If you've never heard of Train, you probably have - you just don't know it. Their popular hits "Drops of Jupiter" and "Hey, Soul Sister" are recognizable to almost anyone - and for a good reason. Last Friday, June 2nd, Train performed their catchy tunes at Aaron's Amphitheater at Lakewood in Atlanta along with O.A.R. and Natasha Bedingfield.
The show opened with Natasha Bedingfield, who has been relevant in the music world for almost fifteen years. Her songs "Pocketful of Sunshine" and "Unwritten" are iconic to my generation. Most college students have driven around with their friends belting "Unwritten" at the top of their lungs at some point in their lives, and it was probably a great bonding moment. Hearing Bedingfield perform it live did not disappoint. Her stage presence was complementary to her positive, upbeat lyrics. During most of her time onstage, she paid attention to the fans close to the stage and would sometimes sing directly to them.
Of A Revolution, more commonly known as O.A.R., filled the stage with guitars, drums, a bass, a keyboard, a saxophone, a trumpet, and a sousaphone. Their songs radiated positivity as well, especially "Gotta Live" and "Peace." My favorite part of their set was when lead guitarist Richard On gave his pick to a little girl in the audience.The main difference about Train's set compared to the opening acts is that they had lighting and animated backdrops to match their upbeat lyrics. The screen was different for each song. For instance, it featured a mariachi band for "50 Ways to Say Goodbye" and lyrics written in calligraphy for "If It's Love." But even though the staging was spectacular, nothing could upstage lead singer Pat Monahan's interactions with the fans.
During "If It's Love," Monahan gathered phones from fans to take selfies with the crowd. He grabbed the phones from each person individually, and whenever someone's phone was taken their face lit up. This act of Monahan's had every person in the crowd feeling special. Then, halfway through "Marry Me," a man proposed to his fiancé and the band noticed and stopped the song. Monahan said, "Did someone just get engaged over there? This song is for you."
Going to a concert with Train, O.A.R., or Natasha Bedingfield will make you leave with a smile on your face. All three of these artists know how to play upbeat pop music that can make anyone happy by listening to it. For a full gallery of photos from the concert, click here.