Daughtry brought The Dearly Beloved Tour to The Complex in Salt Lake City on March 15, 2022 along with Tremonti and Lyell. The show featured a variety of music from some very talented musicians.
The evening started out with the up-and-coming Lyell. She had a very soothing but yet powerful voice and her cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and The Cranberries “Zombie” would leave chills for the remainder of her set. This spitfire commanded the stage from start to finish even while preforming while laying on her back during part of her performance.
Up next was a heavy setlist from Mark Tremonti and his band Tremonti. Mark has made quite the name for himself from Creed to Alterbridge and now his own music. The metal side of Mark shines in Tremonti which is by far the heaviest musically of all his past and current projects. Mark and the band took the stage and instantly got a thumbs up as he adorned a Las Vegas Raiders tee shirt.
The blistering set started with “Thrown Further” from the bands recent release Marching in Time. The song featured amazing guitar work from him and rhythm guitarist Eric Friedman. It was followed up by “If Not For You” also from Marching In Time. The song had slower melodic sound that intensified during the solo. “My Last Mistake” sped the beat back up to an almost frantic pace. “So You’re Afraid” kept up that pace with a galloping beat. The tittle track from Marching in Time added an interesting element to the set. The song had a symphonic, brooding, dark and melodic sound – almost post-apocalyptic. Drums and rhythm lead the way as the song “The First the Last” began to crescendo. Leading the way was bassist Tanner Keegan and drummer Ryan Bennett. An aggressive metal opening then lead the charge into “Another Heart.” Not to be outdone – when the band launched into “Wish You Well” it really got head’s banging as they rolled into their final song. Tremonti was by far the hardest act of the night – a headlining slot with Tremonti would be an amazing sight to see.
My appreciation for Daughtry goes way back to his days on American Idol in 2006. His voice was fit for rock and roll and he pushed himself every week harder than anyone on that season. Maybe even a little too far when he sang Shinedown’s hit “I Dare You,” …but he nailed all the others like he owned them. He would eventually be eliminated in the finals but when I looked back and saw who is currently having the most success from that season, the proof was right in front of me.
The lights dimmed and a neon light looking sign appeared in the back ground with “Dearly Beloved.” The letters would randomly flicker out to just “Beloved.” Daughtry arrived on stage to huge cheers from the crowd as he sang “Desperation.” The song “World on Fire” intensified the stage presence of the already dominant Daughtry. “Changes Are Coming” melted into one of my favorite songs “No Surprise.” The tracks the band was showcasing from Dearly Beloved continued with the title track followed by “Evil.” The set then transitioned into an acoustic segment that included a quick story about the huge hit “Home.” A little bit of fan interaction ensued as Daughtry read a sign that said “Ask me about my Daughtry Tattoo.” He took the bait and the fan explained she had a Daughtry tattoo on her leg. He then took her sign and signed it for her. Daugthry told the crowd about how hard the last two years had been for him and how sometimes we need some help. He explained that asking for help is ok and a lot of times you find out someone else feels the same way as you do. This led into the song “Cry For Help.” “It’s Not Over” took the crowd back to the beginning of Daughtry’s career. The song “Heavy Is The Crown” was dedicated to the people of Ukraine and their fight for freedom. “The Victim” and “Lioness” continued to showcase an amazing representation of Dearly Beloved. The acoustic driven “September” brought a sense of unity and calm over the crowd. Sometimes the old days are a great way to finish an amazing set and “Over You” would remind everyone in the crowd of a simpler time, when singing along to Daughtry with the windows rolled down in the car just felt right. After a quick break Daughtry returned to the stage for the very last song of the evening, “Asylum.”
Daughtry is a home grown American success story who proves that hard work pays off overtime. His lasting career is also a great example of how finishing first isn’t always everything it’s made out to be. It is persistence and listening to your heart that brings real success not a 1st place ribbon or trophy. Check out Daughtry as he continues his “Dearly Beloved” tour throughout the US.
