CONCERT REVIEW: A Night Of Music, Cowboy Hats & More With The Driver Era

It had been a while since brothers Ross and Rocky were last in the Netherlands, but after two years, they were back—this time at AFAS Live. A step up in terms of venue size compared to their last performance in Utrecht.

The show began with the band behind a curtain. You could hear them, and their silhouettes were visible on the fabric. After the first song, the curtain dropped, and the band appeared. Immediately, the crowd went wild. Most of the audience consisted of girls, and it was clear that everyone had made an effort to look their best. I totally understood—for a band like this, you want to make sure you look your best.

It’s well-known among fans that the band doesn’t just perform their original songs but also mixes in a few covers. That night at AFAS was no different. First, we were treated to a cover of Birds of a Feather by Billie Eilish.

Then, the sound system cut out. Very inconvenient during a concert, but unfortunately, it happened. The crew on stage was busy trying to fix it, but of course, there was still a crowd waiting. Ross came to the rescue and played an acoustic set.

During this time, Ross played several songs from his Disney Channel days. This was definitely one of my favorite moments. I loved seeing that he still embraced that part of his career and occasionally performed those tracks. After On My Own, the band was able to continue with their set. The band’s chemistry was on point—the vocals matched perfectly, and the instruments blended seamlessly.

If I had to describe the vibe of their songs, I’d say most of them had a smooth and moody feel. Even the more upbeat tracks carried a bit of an ‘edgy’ tone, which worked really well with the brothers’ deeper vocal range.

One thing that stood out was the number of cowboy hats in the crowd. Ross even received several hats from fans, trying them on between songs. He could have worn a different hat for every song!

If you’ve checked out TikTok videos of The Driver Era, you’ll notice a recurring theme—many of the videos focus on Ross Lynch’s good looks. A lot of girls posted clips of Ross during the show, shirtless and showing off his dance moves. That was also the case that night—his shirt came off, and the crowd went wild.

Along with the screaming fans, cowboy hats, and a shirtless singer, the band also performed a new song, I’ll Be There. If this was a preview of their upcoming album, I can’t wait for it to drop.

Despite the rocky start with the sound system issues, the night turned into a huge party. The interaction between the band and the audience was fantastic, the music was amazing, and there was more than enough confetti to fill the entire venue.

If you ever get the chance to see this band live, I highly recommend it! Check out the photos I made in the gallery below:

Kelly Vermeer

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