On the 18th of March, one of the best voices in modern rock, Daughtry, made his return back to the UK, kick-starting his Dearly Beloved tour at the LCR in Norwich. Tonight, he is joined by Ayron Jones.
Daughtry – Ayron Jones
LCR, Norwich – 18 March 2023
Words and Photography: Lawrence Potter
Ayron Jones
To start the evening off, we have Ayron Jones. Jones’ music is a distinct blend of many genres, such as blues rock, soul and grunge. Backed up by a very useful band, these guys put on a stunning performance.
Since starting out, Ayron has shared the stage with some huge names including, B.B king, the Rolling Stones and Guns N’ Roses. The Seattle native is certainly well-adored by his peers, with his sublime guitar skills and a wonderful knack for writing songs that draw you in and leave you wanting more. Ayron is on the up, so expect to see a lot more of him!
Daughtry
Daughtry is up next to close the night. I’ve been a big fan since his debut self-titled release, but for whatever reason, I’ve not had the privilege of seeing him live in person yet, but tonight that changes! The lights go out on the stage, and it’s finally time as the band run to the stage and starts the set with Desperation.
The show is highly driven by their highly acclaimed latest release, Dearly Beloved. Some of the numbers from which include Heavy Is The Crown, Changes Are Coming and Lioness.
Like Ayron Jones, Daughtry has an extremely talented band behind him that brings all the energy from the album to a live setting. It’s no secret that Chris is one of the best voices in the industry, having been a finalist for American idol in 2006. Since then, he has released a series of albums that have bought a dedicated fan base all over the world.
As always, Chris put on souring vocal performances throughout the show, and you can’t help but be drawn into this man’s music. It’s written straight from the soul, and he never holds anything back from his fans.
Near the end of the set, Daughtry says he’s given them a lot of new music tonight, so it’s time for some old classics. Up next is one of his first-ever hits from 2006, It’s Not Over, followed by September. Daughtry exits the stage briefly before the encore.
We finish the night off with an absolutely superb cover of Journey’s Separate Ways. I was blown away by this one as I’m a big fan of the song, and Chris knocked it straight out of the park.
Next up, our man comes back to the stage with an acoustic guitar and asks the crowd to light the venue up with their phones. As the house lights dim, we are treated to a special version of the song Home. The night ends on a heavy note, as there’s time for one more song from Dearly beloved, and it’s none other than Asylum.
