After briefly coming down with a case of Beyoncéitis, Drake and the epic roll-out campaign for his Views From The 6 album are back on the promotional track.
Beyoncé’s surprise album, Lemonade, dominated social media chatter over the weekend, but by Monday morning, April 25, the 6 God jostled into trending topic lists by announcing his co-headlining Summer Sixteen Tour with Future.
The 27-city tour hits Toronto on July 31 and August 1, and also features OVO Sound acts Roy Woods and dvsn – a super-exciting R&B group from Toronto making their hometown live debut – plus special guests.
The dates are part of this year’s OVO Fest, which is relocating for the first time in the hip-hop festival’s seven-year history from the 16,000-seat Molson Amphitheatre to the slightly bigger 19,800-capacity Air Canada Centre (not counting comedian Kevin Hart’s ACC show that became part of OVO Fest last year).
The move also marks a switch-up from the usual OVO Fest format of A-list American hip-hop acts like OutKast and J. Cole performing on night one and Drake and a crew of massively famous surprise guests on night two.
This year, Drake and Future perform on both dates as part of the Summer Sixteen Tour (presumably with special guests each night?) and tickets for each show will be sold separately instead of as a two-night pass.
Tickets are on sale Friday (April 29) via Ticketmaster. $49.50-$179.50. See listings here and here.
However, the Amphitheatre isn’t entirely cut out of the action: the previously announced The High Road Tour on July 29 featuring Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg (a surprise guest at OVO Fest in 2012), Kevin Gates, Jhené Aiko (an OVO Fest 2014 alum), Casey Veggies and DJ Drama is now officially part of OVO Fest. Tickets for that show are on sale now.
OVO Bounce, Drake’s annual basketball tournament, will also take place on July 29.
Last year’s OVO Fest featured surprise performances by Kanye West, Future, Pharrell Williams and Skepta, adding to a list of guests that has included Jay Z, Nicki Minaj, Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Usher, G-Unit, Eminem and Nas.
Failing any further surprises, Views From The 6 is scheduled for release this Friday (April 29).
On Sunday, April 24, Drizzy revealed the epic, Caitlin Cronenberg-shot album sleeve after spending part of the afternoon at a pop-up shop at Tattoo on Queen Street handing out free Views T-shirts to fans.
More just announced shows
Palms Trax, MembersOnly at Bambi’s doors 10 pm. $10. eventbrite.ca. May 12.
Alister Johnson at Bambi’s Broken Body 12” release party. Doors 10 pm. $5. May 13.
John Barera, Basic Soul Unit, Jul, Xaiver G, Yohei Saka at Bambi’s doors 10 pm. $10. May 14.
Twin Peaks, White Reaper, Jimmy Whispers at Horseshoe doors 8:30 pm. $15. ticketfly.com. May 16.
DS-13, FLQs, Sago at Coalition 8 pm, all ages. $10 at the door. May 17.
Freedom: Kaskade, KSHMR, Cash Cash, Kap Slap, Throttle, Manzone & Strong atEcho Beach gates 2 pm. $42.50-$122.50 inktickets.com, ticketmaster.ca. May 22.
Darcys, DCF, Muneshine at Mod Club Red Bull Sound Select. Doors 8 pm. redbullsoundselect.com. May 26.
Chris Cohen at Silver Dollar 9 pm. $10 adv. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. June 5.
CJ Ramone, Broken Gold at The Cave doors 7:30 pm. $16. On sale April 29. rotate.com,soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. June 10.
Ghost Ship Octavius, Spiritual Sickness at Coalition 8 pm. $12. ticketfly.com. June 10.
Teenage Mutants, Jonathan Rosa, Simon Jain, Graham Plant at Coda doors 10 pm. $20 adv.wantickets.com. June 10.
Cee Lo Green at Phoenix Concert Theatre 8 pm. $29.50-$39.50. ticketmaster.ca. June 12.
NXNE: Sate at Bovine Sex Club doors 9 pm. $12.50. rotate.com, -soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com.June 16.
NXNE: NQ Arbuckle, Duotang, Shred Kelly, Sun K at Horseshoe doors 9 pm. $10.50.soundscapesmusic.com, rotate.com, ticketfly.com. June 17.
NXNE: Radioactivity, Bad Sports, Big Eyes at Silver Dollar doors 9 pm. $13.50. rotate.com,soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. June 17.
Brillz at The Hoxton doors 10 pm. $15. ticketweb.ca. June 17.
NXNE: Prozzäk at Phoenix Concert Theatre doors 8 pm. $25.50. soundscapesmusic.com, rotate.com,ticketfly.com. June 18.
NXNE: Nails, Full of Hell, God’s Help, Eternal Sleep at Hard Luck doors 7 pm, all ages. $18.50.soundscapesmusic.com, rotate.com, ticketfly.com. June 19.
NXNE: A-Wa at Mod Club doors 7 pm. $25.50. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. June 19.
Colleen Green, Cassie Ramone, Kurt Marble, Plasmalab at Smiling Buddha 8 pm. $12, adv $10. June 20.
Against Me! at Phoenix Concert Theatre doors 7 pm, all ages. $27.50. ticketfly.com, rotate.com,soundscapesmusic.com, playderecord.com. June 22.
Pride Toronto: DJ Andy Butler (Hercules and Love Affair), Vjuan Allure, Blackcat, Nik Red, Kris Steeves, Aeryn Pfaff at Central Stage Bear Garden. 2 pm. Free. pridetoronto.com. July 2.
Cam’Ron, The Underachievers, G-Herbo, Smoke DZA, Nyck Caution, DillanPonders, Jimmy B at Sound Academy The Smoker’s Club Tour. Doors 8 pm, all ages. $35. ticketmaster.ca. July 4.
Terror, Power Trip, Harms Way, Angel Dust, Fury, Red Death at Velvet Underground Not Dead Yet, doors5 pm, all ages. $25. ticketfly.com. July 10.
Wild Child, Elvyn, Canadian Shield at Lee’s Palace doors 8 pm. $13. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com,ticketfly.com. July 12.
JD McPherson at Horseshoe doors 9 pm. $20.50. On sale April 29. soundscapesmusic.com, rotate.com,ticketfly.com. July 12.
Marissa Nadler at Drake Hotel doors 8 pm. $13.50. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. July 14.
The Northern Pikes at Horseshoe doors 8:30 pm. $15. On sale April 29. rotate.com,soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. July 14.
Lera Lynn at The Garrison doors 8 pm. $17.50. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. July 15.
OVO FEST with Drake, Future, Roy Woods, DVSN- and Special Guests at Air Canada Centre doors 7 pm. $49.50-$179.50. ticketmaster.ca. On sale April 29. July 31 & August 1.
Time Festival at Fort York Garrison Common doors 12 pm, all ages. $25-$50. ticketweb.ca. August 6.
The Fall Of Troy, 68’, Illustrations at Lee’s Palace doors 7:30 pm. $22.50. rotate.com,soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. August 8.
Mad Decent Block Party at Fort York Garrison Common doors 2 pm. August 19.
Meghan Trainor at Molson Amphitheatre doors 6 pm, all ages. $29.25-$59.95. ticketmaster.ca. August 30.
Glen Hansard at Massey Hall doors 7 pm, all ages. $49.50-$59.50. masseyhall.com. September 19.
Preoccupations (Formerly Viet Cong) at Danforth Music Hall doors 7 pm. $18.50-$20. On sale April 22.ticketmaster.ca. October 8.
Tegan and Sara at Massey Hall 8 pm. $46-$56. On sale April 29. ticketmaster.ca. October 28.
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