The Driver Era delivers energetic performance during annual end-of-year concert

While sporting a sparkly pink cowboy hat, former Disney Channel heartthrob Ross Lynch leaned toward the audience below him. The crowd matched Lynch’s energy, jumping up and down along to The Driver Era’s most-streamed track, “A Kiss.” In his hour-long set, Lynch proved he doesn’t need a fictionalized beach town run by surfers and bikers to command a crowd — an arena full of college students is plenty. 

Syracuse University’s University Union hosted its annual Block Party event Friday at the JMA Wireless Dome. The event featured a diverse lineup of artists, including The Driver Era, Snow Strippers and Ravyn Lenae. Amid rising concert ticket costs and nearly impossible lottery systems, about 200 SU and SUNY ESF students turned the dome into their dance floor without breaking the bank. 

As a fan of Snow Strippers for two years, SUNY ESF senior Aya Mouakkil jumped on the opportunity to see them live. 

“Their tickets were so expensive for the tour. It’s crazy that they’re playing for Syracuse University,”  Mouakkil said. “I’m here, and I’m having a blast.”

Each performer showcased more than 10 songs from their discographies, with The Driver Era as the headliner of the evening. The pop-rock duo consisting of brothers Lynch and his older brother Rocky drew the largest and most energetic crowd from the entire lineup. A majority of attendees enjoyed the sets from the floor, while others sat in the first few rows of the lower bowl. For most, Lynch’s dirty blonde curls shook back and forth from only feet away. 

Before Lynch’s performance, Snow Strippers and Ravyn Lenae displayed their distinct music genres. Snow Strippers, a Detroit-based techno duo, performed 17 songs. Producer Graham Perez manned the deck while lyricist Tatiana Schwaninger twirled around the stage in a little white dress and sheer white stockings.

Major frat flicking accompanied the floor-shaking bass of some Snow Strippers’ songs like “You Could Be The One” and “Passionate Highs.” Mouakkil ran to the outskirts of the pit when their top song, “Under Your Spell,” with over 200 million streams on Spotify, began to ring through the speakers. 

“They’re finally getting the recognition they deserve,” Mouakkil said. 

SU sophomore Sumner Michel, also known as DJ Spike, prepared the crowd for Snow Strippers’ high-energy musical catalog with his own house mixes. DJ Spike demonstrated his mixing range, performing early 2000s hits like Soulja Boy’s “Kiss Me Thru The Phone” and UK rapper EsDeeKid’s “4 Raws” with his own personalized twist. 

“This year, I recognized all of the artists, and I was like, ‘OK, I do want to show up,” Syracuse University senior Artemis Rosenblum said. “None of the artists that are here, I listen to regularly, which I think is part of the appeal.”

Roseunblum said she was most familiar with The Driver Era and appreciated the “diverse spread” of artists. 

Ravyn Lenae slowed things down. For those not as interested in heavy bass lines, Lenae’s smooth vocals were the perfect reset. A 27-year-old R&B songwriter from Chicago, Lenae, recently gained more traction from her hit song “Love Me Not,” which went viral on TikTok. 

Although Lenae has risen in popularity on social media recently, SU sophomore Zoe Rider has followed her “unknowingly” since 2020. As a Chicago native and Lollapalooza frequenter, Rider said she couldn’t pass up this opportunity. 

“I was excited because I was like, ‘Oh my god, I could see her for basically free,’” Rider said.

Lenae owned the stage with minimal effort. No band, no dancers, just her and her microphone — true Bieberchella style. A mix of blue, pink and purple stage lights cast a pre-season 3 “Euphoria”-like glow on the audience. 

While performing “Goodbye 2 U,” the crowd waved its hands right to left, guided by Lenae on stage in a black mini dress and matching black heeled boots. 

“I’m honored to be with you beautiful people tonight,” Lenae said. “Y’all look good.” 

The Driver Era closed the evening by playing 15 songs from their discography. The sibling rock duo performed a few songs from their 2019 album X, like “Preacher Man” and “Natural.” Later in the set, Lynch took the audience back to his Disney Channel Days with “On My Own” from “Teen Beach 2,” strumming along to the track with a butter-yellow electric guitar.