Grammy Award-winning duo Dan + Shay brought their 'Heartbreak on the Map Tour' to Nampa's Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater last Thursday night. The Country genre-bending group has been on the road since February, in support of their latest release 'Bigger Houses', which was released last Fall. The Nampa stop was part of the extended summer run that began in July and recently concluded in Salt Lake City. The "Good Things" crooners brought along fellow openers Jake Owen and Dylan Marlowe to get the party started.
The sun had finally set on a quintessential, cool 70-degree Idaho September evening. Kicking off with "All Nighter," from their 2016 effort 'Obsessed,' Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney appeared center stage donning matching black ensembles beneath a spinning mirrorball. A true tour de force in Country music, Mooney is well-known for his pitch-perfect vocal performances, which are arguably even more well-executed than the official studio recordings and have only strengthened as the years have gone on. Throughout their 20-song setlist, which featured fan favorites such as "Breakin' Up With a Broken Heart," "I Should Probably Go to Bed," "From the Ground Up," and "10,000 Hours," the group didn't miss a single beat. There was a balanced mix of mid-tempo features and slow ballads, a plethora of crowd participation, and despite not quite a sold-out show, a special intimacy that filled the Nampa venue that evening. A notable highlight of the night included a sentimental moment in which the band acknowledged an attendee's last concert before their deployment.
"We've been on the road for the last two weeks and away from our families. We're a long way from home, Nampa — from Nashville, Tennessee. Thank you for making us feel like family," the duo expressed to the crowd. "I just have one simple question, is this going to be the single greatest night of our entire lives or is it not?" Mooney inquired, before jumping into the Vegas-themed number "We Should Get Married."
Dan + Shay perform on Sept. 19, 2024, in Nampa, Idaho as part of their 'Heartbreak on the Map' Summer Tour.
It's imperative to note that 'Bigger Houses' (which coincidentally was released one year to the day of the show) was a pivotal moment for the two, as the record reestablished their faith in the group and saved their existence. The pair took a moment before performing the eponymous number on stage to recall the dark times that preceded the album, stating they didn't know for several years if they would ever make their return to the stage. But one thing is for certain, the pair compliment each other in almost every crucial way and their undeniable chemistry is genuinely refreshing to witness. "I know we sound like a broken record [expressing our gratitude], but this is something we will never take for granted. We know it's expensive to live in this world right now. Everything from gas to groceries and even coming to a show — it's not cheap, we know that. We are so grateful that you took the time to fill this place on a Thursday night with us, Nampa. It means the world," Smyers conveyed.
Despite not featuring a true encore (but when you have the perfectly crafted setlist that hits all the marks, is it truly necessary?), the duo came back out for two more closing numbers, "Speechless" and "Tequila," which featured an acapella crowd sing-along and it was a superlative note to conclude on for the evening. Attendees were more than satisfied with the hour-and-a-half setlist and all that encompassed it. Should Dan + Shay come to a city near you in the future, it's a celebration not to be missed and will have you leaving the venue beaming ear-to-ear. Even though their discography now spans five studio albums, each year they have managed to keep a fairly consistent setlist, so you can be certain that you won't miss out on any of your favorite hits.
View the full setlist below:
- All Nighter
- Alone Together
- All to Myself
- Make or Break
- Breakin' Up With a Broken Heart
- Good Things
- You
- I Should Probably Go to Bed
- How Not To
- Heartbreak on the Map
- We Should Get Married
- From the Ground Up
- 10,000 Hours
- Bigger Houses
- Glad You Exist
- Mr. Brightside (The Killers cover)
- 19 You + Me
- Nothin' Like You
- Speechless
- Tequila
For more information on Dan + Shay, visit www.danandshay.com.
