Matt Nathanson
As the sun went down on Sunday night, a good-looking 20-something year-old guy took the stage.  It was clear that few concert-goers knew who he was — he was just another nobody warming up for the big-ticket numbers. However, Matt Nathanson quickly proved the crowd wrong as he kicked off the concert with a fun, upbeat performance.  While few knew his songs, his voice was pleasant and the beats catchy. His weak jokes in between numbers endeared the audience to him, rather than falling flat. As a personal fan of Nathanson, my respect for him increased ten-fold.  Not only was he good live, but he was refreshingly real.  His final songs Come on Get Higher and Faster hyped up the crowd and prepped them for the next band’s performance.

Train
The “chuga-chuga-choo-choo” of a train signaled to the audience that lead singer Pat Monahan and company were about to take the stage.  From their first number, Parachute, to their last, This Ain’t Goodbye, Train kept the crowd engaged and on their feet.  The vibe of the performance was far more sing-a-long than jam out. During Marry Me, Pat Monahan ran through the aisles–and yes, I gave him a high-five. The concert continued with constant involvement of the crowd, from pulling people up on stage to commenting on his refrain. I found, however, that the antics grew tiresome.  When Train covered Rihanna’s Umbrella, I found myself wishing for more of Train’s new album and less filler. The songs that Train did perform, however, were flawless.  Monahan could hit the high, low, and in-between notes.  Among my favorite songs were Meet Virginia and Drops of Jupiter, two of Train’s classic hits. While it was clear that everyone (minus me) was there for Maroon 5, Train held its own in a rock star performance.

Maroon 5
Maroon 5’s performance started big and fast with Moves Like Jagger. From the first beat, the whole crowd was moving to the rhythm of Maroon 5.  Unlike Train’s sing-a-long experience, Maroon 5 took more of the go-crazy-and-dance-till-you-drop approach, with very little interaction. It worked. Lead singer Adam Levine’s moves — and, okay, his sex appeal — had the crowd dying for more.  The blinding light show added to the high-energy rave vibe of the concert.  Even with the songs that I was less familiar with, I enjoyed moving to the beat with the other 8,000 people.  Maroon 5’s last number was by far it’s strongest. In a largely not interactive performance, Maroon 5 pulled out with the best of both worlds with She Will Be Loved.  Levine dedicated the song “to all girls out there,” and led the crowd in a round-robin rendition of the chorus. Overall, Maroon 5’s performance captured the essence of the band’s sound. Everyone loved every moment.