NOTE: All photos are copyright of Howard Shiau Photography 2025
The Driver Era has been around for around six years but the brother duo of Rocky and Ross Lynch have been making music together since 2010, back when their band R5 included Riker and Rydel Lynch. They haven’t released a record since 2022’s “Summer Mixtape” but that’s not a reason not to tour, which they’ve been doing non-stop. The May 8th show at History in Toronto was the final stop on their North American east coast tour and they ended it with a bang! The fans were lined up early and comprised of mostly women. Why not? Ross Lynch had been a huge fan favorite when he played Austin Moon on Disney Channel’s Austin & Ally. If the VIP meet and greet crowd was any indication (ninety nine girls and one guy), it was going to be a raucous and loud night!
Opening for the Driver Era was Valé, a young Columbian singer songwriter who’s latest single “Chill Like That” was released just three weeks ago. Donning a Maple Leafs jersey when she hit the stage, she smoothly transitioned between English and Spanish lyrics as she played a jamming set that had the crowd dancing. Her energy as she moved around the stage was contagious and she was a perfect opener, getting the audience ready for the main event.
Click on photos to enlarge
I hadn’t seen the Driver Era live before so I wasn’t sure quite what to expect. Their music is upbeat and fun, although their last album had mixed reviews. Still, a live show always seems to exceed expectations and this one didn’t disappoint. They kicked off the show with “Turn the Music Up” with Rocky handling the vocals. Ok, nice fun song. Then Ross took over the show. The next song was “Get Off My Phone” and the energy in the venue was cranked up to 300%! I was glad I had my earplugs in, not only for the band in front of me but for the screaming young ladies behind me!! Of course, all of that hit a crescendo when Ross took off his shirt. He makes a perfect frontman with his curly blond locks, dazzling smile, an extremely fit physique, and the gift of gab and singing voice that drives the fans crazy.
Since they weren’t touring in support of a new record, their setlist contained a nice mix of older and newer songs. The band got a big surprise during “Malibu” when Valé and her band came running onto the stage, wearing masks and costumes and dancing with the members of the Driver Era. That’s the way to celebrate the last date of the tour! The energy in the venue stayed high throughout the evening and no doubt left the crowd more than satisfied. It’s still not clear to me why there aren’t more men at their shows. A good band is a good band, regardless of the reactions of their female fans. We’ll keep an eye out for the Driver Era as well as our new discovery, Valé, in the future!
Click on photos to enlarge
