Photos and Review by Chris Berry
Drew Baldridge holds a special place in his heart for Syracuse, NY. As he explained to a filled room at The Song & Dance on Sunday night, it was a Syracuse area radio station that was one of the first in the country to play his hit “She’s Somebody’s Daughter.” Just recently, that song helped Drew make history when it became the first song to ever go “number one” by an independent artist.
Maybe that’s why there was such a sense of genuine gratitude and humility when Drew headlined a Syracuse stage for the first time. Either that or it could have been the all-but-even road that lead him to get there.
Drew jumped right into the night with some upbeat drum patterns in songs like “Imma” and “Beach Ain’t One.” Ironically, one song is about new love and the other one is about spending time on the beach after a breakup. Drew’s “day one’s” were singing and dancing along to both.
About halfway through the set, Drew invited a fan named Keith up on to the stage. Keith had reached out to him on social media and asked if Drew would help with a surprise that he had been planning for some time. Keith brought his longtime partner on stage and asked her to be his wife. Luckily she said yes. Drew got right into the song “Can She Have This Dance,” which he wrote for his wife and son, and their eventual mother-son dance at his son’s wedding down the road.
To keep the vibes going, Drew invited the crowd to dance some more as he transitioned into some cover songs, performing a medley of 90’s country music. He also payed homage to the King of Country Music by playing “Check Yes Or No.”
As the end of show neared, Drew played his latest single called “Tough People.” He said he wanted to put out a song that everyone in our country could resonate with, regardless of age, race, sex or background. Penned with co-writers Adam Sanders, Jordan Walker and Luke Combs, they paint a picture of people dealing with times that everyday life can bring. From natural disasters, to terminal illness, job stresses and school shootings, “tough times make tough people.” In a recent interview with Billboard, Drew said “What I love about this song is that it’s honest and it’s real. It’s what our world’s going through. It’s what we’re all feeling.”
As Drew got into his final song of the evening, he talked about the full circle moment of being able to perform it in Syracuse. It was even more fitting that it was played in an underground, intimate setting. He decided to play the wedding version of “She’s Somebody’s Daughter,” which features a beautiful and slow piano accompaniment. Everyone in the place was singing the words, even the bartender.
Providing support on the tour are TikTok sensation Dylan Wolfe and country artist Tori Martin. Wolfe’s cover of “Here Without You” (3 Doors Down) had been viewed 4 million times and streamed another 10 million on digital platforms. Martin is a Texas country singer who started at the age of 14.
They are all preparing to head into the final leg of the tour in Michigan and Ohio, before the end of the year.
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