Dan+Shay Celebrate First Ryman Auditorium Appearance

Dan+Shay. Photo: Rob Norris

Dan + Shay celebrated their first appearance at historic Ryman Auditorium, as part of the rising duo’s Obsessed Tour.

“This is just the best night of my entire life,” Shay Mooney told screaming fans at Nashville’s most iconic live music venue.

“I had this dream, and Shay had this dream, too,” Dan Smyers said, “and we moved here because we wanted to do this. … If it weren’t for our fans sharing our music and spreading the word … we wouldn’t be here.”

The duo’s Smyers and Mooney moved to Nashville five years ago to chase their musical dreams.

Much of the sold-out crowd stood for the entirety of the performance, joining in harmony to tracks like current single, “How Not To,” “When I Pray For You,” a ballad the duo penned for the major motion picture The Shack, their recent No. 1 “From the Ground Up,” and the duo’s first No. 1, “Nothin’ Like You” as well as their Platinum-certified hit “19 You + Me,” among the 18-song set.

Mooney showed off a series of powerful vocal runs as part of “Kiss Me Like Crazy,” prompting Smyers to say, “You are at the Ryman Auditorium watching the greatest singer in country music.”

The duo also offered a few covers like Jon Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love A Bad Name,” The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” and CeeLo Green’s “Forget You.”

“We just sold out the Ryman tonight,” Mooney said. “That’s insane.”

The duo’s Obsessed Tour continues Friday in Knoxville, Tennessee, with dates across the U.S. and Canada through the spring.