Train Kicks Off the "Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years in the Atmosphere" Tour in West Palm Beach

Train performs live at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach

Daniel Corretjer Rios

Writer

July 9, 2026

The first stop of the “Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years in the Atmosphere” tour took place at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida, and it solidified itself as one of the most complete concert experiences of the year. Three different bands performed, showcasing similarities in the genres of music they like to experiment with, predominantly folk rock and pop rock. Although they resemble each other sonically, Train, Barenaked Ladies, and Matt Nathanson each held their own unique chapter of the night.

Matt Nathanson started us off, and to nobody's surprise, the crowd made no effort to hide who they were really there for. The energy wasn't there, and there was a clear disconnect between the performer and the audience. However, Nathanson refused to let his time go to waste. His charm and humor had the crowd laughing in between tracks, and before they knew it, they had already warmed up to him.

Nathanson played his biggest hits, with "Run" and "Car Crash" being two of them, introducing the audience to what he can really do. He also performed a set of covers that included Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl" and Prince's "Kiss." When you play classics like these, the audience is bound to enjoy them. Lastly, he played his most popular song, "Come On Get Higher," which was the first track of the night to create collective energy across the venue. His job wasn't to conquer the room; it was to get the ball rolling, and that he did.

Then came Barenaked Ladies, and the difference was night and day. Where Nathanson was trying to find his footing on a large stage in front of a massive audience, BNL were seasoned veterans. They've been on stages like this for decades. Unlike the opener, Barenaked Ladies weren't trying to prove themselves. They were simply performing, and for the first time, it seemed that the people on stage were truly in control.

But they weren't in control due to stage presence alone. They had a wide variety of hits that the audience could easily sing along to, such as "Pinch Me," "If I Had $1,000,000," and even The Big Bang Theory theme song, all of which had the crowd ecstatic. However, the song that left the greatest mark from their performance had to be "One Week." It's a fascinating track, containing many different flows and melodies, and hearing it live was a great experience.

What set BNL's performance apart, though, was their versatility. Kevin Hearn provided the audience with killer guitar solos while also playing the keyboard, banjo, and even the accordion. Ed Robertson, the lead singer, and Tyler Stewart, the drummer, switched places for a couple of songs but somehow still displayed full mastery of the instruments they were performing on. But the band member who stood out to me the most was Jim Creeggan. Although we know him for singing and playing bass, he brought out a cello and delivered a rapidly paced call-and-response solo with it. These are the moments that separate good live bands from great ones.

Then came the headliner, Train, and right out of the gate they brought the energy with the electric song "50 Ways to Say Goodbye." Pat Monahan matched that energy by running around the stage, catching fans' phones, taking selfies with them, and tossing them back. Their transcendent setlist included hit songs like "Hey, Soul Sister," "Play That Song," "Drive By," and "Bruises," and each time one played, it brought you back to the moment you first heard it.

However, the night's most unexpected highlight came midway through the set, when Monahan brought out his 14-year-old son, Rock. Unless you knew who Rock was beforehand, after watching him trade solos with Butch Walker, you would've assumed he was just another seasoned guitarist Train had brought on tour. The fact that Rock was Monahan's son came as a huge surprise to the average casual listener and really showed how great a musician he has become.

Before the finale, the band offered a few more standout moments. Monahan invited BNL's Ed Robertson to share the stage for a cover of "Take Me Home, Country Roads." And on such a hot summer night in a Florida amphitheater, it really felt like home. Train also debuted a song with Matt Nathanson, giving the opener the chance to end the night on a high note. But before

"Drops of Jupiter" closed the night, the crowd was led through the classic "na na na na"s from "Hey Jude," acting as the perfect prelude to the final track.

From one stage, three acts performed, and the crowd got a whole lot more than it came for.

Edited by: Jade Read