The Los Angeles Chapter along with the GRAMMY Foundation hosted a GRAMMY SoundChecks with Jack's Mannequin at the Troubadour on Oct. 28.
The band offered 23 local GRAMMY U members exclusive access to the event. Students mingled and were greeted by GRAMMY U Representative Daniel Rojas and Chapter Project Manager Megan Doheny while waiting for the soundcheck to begin.
As the students filed into venue, Jack's Mannequin member Andrew McMahon was seated at a grand piano. The group then launched into the song "Holiday From Real," a song from their Everything In Transit album. "The Mixed Tape" followed along with material from their latest album, The Glass Passenger. Recorded approximately three years after their debut release, it was McMahon's first work since winning his battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The GRAMMY U members mouthed the lyrics and danced to the new tracks "Drop Out — The So Unknown" and "Swim" and also had the special privilege of hearing the band's rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire."
After the performance, McMahon conducted a question-and-answer session with the students. Topics included everything from his musical upbringing to roadies to his songwriting process. McMahon explained he began playing his parents' piano at the age of 9 and grew into writing his own songs in high school. Calling himself lucky, due to early success with his first group Something Corporate, it was evident that hard work has always been a discipline McMahon values, whether it involved lugging his grand piano everywhere he played or using "grassroots" tactics to spread the word about his music.
After being asked about the hardest aspect of having a career in the music industry, McMahon paused and replied, "Meeting the expectations of yourself and others." Following the questions, McMahon spoke personally with each GRAMMY U member and signed autographs.