Daughtry – Treasure Island Casino Event Center – Welch, MN – March 20th, 2026

Daughtry with The Band Feel – Treasure Island Casino Event Center – Welch, MN – March 20^th, 2026

Review and photos by Kate Klaus

Fresh off their return from a run of European dates, Daughtry’s first headlining show back in the US at Treasure Island Casino Event Center in Welch, MN felt explosive from the moment they stepped on stage.  The Band Feel kicked things off for the night, and they honestly set the tone better than most openers do. They leaned hard into a gritty, almost 70s-style rock sound and kept things simple in a way that worked, complete with tight playing, a groove feel. Frontman Dylan Rau didn’t hold back, while performing barefoot, full of energy, and clearly enjoying every second. They had more of a throwback sound, but it paired nicely with the rock swagger of the evening, and was a great start to a lively night of music with great energy.

Daughtry hit the stage with “The Seeds” and “Divided” and immediately cranked the energy up. From there it felt like a really well-paced set, with heavier newer material mixed with the songs everyone came for, and it never dragged. Chris mentioned early in the set how fun it was to be at a show where they had no set time limit, and their set showed that energy with a depth that was much longer than their recent European shows, with 16 songs.  One of the surprise standout moments of the night was their cover of Journey’s “Separate Ways.” It could’ve felt like filler, but instead it landed as one of the most fun parts of the set, as it was heavier and a little unexpected, and full of great energy.  They also knew exactly when to pull things back, with a mid-set acoustic stretch, and classics like “Home” completely shifting the room with lights down, phones up, everyone singing. It didn’t feel forced or overly sentimental, just real. And that realness and authenticity is where Chris Daughtry stands out live, with his voice not hiding behind anything. His newer artistic direction definitely leans more into a gritty and heavy style, with added screams in songs from his newer catalogue like “Pieces” that leant into a more metal feel that fit his powerful voice perfectly. He joked at one point that this first show back after a bit of a break was “kicking his ass”, but it was the exact opposite, with his energy and deeply emotional delivery and power displaying a strong connection to this darker and heavier vibe of his music.  The entire band was just locked into the live energy of the room and clearly enjoying the performance, with bassist Marty O’Brien and guitarist Brian Craddock up on the risers and playing to the crowd.  Drummer Anthony Ghazel was on fire and keyboardist Elvio Fernandez added a spark of charisma and tone from the back of the stage.  The back half of their set kept this perfect balance going, with newer songs like “The Dam” and “Antidote” fitting in naturally, while a crowd sing-along to “Over You” hit that nostalgia without slowing things down. They closed things out loud and heavy “Heavy Is the Crown” and “Artificial”, which felt like a perfect ending to a genuinely fun and loud rock show.