Rate: 4 out of 5
Amidst a colorful collection of lit balloons and a packed Smoothie King Center, Drake put on a performance to remember Friday night after he and Future completed their New Orleans gig for their joint Summer Sixteen tour.
Although intended to be a joint show, Drake spent the most time on stage dancing from song to song and singing to his fans from a platform.
Wearing an all black outfit and a tank top to reveal his latest gym body, Drake appeared more healthy and confident than ever before. With a smile, he did the cha-cha along the stage, making female fans scream.
Drake’s father Dennis Graham attended the show, taking photos with fans as they spotted him on walks to and from his seat near the stage.
By 9:30 p.m., Drake had audience members on their feet, swaying and singing along to some of his most popular hits, such as “Started from the Bottom” and “Summer Sixteen.”
While his performance was impeccable, the overall setup turned the concert from a mere performance to an exhilarating experience. After white balloons hovered from the ceiling during the beginning of the performance, they lowered toward the crowd, lit with color while crowd members’ eyes lit up in awe.
The balloons were raised and lowered in a variety of shapes throughout the show, creating symbols such as a question mark and a number six. By the end of the night, the audience saw a Pandora’s box of displays created by the balloons.
Drake called New Orleans “the livest city,” saying New Orleans held a special place in his heart, not only because rapper Lil’ Wayne was born there, but also because it was the first city where Drake saw someone selling fake versions of his album, which was a meaningful experience for him.
Not one album was left unperformed. By the time Future came onstage around 10:30 p.m., Drake performed hits from “So Far Gone,” “Thank Me Later,” “Take Care” and more.
During Future’s performance, DJ Esco and two backup dancers hyped up the crowd, who bounced and rapped the lyrics to “Wicked” and “Low Life.”
Not too long into Future’s show, Drake returned to the stage and the pair performed songs from their joint 2015 mixtape “What a Time to be Alive.”
The two performed “Big Rings,” “Grammys” and “Jumpman,” before Future left the stage and Drake had the audience to himself once more.
Drake told the crowd he wanted to party with them as long as possible, so he continued his performance and woke the crowd up by playing the 2016 hit “Controlla” from his “Views” album.
By the end of the night, Drake requested the balloons to be lowered as close to the audience as possible so he could see everyone’s faces. The crowd joined Drake in singing the chorus to “Legend” as their arms bounced above their heads.
Perfectly orchestrated from the set list to the special effects, the Summer Sixteen concert proved unforgettable and Drake’s gift for entertaining unquestionable.
The number six was of the many balloon displays created during Drake's performance Friday night.
