The Constellation Music and Arts Center was truly shining Friday night as three fresh and energetic artists took stage in front of a packed crowd. From teens to grandparents, the diversity and energy were contagious and the weather could not have been better, giving us cool breezes while the show began with Andy Grammar, one young and certainly cool guy. Andy had an obvious following of his own, definitely many young ladies, who serenaded him back from his opening song “The Pocket” to his hip version of Rihanna’s “We Found Love.” He opened the show to an almost packed crowd and by the end of his third song, most seats were filled (although most fans were on their feet). His soulful tunes, sometimes mixed with a bit of soft “rap” and exuberant piano with a touch of Adam Levine charm, brought any stragglers back and they didn’t dare leave as he always had a surprise for them. Andy is a clever modern musician. Using Twitter, for example, he teased his enamored masses by allowing them to Twitter him something that would make him invite them to meet him personally for a hug backstage. Almost immediately, girls were tweeting away and screams of joy erupted throughout the arena. He held true to his request and the nervous “chosen ones” patiently waited for their meeting and were not disappointed in the least. By the time he sang “It’s Fine By Me,” he was running off stage and up into the lawn area, singing along with the thrilled crowd. He ran back and stood aloft some of the shell seats to continue his feel good energy with a smile and those bright blue eyes, charming each and every one of this concert’s lucky ticket holder. His set was worth the price of admission alone!
Matt Kearney had his own tricks to keep the crowd pleased and he too did not disappoint. First, he charmed a lucky few with a private acoustic meet and greet before the show. Then he took the stage and let his Rochester roots be known, connecting with a mostly Rochester based crowd of course. He mixed heartfelt anecdotes with songs that matched from “Young and Dumb in Love” to “Meet Me in Chicago…” His songs matched his gentle personality and his voice had the smooth quality that you could not ever tire of – song after song. Despite having many big hits of his own, he chose to do several cover songs, from U2’s “Streets Have No Name” to Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark,” the former which I personally preferred as he added his own contemporary touch. His guitar was never far and by the time he finished his set with the popular song “Hey Mama,” the crowd was again on its feet and begging for more.
Luckily enough, Train headlined the show. They were the perfect act to follow Andy and Matt as they seemed to be the culmination of this incredible male domination. Andy Grammar seemed a young Pat Monahan, with his dark, bold and fearless stage presence. While Matt Kearney seemed a young Jimmy Stafford on guitar, with that sweet smile and energetic rhythm. Train chose to open the show with their radio hit “50 Ways to Say Goodbye,” which jump started the fans and had them on their feet for the lengthy energetic set. The crowd, like with the previous acts, was completely engrossed because Train kept surprising us with exciting twists. From having girls, chosen randomly from all over the arena, dancing with them during the song “Mermaids” (and photographing themselves on their cell phones hilariously as they draped themselves over the band members), to actually having a couple get married on stage (Brandon and Natalie from Skaneateles, NY) after they played the wedding song “Marry Me,” Train never failed to get our attention and hold onto it tightly. During the song “Bruises,” Train even invited a singer that had tweeted them from New York City to come and duet with them. She nervously took the stage but managed to keep up and to get the audience to smile. By the time they began the first of three encores, “California 37” from their latest album of the same name, to their well known hit “Drops of Jupiter,” the crowd was exhausted but… as one fan told me… “I could watch this concert 24/7 over and over and never be disappointed.” That summed up the night!
Train Set List:
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(The Rolling Stones cover)/ Calling All Angels
Save Me, San Francisco
Mermaid
Bruises (duet with Twitter girl from NYC)
Marry Me
Everyday People (Sly & The Family Stone Cover)
Drum Solo
Hey, Soul Sister
We Are Young (Fun Cover)
Drive By
Encore:
California 37
Drops of Jupiter
Sing Together
Matt Kearney Set List:
Young, Dumb, and In Love
Count on Me
Closer to Love
Nothing Left to Lose
Undeniable
Meet me in Chicago
Runaway/Where the Streets Have No Name (U2 cover)
Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen cover)
Ships in the Night
Hey Mama
Andy Grammer set List:
The Pocket
Ladies
Miss Me
We Found Love (Rihanna cover)
Slow
Fine by Me
Keep Your Head Up
We would like to thank the ladies from Dixon Schwabl for their assistance in helping BackstageAxxess obtain the photo pass and to Bari Lieberman for the tickets to review the show.
