Train • REO Speedwagon • Yacht Rock Band • August 30, 2024 • Utah First Amphitheater
Reviewed and Photographed by Josilyn Wakkuri Lybbert
Train pulled into West Valley City for their Summer Road Trip 2024 Tour at Utah First Credit Union Amphitheater on August 29. They brought along Yacht Rock Revue and REO Speedwagon making for a night of fun music that spanned across the decades!
I was bummed to miss part of cover band Yacht Rock Revue’s set, but when I got to my seat, the band members, dressed in styles from what seemed to be from the 70s, were tossing out egg shakers into the crowd to join in on the music making. I noticed right away that, between the egg shakers, throwing guitar picks, and initiating interactions with fans, this band were very engaged with their audience!
Not only that, but they skillfully played and sang through Toto’s, “Africa,” Gerry Rafferty’s, “Baker Street,” and Boston’s, “More Than A Feeling!” I can’t think of many other better ways to open a show than playing songs that everyone knows and loves! Yacht Rock Revue had people up on their feet, dancing and singing along! They received enthusiastic applause and cheers from the crowd once their set was through! I’d petition for Yacht Rock Revue every show if I could!
REO Speedwagon
Prior to the legendary REO Speedwagon’s set, as the crew set up the stage, a mock radio station show set in 1981 started to play. There were discussions of music charts from that time, as well as political, pop culture, and generally newsworthy events. Songs from the likes of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and The Beatles played as a part of the radio show. When it was show time, the radio host had none other than REO Speedwagon on the line, which led to the start of their time on stage! I thought that the radio show was a really cool way to not only pass the time between sets but to also give a look into the past for people to reminisce or for people like me who weren’t around in 1981!
The first thing I noticed about the members of REO Speedwagon was how genuinely happy they seemed to be up on stage playing their music! They were full of smiles and waves for excited fans! They opened up the show with, “Don’t Let Him Go,” which was followed by the classic, “Take It On The Run.” After a few songs, frontman Kevin Cronin said, “It’s great to be back in great Salt Lake!”
He shared that the band and Salt Lake City have a rich history dating back to their first visit, joined by Peter Frampton and Steve Marriott, in 1976! Kevin, with a laugh, said he didn’t remember a lot of that trip, but he knew that he had had a good time! He continued conversation with the crowd by acknowledging a possible elephant in the room – what is REO Speedwagon doing touring with Train? “To draw in a younger crowd,” joked Cronin. He shared that even though he’s 72, he feels more like 22! Even with being in their 70s, these guys didn’t miss a beat! As the lead singer, Kevin’s voice was still strong and reminiscent of the original recordings of their songs from decades ago, and each band member proved to have energy that I wish I had and masterful musicianship with each of their instruments!
Before performing, “Music Man,” Kevin told the story of playing his original song for REO’s late Gary Richrath. It was that song that secured his spot as the lead singer for REO Speedwagon!
Following, “Music Man,” the band played the iconic, “Can’t Fight This Feeling.” Everyone hopped out of their seat in excitement for that one! They of course couldn’t get away without playing an equally as beloved tune, “Keep On Loving You,” as well as another well known hit, “Time For Me To Fly!” It’s always fun to hear classic hits like those ones live!
They added some fun lyric alterations to personalize some of the song to the area, which of course is always a hit with the fans! During “Son Of Poor Man,” they sang, “The son of a poor man will bring you to Salt Lake!” and for their last song, “Roll With The Changes,” they added a bit about the Wasatch Mountains.!
As REO Speedwagon wrapped up their successful time on stage, they yelled, “Rock and roll will keep you young forever!”
Train
Before Train took the stage, music played that made it hard for many to resist the urge to get up and dance! It was fun to see so many dancing with friends, family, and even strangers! The last song before the show started up again was a favorite from the 90s, House of Pain’s, “Jump Around.” As I waited to start photographing the show, it was an uplifting sight to see tens of thousands of people quite literally jumping around! I love the camaraderie that concerts facilitate!
The stage was set up with giant inflatable suitcases adorned with stickers local to various tour stops! Pat Monahan, Train’s leading man, opened up with the early 2000s hit, “Calling All Angels.” Fans so were enthusiastic from the second the song started! Partway through the first song, confetti and streamers erupted from the stage which was such a fun way to get things started and the crowd loved it! Pat spent the entirety of the second song, “If It’s Love,” fielding flying cell phones and picking them up one by one to take selfies with adoring fans!
I have been to over 90 concerts in my lifetime, and while I’ve seen a handful of artists take time to provide a selfie to an occasional fan, never have I seen someone take a selfie with at least a dozen individual fans! At one point Pat yelled, “Utah, I love you!” He also expressed his excitement for our state since we’re getting an NHL team! During, “Save Me San Francisco,” giant beach balls were deployed into the crowd – it looked like quite the party! And the party didn’t stop there, for the song, “Meet Virginia,” Pat said his bassist from Park City encouraged him to toss Meet Virginia t-shirts out to the crowd! Who doesn’t love a free T-shirt?!
That song fed into a cover of, “The Joker,” and Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon joined Pat for that one! Pat Monahan announced that he’d be doing a few covers throughout the night and followed with a great cover of Teddy Swim’s, “Lose Control.” He played hits like, “Play That Song,” and, “50 Ways To Say Goodbye,” and even threw a new one, “Long Yellow Dress,” into the mix! He said that he knows that after 25 years of music, people rarely want to hear the new stuff, but the crowd loved the new song just the same as they loved the classics!
Then Pat played a stunning stripped-down version of the sweet, “Marry Me.” The crowd sounded lovely as they sang along! After singing, “Bruises,” with fans on the barricade, it was time for the song that I, and I’m sure many others, think of when I think of Train – “Hey Soul Sister!” His voice throughout the show, and especially apparent during this song, sounded just as good as when the tune took the world by storm in 2009!
I wasn’t expecting to be transported right back to my middle school years, but that song took me right there! It’s funny how music can do that! He looped, “Hey Soul Sister,” into, “Come And Get Your Love,” which was received with enthusiasm! “Drive By,” followed and was ended by the, “Na na na na,” bit from The Beatles’, “Hey Jude.” I had made my way to the back of the venue at that point, and it was sweet to see the sea of people, hands raised and swaying back and forth as they sang along to the legendary Beatles tune.
Yacht Rock Revue made it back on stage for an awesome cover of, “Hotel California,” by The Eagles. If I closed my eyes, I wouldn’t have known it wasn’t the original artist singing! The night drew to a close with the renowned, “Drops of Jupiter.” The crowd had been singing along all night, but man were we all belting this one! It was the perfect way to end the night!
Train, REO Speedwagon, and Yacht Rock Revue, while all bringing something different to the table, made for one of the most fun, interactive shows I’ve ever been to, all while showcasing such great talent! What a night to remember!