THE DRIVER ERA: ALTANTA, GA - 03.12.21
On December 3, 2021, The Driver Era played at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, Georgia. Fans dressed in merch outpoured in lines around the block, filled with excitement to get in. They blasted music while waiting in line and sang in anticipation for the concert. The band has grown tremendously recently, and it really shows in their fanbase. The venue was completely sold out to the max capacity fairly quickly after tickets went on sale. Upon walking through the venue, one could hear the cheering and excitement from so many fans before the show even started. It was such an amazing show celebrating their newest album, Girlfriend, and it was truly one to remember.
The opening band, The Wrecks, came on stage and immediately brought up the energy in the crowd. They were so entertaining to watch as they jumped and danced around the stage, singing old and new songs from their album Infinitely Ordinary as well as other EPs and singles. They were the perfect band to prepare the crowd for the headliners and were so engaging. Having seen them in concert before, this was by far their best performance yet.
After The Wrecks’ set, fans chanted “Driver Era, Driver Era,” until ultimately Ross and Rocky arose to the top of the steps in a cloud of fog and neon light. It was the definition of EPIC. That entrance was such a unique way to start what would be an incredible show.
The crowd erupted with happy cheers and began holding up many different signs and posters. Some were funny, reading “Down bad for Austin Moon” referencing his famous Disney Channel character. Others held up blown up photos of Ross and Rocky’s faces. They were then joined on stage by two of their siblings and the drummer. Their sister Rydel was on keys while their brother Riker was on bass. Seeing them interact on stage, one could really see how in sync they were with each other, knowing that they’ve played music together their whole lives.
They opened their set with the song ‘Take Me Away’ off the new album titled Girlfriend, which was a fantastic way to kick off the show. Immediately everyone there, even security guards, began jumping and dancing. This was followed by the songs ‘Flashdrive’ and ‘Heaven Angel,’ which made obvious how much fun the band and the crowd were having. They continued playing songs from the new album as well as songs off their other album X and singles they’ve previously released.
Halfway through the show, a fan was struggling in the front row. Ross promptly stopped the show to check on her and make sure she was okay. This was a very noble thing to do, especially in the current music scene where fans have been getting hurt in crowds more often recently. Many fans chatted throughout the night about how much Ross and the rest of the band truly cares for their fans.
Though a 21 song setlist may seem rather long to some, the show flew by as each song told a new story and was even better than the last. After the band played ‘Feel You Now,’ they left the stage for what seemed like the end of the show. They were met with screams of “encore” and “3 more songs” from the audience that was not ready for the night to be over.
To their enjoyment, the band returned and played the perfect songs to end the show. They finished the set with their most popular song, ‘A Kiss,’ which has grossed over 25 million streams on Spotify, and there was not a quiet person in the room. Every person there made the most of the last song and ended the night on such a high note. Many fans stuck around the venue in hopes of meeting Ross to make one of his famous TikToks with fans, that have recently gone viral.
