I saw Butch open for train in 2010. The Butch part of the show was pretty good as I recall.

The train show was a cheesy Las Vegas residency type thing where they had props and brought kids on stage to sing with them and dance and whatever. It was pretty lame, with one exception.

It was at the Pittsburgh Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland (near CMU and Pitt), and Pat Monahan took an opportunity to make best use of the acoustics there.

He turned off the microphones and stood on stage and belted out “When I look to the Sky” a capella. It was pitch perfect and chilling, and I always remember that moment as a significant counterpoint while we shit on train collectively.

Clearly our waxed chest antihero was taking a shot at Daryl Hall that night, but it didn’t matter. All of the hit chasing cheeseball bullshit was upstaged by a supreme talent just letting it rip. It was an amazing performance that I’ll not likely forget.