Madelyn Furstenau ‘26, Lyonlife.org Editor-in-Chief
Summer is the perfect time to see your favorite artists perform live. Whether you attend with friends, family, or even go by yourself, every concert is a unique, unforgettable experience. This summer, numerous talented musicians came to Michigan and put on incredible shows. Here are some of the most popular concerts that took place this summer:
Morgan Wallen
Morgan Wallen is currently on his One Night at a Time World Tour. This tour takes place in two continents and in four different countries. In his 2023 segment, he performed alongside guest artists Bailey Zimmerman, Parker McCollum, ERNEST, and HARDY. However, he has introduced new guest performers for his 2024 segment: Jelly Roll, Jon Pardi, Lainey Wilson, Nate Smith, Bryan Martin, Lauren Watkins, and Ella Langley. His setlist consists of 24 songs, including hits such as “Last Night,” “You Proof,” and “Chasin’ You.” Wallen performed three shows in Michigan over the summer: two at Ford Field in Detroit and one at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. All three shows sold out, and he even announced that Ford Field was the first professional football stadium he had performed in during the tour.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift recently completed the U.S. leg of her Eras Tour. She will be performing 146 shows total across two continents. The setlist consists of 44 songs representing her ten albums, or “eras.” For the U.S. leg, she brought Paramore, beabadoobee, Phoebe Bridgers, girl in red, MUNA, HAIM, GAYLE, Gracie Abrams, and OWENN to perform alongside her. Swift performed two electric shows back to back at Ford Field in June. Swift announced that Sabrina Carpenter will join her for all of the international tour dates. The tour has sparked tons of creativity across the fanbase. Swifties have been keeping themselves busy by creating elaborate outfits for the concert, and some have even recreated looks that Swift wore during the show. A sophomore said, “It was super loud and energetic. Everyone was dressed up and singing the whole time, which made it a lot of fun.”
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran is on his first North American tour in five years: The Mathematics Tour. It consists of 88 shows across three legs: Europe, Oceania, and North America. He has been joined by Khalid, Russ, Dylan, Rosa Linn, Cat Burns, and Maisie Peters. The tour started in April 2022 in Dublin, Ireland, and he has just finished the U.S. segment. Sheeran came to Detroit over the summer in July and performed at Ford Field with a 26-song setlist. The setlist featured classics like “Photograph,” “Shape of You,” and “Thinking Out Loud.” Fans were thrilled to see Sheeran perform in Michigan and jumped at the chance to get tickets right away. The crowd was shocked when Eminem came on stage to join Sheeran. Senior Abby Tupa said, “It was a really fun concert to be at because he put on such a good show. Eminem came out for a few songs which was a great surprise.”
Drake and 21 Savage
Drake just completed his It’s All a Blur Tour, which featured 54 tour dates across the U.S. and Canada. This tour was co-headlined by 21 Savage, whom Drake released an album with last November. The album, Her Loss, did extremely well, and the collaborative tour was announced just a few months later. Although the tour only lasted four months, fans were thrilled to see the two performing together. They were joined by Skillibeng, Sleepy Hallow, Central Cee, Zack Bia, and Lil Yachty, who performed the opening sets. The setlist consisted of 48 songs, including “Headlines,” “Spin Bout U,” and “Rich Flex.” Drake and 21 Savage visited Detroit in July and performed at Little Caesars Arena for two consecutive nights.
Beyoncé
Following the release of her seventh studio album Renaissance, Beyoncé announced her ninth tour, The Renaissance Tour. There are 56 scheduled dates from May to October 2023, and in her iconic fashion, there are no openers. When you go to see Beyoncé, you will only see Beyoncé. The Renaissance Tour records her longest concert, totaling two hours and 45 minutes. The setlist consists of 34 songs that span her career, including “Break My Soul,” “Run the World (Girls),” and “Love on Top.” Fans were decked out in metallic, shiny outfits, mimicking the looks Beyoncé wears on stage. She came to Detroit in July and performed at Ford Field. Former Lions’ Roar staff member and SLHS graduate Kiarra Rocker said, “The Beyoncé concert was absolutely otherworldly. The concert, for me, solidified her being one of, if not the best, performers of our time. Renaissance World Tour truly had me on my feet the entire time.”
Michigan welcomed some top artists during the summer, and fans everywhere had something positive to say about the shows. Next year, Olivia Rodrigo, Zach Bryan, Niall Horan, and other notable artists will visit Michigan. While people hope for another musically inclined summer, 2023’s concert lineup will be hard to top.
Lyon Life 