Latest news with #AfterHoursTilDawnTour
Chicago Tribune
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
The Weeknd brings ‘After Hours Til Dawn' back to Soldier Field, closing a chapter on the bad boy you can dance to
Three years ago, Abel Tesfaye — better known as The Weeknd — first brought his 'After Hours Til Dawn Tour' to Soldier Field. An acclaimed spectacle, the tour that started on such a high eventually brought the artist to his lowest low. In September 2022, during a show at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles near the end of his tour's North American leg, The Weeknd abruptly lost his voice while performing 'Can't Feel My Face.' The incident, brought on by 'self-imposed pressure' and stress, he said, left the artist reckoning with the realities of the world he'd built since breaking out of his underground, internet anonymity into global superstardom. It inspired a complete overhaul of his latest album, 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' (released Jan. 31), as well as a companion film of the same title, with actors Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan co-starring alongside Tesfaye in what's been widely regarded as a hyper-stylized, hollow vanity project. Upon the album and film's releases, Tesfaye announced he'd be leaving his famed moniker behind. He felt he had 'said everything he could say' under the Weeknd name and was looking to explore different creative avenues musically. Despite the critical reception for his ventures outside of music, fans showed up in droves Friday night for the first of two nights of the 'After Hours Til Dawn Tour' (part deux), and to say goodbye (sort of). After opening sets from Mike Dean and Playboi Carti, the lights went down and a deep, crimson haze eclipsed the stage. Brooding and slightly ominous, it was a similar production to what graced the lakefront stadium in the summer of 2022, with a mainstage rising from a city of ruins, multiple runways and a towering, chrome Stargirl replacing what had been the moon. Tesfaye wasted no time getting right into the thick of it. Flanked by nearly three dozen shrouded and masked dancers, one of R&B's most enigmatic figures appeared as a glam Darth Vader or space-age Phantom of the Opera — ready to lead his followers through a celebration of excess, contradiction and dissociation like no one else can. Lyrically, The Weeknd's signature is oscillating between yearning lover boy and the worst guy you'd meet at the afters, set to a breakbeat pace. His career, both on the mic and on film ('Uncut Gems,' 'The Idol'), is built upon various layers and dynamics of who is ultimately the same person: himself. A hedonist hustler never satisfied. The predator and the prey. Secure in his insecurities and wreaking havoc because of it. As one concertgoer shared in passing, 'His music does remind you of a bad boyfriend, but when they make you like them again.' Is it survival mode? Maybe. For over the past decade, it has worked — making Tesfaye a cultural force. Adeptly walking the ever-thinning line between sexy and sleazy, he's undeniably one of modern pop music's most influential hitmakers and collaborators. For Stephanie Escobedo, longtime fan and owner of Through the Body Dance & Fitness Studio in West Town, the artist's latest album and film project heightened the anticipation ahead of this weekend's shows. 'It's visually beautiful, like a giant music video,' Escobedo said of the movie. 'I liked the imagery and how he played himself because he can't act for (expletive). I thought it was a cool omission of how awful of a person he was and how he used the two characters of Jenna and Barry to portray sides of himself. 'From what I understand,' she continued, 'he's going to step away from The Weeknd persona and just go by Abel. I'm interested to hear how Abel sounds, as opposed to this version of him I've loved since 2011.' For just over two hours, there were no breaks in the concert. Tesfaye delivered wall-to-wall vocals, showcasing a strength, clarity, and control over an instrument you'd never think once escaped him. 'It's been a long time since I've been in Chicago,' he recounted during the show. 