Drake is one of the biggest rap artists in the world, with a career spanning over 15 years. The Canadian musician is known for hits like “Hotline Bling”, “God’s Plan”, and “In My Feelings”. With his popularity and high demand for live shows, many fans wonder if Drake has ever performed in Ireland.
Drake’s Concert History
Drake kicked off his music career in 2006, releasing his first mixtape Room for Improvement. This was followed by Comeback Season in 2007 and So Far Gone in 2009. His first studio album Thank Me Later came out in 2010. Since then, Drake has consistently released new music and embarked on major concert tours.
Over the years, Drake has performed in many parts of the world. His early tours like the Away from Home Tour and Club Paradise Tour focused on North America. He eventually expanded to Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia as his popularity grew. Drake has played major cities like London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Sydney, and Cape Town.
Drake’s most attended tour is the Summer Sixteen Tour with Future in 2016, which sold over 1 million tickets across North America. He also completed massive world tours like the Boy Meets World Tour in 2017 and the Assassination Vacation Tour in 2019. His shows are known for high production value, special guests, and Drake’s talent for performing hit after hit.
Ireland Concerts
In Drake’s early touring days, he did not perform in Ireland. His tours were mostly limited to the United States, Canada and certain European cities. However, as Drake became a global superstar, he started planning shows in new markets like Ireland.
According to setlist.fm, an extensive database of concert history, Drake first performed in Ireland in 2017. He played 3 huge shows as part of the Boy Meets World Tour:
- March 20, 2017 – 3Arena in Dublin
- March 21, 2017 – 3Arena in Dublin
- March 23, 2017 – SSE Arena in Belfast
This tour featured Drake performing solo for a full set. He ran through his discography of hits and fan favorites off projects like Views, Nothing Was the Same and If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. The Ireland shows were met with critical acclaim from delighted fans who finally got to see their idol live.
Drake returned to Dublin the very next year on his Aubrey & The Three Migos Tour with rap trio Migos. He performed at the 3Arena again on March 22, 2018. The concert featured Drake and Migos collaborating on their joint hits as well as performing their own material. Migos are known for smash hits like “Bad and Boujee” and “Walk It Talk It”.
Details on Drake’s Ireland Shows
During Drake’s Ireland shows, he didn’t hold back to give fans an incredible experience. Here are some highlights of his concerts in Dublin and Belfast:
High Production Value
Drake’s stages featured state-of-the-art lighting, pyrotechnics and special effects. Massive screens displayed custom visuals for each song. He had multiple costume changes representing different eras of his career. The Ireland shows truly felt like a full arena spectacular.
Range of Songs Performed
While Drake always includes his chart-topping hits, he made sure to dig into his full discography in Ireland. Fans were excited to hear deep cuts like “Jungle”, “Own It”, and “Girls Love Beyoncé” performed live. Drake performed over 40 songs each night, displaying his variety as an artist.
Guest Performers
Drake brought out special guests during his Ireland concerts like he often does at tour stops. The 2017 shows included appearances from Giggs and Skepta, who joined Drake for collabs “KMT” and “Shutdown”. In 2018, Migos was of course featured as co-headliners.
Audience Interaction
Drake took time to connect with the Irish crowd throughout each show. He singled out fans holding funny signs and had conversations between songs. Drake seemed excited to perform in a new place and appreciation the energized audiences.
