I wish I could say “It Was All A Blur” for the sake of a pun, but the night I spent at Madison Square Garden watching Drake live was truly unforgettable.
On Wednesday, July 26, I had the honor of spending my first MSG concert in a VIP suite, with the best, unobstructed views of the “Certified Lover Boy” plus comfortable seating, food, drinks and a swift security check in. This made a huge difference for me, as it was my first time enjoying live music where I didn’t need to shuffle shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers — although, this crowd brought the energy and no-doubt the floor would have been a hype experience to say the least — and struggle to see over the taller patrons that always seem to get ahead of me.
The suites at MSG are multi-tiered, depending on the size of your party and needs. As for me, I watched the show from the Lexus Suites, with a 12-24 person capacity overlooking the lower bowl of the stadium. Our box had a perfect view of the square platform stage, plus the two giant screens above allowed us to see Drake’s close-up facial expressions from all angles.
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As for the show, Drake’s current tour uses every inch of the arena, and like the Taylor Swift ‘Eras Tour’ there are no bad seats. I would even argue that being higher up in a balcony or box was the best, as the pyrotechnics and comically large aerial displays (a giant Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade-like giant Peter Pan balloon, a hyper-realistic UFO and an NSFW anime character, to name a few) were all best seen from above.
If you are lower down in the bowl or on the floor, expect to dance but you won’t be moshing or getting too crazy. Fans were surprisingly chill, wooed by Drake’s silky vocals, but they still kept the energy just right as they sang along and swayed when the rapper hit soulful numbers like “Marvin’s Room” and “Jungle.”
Drake’s opener and special guests:
Aside from the Champagne Papi himself, rapper and long-time collaborator 21 Savage also performed quite a few numbers.
21 Savage didn’t technically open but showed up in the last quarter of the show, with a mix of solo numbers and duets to give Drake a break. When the two performed together, they played off each other’s energy which hyped up the crowd. This is what they came for.
Opening the MSG show was unannounced special guest Lil Yachty, who performed his own hits, plus some unexpected bops with DJ Zack Bia including Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” — and yes, everyone sang along.
Other Drake tips and tricks
- Get in line and buy merch EARLY. Many items and sizes were sold out half-way through the opening act’s set, so show up way ahead of time if you want a “I like what Drake likes” tee or a Nike swoosh hat.
- Pack light. There are faster security lines for those without bags, so if you can get by with just a phone and a credit card in hand, this is the concert for you. Also check your venue’s bag policy — MSG allowed opaque bags, but some stadiums may require a clear bag.
- Dress light. If you’re in the bowl or on the floor, expect to get at least a little bit sweaty from dancing and the fiery pyrotechnics.
- Bring a phone charger. You won’t want to miss this show, as each song features different lighting, stage elements and graphics you’ll want to capture. Plus, the crowd was partial to shining their phone flashlights, which can be a battery suck.
Drake tour 2023 schedule
Need to see Drake strut his stuff live this year?
You can find tickets for all 41 (!) upcoming ‘It’s All A Blur’ Tour concerts right here.
Hip-Hop stars on tour in 2023
Been meaning to catch a live show this year but haven’t had time?
We’re here to help.
Here are just five of the biggest tours you won’t want to miss these next few months.
• Doja Cat with Ice Spice and Doechii
• Playboi Carti
• 50 Cent with Busta Rhymes
• LL Cool J with Big Boi, Salt-N-Pepa and more
• Lil Baby
Plus, you won’t want to miss the star-studded Hip Hop 50th Anniversary shows at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 11 and Madison Square Garden on Sept. 15.
Who else is on the road? Check out our list of the 52 biggest tours in 2023 here to find out.
