Dan + Shay put Heartbreak on the map at moody center
On Thursday, March 7th, Dan and Shay performed their fourth show of their “Heartbreak on the Map” tour, at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. Accompanied with Hailey Whitters and Ben Rector as openers of the night.
Hailey Whitters, originally from Iowa, now based in Nashville, Tennessee is a rising country artist, gaining of recognition for her talent from NPR, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone and more. She has released three albums, “Black Sheep” in 2015, “The Dream: Living The Dream (Deluxe) in 2021, and “Raised” in 2022, along with other singles and EPs, and has had collaborations with Brent Cobb, Little Big Town and Hillary Lindsey.
Whitters as the first performer of the night, she took the stage with her first song “Tie’r Down” wearing white knee-high boots, a pink dress and ponytail styled hair. The twangy vocal style combined with the twirly dance moves on stage, had the crowd captivated and enamored. Not only singing but also switched from vocals only, to performing with an acoustic guitar simultaneously, sharing the stage with her band members, a guitarist, bassist, drummer, and violinist. Taking in the fans’ energy, she shared her appreciation of her accomplishments with the crowd, “I’ve been a nanny, a waitress, a receptionist… I did whatever day job I had to take to keep my daydream alive… I’m so glad I didn’t go back to Iowa; it takes one song to turn it all around” as she stood front stage being cheered on, introducing her next song “Everything She Ain’t”, which received Platinum certification from RIAA, skyrocketing her music into the mainstream of country, totaling to 390 million streams. Continuing her momentum, she performed her current single, “I’m in Love”, in which she dedicated to the women in the crowd that like their partner “in a t-shirt, all cleaned up”. The band ended the night making their way up to the t-shaped front stage, having a unified instrumental play, as Hailey made her way off saying her thanks. A great way to begin a night filled with country.
Ben Rector from Tulsa, Oklahoma, also based in Nashville, Tennessee, with a different musical style from the country artists of that night. Ben’s music style draws influences from pop, rock, and folk music. His love for music began when he was in high school, learning different instruments and forming a band called “Euromart” at that time. In 2006, he won the John Lennon Songwriting contest in the pop category for his song “Conversation.”
First song of his set was “It would be you”, the stage lights went on, and he was found playing upbeat notes on his piano. The layout of the stage had a creative twist, having seven circular lights, almost resembling clocks, that were in sync with the music’s beat. Throughout the performance, Rector couldn’t resist injecting his comedic personality into the show, delighting the crowd with witty remarks like, “My name is Ben Rector, as you can see by my enormous logo”, as he pointed up at the curtain behind him, or letting the crowd know “My wife is Texan, so I get it”, topping it off later in the night with him and his band putting on cowboy hats. To add to the fun, Ben initiated an interactive game with the audience, which would turn into a competition with the other cities of the tour, he played a cover song, “Fishin’ in the Dark” by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, but with a twist. The twist being a lyric change from “We’ll be fallin’ in love in the middle of the night, just movin’ slow, stayin’ the whole night through, it feels so good to be with you”, adding the city name in, “it feels so good to be in Austin with you”, as he instructs the crowd to cheer and scream as loud as they could, as he raised and threw his hat into the air. As a surprise treat, Rector invited Hailey Whitters back on stage to debut their new unrelease song, “Color Up My World,” set for release on March 15th. The night was a testament to Rector’s versatility as an artist and his ability to engage and entertain his audience with his infectious energy and music talent.
Photo by Mason Castillo
Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, collectively known as Dan + Shay, first joined forces as a country duo in 2012, from Nashville, Tennessee. Their journey to stardom began with the breakout single “19 You + Me” in 2013, which soared up the charts and captured their attention of the country music community. Since then, their discography of singles and albums has consistently produced chart-topping hits, earning them widespread recognition and numerous awards, including a Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
Photo by Mason Castillo
Dan + Shay made a grand entrance onto the stage, bathed in a spotlight that illuminated them from behind as they acoustically serenaded the audience with “Save Me the Trouble,” a track from their latest album “Bigger Houses.” The stage itself, shaped like a “+,” glowed a vibrant red beneath their feet, setting the tone for their energetic performance. Transitioning seamlessly into their next song, “Alone Together,” they engaged with their fans in the pit section, creating an intimate connection with their audience. As the set progressed, the excitement intensified, culminating in the performance of their hit “All to Myself.” As the final chords faded, the curtain bearing their iconic logo “+” dropped, revealing their band and stunning visuals displayed on enormous vertical screens. These visuals showed their journey, showcasing memorable moments from their career, from humble beginnings to their current success, in a captivating negative strip outline during the performance of “Show You Off.”
Photo by Mason Castillo
They took a moment to interact with their fans, with Shay expressing, “It feels good to be in Austin!” followed by Dan's heartfelt words, “Thank you for popping off, I love Texas so much, I freakin’ love this state. Every time we come it’s the greatest time. I may never leave, thank you for the warm welcome. This is our dream man … something changes when you get in a room full of beautiful people in Austin, Texas.” The unique experience extended to the fans as Dan + Shay announced a special poster designed by their drummer, Andrew, exclusively for the night, autographed and available at their merch stands. With just one left, they surprised a baby in the pit by gifting it to them while they sat on their father's shoulders.
The visuals throughout the night continued to impress, with highlights such as during “Heartbreak on the Map” where a blue heart beneath them shattered and began to rotate, and during “Neon Cowgirl” where an outline of a cowgirl in purple emerged. The music video playing for “We should Get Married”, adorned with a quick addition of a sparkly jacket featuring embroidered images of a wagon wheel, cacti, trees, and flowers.
In a memorable moment during their hit “From the Ground Up,” a couple in the pit got engaged. As the song concluded, Dan + Shay descended to the pit’s barricade, embracing and congratulating the newly engaged couple. To further surprise and delight the fans, they performed a cover of “Mr. Brightside” by the Killers. Exiting the stage, they split and made their way opposite ways around the floor edge, running and singing, taking a moment to greet and interact with fans along the way.
As the night approached its conclusion, they treated the audience to a newer song, “Bigger Houses,” performing while seated on a house prop on stage, even jumping onto its roof. They ended the night with two of their hits, “Speechless” and “Tequila”. Reluctant to bid farewell, the duo kept engaging with fans, taking selfies with those in the front rows, signing various items fans brought, including pizza boxes for those unprepared. Dan expressed his attachment, saying, “I love this place so much I don’t wanna leave this stage.” Lastly, they each signed their setlist beforehand, to give out as souvenirs before disappearing beneath the stage. A night filled with impressive vocals, and an appreciation for country.
Photo by Mason Castillo