Canadian rapper Drake, also referred to by fans as “Drizzy,” brought his Summer Sixteen Tour to Buffalo—with a 50-song-setlist and a nearly 4-hour-long show.
The rapper opened with his single “Summer Sixteen,” staying true to the tour name and getting fans dancing and screaming lyrics along with him right off the bat. He jumped around the illuminated stage wearing a casual outfit of jeans, sneakers and a T-shirt that read “Revenge” in big yellow letters.
The show had an unusual format. Rather than co-headliner, Future, performing his set before or after Drake, the Atlanta rapper came out in the middle of Drake’s set, giving Drizzy a 20-minute break.
After Future’s fairly quick set, Drake joined him back on stage, and the duo performed two songs from their collaborative mixtape, “What a Time to Be Alive.”
In the middle of the second half of his set, Drake spoke to the audience about his love for Buffalo. Although artists almost always give praise to the city they’re in during shows, Drake, whose hometown of Toronto is only about two hours from the City of Good Neighbors, seemed sincere.
He told the audience the first performance he ever gave was at Daemen College in downtown Buffalo. He told concertgoers it’s always great coming back.
Besides the spitfire rhymes and euphonious notes Drake projected, the visuals used during the show were nothing short of extravagant.
Red, blue, yellow and purple lights shone on the stage, usually changing to the beat of the songs. In addition, rows of white balloon-type objects lined the area above the people on the floor.
At many different times during the show, the round lights would lower down and move around in accordance to the song. This happened first when Drake performed his single “Hotline Bling.”
Seemingly passionate about this music, Drake told the audience the venue wanted him to get off stage (at 11 p.m.) but he proceeded to stay out until 11:30, performing just about every hit in the book and then some.
The show closed with “Legend,” but it didn’t end fast. Drizzy repeated the last couple lines, “Oh my God, Oh my God/ If I die, I’m a legend” possibly 10 times or more, clearly attempting to leave the audience with a distinct message about his self-proclaimed legacy.
While the song was a fitting finish, audience members began leaving before Drake even left the stage due to the unnecessary extension to the number.
The Summer Sixteen Tour paved a new way for concert performances. While Future’s part felt easily forgettable by the time concertgoers left the venue, Drake’s performance is one worth talking about.
kolbee14@bonaventure.edu
