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Written by Laura Ann Checkett Tuesday, 18 April 2006 09:31

Train arrived to their sloppy and social audience, breaking out the track “Skyscraper” from their new album, For Me, It’s You, a beautiful lullaby about the limits of love.

 

w/Brandi Carlile
The Pageant, St. Louis

Packed like pink polos in a J crew catalog, the thirty-something Train crowd, as well educated as they may arguably be, just couldn’t seem to form any definable organization when it came to watching live music. God forbid the difficult ability to hold a beer! Drunken soccer moms and hard-up business school alumni bumped, pushed, and self-actualized their way through the masses during opener—and 2006 Rolling Stone “Artist to Watch”—Brandi Carlile’s set. Do people truly think that just because the opening band isn’t looped on 101.1 the River and Y-98 every 30 minutes, it’s OK to drown them out with Microsoft and MySpace social banter? Ladies and gentleman, even though Train isn’t quite at the station, shut the hell up and stay off the tracks if you’re not gonna ride the whole way; you’re pissing off the people who got on at the first stop.

Regardless of the understaffed help and oversold tickets, I walked into the Pageant a Carlile fan and walked out a Train fan, as well. Consequently, I also left with a beer-soaked purse and date, slight headache, and an intense urge to scream at random people on Delmar.

If you don’t know Carlile, you should. The Seattle, Wash., native’s debut self-titled album is being hailed as one of the best of ’05. Carlile opened the set with “Follow,” sounding reminiscent of Patsy Cline…mixed with Thom Yorke. Carlile even performed a flawless rendition of Radiohead’s “Creep” mid-set (right about the time the guy next to me spilled his full beer down my girlfriend’s leg). In another display of industry respect, Carlile rendered an intense cover of Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah.”

Yet, Carlile’s own respect as a singer/songwriter was earned, too. Think alt-country shaking hands with Muse, with melodies that hit you so hard it hurts. Each impact leaves a different impression, different emotional awareness, and a beautiful scar. I had seen Carlile open for Jamie Collum just two weeks prior, but there was something different on this night. Carlile did mention that she was “pleased that this is our third time in St. Louis.” Maybe that’s what it was. A performance for old friends, the third date, if you will. Whatever it was, the love was comfortable.

Train arrived to their sloppy and social audience, breaking out the track “Skyscraper” from their new album, For Me, It’s You, a beautiful lullaby about the limits of love. The Grammy winners were quick to pump out the hits, “Meet Virginia” and “Drops of Jupiter,” but with an intense energy that made the familiar seem new. Lead singer Patrick Monohan even cranked out a little “Going to California” (not too much of a stretch, considering Monohan once fronted a Zeppelin-only cover band). Familiars: check. Cover song: check. And don’t forget crowd interaction: Train also pulled up some lucky ladies to help him sing. So, check, the gang’s all here, folks. Work that crowd, man.

Sigh. But I digress, because you know what? Train is actually a really great live band, and if you dig deep enough, there are some really poignant tracks to be heard. True, I came out of the experience a little pissed off, but not at Train. Nope, they actually redeemed the madness that is the drunken St. Louis socialite who won his/her ticket on the River, and doesn’t know how to say “Excuse me,” or hold a cold beverage.