On Saturday night, alternative–pop duo The Driver Era stopped in Philadelphia, PA as part of their headlining summer 2022 tour. The band recently released their latest single Malibu and have just announced their third studio album titled Summer Mixtape. You can read more about this announcement here.
Thousands of people stood block after block on the bustling Center City sidewalks waiting eagerly to get into the venue. Despite the lines that wrapped around the entire venue and the brutal heat from the late August sun, it took practically no time to get into the venue once the line began moving. The beautiful theater quickly roared to life as people took their seats.
Almost Monday kicked the night off strong just after 8pm. The indie/alternative band had a fun and charismatic presence on stage and garnered quite a bit of audience participation by the end of their set. Almost Monday consists of front man Dawson Daugherty, guitarist Cole Clisby, and bassist Luke Fabry.
The Driver Era took the stage around 9:15, and by this point the crowd was buzzing with anticipation. People with signs and t-shirts that read “We love Ross” and “We love Rocky” could be seen from the mezzanine balconies. Strangers and friends alike chatting excitedly for the duo to come out. Finally, the lights dimmed, and the band appeared.
The Driver Era opened with Keep Moving Forward, then went straight into Natural and flashdrive. The Driver Era consists of brother Ross and Rocky Lynch, as well as touring members Riker Lynch on bass, Dave Briggs on drums, and Garrison Jones on keyboards. The duo’s high energy performance genuinely surprised me. Ross was very charismatic and a joy to watch. Rocky was just as dynamic, and together the two brought a refreshing performance to the Met’s stage.
Other songs performed were the band’s latest single Malibu, and fan favorites Preacher Man, Heaven Angel, and San Francisco. The Driver Era is certainly a band that has way more of a punch live than in-studio. Ross’s smooth vocals paired with the layers of crisp instrumentals allow for their show to feel elevated and expansive–something only a live performance can achieve.
The last song played was Feel You Now before the band temporarily left the stage in preparation for their encore. The encore consisted of 3 songs, Fade, Afterglow, and A Kiss. The band truly gave it their all the entire night, and certainly made a fan out of me.
For additional tour dates for the Driver Era, click here.