'Last time I was here, I said I'd play two nights — and look what you did!' Telling his audience that Soldier Field would have to drag him off the stage, he promised to go all night. With a 40-song setlist that included Playboi Carti joining him for 'Timeless' and Carti's own 'Rather Lie,' deep hits 'Wicked Games,' 'The Morning,' and the title track from his debut project 'House of Balloons' (2011), as well as now-expected classics such as 'The Hills,' 'I Feel It Coming,' 'Die For You,' and 'Save Your Tears,' Tesfaye basked in the glory of soundtracking a generation of situation-ships and manipulative love-bombing-you-can-dance-to. But really, you cannot help but dance to it. Try not to be physically moved by the pulsating rush of the synths driving 'Blinding Lights' or throbbing bass behind 'São Paulo.' And sure, the 'ballad' portions of the evening piled on the slightly indulgent vocal runs and pleas from Tesfaye to hear someone say they love him (so committed, you do genuinely believe he needs to hear it) were eye roll-inducing, but expect nothing less from a man who set up the stage visual for 'Call Out My Name' to ultimately look like a sacrificial sermon. If you're not here for a little bit of artistic narcissism from The Weeknd, what are you even doing? Alesa Vera, who was invited last minute by her cousin, said she appreciated that the artist ran straight through his set without any intermissions, costume changes, or exaggerated encore, giving everyone the most for their money. 'He really has so many hits. He sounded fantastic,' she shared after the show. 'That's hard to do. You forget how much you love certain songs. I was engaged the entire time.' As flames, fireworks, and synchronized, light-up bracelets decorated Soldier Field, The Weeknd wrapped his triumphant return by introducing himself as Abel Tesfaye. Whether a death or a rebirth, his performance was proof that no matter the perceived 'failures' he's endured — the music, the talent speaks for itself. For attendees Dre Holland and Amari White, however, The Weeknd will always be The Weeknd. 'The songs, he can't separate himself from those. People will always want to hear The Weeknd' Holland said while leaving Museum Campus. 'How much of his style can really change? I don't think he'll do it, but we'll see.' 'The fans are with him no matter what,' White added. 'He's captured something with his music and lyrics that only he does. I mean, look at all these people here.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Weeknd finds magic in the dark to kick off two-night Detroit stand at Ford Field
The Weeknd summoned musical rapture from the ruins of an otherworldly wasteland inside Ford Field on Saturday night. Broad in imagination, grand in scope, the R&B superstar's cinematic spectacular played out for a packed and exuberant crowd at the downtown stadium to kick off a two-night Detroit stand. The concert was part of the Weeknd's long, ever-morphing After Hours Til Dawn Tour, which originally brought him to Ford Field in 2022. Saturday's show deepened the post-apocalyptic chill of that night three years ago; the crumbling cityscape that surrounded him then has given way to the rubble of fallen buildings and a vast video backdrop crawling with trippy visuals. Returning to the no-expense-spared production were dozens of mysterious, red-cloaked figures who solemnly crept across the stage for much of the evening in a kind of surreal druid ritual. The show's new cross-shaped runway configuration featured a towering, sexy-robot statue designed by Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama. Still, amid the cyberpunk dystopia, a Saturday night party extravaganza blossomed. Songs flowed into one another like a live mixtape, with fans across the stadium belting along ecstatically as each new tune arrived. There was less aloofness in the Weeknd's presence this time, as he played to the crowd with frequent exclamations of 'Detroit!' and interacted with fans in the front rows. New to the proceedings were 11 numbers from 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,' his recent sixth album, part of a set list that mingled crowd-pleasing hits with deeper cuts to service the diehards. Night one at Ford Field drew a slew of fans from neighboring Canada, including many from the Weeknd's Toronto hometown, where he'll play a pair of shows in July. It was part of a lively and crowded night in downtown Detroit, including a Tigers game next door, the riverside Movement festival and its array of associated parties, and preparations for next weekend's Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. The Weeknd was in strong voice for most of the night, though it's clear the 35-year-old has begun adapting his falsetto-rich studio style to suit the rigors of a global tour. It all unfolded atop a shimmering instrumental soundscape led by keyboardist Mike Dean, who deftly manned a corner of the stage amid his battery of synths. Ford Field is the second stop on the tour's fourth and final leg, though it came more than two weeks after opening night in Arizona. That down time was occupied with the May 16 premiere of 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,' the Weeknd-starring companion film to the new album, and he took the opportunity to shake up the set list, swapping in the old-school fan faves 'Kiss Land' and 'High for This' among other tweaks. Following the dark, twinkling show opener 'The Abyss,' the 2-hour, 5-minute set tapped the Weeknd's assorted sonic shades: futuristic club pop ('Take My Breath'), slow burners ('Creepin',' 'Niagara Falls'), warm and melodic new wave ('Save Your Tears,' 'Less than Zero'), simmering anxiety turned into galloping salvation ("Baptized in Fear"), lush throwbacks drenched in '80s charms ('Out of Time,' 'I Feel it Coming'). Rapper Playboy Carti, who had been a bit of an odd fit as opening act, returned to the stage to join the Weeknd to revisit their recent collabs 'Timeless' and 'Rather Lie.' 