Fans of The Driver Era were surprised last week when it was announced that they would have a pop-up show at the Wiltern in Los Angeles on August 29th. Those who managed to snag tickets came dressed for the occasion, decorated in sparkly pink cowboy hats, Girlfriend tees, and friendship bracelets that spelled out the brothers’ names. It’s clear why the duo continuously commented on how welcome they felt throughout the set. 

Ross and Rocky Lynch garnered their dedicated fanbase through multiple creative projects, such as Ross’ initial role on Disney Channel’s Austin & Ally, their previous band R5, or perhaps even Troye Sivan’s music video for “One of Your Girls”. It doesn’t seem to matter how their fans were drawn into their world, the passion shared amongst the crowd was the same. After an electric set by Blu De Tiger, the audience was buzzing for their favorites to perform. Like a strike of lightning, the theater went dark and all that could be seen was the lit-up stage and a few figures from behind the curtain. The first few unfamiliar notes played: a new song. The screams from the crowd intertwined with Ross Lynch’s vocals while dancers on stage created a sensual shadow theatre experience. By the time the curtain fell and The Driver Era slid into another new song, it was clear to fans that their devotion (and their fight for these tickets) paid off. 

After a confetti show that left Rocky’s face with a smile as he observed the crowd react, they moved on to the fan-favorite, “Preacher Man”. The opening line “Hey, Mr. Preacher Man” baits for the crowd’s attention while the accompanying piano chords act like steps for listeners to climb into the chorus. The duo played fitting opposites, with Ross Lynch as the charismatic, natural performer and Rocky Lynch playing the shy yet talented guitarist. Their fans encouraged these roles, eating up the cheeky phrases thrown out by Ross Lynch such as “You wanna dance with me?” and “I’m hot” (referring to the temperature inside the venue). It also seems like there was a shared goal amongst concertgoers to make the modest guitarist blush, as they began chanting his name in-between songs.

During “Afterglow”, another favorite from their debut album X, Ross received a gift from the crowd; a silver mirrorball hat decorated with a purple star in front. He begins to flaunt and dance around with it, a trick he’s done countless times before but one that never gets stale. Eyes cannot peel away from the leading man underneath the pink and purple hues as they move into their final song, “A Kiss” from Girlfriend. Confetti and smoke fill the historic venue and the band parallel the end of the song, leaving their fans wanting more and ready for new music to come their way. 

Review & Photos by: Katie Romo

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