Train in Cincinnati

About Train

Train emerged from San Francisco in the late 90s with a sound that split the difference between 90s alternative rock and radio-friendly pop sensibility. They hit their commercial peak in the mid-2000s when 'Drops of Jupiter' became inescapable, a sprawling track that somehow worked despite its kitchen-sink approach to arrangements. 'Hey Soul Sister' cemented their status as a mainstream act, though it also solidified some people's conviction that they were aggressively corny. Their earlier work, particularly around 'Meet Virginia' and 'Calling All Angels,' showed more textural ambition and less predictability. Lead singer Pat Monahan has a conversational delivery that can feel either disarming or grating depending on your tolerance for earnestness. They've largely leaned into their catalog strength and touring reliability rather than chasing relevance, which is probably the right call.

Train shows are wedding reception energy. People sing along to every word of the big hits, the crowd gets genuinely into it, and there's a lot of swaying and phone recording. Monahan talks between songs in a way that either lands as charming or self-indulgent. Shows run long and feel competent.

Known for Drops of Jupiter, Hey Soul Sister, Calling All Angels, Meet Virginia, Marry Me

Train + Cincinnati

Train rolled through Great American Ball Park on August 13th and leaned into the kind of setlist that rewards longtime fans. They opened with the spiritual sweep of "Calling All Angels" before hitting the obvious crowd-pleasers, but what stuck was the deeper cuts—"Get to Me," "Bruises," "Brokenhearted"—songs that show why people actually care about this band beyond the radio hits. The mash-ups worked too, pairing "Meet Virginia" with "The Joker" and closing the main set with "Drops of Jupiter," which somehow still lands after all these years.

Train in Cincinnati News

• ‘This is our big show’: Model train display is at Liberty Center during holidays for 8th time Middletown Journal · Nov 30, 2025
• Train announces 2026 summer tour with Barenaked Ladies that includes stop in Cincinnati WKRC · Nov 15, 2025
• Hey, Soul Sisters, Train is Coming to Cincinnati Cincinnati CityBeat · Nov 10, 2025
• Photos from Train's concert following Reds vs. Phillies game at Great American Ball Park Cincinnati Enquirer · Aug 13, 2025
• Train Post-Game Concert | Cincinnati Reds MLB.com · Nov 18, 2024

Live Music in Cincinnati

Cincinnati's got a weird, wonderful relationship with rock. It's a city that respects melody and doesn't need to apologize for it—the Brat Pack came from here, after all. There's a through-line of bands that understood pop hooks without abandoning guitars, which is exactly Train's lane. The local crowd tends to show up for solid, unpretentious rock that doesn't require ironic distance.

Cincinnati road trip to see Train?

Stay in Hyde Park, Cincinnati's most elegant neighborhood, with tree-lined streets and restored Victorian homes. Dinner at The Eagle—a fine dining spot that takes Southern cooking seriously—pairs well with Stapleton's sensibility. Spend your afternoon at the Cincinnati Art Museum or walking the grounds at Spring Grove Cemetery, one of America's most beautiful cemeteries. Both offer quiet reflection before heading to the show. If you have time, catch the view from Skyline Chili's main location; the city panorama is worth the detour, even if the food is divisive.