All Aboard: Train Brings 25 Years of Hits to Nashville

Photojournalist: Leah Hetteberg

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of their illustrious sophomore album, Drops Of Jupiter, Train, the hit 2000s pop/rock band, is commemorating this anniversary with the “25 Years in the Atmosphere” Tour this summer. The tour spans across the country alongside genre peers, Barenaked Ladies and Matt Nathanson. This past Friday, their tour pulled into the station in Nashville, TN, taking over the Ascend Amphitheater on a mild Tennessee summer evening. 

Matt Nathanson, in his own words, “fluffed the crowd” as the first opener. Renowned for “Come On Get Higher,” Matt set the stage for the warm, fun, folky beats to come. Smooth and comforting, Matt made his music feel familiar even to those who had never heard it before. He brought the crowd together with his heartfelt songwriting, natural dad-like humor, a toned-down version of Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl," and direct fan interactions. Matt was the perfect opener for a crowd of nostalgic acoustic pop fans.

Following Matt was Barenaked Ladies. Many may recognize the rather unforgettable band name from hits like “Odds Are” and “One Week,” as well as incredible sync pieces such as The Big Bang Theory Theme song and “One Little Slip” from Chicken Little. With gospel-like choruses and humor as strikingly comedic as their name, the Ladies (unsurprisingly, none of whom were actually women) immediately captured the audience. Their catchy rhythms were impossible not to dance to and their dry sarcasm was impossible not to laugh at. For reference, some notable quotes: “If you don’t like what you hear tonight, we’re Third Eye Blind” and “if you see someone not singing alone, they’re racist.” They treated us to their classics, new songs, and covers ranging from Chappell Roan, AC/DC, and The Sound Of Music, all with exuberant energy and synchronized choreography. Witty, raw, and constantly entertaining the crowd with the rightful energy of a band with 3 decades of work, including a quick freestyle rap dedicated to Nashville’s crowd. The Barenaked Ladies were irresistibly fun. 

At last it was time for Train. They kicked off their set with electric energy, making sure that everyone knew that they were undeniably still rockstars. The instrumentals, especially the guitar, are gritty but harmonious, creating a show for the masses. Their vocals are satisfyingly crisp, only wavering from their recordings in the sense that they were even stronger live. Their ripping guitar riffs and just overall visceral energy is sure to be a pleasant shock for those who may only know “Drops of Jupiter” and “Hey Soul Sister.” They, like their supporting artists, showed no lack of crowd engagement either. Frontman Pat Monahan demonstrated his dexterity as fans tossed their phones at him, allowing him to gift each one with a selfie of himself and the crowd as an homage to the line “hold our cellphones in the air” in “If It’s Love.” 

It was an extra special show for guitarist Butch Walker, being his hometown show. The band highlighted this moment by tossing out some t-shirts, including one specially signed by each band member live on stage, in honor of his Nashville/Franklin roots. They also brought out Barenaked Ladies lead singer, Ed Robertson, for a “Take Me Home, Country Roads” cover with custom verses dedicated to Nashville. Later in the night, they brought Matt Nathanson back out to perform their most recent song, “Mad Dog In The Fog” from their upcoming album, on which Matt is featured. 

The guest list doesn’t stop there, though. Pat brought out his 14-year-old son for a cover of “Stone in Love” into “Save Me San Francisco” where he showed off his obvious likeness to his father with his wicked guitar shredding and the pipes of a born rock star, while Pat hopped on the drums for a lick. That wasn’t the only cover they popped in either. Throughout the show they snuck in several pieces of cover songs, from Hozier to The Beatles. You could tell that each member still loved their work, viscerally and wholeheartedly, even after over a quarter of a century, which is a beautiful thing to witness. They were invigorating to watch, exhilarating to hear, and overall a quintessential bucket-list show if you also rocked a lot of pop radio in the 2010s, or just appreciate good freaking music. 

Train's "25 Years in the Atmosphere" Tour continues across North America through the end of August. Fans looking to catch the band live can find all remaining tour dates and ticket information at https://www.savemesanfrancisco.com/tour

TRAIN

BARENAKED LADIES

MATT NATHANSON