The Top 10 Things The Maine Has Done For Fans

An 8123 Community blog by Samantha Devotta.

We all know The Maine loves their fans, but have you ever stopped to think about just how much they’ve done for us? It’s safe to say they go above and beyond when it comes to showing their fans just how much they care—so much so, it was hard narrowing down all the amazing stuff they do to fit this list!

1/ Free Meet & Greets

Let’s start with the obvious one: as The Maine said themselves “Why would you pay money to meet a human being?”. We’ve probably all fallen for paid meet and greets at some point - it’s usually the only way we can spend time with our idols—but The Maine isn’t into that. They hang out before and after shows, always with a smile and a kind word. Last year, they literally stood in the same room for four hours for a free meet and greet the day after 8123 Fest—a day when they really could have taken an extra long (and much deserved) nap.

2/ 8123 Fest

Speaking of 8123 Fest...most bands go on tour to commemorate an anniversary, but very few decide to coordinate a weekend-long celebration in their hometown. Why go through all this trouble? Because they wanted to celebrate with their fans, the people they credit with helping them get to this point in their careers. It’s so refreshing to see a band that stays so humble even after ten (now eleven) years—they’ve never once taken their fans for granted, and they make sure we know it.

3/ Free For All Tour

Free tours don’t—and shouldn’t—make sense. There’s so much work involved in coordinating a tour across a continent and it seems impossible. But in 2015, that’s exactly what The Maine did. They packed their gear and set off across North America, playing shows in tiny venues, in malls, in outdoor spaces—wherever they could. It gave fans a chance to see them live without paying for a ticket and it gave them a chance to get back out on the road. In between free shows, they played American Candy in full in certain cities, and it was worth the price of admission to hear such a stellar set.

4/ They Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

At this point, I think we all know that The Maine is one of the hardest working bands in the industry. Not only are they constantly recording and releasing new music (and, let’s be real, it’s always good), but they spend an extraordinary amount of time touring. Not just the US—nearly every time they headline a tour, they make their way into Canada. Days later, they’ll be in Europe, or the UK, or South America. Just when you think they’ll stay in one place for longer than a week, they’re announcing a new tour that will take them across the world and back again.

5/ The Inside Scoop

Recently, Pat and Garrett started the 8123 Podcast. It’s been so cool hearing about their eleven years of experience, whether they’re reflecting on a past album, or chatting to musicians from other bands. For people who want to work in the music industry, it’s a valuable tool—the guys give us an inside look at the industry that isn’t always accessible. And for other fans, it’s another way to get to know our idols a little better. In the past, they’ve released photo books—This is Real Life in 2009 and Roads in 2013—that gave us a glimpse of tour life and included journal entries alongside behind-the-scenes photos.

6/ Fan Appreciation Day

This past January, to celebrate 8123 Fest’s first anniversary, The Maine created an online scavenger hunt for fans, officially dubbing it “8123 Day”. They put so much work into the day, offering—among other things—a documentary, a tour announcement, and an open letter that put into words how much they love and appreciate the people who support them. What other band dedicates a whole day to their fans?

7/ Social Media Interaction

It could be as simple as answering your question during a Twitter Q&A or personally responding to a comment on an Instagram photo, but The Maine constantly interacts with their fans on social media (well, John’s pretty elusive, so count yourself lucky if he’s ever acknowledged you online!). It’s one of the many ways they keep in touch with us, offering us polls to help them make decisions—and because they genuinely want our opinions—or even just asking “how’s your day going?” You’d be surprised how often such a simple question has led to a delighted fan...

8/ Surprises

Earlier this year, after asking “how do you feel?”, a fan replied that she was sick. An hour later, they sent her soup—but they didn’t stop there. Soon, another fan got flowers to celebrate her new job; someone else received a fresh cup of coffee; and another one was gifted Warped tickets. There was also that time last year when The Maine drove around Phoenix to perform “Bad Behaviour” live for some unsuspecting fans, and the occasional pre-order campaigns they ran where you could be randomly selected for a phone call with one of the band members. Offline, they continue to create special moments with fans through their willingness to pose for a photo or write out words for a tattoo.

9/  Charity Outreach

In the past year or so, The Maine—who has given us so much already—has been finding ways to give back to the community with their charity outreach through their new initiative 8123 Impact. From food drives to organizing volunteer opportunities across North America, The Maine—and 8123 in general—give us yet another chance to spend time with the band or with fellow fans while helping out a worthy cause. And it gently reminds us that this is group of decent, compassionate human beings who help us feel like we’re a part of a community.

10/ 8123 Means Everything

The Maine—and a lot of their fans—like to refer to 8123 as being a family more than anything else and it's so true. They've fostered such a unique community and they make us feel like we matter. From their My 8123 Story campaign to their new quarterly magazine to this blog, they give us a voice, a chance to connect not only with them but with others, forming friendships and support systems around the world, even if we never meet in real life. In short, they make us feel like we found a place where we belong—after all, with friends like The Maine, anywhere is home.