actually having them come any closer in
physical space, of course.
It’s also worth noting, however, that
this tour concept did not lower the prices
themselves: the show commanded a wallet-
straining average of $116 per ticket in the
United States, according to concert research
firm Pollstar, making it one of the top-
grossing tours of the year. On the European
leg, standing-room tickets around the stage
are going for €162 while the seats farthest
away are around €86. If Drake’s tour heralds
a shift in concert design, it is towards a more
democratic audience experience, but not
necessarily a cheaper one. ●
taittowers.com
willoperron.com
silasveta.comThe rapper’s show is not the first to offer
an egalitarian concert experience – U2 in
2009, for example, popularized the idea
of a 360-degree stage with a 190-tonne
rotating dome affectionately known to
fans and designers as ‘the Claw’ – but
its dedication to democracy is singular.
By turning the stage into a video screen
and suspending a set of complementary
screens high up above it, the production
team was able to project the show to the
entire crowd while leaving Drake exposed
on all four sides, unobstructed by ungainly
trusses or weight-bearing equipment.
While iconic shows in the past like Roger
Waters’ The Wall tour used dividing blocks
to emphasize the power and individuality
of the artist on stage, Drake’s show had the
opposite effect of breaking down barri-
ers and letting fans swarm in – withoutThe show uses state-of-the-art
visual design to broker an intimate
connection between Drake
and every person in attendance
the floor, and put in additional features like
the whirring drones to help create a unified
feel. In addition, Willo Perron developed
a unique form of 3D illusion – something
that usually only works from a fixed vantage
point – that rotates through different per-
spectives in order to be convincing when
viewed from any seat in the arena. At one
point, for instance, it appears as if Drake
is standing on top of a vitrine containing a
giant scorpion. Finally, stage technologists
Sila Sveta integrated BlackTrax, a system
that follows the performer’s movements in
real time and adjusts the VFX accordingly.
This meant that Drake could free-roam
from edge to edge and the visual narra-
tive would sync with his actions – cracks
appearing in the ice with each step – rather
than dictating where he should stand at a
given moment.
The VFX responded to Drake’s
movements in real time, freeing
him to wander across the full
extent of the stage.Au
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162 SHOWS