It was quite a weekend for hitmaking American country duo Dan + Shay. It began on Friday when they sang the U.S. national anthem at the opening ceremony of the World Cup and concluded on Sunday night (June 14) with a triumphant Billboard Canada THE STAGE performance at the Opera House at NXNE in Toronto.
Given the Grammy-winning pair's status as a genuine arena act, their appearance at the more intimate Opera House gave the show a special air of occasion. Dan + Shay gave it their all, to rapturous response. Accompanied by eye-pleasing visuals on the screen behind and a clear sound mix, they delivered a set that featured their big hits, beginning with ''10,000 Hours,'' their smash collab with Justin Bieber, some newer material and a killer cover.
Dan + Shay perform at Billboard Canada THE STAGE at the Opera House in Toronto on June 14, 2026.Gabriel Di Sante
A Dan + Shay forte is the delivery of heartfelt and emotionally expressive ballads and that was in evidence here, as on ''From The Ground Up,'' a tune that, like most here, had the crowd singing along. The rich and strong voice of Shay Mooney is also capable of rockin' out, as shown on a set highlight version of The Killers classic, ''Mr. Brightside,'' delivered in part from the floor, in the middle of the audience.
That choice of cover demonstrate the group's musical versatility, as they fuse elements of country, pop and rock seamlessly. Backing up Shay's strong vocals and Dan Smyers' crisp guitar and harmony vocals was a skilled band featuring a highly energetic bassist and a lead guitarist who remained rather in the shadows behind the duo.
Another set highlight was the recent single, ''Say So,'' which they introduced as ''a brand new song that is the most important of our career.'' As explored in a Billboard interview, this heart-wrenching song was inspired by the death by suicide of a close friend and colleague of the duo, Warner Chappell president/CEO Ben Vaughn. Tackling the themes of mental health and depression, the song is having a real impact.
Dan + Shay perform at Billboard Canada THE STAGE at the Opera House in Toronto on June 14, 2026.Gabriel Di Sante
The show ended on a triumphant note that reflected the mutual love affair of band and audience. For the moving Grammy-winning ballad ''Speechless,'' Dan held up his mike for the crowd to assist vocally and he followed this by declaring that ''this is our favourite venue in the world and Toronto is the coolest city in the world.''
That led into the inevitable choice of ''Tequila,'' the duo's biggest hit, as show closer. Once more, the crowd sang along loudly, then left, suitably sated.
