Live Review: Marianas Trench in Indianapolis

Photos by Shelby Miller Review by Kelly Fox When Canadian pop quartet Marianas Trench took Old National Center\’s Egyptian room last Saturday, the crowd was expecting a great time and a lot of leather– no one was disappointed on either front. New York City-based Mainland opened up the show, making their debut in Indianapolis. Their sound, akin to the lovechild of The Neighbourhood and Catfish and the Bottlemen on Adderall, proved to be exactly what Indy needed to get warmed up for Trench. If the crowd\’s reaction was any indication, we can expect to see them back soon. When frontman Josh Ramsay took the stage, the collective girlish scream resorting from the audience may have daunted less seasoned professionals, but Mariana\’s Trench knows exactly how to handle hormone-heavy hordes of teenagers. Ramsay certainly shouldered his fair share of suggestive comments, including a request to just ditch his leather pants that were sliding oh-so-slowly down his hip bones (this did appear greedy, seeing as the singer was already shirtless). Speaking of wardrobe, the band was entirely decked out in 80\’s gear– complete with zebra print and fringe. Had the show been any more of a quintessential pop show, it would\’ve been on a Hallmark card. This is not to say, however, that a solid population of adults, children, and males weren\’t present, but nine times out of ten, they were likely accompanying one of the aforementioned teenage girls. Very rarely do we see the Egyptian room transformed into an honest-to-God dance floor, but those who were standing still were in the minority. During ballads, hands were waving, and feet were off the floor during faster numbers. Marianas Trench has an amazing energy on their recorded tracks, but the guys really shine on the stage, whipping their crowds into shape before choruses even start. Love was certainly in the air the day before Valentine\’s Day. Among the highlights of the night were one fan\’s marriage proposal to another fan during a technical difficulty, and the crowd turning into an actual, literal sea of paper hearts that were passed out before the show. Josh Ramsay also made a surprise appearance in the middle of the crowd, inspiring many a fangirling freak outs. With their Indianapolis date falling at the end of their Hey You Guys! Tour, it\’s safe to say that we likely received the best of what they had to offer. While they\’re kicking off their next round of shows in early March, we can only hope they fulfill their promise to make it back here– we haven\’t had enough of you either, Mariana\’s Trench. For exclusive photos from the show, visit our photos page