Featured Photo Credit: Ryan Muir
On Wednesday evening, as the sun was just about to set, it wasn’t the official start of rooftop season in NYC or the rooftop Frosés that brought New Yorkers to Pier 17– it was The Driver Era. As the Lynch brothers, Ross and Rocky Lynch, took the stage at The Rooftop around 8 PM, the energy suddenly shifted to that of a summer music festival.
Song after song, the music duo’s groovy alternative rock sound with the blend of high-energy pop kept the crowd on their feet. Ross’s surprise performance of “Can’t Do It Without You”– the theme song of the hit Disney Channel show Austin & Ally– was a moment of nostalgia for all the fans as instant screams of joy filled the rooftop. Throughout the night, the Lynch brothers had an undeniably magnetic performance dynamic with each other while on stage, highlighting not only the brotherly connection but also their musical chemistry.
It is easy to go into a The Driver Era show with bias, expecting a certain boyband pop sound considering the duo’s past connection to Disney. Once the show starts with “Feel You Now,” hearing the band’s eclectically mature and niche sound will change your mind right away.
Some of the standout elements of The Driver Era show were Ross and Rocky’s charismatic stage presence, Ross’ impromptu dance breaks, and, of course, the show’s secret sauce: Ross’ occasional “outfit changes” – more like clothing eliminations during “Fantasy” and “A Kiss”.
The last minutes of the show were far from deprived of the summer music festival feeling as the songs kept getting better and The Driver Era continued to outperform themselves. The brothers dedicated “I got you, you got me” to their mother and the “Malibu” performance turned into the perfect cinematic moment with the summer night breeze joining Ross on stage.
Ending the show on an even higher note, Ross put on the pink cowboy hat thrown on stage by the fans, and the brother duo performed their hit, “A Kiss.” The fans jumped and danced along with Ross so passionately during the entire song to the point the cowboy hat fell off his head.
If you are still debating whether a formerly Disney-associated band’s music is for you, a live show of The Driver Era and hearing “Preacher Man,” “Malibu,” “Afterglow,” and “San Fransico,” will be enough to convince you and leave you impressed with not only the great music but the strong rockstar aura from the Lynch brothers.