still matters just as much as the first. I’ve seen them play in two different states, California and Massachusetts, and they give the same type of energy and enthusiasm no matter where they are.
Personally, I arrived at the venue already starting to feel sick and honestly questioned how much energy I would even have by the end of the night. But somewhere between the crowd’s relentless enthusiasm and the emotional release that comes from hearing songs that have soundtracked so many years of your life, that feeling completely disappeared. By the end of the set, I walked out happier, lighter, and somehow fully re-energized. The Maine just has a way of doing that to people.
One of the most unforgettable moments of the night came during “Loved You A Little,” one of my favorite songs not just by The Maine, but one of my favorite songs in general. As soon as the opening notes hit, the crowd erupted instantly. Charlotte Sands appeared onstage to perform the song live alongside the band. The reaction inside the venue was immediate in the best possible way. Hearing the song performed live with Charlotte Sands added an entirely new emotional weight to it, and for a few minutes, The Novo felt completely suspended in that moment.
That emotional balance is ultimately what makes The Maine such an enduring live act. They know how to deliver massive, high-energy moments while still making a room of thousands feel deeply intimate. Every person inside the venue seemed completely immersed, whether they were jumping during louder songs or holding onto quieter lyrics like lifelines.
After years of touring, many bands begin to lose some of the spark that once made them feel essential live. The Maine has somehow avoided that entirely. If anything, they seem sharper, more emotionally connected, and more appreciative of their audience with every tour cycle. “I Love You But I Chose The Maine” doesn’t just feel like another tour title — it feels like a statement about the relationship they’ve built with their fans over the years.
And judging by the atmosphere inside The Novo that night, the feeling was very clearly mutual.
With the release of their tenth studio album, Joy Next Door, on April 10, The Maine continues proving why they’ve remained such a defining force within alternative music for nearly twenty years. The album’s themes of growth, nostalgia, and finding happiness in the present moment mirror the same emotional sincerity that has always made their live shows feel so impactful.
