“When you go to Leeds, you gotta do something special”- Drake teases us in his Toronto drawl. Seconds later, he invites British grime artist Giggs to share the stage with him, and the crowd’s response suggests that they appreciate the appearance. Giggs may not be of the same calibre as the likes of Rihanna or The Weeknd, but you get the feeling that Drake has reached and maintained such a level of fame now that he doesn’t always need to bring out other big names; he’s just as happy promoting the artists putting out music he enjoys and offering them the opportunity to experience his world for a night.

As for the rest of his ‘Boy Meets World’ show, the unrelenting stream of hits Drake has to offer is truly staggering. At this stage of his career he’s built up an impressive repertoire. He manoeuvres between the songs of his diverse set with the infallible confidence we’ve come to expect from Drake, from the straight-up bangers ‘Started From The Bottom’, ‘Jumpman’, ‘Worst Behaviour’ to the more subdued numbers ‘Take Care’, ‘Marvin’s Room’, ‘Hold On We’re Going Home’.

The only thing slowing down the pace of his breathless show are the various monologues he punctuates the set-list with. These speeches could come across as cringe-worthy were they spoken by other artists, but Drake is best when not taken too seriously, and so his talk of “togetherness” and “love” are enjoyable enough and befitting of someone with his reputation for smooth talking.

He ends his show on a slightly political note, with a rallying call in which he suggests that music and love can offer the antidote to a world seemingly content on “dividing” and “alienating”. As the lights dim and Drake descends from the stage, the crowd are left feeling slightly overwhelmed but, most importantly, satisfied.

Drake delivers everything you’d hope a Drake show would deliver.

Mike McArdle

(Image: Amazon News)