Hours before doors opened to the Paradise Rock Club, fans lined Commonwealth Avenue, waiting anxiously to get their spots for Canaan Smith, followed by Dan + Shay. The intimate venue became full within minutes, a whole hour before the concert was slated to start. Kevin Kennedy, from Country 102.5, got the Boston leg of the Where It All Began tour started by introducing the lovable Canaan. The newly married country rock star kicked off his set with the upbeat jam, ‘Hole in a Bottle.’ The beer ballad would not be complete without being accompanied by a couple of cans, as Smith cracked a Heineken open, spraying the crowd. He followed up the drinking song with ‘Stuck,’ a tune about the one who got away.
There is no doubt that Canaan knows how to entertain a crowd, getting the fans involved with selfies and sing-alongs. The country aficionados were enthralled, watching every move the Virginia native made. Dressed head-to-toe in black, he sang ‘Good Kind of Bad’ next, bringing out the wannabe wild child in everyone. It was the next song that got the crowd to sing on the top of their lungs, as he kept his sensual side turned on, covering Nick Jonas’ single, ‘Jealous.’ Having a birds-eye view, NECM was able to see the sparkles in girls’ eyes as they were serenaded with the popular lyrics.
Next, Canaan brought to the crowds his crazy love song, ‘Mad Love,’ with the lyrics of a couple going through the ups and downs that relationships bring. The concert took a slower turn, as Smith opened up. When he started talking, it was clear this was a hard topic for him to bring up. “Nine times out of ten, we’ve all been through the same stuff,” said Canaan, when referring to his fans and celebrities or country singers alike. It was then that many people learned he lost a brother in a car accident. “This song is hard for me to sing. The first thing that comes to mind was the old Ford Bronco he drove. I wanted to write a song that would bring him some honor. My hope is that the next three and a half minutes, you feel peace.” ‘Bronco,’ which will is the title track of Smith’s next album, is a song many people will hold near and dear to their hearts. Looking around as the song was played, the teary-eyed singer was truly appreciated by every person there. Canaan’s set couldn’t come to an end without playing the popular radio hit single, ‘Love You Like That.’ The feel-good tune was the perfect end to Smith’s time on stage, leaving fans ready for Dan + Shay.
Before long, it was time for the main act to take the blue-lit stage. They started off with ‘Somewhere Only We Know,’ and it was clear from the get-go that these fans were going to know every word of every song. ‘Nothin’ Like You’ was up next, followed by ‘Stop, Drop and Roll,’ as the energetic duo bounced around on stage. Fans were getting the rock and roll concert experience combined with their favorite tunes that are now being played on every country radio station out there.
To add to the rock star feeling, the pair covered Journey’s ‘Any Way You Want It,’ engaging all generations of fans. The concert slowed as Dan + Shay played one of their soft love songs, ‘Close Your Eyes.’ The mood stayed sensual as they covered Ed Sheeran’s ‘Thinking Out Loud,’ a song that had the crowd swaying back and forth, singing word for word on the top of their lungs. More cover songs and remixes followed, with ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me,’ ‘Red Dirt Road,’ and ‘Moves Like Jagger.’ Impressive vocals on the microphone combined with non-stop jumping around made for a show unlike any other.
The loudest cheer of the night came along with the song the group saved for last- their single, ‘19 You + Me.’ The bright blue lights shined down on the pair as they began to wind down the show. It wasn’t before long that Dan + Shay were crawling into the crowd to show just how much they appreciate the (mostly girl) fans. Followed closely by security, the boys sent selfies, signatures and hugs around the front of the stage. The exhilarating rock and roll country concert came to a close, as fans made their way to the exits, wondering when the next time they could see Dan + Shay would be.
Boston, meet Dan + Shay.
Dan + Shay, meet Boston.
This was written by Lauren Rose, contributing writer for New England Country Music. You can follow me on Twitter here.
More photos from the show can be found here.
