No stranger to ball, Daughtry a hit at Citi Field
No stranger to ball, Daughtry a hit at Citi Field
"This is the song that got me a record deal, and it's why I'm here today," lead singer Chris Daughtry said before the band performed its hit song "Home."
Fans lined the first- and third-base lines following Friday's game to watch the rock band perform the second installment of the Mets Concert Series, which will bring musical acts to the stadium all summer. After selling more than 7 million albums and garnering four No. 1 hits in less than four years, Daughtry stopped by Citi Field to meet with fans and perform a show before heading out for the band's European tour with Nickelback.
"We just came off a break, so hopefully we'll remember the songs tonight," Daughtry, a former "American Idol" contestant, said before the show. "We're getting back in the swing of things, starting some shows up."
Friday was the band's first performance at Citi Field, but Daughtry is no stranger to performing at baseball venues. The band's leader displayed his vocal prowess before Game 7 of the 2011 World Series, belting out the national anthem at Busch Stadium. The band also played at the MLB Fan Cave earlier this year.
"It's slightly disconnected because we're on the field and everyone else is in the stands, but at the same time, every rock band dreams of playing in a stadium," Daughtry said.
The band made Friday's performance special by raffling off a luxury box down the third-base line to its fans. It then took the field, performing signature songs "Over You" and "Home" and covering Tom Petty's "Runnin' Down A Dream" in the center of the diamond, just behind second base.
Friday's fan experience, like every installment of the Concert Series, gave fans the chance to watch a baseball game and enjoy a concert afterward. The game was merely a formality for University of Oklahoma graduate student Tatiana Ventsova, who came to Flushing just to see Daughtry. She's followed the band since its lead singer's emergence on "American Idol," and she couldn't pass up an opportunity to see Daughtry live.
"I'm not really a fan of baseball, just a fan of Daughtry, so it has been really nice seeing them here," Ventsova said. "It's a huge thing for me. I'm from Russia, and there's no way I'm getting to see them back there, so it's awesome."
Daughtry's concert came after REO Speedwagon performed the first installment of this season's string of shows on July 20. The Mets Concert Series continues on Aug. 10, when Citi Field will host MercyMe after a game against the Braves.
"To come down here on a Friday night in the summer to see a ballgame and then see a good old American rock-and-roll band, it's what this country is all about," said VIP audience member Chris Dwyer, who was on the field for the concert. "It's a pleasure to be here."