Drake is one of the biggest names in music right now, with hits like “God’s Plan,” “Hotline Bling,” and “One Dance” dominating the charts over the past few years. However, on his current tour in support of his latest album Certified Lover Boy, Drake is noticeably skipping over Colorado’s biggest city, Denver. This has left many Denver-based Drizzy fans wondering why the hip-hop superstar isn’t making a stop in the Mile High City.
Tour Dates and Locations
Drake’s Certified Lover Boy tour kicked off in August 2022 and is scheduled to run through November, hitting major cities across North America like New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Houston. However, despite hitting other mid-sized cities like Nashville and Kansas City, Denver is not included on the itinerary. Here are Drake’s scheduled tour stops:
| Date | City | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| August 1 | Miami, FL | FTX Arena |
| August 4 | Orlando, FL | Amway Center |
| August 5 | Atlanta, GA | State Farm Arena |
| August 8 | New York, NY | Madison Square Garden |
| August 9 | New York, NY | Madison Square Garden |
| August 11 | Philadelphia, PA | Wells Fargo Center |
| August 12 | Boston, MA | TD Garden |
| August 14 | Buffalo, NY | KeyBank Center |
| August 16 | Toronto, ON | Scotiabank Arena |
| August 17 | Toronto, ON | Scotiabank Arena |
| August 20 | Nashville, TN | Bridgestone Arena |
| August 23 | Kansas City, MO | T-Mobile Center |
| August 24 | St. Louis, MO | Enterprise Center |
| August 26 | Chicago, IL | United Center |
| August 29 | Detroit, MI | Little Caesars Arena |
| August 30 | Pittsburgh, PA | PPG Paints Arena |
| September 1 | Washington, DC | Capital One Arena |
| September 2 | Raleigh, NC | PNC Arena |
| September 3 | Charlotte, NC | Spectrum Center |
| September 6 | Columbia, SC | Colonial Life Arena |
| September 9 | Memphis, TN | FedExForum |
| September 15 | Austin, TX | Moody Center |
| September 16 | Dallas, TX | American Airlines Center |
| September 18 | Houston, TX | Toyota Center |
| September 21 | Phoenix, AZ | Footprint Center |
| September 22 | Anaheim, CA | Honda Center |
| September 25 | Las Vegas, NV | MGM Grand Garden Arena |
| September 28 | San Diego, CA | Pechanga Arena |
| September 30 | Los Angeles, CA | Crypto.com Arena |
| October 1 | Los Angeles, CA | Crypto.com Arena |
| October 2 | Los Angeles, CA | Crypto.com Arena |
| October 4 | San Francisco, CA | Chase Center |
| October 5 | San Francisco, CA | Chase Center |
| October 7 | Seattle, WA | Climate Pledge Arena |
| October 9 | Vancouver, BC | Rogers Arena |
| October 11 | Edmonton, AB | Rogers Place |
| October 13 | Saskatoon, SK | SaskTel Centre |
| October 16 | Ottawa, ON | Canadian Tire Centre |
| October 17 | Montreal, QC | Centre Bell |
| October 19 | Toronto, ON | Scotiabank Arena |
| October 20 | Toronto, ON | Scotiabank Arena |
| October 21 | Toronto, ON | Scotiabank Arena |
As you can see, Drake is performing multiple shows in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Toronto, but Denver does not make the list.
Past Denver Shows
Drake is no stranger to the Mile High City, having performed in Denver several times over the years:
| Year | Tour | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Away from Home Tour | Ogden Theatre |
| 2012 | Club Paradise Tour | Pepsi Center |
| 2014 | Would You Like A Tour? | Pepsi Center |
| 2016 | Summer Sixteen Tour | Pepsi Center |
| 2018 | Aubrey & The Three Amigos Tour | Pepsi Center |
As you can see, the rapper has made Denver a regular tour stop over the past decade, playing both small intimate venues like the Ogden Theatre and large arenas like the Pepsi Center (now Ball Arena). So why leave Denver off the schedule for the Certified Lover Boy tour? Let’s explore some possible reasons.
Why Isn’t Drake Coming to Denver in 2022?
