Whenever bands return to their old stomping grounds, the shows often have an extra special atmosphere.  

That was definitely the case on Saturday as Something Corporate performed one of two sold-out concerts at the City National Grove of Anaheim.

“It’s good to be home, said frontman Andrew McMahon. “We never could have imagined this much excitement for us getting back together.”

Before showtime, several fans near me compared notes on how far they’d travelled to catch the Dana Point-bred band’s first Orange County headlining gig in 20 years with the original lineup.

It was the fourth time the quintet - singer/songwriter/pianist Andrew McMahon, rhythm guitarist/backing vocalist William Tell, lead guitarist Josh Partington, bassist Kevin “Clutch” Page and drummer Brian Ireland, plus auxiliary keyboardist/backing vocalist Zac Clark (from Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness) – played together, following well-received Las Vegas appearances at House of Blues (livestreamed via Veeps) and the When We Were Young festival last October.

In O.C., a brief introductory career montage was shown on the large stage backdrop. Then the musicians kicked off the excellent 21-song, 100-minute Anaheim set with an energetic “I Want to Save You,” off 2002 debut album Leaving Through the Window.

Between the tunes, early career interview clips from each member were shown. Other times, abstract images on the screens were mirrored by McMahon’s reflective piano, making for an awesome effect – especially later in the show, when a picture on his instrument precisely replicated all the music stickers the frontman used to have plastered all over it.

The dreamy, syncopated “She Paints Me Blue,” capped by McMahon’s ending vocal wail, and a rocking “Fall,” where he stepped out to work the stage, were early highlights. All the guys were obviously having a good time onstage, particularly Tell – the one member who wasn’t present during the 2010 reunion tour. At various times, he’d shoot a knowing glance at Partington and other bandmates.

Tell and Clark’s backing vocal harmonies helped elevate “21 & Invincible” and “The Astronaut” live. McMahon’s frantic piano playing and jumping off it amid the disdainful lyrics of “If You C Jordan” were reminiscent of Elton John. “This one hasn’t aged well, but we’re going to do it anyway,” quipped McMahon before starting “Drunk Girl.”

Longtime enthusiasts sang along loudly throughout the evening, and they were treated to a couple rarities. First was the band’s bleak, yet realistic holiday song “Forget December,” initially appearing on a KROQ Kevin & Bean Christmas compilation album. The singer said he thought they’d played it twice onstage (and reportedly not since 2010). He took the furthest sojourn into the audience during an intense “Hurricane.”

After doing When We Were Young, McMahon said he’d talked to some fans that had followed the band since the start who wondered why nothing from the self-released 1999 album Ready…Break was on the Vegas setlists. So, a few days ago, he went back and listened - and cringed at their inexperience. Still, the band decided to do “Babies of the ‘80s” from it in Anaheim (last played in 2002). Buoyant and fun, the pop culture references were matched on the backdrop.  

“Cavanaugh Park,” a lovely, sweeping orchestrated ballad where having Clark came in handy, included a funny local aside from McMahon about the actual O.C. location where they used to smoke weed as teens before remembering several of the musicians’ kids were present.

The venue itself, which was a frequent Something Corporate tour stop during the alt-pop group’s early-to-mid 2000s heyday, also held other distinct memories for McMahon. “I had my senior prom here when it was known as Tinseltown,” he recalled at one point.

“I Woke Up in a Car,” about an unforgettable road trip closed the main set. Come encore time, the band played dramatic epic “Konstantine” and capped everything off with a spirited take on “Punk Rock Princess.”

Something Corporate performs again tonight at The Grove for a New Year’s Eve show with band-themed  cocktails, food, an after-show DJ and more. The band also will appear on McMahon’s Holiday from Real cruise to the Bahamas in November 2024.

www.citynationalgroveofanaheim.com

www.holidayfromrealcruise.com

Photos by Connor Lenihan (@connorlenny), courtesy of Nederlander and Press Here Publicity.