Daughtry Celebrates 20 Years With an Intimate Acoustic Night at del Lago

October 18, 2026

Alternative Music, Photo Galleries, Rock Music, Rock/Alternative, Show Reviews

| Tags: Chris Daughtry, concert photography, Daughtry, Del Lago, Rock Concert, rock music, Show Reviews

Review By Renee Clark Quade | Photos by Rebecca Clark

Twenty years into his career, Chris Daughtry has plenty of stories to tell, and fans got to hear many of them when Daughtry brought the 20 Years Unplugged tour to del Lago Resort & Casino in Waterloo, NY, on October 16.

Opening the show was Buffalo, NY, native Ryan Perdz, who delivered a short set that left us wanting more. Joined by a drummer and guitarist, he had a big, grungy sound that took us straight back to the ’90s. Much of his set featured songs from his album Can’t Cry, released in August, including “Chelsea,” “Blood on My Love,” “Black Rainbows” and “Heavy Eyes.” He also performed a cover of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.”

Perdz is a young artist, but his voice and stage presence make him sound like someone who has been doing this for years. His sound brought to mind Layne Staley of Alice in Chains, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam and Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies, with the kind of raw emotion that made us think of Kurt Cobain, too. Even with just three musicians onstage, the sound was full and powerful.

One of our favorite moments was seeing Perdz spot his parents in the crowd and take a moment to show them some love. It was a sweet moment to witness, especially knowing he was playing in front of his hometown crowd.

Perdz made a great impression with his set, and we weren’t the only ones who appreciated his sound. Chris Daughtry later shared how much he enjoyed having him on tour and hearing the musical influences he grew up with reflected in his music. We couldn’t agree more. His set made our millennial hearts happy, and he’s definitely an artist we’d recommend checking out.

After the opener, it was time for Daughtry to take the stage and celebrate 20 years of music. The night felt a lot like the MTV Unplugged sessions we grew up watching, with acoustic arrangements of familiar songs, plenty of singalongs and Chris sharing the stories behind the music.

The stage was dressed with flowers and candles, while fabric and backdrops covered in lyrics from throughout the band’s career added to the atmosphere. It was clear that a lot of thought went into the details, and the setup fit the show perfectly.

The band members came out one at a time, gradually building the opening song, “Crawling Back to You.” Video played behind them as they settled into the set, which continued with “No Surprise” and “Crashed.”

As much as we love hearing Daughtry in all their electric glory, hearing these songs stripped down was a real treat. Chris has always had a powerful voice, but without the heavier instrumentation, it was impossible not to focus on just how much he can do with it. His vocals carried these songs beautifully, and the acoustic arrangements gave us a chance to hear them in a different way.

Before “Feels Like Tonight,” Chris admitted it was a song he thought he’d never play again.

“I thought we’d never play it again,” he told the crowd, explaining that the guys in the band had continued pushing to get it on the setlist. Eventually, he had to admit, “God damn, it is a good song, isn’t it?”

It was great hearing him talk so openly about the music, including the songs he had mixed feelings about revisiting. Rather than simply introducing each track, he gave fans a look at what went into making the albums and how his feelings about certain songs have changed over the years.

Before “Life After You,” Chris told the story of writing for the band’s second album while touring with Bon Jovi and Nickelback. The band spent days off working on new material, eventually coming up with somewhere between 50 and 60 songs. Not all of them were keepers, as Chris joked, but that’s part of the process.

“You have to write the shit to get to the good stuff, right?” he said.

Things took an unexpected turn when Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger called Chris with a song he thought Daughtry should record. Chris initially figured the band already had plenty of material to work through, until Kroeger mentioned that he might give the song to Keith Urban instead. That got Chris’s attention. After listening to it and sending it to his producer, he realized it was too good to pass up. Chris eventually helped finish writing the song, which became the band’s second single.

Hearing “Life After You” after that story made the performance even more enjoyable. It’s one thing to know a song by heart, but getting a little background on how it came together gives you a new appreciation for it.

Chris also shared the story behind “As You Are,” which he wrote with his wife. He admitted he hadn’t realized just how good a poet she was until she showed him her lyrics. What she had written moved him, and he knew they had something worth working on together.

He dedicated the song to anyone who has ever felt different, weird or like the black sheep of their family.

“We are all welcome here,” he told the crowd.

It was a touching moment, and the message fit right in with the intimacy of the show. Chris wasn’t afraid to open up, and hearing him talk about the personal experiences behind his songs made the night feel less like a performance and more like a conversation with the people who have followed his career.