There are a few potential factors that may explain why Denver didn’t make the cut for Drake’s current tour itinerary:
Route Logistics
When routing large arena tours, artists and promoters have to take into account logistics like travel distances and viable venues. Looking at Drake’s schedule, he is hitting cities clustered in the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Texas, and West Coast. Traveling to shows already requires criss-crossing the country multiple times. Adding an isolated stop in Denver in between may not have been feasible or cost-effective. The route was likely optimized based on clusters of cities and venues.
Prioritizing Other Markets
While Drake has cultivated a fanbase in Denver over the years, his promoters may have decided other cities should take priority for this tour. Markets like Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, and Chicago are hubs of media, culture, and industry – critical cities for an artist of Drake’s magnitude to play multiple shows in. Cities like Nashville, Kansas City, and Phoenix may have been added since Drake hasn’t visited them as frequently. Denver may have just fallen lower on the priority list.
Scheduling Conflicts
The schedule of Ball Arena or other Denver venues may have had limited openings that didn’t line up with routing for the rest of Drake’s tour. Other major artists may have already booked up the prime dates at Denver venues. Additionally, the schedule could conflict with sports seasons if the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, or Denver Broncos are playing home games. This would limit venue availability.
Alternate Colorado Stop
Some speculate that Drake may add a tour stop in Colorado Springs or Boulder instead of Denver. The tour gaps in late August and September allow room for another Colorado show to potentially be added. Drake could still draw big crowds by playing Colorado, just not in its largest metro area.
Changes Due to Covid
The ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on live events may have altered Drake’s touring plans. Certain cities’ restrictions and vaccination policies may have prevented a Denver stop from being scheduled. Additionally, hesitancy around large indoor gatherings could have lowered projected demand in some markets like Denver.
Will Drake Add a Denver Show?
Currently, there are no signs that a Denver show will be added to fill in the scheduling gaps on Drake’s Certified Lover Boy tour. However, there are a few scenarios where Denver could still get a visit from the hip-hop star:
Additional North American Dates
After the tour wraps up in Toronto in late October, Drake could announce a second North American leg with new dates in previously unvisited cities like Denver. Capitalizing on the momentum, he may schedule more shows through the end of 2022 and early 2023.
Make-Up Date from Postponement
If illness, production delays, or other factors force Drake to postpone shows in other cities, he could pick Denver as a make-up location later in the tour rather than canceling outright. This would give Denver fans a second chance.
Festival Appearance
Drake could hit Denver by joining a festival lineup rather than booking his own concert. He could potentially perform at a Denver music festival like the Underground Music Showcase in 2023. This would allow him to reach fans without a standalone show.
One-Off Concert
After completing the Certified Lover Boy tour, Drake may add a one-off show in Denver to make up for skipping the city this time around. He could announce a 2023 Ball Arena concert after the tour wraps to appease local fans.
Impact on Denver Fans
While many Denver-based Drake fans are disappointed he’s not coming to town on this current tour, there are still options to see the multi-platinum recording artist nearby:
Attend a Concert in Another Colorado City
If Drake ends up scheduling a tour stop in Colorado Springs, Boulder, or another city in the state, Denver fans could make the drive to support him. This is the most convenient option.
Travel to Another Tour Stop
Big Drake fans based in Denver could travel to a nearer tour location like Phoenix, Dallas, or Las Vegas to see a Certified Lover Boy show. Flights and hotels may eat into fans’ budgets, but this ensures they won’t miss out.
Wait for the Next Tour
Given Drake’s consistent pattern of touring, it’s very likely he’ll launch another major tour within the next 2-3 years after Certified Lover Boy. Denver fans can wait for the next trek and buy tickets early.
See Him at a Festival
Festivals like Coachella, Governor’s Ball, and Lollapalooza often book Drake as a headliner. Denver fans could travel to the closest festival or wait until he headlines something locally.
Conclusion
Drake skipping Denver on his 2022 Certified Lover Boy tour is a disappointing development for his Colorado-based fans. However, looking at routing logistics, priority markets, scheduling challenges, and other factors provides some explanation of why the Mile High City didn’t make the cut this time around. While a Denver show could potentially still be added, local fans may have to travel to see Drake or simply wait until the superstar rapper returns on his next worldwide tour. One thing is for certain – when Drake does come back to Denver, demand for tickets will be extremely high!
