Train @ Eventim Apollo

Train

​Pop-rock bands don’t come much more timeless than American icons Train, who are currently making their way through the UK leg of their 2025 EU/UK tour. Their stop at Hammersmith's legendary Apollo promised a night of big hooks, heartfelt lyricism and singalong choruses that have kept them on the road, and in fans’ hearts, for over two decades. A sea of spotlights swept across the room as the band took to the stage, kicking off the night with a sense of occasion. Even though it’s been a little while since Train released a full body of new music, their entrance promised an evening that would be about more than just nostalgia, instead proving that, nearly 30 years in, Train are as sharp and spirited as ever.

It was actually the band's most recent release, 'Brokenhearted', that opened the night, a song that on record is a collaboration between Train and electro-music pioneer Gabry Ponte. However, last night saw the dance aspects of the studio version replaced by a grittier guitar-driven approach that created a storming opening to the career-spanning evening. In fact, it didn't take long for Train to ensure the night was exactly that, diving back to 2003 for the second song 'Calling All Angels', before moving forward again to 2010s 'If It's Love'. The latter song in particular came with a very memorable performance as lead singer Pat Monahan would walk up and down the front of the stage catching audience members' phones, before taking crowd selfies with the devices and throwing them back. I am not sure what was more impressive in this moment: the masterful audience engagement, the lazer-sharp focus Monahan possesses to not lose his place in the song, or the fact that every catch and throw was picture-perfect.

The above is just one of countless examples throughout the night that proved Pat Monahan's natural abilities as a frontman, effortlessly commanding the crowd to follow his every move. However, despite being the band's only remaining original member, Monahan made sure every musician within the five-piece band had frequent moments to shine, creating a real family feeling on stage. Hector Maldonado's smooth basslines guided many of the night's songs, but it was often his mind-blowing vocals that would see him earn the biggest applause from the audience, most notably when flexing a mesmerising falsetto at the end of 'Get to Me'. The family feel was further highlighted when Maldonado joined keyboard-player and rhymn guitarist Jerry Becker and lead guitarist Taylor Locke in an amusing synchronised dance to 'Meet Virginia', all whilst Pat Monahan threw free Train t-shirts into the audience, some impressively reaching the balcony. The theme of family would continue again as Pat's 13-year-old son Rock would join the band on stage for a blistering cover of Led Zeppelin's 'Over the Hills and Far Away'. This moment was not only wholesome, with Rock commanding the stage by channelling the presence of his father, but also deeply impressive. Pat took to the drum kit for this song, whilst drummer Matt Musty picked up an acoustic guitar, a simple switch that showcased the band’s raw musical talent.

It wasn’t just the band who were on fine form throughout the night. The Apollo crowd more than played their part, jumping at every chance to sing along. One of the standout moments came during the a cappella opening of Save Me, San Francisco, with the audience shouting back every word like it was second nature. Plenty of other crowd-related moments added to the night’s energy and emotion, such as the romantic proposal during 'Marry Me' which sparked screams of celebration across the venue. However, it was actually a moment of complete silence from the audience that supported the show’s most powerful highlight. After joking that he was about to play a song from his solo album which "only 4 people here have heard", Pat Monahan would step away from his microphone and deliver an A capella rendition of 'Always Midnight'. The venue’s acoustics carried Monahan’s powerful vocals all the way to the back of the room, allowing the audience to take in every word in the rawest, most unfiltered way, being mesmerised by his vocal prowess.

This delicately raw moment that will live long in the memory of everyone in attendance was quickly replaced by a high-velocity rendition of '50 Ways to Say Goodbye', which sent the room’s energy skyrocketing to a level that wouldn’t dip until the very last note of 'Drops of Jupiter' rang out. Between these two songs there was still time for a few more hits, including versions of 'Hey, Soul Sister' and 'Drive By' which were given far more instrumental depth than their studio counterparts, with each track smoothly transitioning into an iconic cover to close it out: Redbone’s Come and Get Your Love and The Beatles’ Hey Jude, respectively. There was even time for one more cover, a rousing rendition of Queen & David Bowie's 'Under Pressure', giving Taylor Locke one last chance to showcase his breathtaking vocals, worthy of fronting any other band. It was the aforementioned Drops of Jupiter that closed out the night in the most emotional way possible, with 5,000 voices harmoniously serenading every lyric back to Monahan and co. It was the perfect ending to a show that was as impressive as it was fun. As a live band, Train are as good as they come, taking every opportunity to flex their often underrated musical abilities while breathing new life into the pop classics we’ve all heard time and time again. I was expecting a good night of entertainment, but I don’t think anything could have quite prepared me for the level of musical excellence on display.