Meghan Trainor performs “Title” at Ameris Bank Amphitheater. (Photo by Jacob Nguyen)Meghan Trainor had 11,000 fans dancing – some in the rain – at Ameris Bank Amphitheater on Friday night as she returned to touring after an eight-year hiatus. The Timeless Tour in support of her new album kicked off on Sept.1, so Trainor was clearly excited to be back on stage, fighting back tears several times as thousands of cell phone lights popped on and waved in the rainy darkness. “I will never forget this as long as I live,” she said.
Trainor started the show with her hit “Mother,” rising from the stage floor on a pedestal surrounded by her team of dancers. “I’m your mother, you listen to me,” she sang and the crowd singing back the lyrics was definitely listening.
The singer’s mix of doo-wop, pop, and rap was on display for the opening run of songs, including “Don’t I Make It Look Easy,” “Lips Are Movin” and “No Excuses.” For her first big hit “Title,” Trainor was alone on the stage with her ukulele urging the crowd to sing along with her. Atlanta was also treated to the live premiere of the new single “Criminals,” which has become a hit thanks to its inclusion in the Nicole Kidman series “The Perfect Couple” on Netflix.Another highlight of the show was Trainor alone at her keyboard singing an emotional version of “LIke I’m Gonna Lose You.”
Meghan Trainor performs at Ameris Bank Amphitheater. (Photo by Jacob Nguyen) At one point in the nearly two-hour show, Trainor brought out her husband for a dance and there was a cute video of them dancing and playing with their two young sons projected on the screens. For the second half of the show, Trainor promised everyone would be dancing as she rolled out hits like “All About That Base,” “NO,” “Hate It Here,” “Been Like This,” and the throbbing bass of “Genetics.”After a brief pause, she returned to the stage for an encore, including her major hit “Made You Look,” which capped off a night of songs that both empower women and the LGBTQ+ community.I was impressed at how Trainor interacted with the audience throughout the concert. She pointed out signs and t-shirts and frequently spoke to the audience sitting on the lawn in the rain.I went to the show as a casual fan of Trainor’s work, but left a bigger one. Her positivity and music is infectious, and The Timeless Tour is the perfect showcase for it.