Make sure to stock up on that particular chickpea dip, your favorite adult beverages, and the appropriate festival chairs for Train’s show at The Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre on July 31, 2023. But, you may not be spending much time in your Tommy Bahama, since the band will surely keep you on your feet, dancing to their iconic hits.
Even if you can’t name the members of the band, you know their music (almost word-for-word.)
The San Francisco-based, Grammy-winning pop-rockers scored 14 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 over the past few decades. In 1998, the band released their self-titled debut record that featured the indie-rock hit “Meet Virginia.” Then came their mega hit in 2001, “Drops of Jupiter” which earned them their first two Grammys. Has it been 22 years since that song’s release? Admit it–you still turn it up when it comes up on commercial radio. Their third record produced the hit “Calling All Angels.” In 2009, the band released the multi-platinum selling Save Me, San Francisco and the international #1 hit, “Hey, Soul Sister” and other top 40 hits with “If It’s Love” and “Marry Me.” Their 2012 album California 37 included the top 10 smash “Drive By.”
“Hey, Soul Sister” with its opening ukulele riff is tailor-made for that souvenir ukulele you bought in Hawaii years ago and never played. If you missed the ukulele craze (or made sourdough instead) during Covid, it’s time to dust it off and practice before the show. Here’s a quick tutorial video.
Fun fact: “Hey, Soul Sister” continues to reach new milestones with 1.2 billion streams on Spotify.
The band’s not resting on its past success. Last year they released AM Gold, a full-length album of original songs styled with a retro AM radio flair that proves Train is still on the tracks.
Opening the show is Thunderstorm Artis, from Oahu, who may be familiar to those who were glued to the NBC show The Voice during the pandemic. Artis became the contest’s runner-up during the show’s 2020 season. Last year his song “Stronger” appeared on an episode of Grey’s Anatomy. A multi-instrumentalist with a powerhouse voice, Artis’ music crosses many genres including folk, rock, soul, and country.
Fun fact #2: Artis is the son of Ron Artis, a Motown musician best known for playing keyboards on Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
Who: Train w/ Thunderstorm Artis
Where: Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
When: Monday, July 31, 2023
Tickets and info: www.redbuttegarden.org
Get the latest on arts and entertainment in and around Utah. And while you’re here, subscribe and get six issues of Salt Lake magazine, your guide to the best of life in Utah.