Setlists from Ireland Shows
Here are the full setlists Drake performed during his Ireland tour stops, according to setlist.fm:
March 20, 2017 – Dublin
- Free Smoke
- No Tellin’
- Both
- Know Yourself
- Madiba Riddim
- Jumpman
- Energy
- Crew Love
- Wu-Tang Forever
- Own It
- No Long Talk (with Giggs)
- Too Much
- Hotline Bling
- Look What You’ve Done
- Skepta Interlude
- Shutdown (with Skepta)
- The Motto
- Headlines
- HYFR (Hell Ya Fucking Right)
- Childs Play
- Pop Style
- Controlla
- One Dance
- Too Good
- Work
- My Way
- Passionfruit
- Gyalchester
- Feel No Ways
- Jungle
- Portland
- Fake Love
- Sneakin’
- Blem
- The Resistance
- Started From the Bottom
- 0 to 100 / The Catch Up
- Know Yourself
March 21, 2017 – Dublin
- Free Smoke
- No Tellin’
- Both
- Know Yourself
- Madiba Riddim
- Jumpman
- Energy
- Crew Love
- Wu-Tang Forever
- Own It
- No Long Talk (with Giggs)
- Too Much
- Hotline Bling
- Look What You’ve Done
- Skepta Interlude
- Shutdown (with Skepta)
- The Motto
- Headlines
- HYFR (Hell Ya Fucking Right)
- Childs Play
- Pop Style
- Controlla
- One Dance
- Too Good
- Work
- My Way
- Passionfruit
- Gyalchester
- Feel No Ways
- Jungle
- Portland
- Fake Love
- Sneakin’
- Blem
- The Resistance
- Started From the Bottom
- 0 to 100 / The Catch Up
- Know Yourself
March 23, 2017 – Belfast
- Free Smoke
- No Tellin’
- Both
- Know Yourself
- Madiba Riddim
- Jumpman
- Energy
- Crew Love
- Wu-Tang Forever
- Own It
- No Long Talk (with Giggs)
- Too Much
- Hotline Bling
- Look What You’ve Done
- Skepta Interlude
- Shutdown (with Skepta)
- The Motto
- Headlines
- HYFR (Hell Ya Fucking Right)
- Childs Play
- Pop Style
- Controlla
- One Dance
- Too Good
- Work
- My Way
- Passionfruit
- Gyalchester
- Feel No Ways
- Jungle
- Portland
- Fake Love
- Sneakin’
- Blem
- The Resistance
- Started From the Bottom
- 0 to 100 / The Catch Up
- Know Yourself
March 22, 2018 – Dublin
Setlist from Aubrey & The Three Migos Tour:
- Walk It Talk It (Migos song)
- Versace (Migos song)
- Hannah Montana (Migos song)
- Stir Fry (Migos song)
- Kelly Price (Migos song)
- Motorsport (Migos song with Nicki Minaj & Cardi B)
- Look Alive (Migos song)
- Slippery (Migos song)
- Bad and Boujee (Migos song)
- CongCongJaan
- No Tellin’
- Both
- Energy
- Crew Love
- Wu-Tang Forever
- Own It
- No Long Talk (with Giggs)
- Too Much
- Hotline Bling
- Controlla
- One Dance
- Too Good
- Work
- Passionfruit
- Gyalchester
- Portland
- Sneakin’
- Started From the Bottom
- 0 to 100 / The Catch Up
- Know Yourself
Why Hasn’t Drake Performed in Ireland More?
Considering Drake has only performed 2 short tours in Ireland, some fans wonder why he hasn’t visited more often. Here are some potential reasons:
Focus on Bigger Markets
The majority of Drake’s tours have focused on the United States and Canada, where his largest fanbases exist. He has occasionally branched out to cities like London, Manchester, and Birmingham that can fill huge arena venues. The demand to see Drake in Ireland exists, but venues have more limited capacities compared to North America and the UK.
Busy Touring Schedule
Drake has toured almost nonstop since 2010 in between album cycles and recording projects. Completing multi-date Ireland tours may have simply not fit his rigorous schedule. His tours often involve complex, innovative stages that require extensive set-up for each city.
History of Canceled Dublin Shows
Drake was originally meant to perform in Dublin in 2011 during Club Paradise Tour, but canceled due to a throat illness. He was again set for Dublin in 2013’s Would You Like A Tour?, but canceled due to unknown reasons. This may have discouraged Drake from scheduling more Ireland dates.
Close Proximity to the UK
Ireland is a short flight from the UK, where Drake has a strong touring history. London is only an hour flight from Dublin. Irish fans have the option to travel easily to Drake’s UK shows rather than him coming directly to them.
Will Drake Ever Tour Ireland Again?
It’s likely Drake will perform more shows in Ireland at some point in the future. Here are some reasons why:
Past Success in Ireland
Drake received rave reviews and praise from Irish fans and critics after his 2017 and 2018 shows. Performing in new markets also generates excitement and publicity. Drake seems to have enjoyed his Irish concerts and connecting with supporters.
Music Business Expansion
As Drake continues to break new boundaries as an artist, he will likely keep expanding into new tour markets when it makes logistical sense. Drake has become invested in growing his personal OVO brand and business ventures globally.
Increased Tour Production Capabilities
Drake’s tours keep getting bigger, more visual, and more technically advanced. As his team can implement innovative stages efficiently across more cities, visiting a market like Ireland becomes simpler.
Fan Demand
Drake has a ton of fans requesting he come back to Dublin, Belfast, and other parts of Ireland. Social media surveys have shown large interest among his supporters. As demand grows from Irish listeners new and old, Drake will hear their requests.
Conclusion
While Drake has only performed a few shows in Ireland so far, all signs point to him likely touring there again soon. Ireland seems poised to become a regular stop on Drake’s future worldwide arena tours. Fans in Dublin, Belfast and beyond will be eagerly awaiting the day Drake returns to give them more epic concert experiences.