Train Concert Review

The wife and I caught Train and Anna Nalick at the C'ville pavilion last night, a show which I enjoyed more than I had expected. I am not a diehard fan of Train, but enjoy some of their music, and not count myself among a fan of their live performances. A quick review:

- Anna Nalick opened, starting at about 7:45 and playing an eight or nine song set. I had heard a few of her songs before, and thought she performed well on stage. She was warm and welcoming with the crowd, which was milling around aimlessly, as is typical during an opening act. She told a few anecdotes regarding a couple of her songs, which helped personalize the show a bit. The crowd really liked her performance of "Breathe," which is currently her most popular song. Her voice is strong, but I think her stage presence could use a little work- Perhaps it is the reverse megaphone effect of the pavilion, but from section 201 she looked miniature.

- To the guy wearing the "Wide Open Cycles" t-shirt: The t-shirt you were wearing, is not appropriate for a venue with kids- Honestly, I'm not sure where your t-shirt would be appropriate. Appropriateness aside, thank you for make us laugh. By us, I of course, mean the entire 200 section of the Charlottesville pavilion. You're burning wit, and apparent negotiation skills somehow wore pavilion security down enough to allow you to continue to stand directly in front of me. When the security women comes to ask you to move, she does not want your drunk, stinky breath anywhere near her face, ear, or any other body part. She wants you to move. When she tells you the aisle is for walking, she doesn't mean for you to stand in place directly in front of me and walk in place.

- Train took the stage shortly before 9, and played for over an hour and a half. They touched on all their hits including Meet Virginia, Drops of Jupiter, and Calling All Angels. Overall the acoustics were quite good- there is a fair amount of background noise from the nearby road, but bearable overall. The weather was nice, even a bit chilly by the end of the show, which made the experience even more pleasant. The lead singer Pat, is quite charismatic and quickly won over the crowd. On two occasions he brought audience members on the stage- Once a 8 year old girl, who was absolutely terrified, and another time a twenty something fan that was a little awestruck. Train kept the energy up throughout the set, and near the end of their set brought Anna Nalick on stage for a cover of Wild Horses by Rolling Stones. The harmony between Anna and Pat was quite nice, and I think they did justice to a quite legendary song.

- Why do audiences go absolutely nuts at the slightest mention of the name of their city, state or region of the country? I understand local pride, but I honestly don't think Train (or any other band that comes through) gives a damn what town they are in- They go to sleep in one and wake up in another. Add the song "Meet Virginia" in the mix, and you have half a dozen incidents of the band using pseudo-local pride to rile the audience. I'm not judging, just observing.

- To the guy about to beat your girlfriend on the way out of the show: You're a jackass, and I truly hope you get what is coming to you. It is not OK to verbally abuse your girlfriend/wife ever, but especially at a concert- I could see the look in your eye- if all the people weren't around you would have swung at her. Pick on someone your own size and gender- I think you'll find your beer infused courage lacking. And ya, it was my group that gave the cops a heads up about you- I hope they made your night miserable.