RECAP: THE DRIVER ERA BRINGS 'OBSESSION TOUR' TO VANCOUVER
- Backspin Canada
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Ross Lynch and Rocky Lynch know exactly what they’re doing. On July 10 at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre in Vancouver, The Driver Era lit up the stage once again with their high-energy Obsession Tour. The tour, which first launched on January 18 in Auckland, New Zealand, has taken them through 9 countries to date. Its most recent North American leg kicked off on May 31 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and has been rolling strong ever since, with Vancouver marking the 21st stop on this run.
Colombian pop artist VALÉ kicked off the night with a high-energy set that immediately warmed up the crowd. Backed by a live band all wearing the same black & red soccer uniform, she delivered a vibrant mix of Latin-infused pop, rock, and R&B that had the venue dancing from the jump. Even fans who didn’t speak Spanish were singing along. VALÉ made a point to engage with the crowd, teaching chants and shouting out Vancouver with genuine excitement.
Backed by a stage that housed a payphone, a green bench, and a massive LED screen, the Lynch brothers delivered a set full of new material, fan favourites, throwback surprises, and just the right amount of chaos.
It’s been seven years since The Driver Era made their debut with Preacher Man, and while the duo may have grown up since the Disney Channel days, they haven’t outgrown the fans who’ve been with them since R5. If anything, that mix of old and new is exactly what makes their live show a hit.
Vancouver was a bit of a full-circle stop for Ross. He spent years filming Chilling Adventures of Sabrina here, and Rocky mentioned they’d written a few songs in town. It felt like a homecoming, and the energy in the room reflected that.
The show kicked off with a theatrical entrance: a white curtain lit from behind, showing the band’s silhouettes as the slow groove of “Touch” crept in. When the beat dropped, the curtain did too, and the crowd of mostly-young women lost it. The energy never really dipped from there.
From the second he appeared, Ross had the crowd in the palm of his hand, and he knew it. Wearing a crocheted pullover (that wast hen removed completely by the end of the night), the guy worked the stage like a cross between a rockstar and your favourite chaos-loving friend. The crowd’s constant chants of “take it off!” were met with a smirk and a one-liner: “You'll have to wait a little longer”
The setlist was heavy on Obsession tracks as expected given the tour, but the reception made it feel like these songs had been out for years. “Everybody’s Lover,” “The Weekend,” “Nothing Left to Lose”all had the crowd jumping, singing, or swaying, depending on the mood.
But the night wasn’t just about new music. Fans erupted when Ross pulled out Teen Beach Movie’s “Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’,” a throwback that sparked full-blown karaoke-mode. If you didn’t feel like you were back in 2013 watching Disney Channel with your best friend, you probably missed the reference and the nostalgia trip.
The show had the kind of detail that proves The Driver Era thinks about the whole experience, not just the sound. The visuals were slick, at times glitchy, neon-drenched, or dreamlike, and always timed to match the tone of the song. A live camcorder feed occasionally played behind the band, giving a lo-fi, vintage touch.
Of course, there was an encore. “Rumors,” “Get Off My Phone,” and “A Kiss” closed things out, complete with a kiss cam, glittering visuals, and Ross donning a pink heart-covered cowboy hat to seal the vibe. It was goofy and hot all at once.
At this point, The Driver Era have figured out how to merge eras, genres, and vibes into a show that’s equal parts spectacle and singalong. Vancouver got a taste of it last night, and if you weren’t obsessed before, well... too late. You are now.
Remaining Tour Dates:
7/12 – Portland, OR – Theater of The Clouds
7/15 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
7/16 – San Diego, CA – Gallagher Square
7/18 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
Galley
