A mass of fangirls lined up outside Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo on September 25th, many already sporting tour merchandise from previous shows of the same band: The Driver Era.
When the support act, almost monday, took to the stage, the Californian trio captivated the crowd in a heartbeat with their infectious indie-pop sound and feel-good vibes. Their sound, reminiscent of MGMT and Dayglow, embodied the essence of late summer, and transported the audience from a rainy evening in London to a sunny beach day in San Diego, their hometown. Lead singer Dawson Daugherty successfully animated and entertained the crowd, waving at fans, and locking eyes with those in the first front rows — leaving them in a fangirl-frenzy. Their set, particularly the catchy chorus of their song ‘sunburn’, lingered long after the concert was over, a testament to their strength as an opening act.
The Driver Era then delivered one of the most interactive performances in today’s pop culture world. Not only did frontman Ross Lynch jump down to barricade to let people sing into the microphone and take pictures with with him, he also invited a lucky fan on stage and taught her how to dance salsa to the intro of a song. Additionally, the singer effortlessly incorporated fan-thrown items into the show, making each moment feel personal and spontaneous. The admiration for the fans goes beyond the stages of the world – one of the photographers in the pit was a fan the band had met earlier while exploring London and then invited to shoot the show after they recognised her talent. Halfway through the concert, as expected, Lynch – who had “packed light” – ditched his shirt, much to the roaring approval of the crowd. “He looks photoshopped!”, girls all around gushed. The highlight of the night, however, came when the duo performed their hit song ‘Preacher Man’, which they prolonged for what felt like minutes, as the ecstatic crowd would not stop screaming the lyrics.
The night then ended after an hour and a little bit, as Ross and Rocky Lynch disappeared into a cloud of smoke and confetti, only to come back on stage when the lights were back on to take a bow in front of the audience with their entire band and to take one last picture, smiling from ear to ear.
This summer, as the charts have been so heavily – and so well deserved – dominated by women, people have been wondering where the “pop boys” have been hiding. But that night at the Apollo, it became clear: they’re right here. Both bands, almost monday and The Driver Era, consist of pop boys the industry is lucky to have, and we can’t wait to see what’s next in store for them.
Written by Vicky Madzak // photography by Willow Shields
PS: almost monday are set to perform at Neighborhood Festival in Manchester this Saturday, October 5th, at 3PM. Don’t miss it.
GEM Magazine 