The touring members of synth-pop group Porches have developed a unique pre-show ritual over the years. About 15 minutes before they took the stage each night on the North American leg of their recent Shirt tour—in support of their new album of the same name—a kind of force overtook the group.
Frontman Aaron Maine describes it as “a little monkey ritual.” First, bassist Otto Benson would start shaking his knees vigorously. Then, drummer Max Freedberg would jump up and down on the couch as guitarist Dan English crawled around the floor. Maine was usually barking and howling up until the moment it was time for Porches to take the stage—but he stresses that the ritual was never the same thing twice.
“We’ve never even really talked about it,” Maine says. “It always just sorta happens.”
It’s those small moments between friends that Maine has come to appreciate most during the band’s time on the road: trying to walk through a Taco Bell drive-thru, throwing a football around a Walmart parking lot in Arizona, holding hands before a show, and, of course, getting to play music onstage every night. Shirt is a far cry from the lo-fi bedroom pop of Porches’ earlier recordings, featuring more bombastic production and swerves in genre—so for the accompanying tour, Maine ditched the backing tracks and auto-tune from previous tours, leaning instead into a rawer sound.
“This record is loud and emotional—I’ve seen joy, fear, confusion, laughter, love, anger, tears and all sorts of looks in the audiences’ eyes every night,” Maine says. “I don’t know what people expected, or what I even expected, but that’s what has felt the most liberating to me.”
Ahead of Porches’ upcoming tour dates in 2025—including a solo run in Europe this spring, followed by some summer dates opening for Wallows—Maine shared some shots he captured on film from life on the road this past winter.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine1/16Learning “Velouria” by the Pixies at a hotel in Pendleton, Oregon, on the way to Portland. This was before we tried to walk through the Taco Bell drive-thru.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine2/16Bruneau Dunes band pic. Had never been here before. I don’t usually do much nature stuff on tour, but this was amazing. Sand in ears for next couple days.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine3/16Smoking a cigarette in a parking lot, one of my favorite things to do of all time. What a view.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine4/16This restaurant was amazing: Lucy’s Place, in Sedgewick County, Colorado. If you ever find yourself there, pay them a visit. Really took care of us.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine5/16Smokin again somewhere in a nice sunset, finishing off the roll.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine6/16I think this is in Texas—somewhere between Dallas and Austin. Nice town, soaking up a little sun.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine7/16Pre-Los Angeles show huddle. There’s no ritual, but we always do a little something before playing.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine8/16Green room LA smiling.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine9/16Seattle green room, climbings up the walls before the show, getting the vibe right.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine10/16Grinnin in Portland.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine11/16Dan in van post-Halloween show in Portland.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine12/16Random dude and Chloe (sweet93).
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine13/16Mof moggin, not sure where.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine14/16Some of sweet93 and squorse, the animal I won in one of those claw machines first try, but no one saw.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine15/16Max warms up in Sublime shirt and Porches Shirt hat in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Photo: Courtesy of Aaron Maine16/16Cooked up some spaghetti in an Airbnb near Mount Shasta in California, lookin tired. Tasted amazing, nice to cook with the band.
