Greeted by screams at an unfathomable decibel, The Driver Era and opening act VALÉ took the stage for a sold-out show at The Wellmont Theater in Montclair, New Jersey on April 25.
Fans packed the venue way before show time to secure spots and prepare for two unforgettable performances beginning with support act VALÉ. The “oop” singer, who has been establishing a powerful fanbase of her own, undoubtedly captured the attention of attendees with her catchy hooks, remarkable stage presence, and powerful vocals.
Photo Credit: Alessandra Guarneri
She effortlessly worked the stage and constantly interacted with concertgoers, leaving them singing lyrics to songs they had never heard before by the time she exited the stage. VALÉ even teased her upcoming EP as fans began adding their favorite songs onto their playlists from the crowd. After VALÉ’s set, the energy level seemed to be at its peak and fans were beyond ready for The Driver Era to take over.
Within no time, the lights dimmed and intense screams overpowered both The Wellmont Theater and their sound system. The Driver Era put an end to all of the anticipation and opened their set with fan favorite “Back To You.” The band smoothly transitioned to “Get Off My Phone” before taking some time to address the crowd.
Photo Credit: Alessandra Guarneri
Their unbelievably special connection with fans has lasted well over a decade, dating back to their R5 and Disney Channel days. Fans held up dozens of signs, some hoping to get a birthday shoutout while others requested to have their first tattoo drawn by lead signer Ross Lynch. Although the group is nearing the end up of the North American leg of this tour, fans made it known that this won’t be the last show they’ll be attending via handmade signs. Some have already seen a few shows while others are looking forward to one or two more in the area.
Photo Credit: Alessandra Guarneri
Luckily, The Driver Era seemingly put on a different show every night – one unlike their show the night before. Their setlist changes constantly and they even surprise fans with throwback songs, some completely unplanned as they’re requested by those in the crowd. At this particular show, fans went crazy for “On My Own,” a track from the Teen Beach 2 movie soundtrack.
Photo Credit: Alessandra Guarneri
The Driver Era certainly know how to get a crowd going and maintain their attention. The group performed nearly two dozen songs before concluding their set. There wasn’t a drop in energy from the start of their set to the encore, making it clear that this is definitely a show music fans don’t want to miss.
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