“Let’s Rock!” was the mantra echoed by Sloan Struble, better known by his musical persona Dayglow, as he took the stage to a sold out crowd at The Ritz on Saturday, Nov. 12. The show marked the 24th stop on his tour, which will take him across the globe to perform his new album “People in Motion,” released on Oct. 7, 2022.
Struble was preceded by Ritt Momney, best known for his TikTok famous cover of “Put Your Records On” by Corinne Bailey Rae. The originally hesitant and unengaged audience found themselves won over by singer Jack Rutter and his slow synth pop, marked by smooth beats and processed voice effects. Of the eight songs in his set, “If The Book Doesn’t Sell” and “Set the Table” left the most lasting impressions, showing Ritt Momney’s potential as more than just a cover artist.
Struble took the stage at exactly 9 p.m., opening the concert with “Radio” and “Then It All Goes Away” from his newest album. The crowd was an eclectic mix of concertgoers, ranging from indie boys in green Converse and beanies to the energetic dads holding IPAs and yelling praise from the balcony. Our personal favorites were the group of moms dancing next to us while their daughters lined the stage.
Struble’s energy mirrored the crowd. He immediately began jumping and twirling around the stage, keeping up the lively display for every slightly upbeat song he performed. Even the audience members sitting in the second-story balcony were on their feet, earning their own interactions from the band, who took note of their top-notch enthusiasm.
“I felt like some bands you tour with, they know they’re cooler than you so they act like that,” said Rick West, drummer for Ritt Momney. “Dayglow is [a] very like, we’re in this together kind of vibe. … I love those dudes.”
Bringing the same collaborative energy to his performance, Struble followed with “Hot Rod,” and “Run the World!!!,” hits from his freshman album which he introduced to the audience in a heartfelt display.
“Nice to meet you, my name is Sloan,” Struble said. “When I was 17 years old, I made an album alone in my bedroom called ‘Fuzzybrain,’ and I never would have thought I’d be playing sold out shows in Raleigh.”
Struble played “Junior Varsity” with an upbeat twist, speeding up the tempo and adding bass to keep the audience engaged and energized during a normally slow track. Songs were tied together with seamless transitions, leaving no space for the energy to die down as he moved through the 19 song setlist. Colorful graphics flashed behind the band throughout the show, shifting from kaleidoscope live feeds of the performers, to geometric shapes and primary colors — each the perfect compliment to the song being played.
Playing off the post-disco sound of the track, Struble opened “Medicine” with the intro to the ‘70s hit “Funkytown” by Lipps, Inc. This fun and inventive choice built the audience’s excitement about a track which is otherwise one of the less popular songs from his newest album.
The audience was eager to interact with Struble, handing him props and holding up typed out messages on their phones. Struble connected with them, taking both sunglasses and a cowboy from the audience to wear while performing and acknowledging messages by smiling and pointing.
Toward the end of the setlist, an audience member seemingly called out for help. Struble immediately cut the sound, turned on the lights and told everyone in the audience to back up. He did not resume the show until he made sure everyone was okay, adding an affectionate “stay safe out there, take care of each other,” before jumping right back into his infectious performance.
Seemingly reenergized after his brief pause, Struble finished the rest of the show in style, picking up a new found spark and dancing his way through the rest of the setlist. The only interruption came in the form of a standing ovation from his loving fans that left him speechless.
It’s not abnormal to find fans chanting for an encore at shows like this — it isn’t, however, commonplace for the audience to scream so loud the artist has to stop the set to let them be heard. This was a love letter from fans to Struble, a thank you for a show well done, even with two songs left to go.
“The crowd was incredible,” said Shane T, singer songwriter and guitarist for Ritt Momney. “Honestly, like, top five crowd of the whole tour. We’ve been a lot of places, so it was an amazing energy, great venue, amazing crowd.”
Rounding out the show with “Close to You,” a fan favorite from album “Harmony House,” Struble took his final bow and left the stage in style. His absence didn’t last long, with fans chanting for one more song, until he returned to a stage lit by starry graphics to perform “Second Nature.” As the singer stretched the song to the delight of his fans, the starlight graphics slowly shifted, taking on the form of his newest album cover, the perfect visual to end an unforgettable show.
