Daughtry, Black Stone Cherry and Lyell Live 2022

Chris Daughtry of Daughtry performs at the Rialto Square Theatre on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, in Joliet, Ill. Check out Tom Antonson's review and Rob Grabowski's photos!

On March 8th nearly 2000 people filled the seats at the historic Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, IL. to see the band Daughtry. Fans were eager to see the legendary American Idol contestant and his band, especially after Covid and other circumstances delayed the band's "Dearly Beloved Tour" for 2+ years. However, Chris Daughtry and company put on a show that was well worth the wait.

Accompanying Daughtry on this tour were rockers Lyell and Black Stone Cherry. While the openers warmed up the crowd admirably, once Daughtry hit the stage, there was no mistaking who the crowd came to see. Chris used every square inch of the stage during the show, which was quite impressive. He pranced around the stage like a stallion and made use of two giant ramps onstage to get even closer to his adoring fans. The only time he stood remotely still was when he was playing guitar. Even during one of their earliest and most popular songs ("Home") Chris wielded an acoustic guitar and harnessed not only the power of his own voice, but also the 2000+ voices in the crowd.

To add to the magic of that moment, he had everyone light up the theater with their cell phones, which was something quite different than Daughtry's insane light show. Daughtry's light show looked like it belonged in an arena rather than a theater. The strobe lights, neon signs, fog, and more helped to take this show to a whole new level. Daughtry even used a megaphone to add even more flair on certain songs.

Other memorable moments include an epic drum solo from drummer Brandon Maclin, a tear-jerking tribute of Daughtry's hit song "A Cry for Help", which Chris introduced through a heartwarming speech about the last two years and how we all should not be afraid to ask for help, and Daughtry's epic crowd work during "Over You". The audience got so loud and proud during "Over You" they practically drowned out the sound of the band.

Daughtry's 16 song set covered lots of ground from their new album, Dearly Beloved. In fact, they played 10 of the 14 new songs that night. They also included crowd-pleasers such as "September", "Asylum", and "Over You". The balance of material was perfect, as Dearly Beloved does a great job of showcasing Daughtry's musical flavor and his powerful voice.

Overall, Daughtry put on an amazing show that was well worth the wait. Audience members got the effect of an arena show in an intimate theater, which is something truly special. Even over the challenges of the last 2+ years, Daughtry and company continued to shine and put on an unforgettable show.