march 5 — CONCERTS & EVENTS

Dearly Beloved, you are cordially invited to Daughtry’s 2022 tour. Your current destination is Indianapolis, Indiana. You arrive at the eclectic venue of Murat Theatre at Old National Centre, and admire the illuminated marquee board with Daughtry spelled across it in bold lettering. Once finding your way to the theatre entrance, the usher escorts you to your assigned seats. You scan the room, and take in the breathtaking view of the grand stage and high ceilings with intricate detailing. Close to 2,500 seats will soon be filled with concert-goers ready to experience the show of a lifetime. The house lights dim, and the teal Dearly Beloved sign appears as a message simultaneously echoes through the speakers. The letters begin to blink as the instrumentals are slowly introduced, and you can feel the excitement of the crowd building. The show is about to begin.

Frontman Chris Daughtry appears on stage, and delivers an electrifying performance of “Desperation” from the most recent album. You continue to be mesmerized by the thought-provoking production, and how it brings each song to life. During “World On Fire,” Chris' crisp and raspy vocals through a megaphone are accompanied by the stage lights turning orange. The fog is drifting upwards, and against the orange lighting it resembles smoke for a dramatic effect. It feels as though you are part of a villain intro scene in a movie during “Evil” with the pounding bass drum, red lighting encompassing the room, and black, web-like movement dripping down the screens. The strobe lights moving at full speed to resemble lightning strikes for “The Victim” is the most wild production yet.

Along with the production, the setlist of Daughtry’s show deserves an award. To the surprise of many fans, the band makes sure to perform several tracks for old time’s sake. The keyboardist, Elvio Fernandes, starts to sing “and I hope… and I hope…” to which the crowd immediately echoes in unison without skipping a beat. Witnessing “No Surprise” live is a bit of nostalgia mixed with a whole lot of serotonin. It is the moment of a concert where you realize music means more to you than you will ever be able to explain. Everyone continues to reminisce about the past by screaming the chorus of “Over You.” “That’s what I’m talking about Indy!” screams Chris in response. Once the instrumentals fade, the audience goes wild to the point where the band steps back to take it all in. Chris makes it a point to thank fans for the past 15 years by giving a heartfelt speech.

The personability of Daughtry’s live performance is extraordinary from the setlist to Chris’ engagement with the crowd. He enjoys passing out guitar picks to a number of people in the front row. He runs out of picks stored in the slot of his guitar, but retrieves another one to personally give to a fan he made a promise with. Chris moves from one side of the stage to the other, and fist bumps every fan on the barricade with the biggest smile on his face. Throughout the show, he makes jokes with the crowd and treats everyone as if they have been friends for years. He gives a shout out to 93.9X Indy’s rock station for playing his music, leaving many shocked as many artists neglect to acknowledge the large part that radio plays in artists’ careers.

Chris even brings up topics that are difficult to address and discuss. He highlights how important taking care of our mental health is, and asks if anyone feels as if we are “one day away from slipping into the darkness of our own minds.” Chris reassures the crowd by saying it’s okay to cry for help. As a society, we need to “work towards being comfortable with saying what is on our minds and in our hearts without fear of judgment.” His rich, emotion-filled vocals during “Cry for Help” makes it more evident mental health is near and dear to his heart. Chris is known for his impressive vocal belting technique, but his ability to deliver endless emotion with every track is rare and magical. Daughtry collaborates and performs on such a flawless level that once the show ends, each concert-goer wishes to experience the rock-goodness a little bit longer. The Dearly Beloved Tour is one that will be etched into the memories of many for years to come.

Words and photos by Brittany and Everly Ormiston