Auckland Town Hall was buzzing with energy last night as The Driver Era started off their 2025 tour in style for the second time in New Zealand, with a high-energy show that despite being at half-full capacity, tore the house down.
The night began with an impressive opening act, Cassie Henderson, who absolutely owned the stage before the headliners even stepped on.
Cassie Henderson brought the heat with her Pop-Rock energy, shredding through her set with a mix of fiery stage presence and raw emotion.
Dressed in dramatic red and blue lighting, she commanded the stage with an intensity that had the crowd amped up from the get-go. Her performance was a perfect blend of Tate McRae’s angst-filled, teen spirit and the larger-than-life energy of a rockstar.
From the very first note, Cassie had the crowd hooked. Her ability to hit crazy high notes with such ease was mind-blowing, and her energy was contagious.
She played through her set with a mix of fierce kicks, dramatic kneeling to the audience, and heartfelt moments where her vocals had the crowd swaying side to side, especially during her haunting new ballad.
Her lyrics, like the touching loving someone till my heart stops, felt genuine and you could tell the crowd believed every word.
But it wasn’t all about slow, emotional moments. She cranked up the tempo with Whatever, an angsty breakup anthem that led into a high-energy cover of ABBA’s Lay All Your Love on Me.
She even gave the crowd an amazing rendition of Chappel Roan’s Goodluck, Babe! that never fails to get a venue singing along.
Cassie’s ability to seamlessly transition between intimate, soul-baring ballads and crowd-pumping rock anthems showed her versatility as an artist. It’s one of the best opening acts I’ve seen lately, and it did what a good opening act should do and more. Getting the crowd pumped and letting them discover their new favourite artist.
Cassie ended her set with the latest upbeat lyrically melancholic single Seconds to Midnight (11:59) that made the crowd ever more excited for The Drivers Era.
The Driver Era
After an intermission of electronic dance tunes (a bit of a genre shift from Cassie’s rock vibe), the lights cut out, and The Driver Era made their grand entrance into a dramatic stage with flashing strobes.
Ross Lynch and Rocky Lynch wasted no time getting the crowd into a frenzy, kicking off with the sultry, guitar-heavy Touch, which immediately got the audience hooked, even if they weren’t yet singing along.
The setlist flowed effortlessly from one hit to another, with the crowd bouncing from track to track.
You Keep Me Up at Night was a standout, getting everyone off their feet, while Get Off My Phone had Ross Lynch commanding the spotlight in a way that made you feel like you were watching a true rockstar in his element.
The crowd loved every second, throwing props like hats and sunglasses to Ross, who was all too happy to try them on, soaking in the adoration.
Ross was in top form all night, balancing between playful interactions with the crowd, his instrumental talent and showcasing his impressive vocal range.
At 29, it’s clear he’s living in the moment, and that energy was infectious. He even took a moment to joke about learning Kiwi slang, dropping chur bro’ with a grin.
The night wasn’t all about high-octane rock. The Driver Era also proved their musical depth with groovy, bass-driven tracks like When You Need a Man, where the crowd felt every beat.
The band showed off their instrumental prowess, with Dave Briggs on drums who stole the show at times. Some seriously interesting congas and keys sprinkled throughout the set.
The way The Driver Era blended these elements with their classic Rock sound made for a unique musical experience. The amazing instrumentalists having their own moments to shine alone and together was a constant theme throughout the night. It kept the party going even when Ross or Rocky’s vocals weren’t present, but it left me in awe with the capabilities of these talented musicians.
And of course, who could forget the Austin & Ally nostalgia moment? Ross busted out the chorus of Can’t Do It Without You, and the crowd lost it. It was a brief, playful moment, but it made the night feel personal for longtime fans.
Things got steamy during Fantasy, where Ross decided to take of his shirt (as expected), revealing a tight crop top to the shrieks of excited fans.
The energy only built from there, culminating in a high-voltage performance of Preacher Man which was a perfect closer.
Ross threw everything into that final performance including his remaining piece of upper body clothing and sent the crowd into pandemonium. Delivering vocals that had seated fans dancing on their feet, before the band dramatically left the stage in darkness.
The crowd wasn’t going to let them go that easily, though. After a brief, deafening chant for an encore, Ross came back solo, under a lone spotlight, and strummed the opening chords of On My Own from Teen Beach Movie.
It was a sweet, acoustic moment before the band returned for their final song Kiss, which brought the entire crowd back into the groove for one last unforgettable jam session.
If last night was any indication, 2025 is going to be a huge year for The Driver Era. With their seamless mix of Rock, Electronic, and Dance influences, they’ve carved out a unique sound that’s only getting better with time, especially with their new upcoming album. They gave a non-stop 90-minute party that left me personally breathless.
And Cassie Henderson? Watch out, she’s got the stage presence, the vocals, and the heart to be the next big thing.
Azrie Azizi
Photos by Chloe Tredgett
Driver Era
Cassie Henderson
