They Call Me Free

To help kick off its 2003 homecoming festivities, Georgetown University invited Sister Hazel, Vertical Horizon, and Train to perform at the hallowed McDonough Center. With discounted ticket prices and a crowd made up almost entirely of students and alumni, the show promised to be a dazzling one. The surprise – for some at least – was that was dazzling came from headliner Train and opening act Sister Hazel rather than Vertical Horizon, the band that was spawned and nurtured on Georgetown’s own campus. While Vertical Horizon did not live up to expectations, Sister Hazel and, even more impressively, Train did.

After an opening set by Sister Hazel, featuring energetic versions of hits like “Change Your Mind” and “All For You,” the southerners yielded the stage to Vertical Horizon. From humble beginnings as an acoustic duo at Georgetown University, Vertical Horizon has grown into a popular, successful band, but, unfortunately, one that seems to have lost its way in the process. Featuring a live sound that has veered more towards hard rock than its original softer sound, Vertical Horizon seemed out of place on this bill. While the band may have lost the crowd somewhat during the set, especially with repeated attempts to pique the interest of the suddenly listless fans, the arrival of the evening’s main attraction certainly turned things around.

It is impossible to watch a Train performance without focusing on lead singer Pat Monahan, the band’s flighty figurehead. Preening and prancing about the stage, Monahan comes across as a man who could not be happier singing. This performer needs no guitar or piano to feel at home on the stage. Rather, he prefers to dance about throughout the set, leading his fans in raucous cheers and peppy chants. Delving deeply into the band’s most recent release, My Private Nation, Train pulled out all of the favorites. “All American Girl” and a rousing “Save the Day” highlighted the new releases, with extra screams reserved for lead single “Calling All Angels.” A pair of classics and some inspired covers, though, would truly set the audience on its collective ear.

Some bands tend to eschew covers once they have achieved a certain level of notoriety, but Train has shown no such willingness, at least not yet. A classic rock medley featuring Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On” and “Whole Lotta Love” kicked the main set into high gear, with Monahan wailing away with his impressive Robert Plant impersonation. Even more amazing was a riveting cover of Aerosmith’s “Dream On” to close out the session. Train went back to some of their own hits in the encore, specifically two contributions from their previous major releases. “Free,” a rocker that could have just as easily closed the encore, gave way to “Drops of Jupiter,” sending the crowd into a fevered frenzy. Vertical Horizon may have been the band truly experiencing a homecoming, but Train was the one that fans welcomed with open arms.

Submitted 10/10/03.

If you have any questions or comments about this or any other concert, please feel free to e-mail me.