THE DRIVER ERA is far from the poppy-family friendly version of the Lynch brothers that their fans grew up watching on Austin & Ally or on stage as R5. Since its 2018 creation, the band has accumulated over 500 million streams and 30 million followers across social platforms. The duo, comprised of Ross and Rocky Lynch with touring support from oldest brother Riker, has cultivated a sensual, synth-pop sound to this project. On the first leg of the Obsession Tour, the brothers brought their energy to The Coca-Cola Roxy in Atlanta. Their performance gave a clear view of the direction they are moving towards with their new record set for release on April 11th.
In total darkness, the opening bassline of “Touch” shook the room. A white sheet concealed the stage as the band appeared as silhouettes in front of flashing spotlights. The curtain finally dropped as the first notes of the electroclash-inspired single “You Keep Me Up At Night” began. The collection of performances of unreleased songs began with “The Weekend.” Adding to their reputation of engaging with the audience, Ross had a handheld camcorder that was live-streaming fans’ reactions to the LED display wall behind him. This audience engagement was a theme of the night, the band went as far as to thank the Atlanta fans for starting the trend of the crowd chatting for Ross to take off his shirt during their performances.
The undeniable highlight of the night was the performance of another unreleased track from the new record, “I’d Rather Die.” Ross sang most of the song behind the video wall, letting the flashing red lights and gain-saturated guitars be the focus. The outro cemented it as an unmistakably anthemic rock song with a gripping guitar solo. As the band left the stage after their alleged final song, the crowd didn’t flinch, already demanding an encore. A live cam from backstage showed the band deliberating on how many more songs they would play, ultimately landing on three. The only thing that was stripped down about the final song was Ross Lynch’s outfit, as “A Kiss” featured strobes and energetic lights. The fans left with nothing to complain about, giggling in anticipation for the opportunity to meet the band after. Anyone wanting to see a high-energy pop-rock band command the stage should be sure to catch THE DRIVER ERA on their worldwide tour running through July.
GALLERY: The Driver Era at The Coca-Cola Roxy in Atlanta, Georgia (March 11, 2025)
