The Driver Era Concert Review
By Aleiagh Hynds | @aleiaghh
Excited fans waited on November 22, the air heavy with excitement and anticipation. The Driver Era was about to play another sold out show on their Girlfriend tour. Fans of the duo held onto their tickets to the show at the Royale in Boston for an extra 19 months. The pandemic forced the band to postpone the tour from the spring of 2020 to the fall of 2021. The energy in the room proved that the wait was more than worth it.
Ross and Rocky Lynch arrived on stage amidst flashing lights to elated screams from the packed crowd. They began their set with a slew of songs from their recent album Girlfriend (“Take Me Away,” “flashdrive,” and “Heaven Angel”). The band was accompanied by their siblings and touring bandmates Riker Lynch and Rydel Funk (both of whom are also former members of the band R5), as well as touring drummer Chase Meyer. The band performed a lengthy 22-song set to an enthusiastic crowd of fans. As they began performing their first single “Preacher Man,” I rushed from the photo pit to my place in the crowd to join my friends and enjoy the show in the best way. It was almost impossible to get back to where I needed to be; the tight knit crowd danced together as I weaved in between glitter-covered girls with their arms draped around friends.
It’s undeniable that The Driver Era love what they do, and the way they put their heart and energy into their performances is mesmerizing. They have such an instant and intimate connection with the audience they’re performing to. From any place in the crowd, it feels like Ross is singing directly to you. The concert was clearly a show geared towards the fans. The Lynch siblings brought their all to entertain the crowd in Boston. At one point in their set, Ross handed the mic off to Rocky and took over on the drums for their track “Beautiful girl.” A few songs later, the band launched into a surprise addition to the setlist: “Natural” from their first album, X. At one point, they even paused the performance to check in on the well-being of members of the crowd. Following the recent tragedy at Astroworld, an artist’s care for the well-being of their fans is more crucial than ever.
The Driver Era put on a show that never faltered in energy. Even in a room full of hot air and sweaty bodies, Rocky and Ross kept their energy up like each song was their first. Their love of making music and performing is apparent and infectious.