'Blinding Lights' — the eternally infectious, dayglo-streaked hit that stands as the most-streamed song in history — was the inevitable climax late in the show. It was followed by a wind-down that ultimately culminated with 'Moth to a Flame' and a few final fiery blasts from the flame projectors that had been busy across the stadium all night. The Weeknd and company will do it again Sunday night at Ford Field as the After Hours Til Dawn tour kicks into high gear for its final run across North America. (Note for ticketholders: The Weeknd took the stage Saturday at 9:12 p.m.) Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: The Weeknd finds magic in the dark to kick off two-night Detroit stand
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How to buy discounted tickets for the Weeknd's 'After Hours Til Dawn Tour'
It's a big year for Abel Tesfaye, the artist better known as The Weeknd. He just released his 6th studio album album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, to critical acclaim, and he'll be making his feature film debut alongside Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan in an accompanying film of the same name, which is set for a May 16 theatrical release. And on top of all that, he'll be heading out on a major stadium tour starting on May 9. The tour will also feature supporting acts Playboi Carti and Mike Dean. Tickets are on sale to the general public now. Here's everything you need to know about how to see The Weeknd in person during his After Hours Til Dawn 2025 tour. The Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn Tour began on May 9 in Phoenix, AZ. The tour runs through Sept. 3. The Weeknd will be joined by Playboi Carti and Mike Dean on his After Hours Til Dawn Tour. Tickets for the Weeknd's tour went on sale to the general public on Friday, Feb. 7. Due to high demand, a second show, on July 4, has been added in Las Vegas, and fans can grab tickets and concert/hotel packages for that newly-added show now by clicking here. Check Ticketmaster Tickets for the Weeknd's tour start between $61 and $150 depending on the venue, and reach upwards of $750 for VIP packages. Tickets are also available for resale on trusted third party vendors like StubHub starting at $83. Find tickets on StubHub Another way to score seats — and discounted ones at that: SeatGeek. Right now, SeatGeek is offering 20% (up to $25) off tons of tickets — including to The Weeknd! Find discount tickets on SeatGeek The Weeknd will be coming to 24 cities on his 2025 tour, including U.S. cities like Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. The tour will also feature several Canadian dates in Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto. 05/09/25 – Phoenix, AZ @ State Farm Stadium 05/24/25 – Detroit, MI @ Ford Field 05/30/25 – Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field 05/31/25 – Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field 06/05/25 – East Rutherford, NJ @ Metlife Stadium 06/06/25 – East Rutherford, NJ @ Metlife Stadium 06/10/25 – Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium 06/14/25 – Minneapolis, MN @ US Bank Stadium 06/21/25 – Denver, CO @ Empower Field at Mile High 06/25/25 – Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium 06/26/25 – Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium 06/28/25 – Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium 07/04/25 – Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium 07/05/25 – Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium 07/08/25 – Santa Clara, CA @ Levi's Stadium 07/12/25 – Seattle, WA @ Lumen Field 07/15/25 – Vancouver, BC @ BC Place 07/19/25 – Edmonton, AB @ Commonwealth Stadium 07/24/25 – Montréal, QC @ Parc Jean Drapeau 07/27/25 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre 07/28/25 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre 07/30/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field 08/02/25 – Landover, MD @ Northwest Stadium 08/07/25 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre 08/12/25 – Nashville, TN @ Nissan Stadium 08/15/25 – Miami, FL @ Hard Rock Stadium 08/21/25 – Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes Benz Stadium 08/24/25 – Orlando, FL @ Camping World Stadium 08/27/25 – Arlington, TX @ AT&T Stadium 08/30/25 – Houston, TX @ NRG Stadium 09/03/25 – San Antonio, TX @ Alamodome While you wait for the Weeknd's upcoming tour, you can check out the trailer to Hurry Up Tomorrow, arriving to theaters in May.
