A couple of high-profile musical tours have started or been announced this week, giving fans worldwide a chance to see their favorite artists in person. More importantly, though, the advent of a new tour also means the reveal of new tour merchandise, always a good metric for gauging what a performer (or at least a performer’s management team) think about what their fans want from their musical brand.
Case in point: Beyoncé is offering up some defiantly ironic new merch at her Formation World Tour, which kicked off earlier tonight. Moving past hot sauce sponsorships and endorsements for Endless Shrimp, the Lemonade superstar is selling “Boycott Beyoncé” shirts to the masses, mocking previous suggestions that protesters and police unions might refuse to support her ongoing tour. (Meanwhile, the Rebeccas of the world should just be happy she’s not selling a “Bring Me The Good-Haired Head Of Becky” promotional tote.)
Drake, meanwhile, apparently thinks his fans are in desperate need of a Walgreens, or possibly a Hallmark Store. The 6 God star announced the VIP packages for his upcoming Summer 16 tour today, offering his most devoted fans bundles that include items like a “6 God Candle,” “6 God Foam Hand,” and “6 God Custom Disposable Camera,” presumably so that fans can take pictures of themselves with their fancy candle and big, Drake-sponsored foam hand. Fans can also go for packages that net them a bandana, “floaty pen,” and car freshener, suggesting the hilarious image of Drake (and Future, who’s also part of the tour) stalking up and down the aisles of a truck stop convenience store, looking for stuff they can print their faces on 20 minutes before their next big show.
[via Pitchfork and Entertainment Weekly]