On Wednesday, April 1, Quinnipiac’s Student Programming Board announced that The Driver Era will be headlining the annual spring concert Wake the Giant. This breaks the three-year streak of a rap/hip-hop artist being selected, opting for an alternative rock pick.
The music duo consists of brothers Rocky and Ross Lynch, former members of the pop-rock band ‘R5’ following a rebrand in March of 2018 after nine years of activity. Ross, however, has been involved with music for most of his life, being best known for starring in Disney’s Austin and Ally as well as Teen Beach Movie and its sequel Teen Beach Movie 2.
The name ‘The Driver Era’ came to be during a conversation between Rocky and Ross on the way to a party. The brothers believed that this name encompassed the direction their music was going: a punchier rock & roll sound that does not conform to just one genre, or as Rocky put it, “We are, of course, evolving and it’s natural to move forward with a new sound and outlook.”
Their first single, ‘Preacher Man’ dropped two weeks following the rebrand on March 16, which was met with high praise by old and new fans alike for its edgier, more electronic sound compared to earlier projects. Since then, the duo has released four studio albums, one EP, one live album and 18 singles, all leading up to their most recent project ”Obsession,” released on April 11, 2025.
The Driver Era brings a fresh genre to Wake the Giant, which reflects the band’s history. As mentioned in a 2018 press release, The Driver Era has built off what they know from R5 and solo careers and has purposely blended genres like alternative rock, R&B and pop together to create something uniquely different. I believe The Driver Era will be a new but welcomed sound for Wake the Giant, and I’m looking forward to what they have in store for M&T Bank.
Ross and Rocky’s most recent tour on the road was the ‘Obsession’ world tour, which wrapped up in July of 2025. If you ‘Can’t Believe She Got Away’ before you could catch them on tour, or if it’s your ‘Fantasy’ to see them again, now’s your chance! Tickets for Wake the Giant go on sale on Wednesday, April 1 at 1pm for undergraduate students. Graduate students will be able to purchase tickets on April 2 at 1pm if any are available.
Remember to follow SPB’s Instagram (@QUSPB) to keep an eye out for more information regarding Wake the Giant, including volunteering opportunities. Now, it’s time to ‘Turn the music up’ and get ready for The Driver Era later this month!
