Sinclair served as their opening act, who was able to warm up the stage for Daughtry, with her 30-minute set, thanks to her crisp and impressive vocals.
As Daughtry took the Westbury stage, in the round, they were greeted with a raucous response from the Long Island crowd. Front-man Chris [Daughtry] kicked off the show with the newer tune “Just Found Heaven,” which was haunting yet expressive. “Westbury. Howdy,” he said, greeting the fans. “How y’all doing?” he asked.
It was followed by the smash single “Feels Like Tonight,” where he showcased his infectious energy, as red and blue lights dimmed from the stage. They had the audience clapping along to this song, and Chris even played the tambourine towards the end.
“What is going on y’all?” he asked. “Battleships” was vivacious, with a pulsating beat to it. “Are you all getting dizzy too?” he further asked, referring to the venue’s revolving stage. “I feel like I’m spinning around the whole time,” he admitted.
After a sip of water, Chris strapped on his electric guitar and belted out a superb rendition of “Crawling Back to You,” thus showcasing his powerhouse pipes.
“All right,” he said, following the song’s warm reception. “Did you guys have fun with my good friend Sinclair tonight?” he asked, complimenting his opening act, and the fans concurred with the Grammy-nominated rocker.
The American Idol alum switched over to acoustic guitar for “Life After You,” where he displayed his soft side, in an atmospheric vocal performance. He took another sip of water, and it was followed by a drink. “Cheers, everybody,” he said, saluting his audience. After “getting off the carousel,” (the rotating stage), Chris revealed to the crowd that he has been making a record for the past four years, and the new album is officially done, and awaiting a release date.
Speaking of new music, he segued into a new song, “Backbone,” which is relatable to people, especially anybody who is having tough times or a rough year. “Nobody is impervious to that,” he said. “We all go through shit times, and we need to lift each other up,” he added. “Backbone” was mid-tempo and indeed optimistic and empowering. This is bound to be a future hit song for the band in the future.
“Thank you so much,” he said, effusively. “Y’all dig?” he asked, inquiring about the new song, and the audience instantly gave them their stamp of approval.
He shared that he could not believe that it has been 13 years since his first album, which “makes him feel old.” “Thank you guys for keeping us alive,” he said, expressing his gratitude to his loyal fan-base.
Speaking of his self-titled debut album, he treated fans to the song, “Breakdown,” which he penned entirely by himself, and he really got into it, in a controlled, subtle vocal performance.
He described U2’s “With or Without You” as a tune that he wished he wrote, or a tune that any other musician would have wished they wrote, and rightfully so. Chris displayed his harking voice on the song, and it had a great build-up as the tune progressed.
Chris went on to introduce his talented band members, which was comprised of Elvio Fernandes on keyboard and background vocals, Josh Steely on lead guitar and backing vocals, Brian Craddock on rhythm guitar and back-up vocals, Josh Paul on bass and background vocals, and Brandon Maclin on drums.
“Should we kick this thing back up a notch?” he asked, and the answer was a resounding “yes.” “Let’s do it,” Chris said, and he immediately broke into “Baptized,” whose lyrics were pure poetry.
“Y’all wanna hear another new song?” he teased, and the excitement at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury built up again. He sang “Back In Time,” which is the song that he claimed as his personal favorite off the new record (with he co-wrote with his bassist Josh Paul). “I feel like I will be spinning in my sleep tonight,” Chris said.
After “It’s Not Over,” everybody’s cell phones lit up during his acoustic version of “Home,” which was the quintessential singalong tune. He showed his tremendous lung power, especially at the high notes towards the end. He lifted up his acoustic guitar, and was rewarded with a lengthy standing ovation.
An added bonus was when Daughtry covered Prince’s “Purple Rain,” where the venue went nuts. It was a fitting homage to the late music legend.
Another highlight vocal of the night was his beautiful version of the inspirational “Waiting for Superman,” and the song “September” resonated well with the fans.
The Verdict
Overall, Chris Daughtry and his band, Daughtry, were fantastic at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury on Long Island. It was a neat blend of the classic Daughtry hits, as well as new material. They easily put on one of the best live concerts of 2018, thus far. Chris’ voice is an eighth world wonder, and he is a high-energy live performer. They are highly recommended seeing live in concert. Congratulations for a job well done, gentlemen. Daughtry earned five out of five stars.
To learn more about Daughtry and their music, check out their official homepage.
