Ne-Yo & Akon announce co-headlining show at Darien Lake

Live Nation Press Release & Image

Grammy Award-winning hitmaker Ne-Yo and Grammy Award-winning multi-Platinum recording artist Akon announce their co-headlining “Nights Like This” global tour. Produced by Live Nation, the massive 57-city tour will make a stop at Darien Lake Amphitheater in Darien Center on Friday, July 24.

The tour brings together two generational artists whose catalogs have defined radio, nightlife and pop culture. Ne-Yo and Akon will share the stage in a unique, dynamic back-and-forth set throughout the show stacked with era-defining hits, sing-along anthems, and club classics.

Featuring Ne-Yo’s “So Sick,” “Closer” and “Miss Independent,” alongside Akon’s “Smack That,” “Lonely” and “Right Now (Na Na Na),” the “Nights Like This Tour” is a nostalgia rush for longtime fans and fresh excitement to new listeners. From slow jams to club anthems, every night is built to feel like a throwback party and a celebration.

Tickets will be available starting with Citi presale (details below). The general on-sale will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 30, at LiveNation.com.

Citi is the official card of the “Nights Like This” tour U.S. dates. Citi card members will have access to presale tickets beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details, visit www.citientertainment.com.

American Express card members can purchase tickets for the Canada shows before the general public beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

The tour will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level in North America and Europe. Packages vary but include premium tickets, meet & greet and photo op with Akon, exclusive Akon VIP gift item, autographed 8-by-10 photo and more. For more information, visit vipnation.com

Ne-Yo is a three-time, Grammy-winning hitmaker, songwriter, actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist whose smooth vocals, creative storytelling and dynamic versatility have defined the sound of music for nearly two decades. He ascended to superstardom with his 2005 debut single, “So Sick,” which was certified quadruple-Platinum. Since then, Ne-Yo has continued to deliver an array of era-shaping singles, including “Sexy Love,” “Closer,” “Because of You,” “Miss Independent,” “Mad,” “Let Me Love You” and “Time of Our Lives.” He also earned his first Diamond-certified song with his collaboration with Pitbull and Afrojack on “Give Me Everything.”

As a solo artist, Ne-Yo has cemented his legacy as one of the all-time hitmakers, earning two No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and generating over 23 billion streams across his entire catalog. February will mark the 20-year anniversary of his debut album, “In My Own Words,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and became a cultural touchstone. Additionally, Ne-Yo has proven to be an equally talented songwriter, penning bangers such as Rihanna’s “Unfaithful,” “Russian Roulette” and “Take a Bow,” along with Beyoncé’s 2006 breakup anthem “Irreplaceable,” and songs for such artists as Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion and Mario.

His iconic discography was on display during his “NPR Tiny Desk” concert, where he performed his chart-topping hits. Most recently, Ne-Yo was honored with the Key to the City of Las Vegas and a proclamation from the mayor that designated Aug. 7 as “Ne-Yo Day” in the city, considering he was raised in Las Vegas and spent time at the local Boys & Girls Club. The multihyphenate has also leveraged his platform to expand into the film and television space, appearing in STARZ’s “BMF,” NBC’s “World of Dance,” Netflix’s “Dance Monsters,” “Empire,” “Stomp the Yard,” “Save the Last Dance,” “Battle: Los Angeles,” “George Lucas' Red Tails,” “The Wiz Live!,” “Starz’ Step Up: High Water,” “Hip Hop Family Christmas Wedding” and “The Sound of Christmas.”

Ne-Yo is currently gearing up to explore a new musical frontier and preparing to release his country-inspired album. He has spent months in Nashville, working with different collaborators to blend his signature sound with the poignant melodies of country music.

Akon is an award-winning Senegalese-American, multi-Platinum recording artist, singer, producer, entrepreneur, actor and philanthropist best known for dominating Billboard charts with a unique sound that transcends the R&B/hip-hop, EDM dance, and pop genres. Akon is the founder of three major recording labels – Konlive, Konvict Kulture and KONVICT Music – that launched the careers of global artists T-Pain, Lady Gaga and Kardinal Offishall. Over two decades, he has sold more than 35 million albums worldwide, earned five Grammy nominations, released 45 Billboard Hot 100 songs, and made over 300 guest appearances for generational icons such as Michael Jackson, David Guetta, Gwen Stefani, Lil’ Wayne and Eminem.

Akon’s many accolades include an American Music Award for Favorite R&B Male Artist; three World Music Awards for Best Selling African Artist, Best Selling Internet Artist and Best Selling R&B Male Artist; a Billboard Music Award for Artist of the Year; and a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the No. 1-selling artist for master ringtones. He is the first solo artist in history to garner the top two spots on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2010, Forbes listed him among the top “Celebrity 100” (2010) and Pepsi approached him to produce/record “Oh Africa” for the 2010 World Cup.

Philanthropic passions led Akon to give back to his homeland through the creation of TheKonfidence Foundation, benefitting underserved children in Africa and the U.S. He also launched a partnership to bring electricity to 1 million African households by the end of 2014. In 2018, he launched Akoin, a new cryptocurrency aiming to help further African communities by empowering economic development.