“Start of Something Good” and “Waiting for Superman” were next. Before “Waiting for Superman,” Chris talked about his love of comic books and reflected on Baptized, an album that received mixed reactions from some fans when it was released. He recalled seeing comments from people who felt the record wasn’t the sound they had come to expect from Daughtry.

Looking back, he explained how the experience changed the way he approached his career. He had started questioning the people telling him what direction his music should take and learned to trust himself more.

It’s easy to see that growth when you look at Daughtry’s catalog over the years. The band has continued to experiment with its sound, and Chris has never been afraid to put his own experiences into his music, even when it means taking a chance on something different.

Before “September,” he took the crowd back to his childhood in a small town of around 900 people. He remembered growing up surrounded by farmland and feeling, even at five years old, that he wasn’t going to stay there forever. He told his mother he was going to be famous, even though he had no idea what that would actually mean.

Eventually, he left town and found his way into a music scene where he could play original music and be part of a band. That was the beginning of the journey that brought him to where he is today.

Hearing that story before “September,” a song that helped inspire the name of the album Leave This Town, was a great reminder of how far he’s come since those early days.

The mood shifted as Chris began talking about the grief and loss behind much of the music from Shock to the System. He explained that many of those songs came from some of the darkest periods of his life, and that writing became a way to deal with feelings he didn’t know what else to do with.

Before “Pieces,” he spoke about losing someone who has been a huge part of your life and having to figure out how to move forward without them.

“If you’ve ever experienced this, where are you? I feel you,” he told the audience.

He went on to remind everyone that, even when life gets incredibly difficult, “There is always light on the other side of the darkness.”

His introduction to “Antidote” touched on another part of grief that people don’t always talk about: the guilt. The thoughts about what you wish you had said, the things you wish you had done differently and the knowledge that you can’t go back and change any of it.

These were some of the most powerful moments of the show. Chris spoke from the heart, and you could feel how much these experiences had shaped him and the music he writes. He wasn’t trying to make the stories sound pretty or easy. He was simply sharing what he had been through and hoping it might help someone else feel a little less alone.

Before “The Bottom,” Chris talked about how the song had gone through several different versions before becoming what fans hear today. Pieces of old ideas came together years later, after he had more life experience and a better understanding of what he wanted to say.

He offered some advice for anyone who writes music, explaining that sometimes an idea doesn’t work right away, but it might be worth coming back to later. The song also carried a message about pulling yourself out of a low point, even when you can’t see a way forward.

Chris had more to share before “Artificial,” explaining that he knew the song was different from anything the band had released before. It was heavier, darker and reflected some of the uncertainty he was feeling about the world at the time. Even though the album wasn’t finished, he knew he wanted to release it.

That decision paid off. The song became Daughtry’s first No. 1 at rock radio in 17 years.

His advice to the songwriters and musicians in the audience was simple: “Your gut never lies. Trust your instincts.”

After hearing him talk about his career, it was easy to understand why that message meant so much. From his early days on American Idol to the band he has built over the past two decades, Chris has had to learn what works for him, take chances and keep going even when things don’t turn out the way he expected.

The rest of the band deserves plenty of credit for making the night work so well. Their chemistry was obvious, and the way they played off one another made the acoustic arrangements feel natural. Elvio Fernandes was especially fun to watch on piano and guitar. As a Rochester-area native, seeing him performing onstage with Daughtry was a great moment for those of us from the area. He’s a reminder that you really can make a career out of something you love.

Before “Heavy Is the Crown,” Chris thanked the fans for sticking with the band over the years. He made it clear that reaching 20 years wouldn’t have been possible without their support, from buying albums and merchandise to showing up at shows and bringing friends along.

It was a heartfelt thank-you from someone who clearly doesn’t take his career or his audience for granted.

The encore started with “It’s Not Over,” followed by “Over You.” Chris joked that “Over You” would make his top five on a “divorced dad rock” playlist, then asked the crowd to help him sing it. He even gave everyone a little refresher on the lyrics before the song began. The audience was more than happy to join in, and hearing the room sing along was one of the highlights of the night.

They wrapped things up with “Home,” bringing the evening to a fitting close.

Daughtry’s 20th anniversary show was a reminder of why these songs have stuck with us for so long. The acoustic arrangements gave them new life, but it was Chris’s stories that made the night stand out. Hearing him talk about where he started, what he’s been through and how he’s grown as a person and musician gave us a deeper appreciation for the music.

Twenty years is a long time to stay in this business, and Daughtry has done it by continuing to work hard, taking chances and staying connected to the people who have supported them along the way.

After a night like this, we’re looking forward to seeing what the next chapter brings.

Daughtry Setlist – October 16, 2026