The Driver Era
Article by Brittany Ormiston
The Egyptian Room at Old National Centre was filling up to capacity, and the crowd buzzed in preparation for a sold-out show ahead. Concert-goers gathered around in their cowboy hats and tour t-shirts with The Driver Era inscribed in red lasso-like font. Once the room went dark, the crowd responded with a deafening roar that shook the entire city of Indianapolis. The silhouettes of Ross Lynch and Rocky Lynch were visible against the bright white lighting as the instrumentals for ‘OMG Plz Don’t Come Around’ surged out of the large speakers. As the song concluded, the rest of the band made their way on stage and were eager to be a part of this unforgettable night.
“How are you feeling, Indianapolis? Are you ready to have a good time tonight?” asked Ross with a smirk on his face. The Driver Era took us all to the beach with ‘Malibu,’ and Riker Lynch (bassist) added his own touch as he showed off his salsa moves. Rocky displayed his crisp, baritone vocals during ‘Low’ and dare we say it was a true slay. His short rendition of ‘Pony’ by Ginuwine interwoven into the track was the icing on the cake. Many fans were over the moon as Ross covered ‘On My Own’ from Teen Beach 2, and one big sing-a-long took place. However, the real treat was the seamless transition into ‘Scared of Heights’ and the flawless performance of indie-rock goodness that followed. After acquiring a pink cowboy hat from the crowd, Ross got down to business during ‘Natural’ while delivering the sensual lyrics in a higher register. During the outro, Rocky’s guitar riffs were captivating and effortless with frisson-inducing moments as the result.
Halfway through the set, the duo kicked it down a notch to perform ‘San Francisco’ with only an electric guitar and keys. “This song is about a city that happens to be a wonderful place, but it doesn’t like me very much…The most emotional moments in my life came from this place…even far after writing this song,” shared Ross while getting a bit choked up. Fans were getting emotional before the first note was played. Ross’ raw emotion carried through his vocals as hundreds of swaying phone flashlights lit up the venue. All tears were wiped away, and the dancing had commenced once again. “Nobody knows, she likes to dance like a mad man // Nobody knows, she wants to dance like his girlfriend” echoed throughout the room as the duo jumped in sync with the crowd. During the instrumental break, Ross was feeling quite confident and showed off his iconic backspin with several fans ready to video the moment. Who knew he could breakdance?
“It’s a pleasure to play music for you!” stated Ross. As ready as ever, Rocky strummed his guitar and played the highly recognizable notes for ‘A Kiss’ that sent the crowd into a frenzy. The sleek instrumentals were accompanied by a sassy Ross singing into Rocky’s ear. The show concluded with the band’s newest single ‘Get Off My Phone.’ The fast-paced instrumentals and the catchy chorus was surely stuck in our heads for days after the fact. Witnessing fans dancing their hearts out with their best friends from the front of the room to the back was certainly a core memory for all. This live experience was unimaginable, and it brought The Driver Era’s discography to an entire new level. The Driver Era will always have us going cray z babe e.
The Egyptian Room of Old National Centre in Indianapolis, IN on April 6, 2024
Photos by Everly Ormiston
