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San Francisco Chronicle​

Just when the Weeknd broke Levi's Stadium records, he shed his persona

Just five songs into his set on a cool night at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Abel Tesfaye — better known to the world as The Weeknd — removed his chrome mask, a symbolic moment that set the tone for the night. His face beamed with pride as the record-breaking sold-out crowd recognized the human being behind more than a decade of dark, hedonistic hits. 'That was a warm welcome,' Tesfaye replied to the shower of screams on Tuesday, July 8, the first of his two back-to-back concerts in the Bay Area. It was also a farewell. Tesfaye has all but confirmed that he wants to turn the page on his Weeknd name and persona while still pursuing music and expanding his creative portfolio, and now he's doing it in the most public and flamboyant way possible. His evolution has been playing out through his 'After Hours Till Dawn' tour, a trek that has stretched three years and multiple continents, including a previous August 2022 visit to Levi's Stadium. In commemoration of his latest album trilogy — 'After Hours,' 'Dawn FM' and 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' — this tour truly feels like a going-away party to the Weeknd era. To memorialize this transition, the home of the 49ers was turned into a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Dystopian props ran from end zone to end zone: a backdrop of toppled buildings, catwalks jutting from the main stage that formed a glowing cross, and a giant silver statue by sci-fi illustrator Hajime Sorayama that served as sentry and visual anchor. The Weeknd's prime collaborator Mike Dean played an eerie, eclectic 30-minute instrumental set to open the show, switching from keyboards, guitar and saxophone. Another mysterious and enigmatic figure, Playboi Carti, provided main support. The crowd fed off the rapper's chaotic, free-spirited aura for the 30 minutes he was on, even though he committed multiple fouls: leaving off 'Magnolia,' sporadically rapping over his own vocal track, cupping the mic, and top of the list, addressing the Santa Clara crowd as 'San Fran.' (Playboi Carti later joined the Weeknd for spirited romps through 'Timeless' and 'Rather Lie.') The Weeknd fared much better with his GPS, frequently shouting out San Jose, Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco. Draped in bejeweled robes that glistened with every move, Tesfaye opened his show like a messianic figure, arms spread wide, singing 'The Abyss' flanked by 30 dancers dressed in blood-red tunics. It was like a religious gathering — a funeral, perhaps — with a hymnal filled with The Weeknd's biggest hits and key collaborations. Rather than dividing the concert into acts, it was grouped by vibes. The next four songs served as a bemasked sampling from 2016 to the present ('Wake Me Up,' 'Star Boy', 'After Hours,' 'Heartless') then moved to more upbeat tempos and nihilistic themes. The live band gave songs like his 2015 hit 'Can't Feel My Face' extra traction, while allowing songs to seamlessly transition and vamp as necessary. The Weeknd must have vocal cords of rebar, because for two hours his piercing tenor and falsetto held strong through the stadium confines. Any hesitancy of the venue's size diminishing the performance melted away as his voice was clear from start to finish. He sustained notes at different octave ranges with confidence and ease. A block of tempered songs that included 'Often,' 'Baptized in Fear' and ended with 'Cry For Me' was a vulgar display of vocal power. The Weeknd's genre fluency and fluidity allows him to cross electronic, new wave, R&B and alternative barriers. He falls easily in line with visionary artists that dabble with darkness and vulnerability like Prince, Björk and Depeche Mode. A synth pop blitz of 'Save Your Tears,' 'Less Than Zero' and 'Blinding Lights' cast appreciative spells of Ultravox and OMD. Stasis is the enemy of creativity, and the Weeknd is getting ahead of it with this tour, celebrating his past triumphs and taking a dry eraser to his 2011 vision board to begin anew. After performing a moving 'I Feel It Coming,' the camera held steady as grateful tears rolled down Tesfaye's face. The mask was off; The Weeknd has left the building. Abel Tesfaye? He's just getting started. Todd Inoue is a freelance writer. Setlist The Abyss Wake Me Up After Hours Starboy Heartless Faith Take My Breath Sacrifice How Do I Make You Love Me? Can't Feel My Face Lost in the Fire (Gesaffelstein & The Weeknd song) Kiss Land Often Given Up on Me I Was Never There The Hills Baptized in Fear Open Hearts Cry for Me São Paulo Until We're Skin & Bones Timeless (with Playboi Carti) RATHER LIE (with Playboi Carti) Creepin' (Metro Boomin cover) Niagara Falls One of the Girls Stargirl Interlude Out of Time I Feel It Coming Die for You Is There Someone Else? Wicked Games Call Out My Name The Morning Save Your Tears Less Than Zero Blinding Lights Without a Warning Reflections Laughing