Photos by Rachael Sweeney / @geez_a_wee_smile

The co headlining show from Akon and Ne-Yo at OVO Hydro on 28 April struck a strong balance between solid live performance and nostalgia. The night was set up in a way that kept the momentum going throughout, with fans across the arena clearly having a great time. Instead of splitting things into two separate halves, the artists alternated on stage, each performing shorter sets before handing over. This approach kept the pace steady and meant the energy never really dropped.

Ne-Yo got things started with a quick nod to Michael Jackson before moving into Miss Independent and Because Of You. His first set leaned towards the smoother side of his catalogue, with tracks like Champagne Life and One in a Million easing the crowd in. Akon then picked things up straight away with Smack That, I’m So Paid and Locked Up, which got a big reaction and shifted the mood up a gear.

That back and forth continued throughout the night, and it worked well. Ne-Yo’s later sets included She Knows, Sexy Love and So Sick, along with Closer and Beautiful Monster, all delivered in his usual controlled style. Meanwhile, Akon kept things a bit looser, with plenty of crowd interaction. Songs like Bananza, Don’t Matter and Lonely were clear highlights, with a lot of people singing along.

There was also a section where they ran through songs they had written or produced for other artists, including tracks linked to Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, which added a nice bit of variety.

By the end, both artists came together for the encore, rounding things off on a high. It was a straightforward but enjoyable show, with the rotating format helping it feel a bit more dynamic than a standard set.