Jack’s Mannequin is back—and not just for nostalgia’s sake.

In 2025, the beloved alt-pop rock group, fronted by singer-songwriter-pianist Andrew McMahon, celebrates a remarkable 20-year milestone with The MFEO Tour, a 25-date headlining North American tour that includes festival stops and a highly anticipated Chicago show at The Salt Shed on June 20. The return of Jack’s Mannequin marks a poignant chapter for McMahon, as he revisits the music that defined both his career and his personal evolution.

“Jack’s Mannequin was born out of one of the most prolific and transformative periods of my life,” McMahon shares. “The songs narrate my journey from youth to adulthood, heartbreak to marriage, cancer to remission.” That journey—often as turbulent as it was triumphant—resonated deeply with fans, especially after McMahon was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) in 2005 during the recording of the band’s debut album Everything In Transit. He was just 22 years old.

Now, with the wisdom of two decades and the perspective of survival, McMahon is ready to fully embrace and celebrate the music he once found too painful to revisit.

“It’s been nearly fifteen years since the band and I have toured this catalog exclusively,” he says. “And it feels like such a gift to do so now—at a time in my life when I feel able to truly celebrate what we created together.”

The MFEO Tour will feature the band’s original lineup—McMahon, guitarist Bobby “Raw” Anderson, drummer Jay McMillan, and bassist/keyboardist Mikey Wagner—bringing their high-energy live performances and emotional storytelling to both longtime fans and a new generation of listeners. While special guests have yet to be announced, the excitement is already building for a tour that promises more than just a trip down memory lane.

The group’s origins date back to 2005, when McMahon launched Jack’s Mannequin as a deeply personal project following the success of his first band, Something Corporate. The debut album Everything In Transit went on to earn Gold certification, powered by the fan-favorite single “Dark Blue.” Subsequent albums The Glass Passenger (2008) and People and Things (2011) both charted in the Billboard Top 10, solidifying Jack’s Mannequin as one of the era’s most impactful alt-rock acts.

Despite their success, the band officially went on hiatus in 2012, leading McMahon to launch his solo project Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. Since then, he’s become an outspoken advocate for young adults battling cancer, founding the Dear Jack Foundation in 2006. A portion of proceeds from The MFEO Tour—$1 from every ticket sold—will benefit the nonprofit, which provides crucial programming and support for adolescent and young adult cancer patients and survivors.

Beyond the tour, Jack’s Mannequin will perform at major festivals in 2025 including Bonnaroo, When We Were Young, Summerfest, and SXSW. McMahon will also return to Red Rocks Amphitheatre for a special, sold-out edition of his acclaimed Three Pianos performance in July.

Reflecting on what’s next, McMahon is driven by more than just the music—he’s inspired by connection.

“Jack’s was always two things: a studio project and a live band that toured relentlessly,” he says. “I’m so excited to bring it all back to life onstage for the fans that made it possible to take that strange and beautiful ride.”

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