Dan + Shay Review at Ruoff Music Center

Dan + Shay kicked off “The Young Tour” on Friday Sept. 11 at Ruoff Music Center.

The country duo opened the tour in front of a packed audience, performing songs spanning their career. The setlist included fan favorites such as “Speechless,”, “From the Ground Up,”, “10,000 Hours” and along with newer tracks including “Dogs in Our Twenties.”.

Since the concert took place on Sept. 11, the duo paused during the show for a moment of silence in remembrance of those affected by the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The atmosphere quickly shifted back to celebration as Dan + Shay encouraged the audience to get as loud as possible while Dan recorded a video on his phone. Fans responded with deafening cheers, singing and waving their hands in the air as the duo captured the energy of the opening-night crowd.

One of the night's most memorable moments came during “Dogs in Our Twenties,” when photos of fans’ dogs appeared on the venue’s video screens. Fans cheered for every cute pup to pop up on the screen. The personal touch theme was carried through the show. During the performance, Dan + Shay left the main stage and made their way into the audience, stopping to greet and hug multiple fans. The interaction drew loud reactions from attendees as the duo spent time up close with the crowd.

Dan + Shay's opening-night performance set a strong tone for the remainder of “The Young Tour”. Friday's show marked the first stop of the duo's 2026 “The Young Tour”. Dan + Shay's next performance is scheduled for Sept. 12 at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, Illinois.