On the evenings of February 16th and 17th, two legends came together to perform the It’s All A Blur Tour – Big As The What? at PPG Paints Arena. Drake and J. Cole brought the heat to the snowy city of Pittsburgh, exhilarating the crowd from their new hits to their old tracks, this concert gave all fans attending something to appreciate.
Drake and J. Cole gave the lyrics “Big as the Superbowl” from their hit song “First Person Shooter” a new meaning with the football-themed set. The theme, containing Drake’s football jersey outfit entrance, was complete with a football field, cheerleaders, and a special appearance from ESPN First Take host Stephen Smith.
“The set was very put together and I thought he did really well and overall it was coordinated so nicely,” said NASH junior Zein Soussou. “There was a football field floor, but the stage was changing while he performed”.
This collection of concerts marks Drake’s eighth tour in his music career. Drake is known as an incredible performer, singing directly to his audiences, and expressing his appreciation for the fans that come out to see him perform.
“My favorite song he performed was ‘Teenage Fever.’ I really like that song, but they were all so good,” Soussou said.
While the concert was based on Drake’s new hit album For All The Dogs, Drake performed several fan favorite classics from old albums, such as “Passionfruit” and “Take Care.”
Drake nurtured the upbeat and entertaining ambience throughout the night but incorporated his emotional side into his monologues between songs that flowed with genuine appreciation for his fans.
“I just feel like he is such a great performer and when he would talk to the crowd, you knew it was genuine,” said Soussou.
Drake was able to express his gratitude to fans with a generous donation to a Pittsburgh cancer survivor. The sign the survivor held read “Ur music carried me through cancer.” This heartfelt moment at the Pittsburgh concert proceeded with a $50,000 donation to the fan.
“It was such a great moment seeing him call out this girl who beat cancer and just donate that money to her,” Soussou said. “It was just super sweet and really shows the kind of person he is.”
While the concert itself was unforgettable for the attending fans, some believe the ticket and merchandising prices were no less than extreme.
“Everything was pretty expensive,” said junior Conner Frank. “I saw a sweatshirt selling for $250, and it really did not look worth it”.
Frank was one of the lucky fans to purchase floor tickets and stand around the stage with fans hoping to be as close to the performer as possible. Though the tickets themselves were expensive, Frank believes he was paying for the experience.
“I think the tickets were worth the price I paid for as close as I was,” he said. “I thought being on the floor was pretty cool, because you are so close, and it feels like he’s talking directly to you”.
Drake performed with artist J. Cole and Lil Durk, creating a sense of brotherhood and friendship between the artists, rooting for each other’s achievements, and sharing the stage as collaborative artists. Overall, the concert provided an experience fans will never forget.
