Concert Review
Train
Mat Kearney
Andy Grammer
CMAC PAC
Canandaigua, NY
Friday August 24, 2012
Friday evening the locomotive known as Train rolled through the Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center to a nearly full house. Mat Kearney and Andy Grammer came along for the ride and provided lively sets as they set the table for Train.
From the moment Train took the stage the crowd knew they would be in for a night of quality music performed by the band from San Francisco. Vocalist Pat Monahan was in fine voice as they opened with their latest single “50 Ways To Say Goodbye”. Surprisingly, they followed with “This’ll Be My Year”, another from their latest release California 37, which is also the album the tour is currently supporting.
Train then went into a medley that featured several tunes such as “Ordinary”, “Free”, “Get To Me” and “When I Look To The Sky” among a few. One highlight featured the band starting off with the Stones classic “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” before morphing into their hit “Calling All Angels”.
It was during “Mermaid” that the band invited several members of the crowd to sing and dance right up on the stage during the song’s performance. Drummer Scott Underwood is a certified ordained minister and performed a wedding ceremony after “Marry Me”.
Train ended their set strong with “Hey, Soul Sister” and “Drive By” both featuring a heavy dose of guitarist Jimmy Stafford, before heading into the encore. You just knew “Drops Of Jupiter” the band’s most popular song would show up during this 3 songs segment that also concluded with “Sing Together”.
Singer, songwriter Mat Kearney and his band did a fine job as they ran through a set that featured a mix of hits and songs from his most current release Young Love. Backed by his band led by two-time Grammy winner guitarist Tyler Burkum, Kearney even did a respectable cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing In The Dark”. Drummer Jeremy Lutito and bassist Adam Keafer made up the solid rhythm section. Like his predecessor Grammer, Kearney also took his turn going out into the roaring crowd during a song. Kearney closed his show with “Hey Mama”, a song that spent time on the U.S. Adult chart.
Andy Grammer got the whole shebang underway as he and his band set the tone for the first part of the evening. Grammer’s band, bassist Zach Rudulph, drummer Mike Baker and keyboardist Dave Maemone played a short, captivating set that saw them perform the singles “Fine By Me” and “Miss Me”. Grammer is touring in support of his debut album Andy Grammer and as expected ended with the optimistic “Keep Your Head Up”. Grammer has come a long way in a short time. He is one to keep an eye on as he is unique and fresh, something the music industry needs right now.
Train
50 Ways To Say Goodbye
This’ll Be My Year
If It’s Love
Meet Virginia
I Got You
Ordinary / Free / Respect /She’s on Fire / Get to Me / When I Look to the Sky / For Me, It’s You
You Can’t Always Get What You Want / Calling All Angels
Save Me, San Francisco
Mermaid
Bruises
Marry Me
Everyday People (Cover)
Drum Solo
Hey, Soul Sister
We Are Young (Cover)
Drive By
Encore
California 37
Drops of Jupiter
Sing Together
Special thanks to Shannon Struzik and Lynn Freida for their help in getting us credentials to cover this show.
