By christina fuoco-karasinski
Dan + Shay open up on new album
Country duo Dan + Shay feel energized.
Dan Smyers’ and Shay Mooney’s current tour has seen them play to packed houses, on the heels of a hectic holiday season tour last year.
“We’re back at it and rockin’,” Smyers says. “Every show we’ve played this year was sold out. We’re proud of that.”
The pair was nominated for two awards at the 52nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards this year, and are now touring behind the album Obsessed, which spawned the singles “How Not To,” “Road Trippin’” and “From the Ground Up.”
“We play most of the songs live,” he says. “We do have some cool moments where we change up some of the arrangements, or we break down and do an acoustic set. It’s fun.
“It’s a bit of a different experience from the record. The fans have been so great and dedicated. It’s not just the country radio songs that they’re singing along to. It’s the deep cuts. In turn, we’re giving the fans as much music as we possibly can.”
Smyers says Dan + Shay’s music offers fans an intimate glimpse into their lives. It’s his hope that fans take advantage of that.
“With the first and second records, you can tell the evolution of our lives,” he says. “We both got engaged recently. Shay had a kid. We’re growing up a little bit and our fans are growing with us. Our music is an honest representation of who we are.
“The beauty of songwriting is when we get in the room, we pull out our feelings. We like the storytelling aspect of country music, but we also like R&B, blues, soul and rock ‘n’ roll. I think you can hear that when you listen to the record from front to back.”
more info
What: Dan + Shay
When: Friday, November 10
Where: Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street
Cost: $29-$54
Info: 520-547-3040, foxtucson.com
