The three-time Grammy winners are the headliners at the Discover Halftime Show during the 2012 Discover Orange Bowl on Wednesday at Sun Life Stadium. The San Francisco band, made up of lead singer Patrick Monahan, guitarist Jimmy Stafford and drummer Scott Underwood, made it big in 2001 with the release of Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me), which spent more than a year on the Hot 100 list. In 2009 they struck gold again with Hey Soul Sister, off the album Save Me.
It later became the most downloaded iTunes song of 2010. Expect to hear these hits, along with new stuff off their sixth studio album, which comes out in the spring. We spoke to Monahan before the trip: Are you excited about playing in Miami? Train has always loved Miami. How many places in the United States can you go to all year round and have incredible weather, incredible food and great fans? We always hope to get to the beach while we’re there, and sometimes we actually make it.
How are you going to get the crowd going?Halftime at football games can be hit or miss, but a bowl game has got to be one of the most exciting halftime energies that you could ever be around as a performer. What will the show be like? We learned from KISS that if you add pyrotechnics to anything, it’s always a good time. Is there a favorite song you do live? From Save Me San Francisco, Marry Me and Soul Sister — they’re all phenomenal. Doing cover songs is a lot of fun as well, which you’ll hear during the show. Anything crazy ever happen at one of your concerts?
People getting engaged at Train concerts has become a worldwide rampant phenomenon. To be a part of spontaneous love is better than football — well, maybe not that good. Do you have a favorite venue to play? The Fillmore in San Francisco will probably always be my favorite, and that’s after 15 years of traveling the world, so it’s pretty special. How are you all getting along?Better than ever. What is on your iPod right now? A lot of music I’ve been trying to write to, along with a little bit of Drake, a little Portugal the Man and always the go-to, Led Zeppelin.
If you could play with any rock legend (living or dead) who would it be? I’d sing with Ella Fitzgerald, Led Zeppelin and Jellyfish, because all of those artists are from different eras and made unique impacts on music. If you weren’t a rock star what would you be? A chef, because I think of food and music and wine — the theme of Drops of Jupiter — as all being necessary for a healthy soul.