Dan + Shay bring the heat on a cool night at Lakeview

Thousands of people came pouring into Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview Friday night to see the Grammy Award-winning country duo Dan + Shay, bring their Southern vibes on a chilly Northern night. 

The evening started with perfect weather in the 70s as the crowd filed in for the spots overlooking Onondaga Lake before the sun set and cooler temperatures settled in.

 “The weather’s gorgeous,” remarked Ralph, a fan from Tully. You couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Openers Josh Ross and Tyler Hubbard fired up fans with recognizable tracks such as Ross’s “Drink Things Through” and Hubbard’s “902180.” 

 “I love country music,” said Tom, a Hubbard fan from Syracuse.”It’’s going to be a great night.” 

When Dan + Shay came on around 9 p.m., the beer was flowing and the crowd was rocking. From deep-fried Oreos to wood-fired pizza, nobody was going hungry. 

Little kids rolled around in the grass while everyone waved their phone flashlights to the beat. With lots of food and drinks to keep warm, the crowd had a lively feel and was on their feet the entire concert. Surrounded by food trucks and overlooking Onondaga Lake, the Nashville natives kicked things off with the award-winning song “Speechless.” 

Settling into a routine of catchy tunes, Dan + Shay rocked the crowd with a medley of their original “Obsessed,” Ella Langley’s “Choosin Texas,” and Justin Bieber’s “Baby.” 

As the set list shifted from emotional slow songs to upbeat anthems that got people clapping their hands, there was an energy in the air. After playing the amphitheater back in 2024, the Syracuse community was excited to see the duo return. 

The back lawn had a calmer energy, with people spread out on picnic blankets, sitting in lawn chairs and holding loved ones as they took in the lyrics.

Up towards the front, everyone was jumping up and down as the riffs from the guitar filled the air. 

Under the roof of the amphitheater, folks stayed warm by dancing to hit songs such as “All To Myself,” “How Not To” and “19 You +Me.” Dan + Shay strutted all over the stage, playing to the crowd as they ran to high-five the concertgoers. 

From jumping up onto platforms to coming down into the pit, the country music stars certainly knew how to get a crowd going. 

As the night wound down, Dan + Shay finished with “Save Me The Trouble.” After rousing applause, they came back on to play one of their biggest hits, “10,000 Hours,” a song they produced with Justin Bieber. 

To finish off the night, they played “Tequila,” the song they won the best country duo performance Grammy for in 2018. 

After an hour and a half of classic country music, the crowd went home with food in their bellIES and music ringing in their ears. The next time Dan + Shay are in the Syracuse area, the duo is definitely worth checking out.