Latest news with #SkyDome
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Can we start a petition?' The Weeknd urges for the return of the SkyDome at Toronto show
The Weeknd had 40,000 fans cheering at his hometown show — not just for his 'After Hours Til Dawn' tour, but for his plea to bring back a familiar name. During a sold-out Toronto show at the Rogers Centre, the Scarborough-born artist Abel Tesfaye, a.k.a. The Weeknd, paused to reflect on the venue's original name and floated an idea the crowd quickly got behind. Tesfaye played two of four scheduled shows at the stadium, Sunday and Monday, with the final two slated for next week. 'Can we start a petition?' he asked fans. 'Is there any way to call this place the SkyDome again?' Opened in 1989, the SkyDome's name was chosen two years earlier through a public competition that received over 150,000 entries. In 2004, the stadium was bought by Rogers Communications Inc. for $25 million and it was officially renamed the Rogers Centre the next year. 'We gotta call Mr. Rogers or whatever, whoever owns this place, and we gotta call this b—-h the SkyDome again,' The Weeknd said. Turns out, Tesfaye isn't the only person who feels this way as fans screamed in agreement. Gesturing to the packed stadium, he added, 'That's 40,000 signatures right now.' Tesfaye returns to the Rogers Centre on Aug. 7 and 8, concluding the Toronto leg of his 2025 stadium tour.
CBC
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
The most memorable moments from the Weeknd's larger-than-life Toronto show
The Weeknd was in impeccable form on the second night of four sold-out tour stops at Toronto's Rogers Centre. Buoyed by the adoration of the 40,000-person crowd, Abel Tesfaye, a.k.a. the Weeknd, was beaming while he ran through a medley of songs from his extensive discography. Chants of "Abel, Abel, Abel!" rippled through the crowd at every song break, and the star stood smiling, basking in the love. Between Starboy and Heartless, the Weeknd took time to thank the audience for their fervent cheering: "That may have been a warmer welcome than yesterday…. We did the show last night and last night was loud but I got a big feeling about tonight, man." He continued, getting sentimental: "I just want to take in this moment right now. This has been a dream for a very long time, I used to come watch Blue Jays games here, it's crazy. Who knew a kid from Scarborough could do this, man, thank you guys so much." The Weeknd's After Hours 'til Dawn tour began in 2022, touching down in Toronto for two nights that year. The 2025 iteration includes the addition of new set pieces and new songs from his January album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, plus two extra nights of performances on Aug. 7 and 8. Hip-hop super producer Mike Dean kicked off the July 28 concert with a quick opening set, and came back to play keyboards and synthesizers during the Weeknd's marathon performance later in the night. Montreal DJ and producer Kaytranada played a mix of songs from across his three albums — 99.9%, Bubba and Timeless — plus his crowd-pleasing remixes of Janet Jackson's If and Chance the Rapper's All Night, before asking the crowd if they were "ready to see Abel." The Weeknd opened his set with The Abyss, a song featuring Lana Del Rey from his latest album. His voice filled the stadium as he emerged from behind veiled dancers, singing, "I tried to be something that I'll never be/ why waste another precious hour?/ Why waste another precious ounce?/ I'd rather leave somewhat of a legacy." The following two-hour-and-20-minute concert proved that he has no need to worry about what legacy he'll leave behind. Hometown highlights Toronto played a starring role in the show as the Weeknd performed directly below the looming CN Tower, which he referred to as one of the "centrepieces" of his elaborate set. The funky bassline of Sacrifice rang out as he sang, "I was born in a city/ where the winter nights don't ever sleep," and followed the lyric by yelling joyously, "You know what city that is!" He shouted out Toronto at every opportunity, and switched lyrics in a number of songs to turn the city itself into his love interest: "I can't lose you Toronto" on Lost in the Fire and "Every time I try to leave you Toronto/ you keep pulling me back" on Given Up on Me were just a couple of those moments. The Weeknd even used his captive audience to launch a petition to change the Rogers Centre back to its original name: "Is there any way to call this place the SkyDome again? We gotta call Mr. Rogers or whoever owns this place … do you agree with me, Toronto, or what?" The crowd cheered loudly in agreement and he replied, "All right, those are all official petition signatures. That's 40,000 signatures right there." Hits on hits After almost 15 years releasing music, the Weeknd has so many hits that any of them could've been the peak moment of his set. Early on in the show he performed Take My Breath, off 2022's Dawn FM, and as Mike Dean's synths and the bass reverberated through the crowd, the light-up bracelets that all attendees received upon entry were activated. Red-and-white lights raced along the catwalk as the Weeknd whipped himself into a frenzy. The audience was truly blinded by the lights during his performance of the record-breaking hit Blinding Lights, as the bracelets created a twinkling universe that swept across the stadium. Two of the Weeknd's oldest songs, throwbacks to his 2011 debut mixtape, came at the tail end of the set: High for This was a major sing-along moment, and the already revved-up crowd was rapturous at the first hint that House of Balloons was about to begin — the telltale "Ohs" and slinking bassline a beacon for the "OG XO fans." A feast for the eyes and ears The Weeknd's known for sounding exactly like the record during his live performances, and his vocal chops did not disappoint — but they're not the only impressive part of the show. World-building is just as important to him, which makes sense for an artist who pulls so much influence from film, and the set pieces and visuals were a feast for the eyes. The veiled dancers were decked out in a striking shade of red and wore gold masks, providing visual drama with their contemporary dance movements and formations. The Weeknd was also adorned in a gold mask of his own, this one with glowing silver eyes, and he wore a glittering black-and-gold cape that would put a wrestler to shame. Along with his dancers, he performed among the ruins of an imagined metropolis, the Empire State Building and the White House recognizable amid the wreckage. In the centre of the cross-shaped catwalk a golden statue rose to the heavens, her powerful stance evoking the goddesses Athena or Nike. The graphics on the screen behind him helped weave the narratives of his songs together, and included artwork resembling a Renaissance fresco, as well as a beheaded sculpture, a red-and-orange aurora — and the Weeknd falling into the abyss of a red sea. Taking a page from his former collaborators Daft Punk, the Weeknd created his own rave, leaning heavily on lasers that flooded the stadium and pulsated to the beat of the synths and drums. The pyrotechnics budget for the show had to be astronomical. The entire stadium was lit up in jumbo flames on no fewer than four occasions — it was like the Weeknd was bathed in a rain of fire — and fireworks burst from the Rogers Centre's open roof during Sacrifice and the final song, Moth to a Flame. The Weeknd closed the show by scream-singing a prolonged "Yes!" into his microphone, waving at the crowd as he walked off triumphantly. The final image the audience was left with was a projection of the CN Tower that faded to black, as the lights came back on.
Fox News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Ex-WWE broadcaster Jonathan Coachman recalls story behind Hulk Hogan's legendary WrestleMania X8 performance
The loss of WWE icon Hulk Hogan left many reminiscing about their favorite moments with him inside the ring, where his exuberant personality and athletic talent came to life in front of thousands. Jonathan Coachman, a former WWE broadcaster, spent time doing just that on OutKick's "Hot Mic," and the one match he brought up in particular was what some consider among the top 10 of all-time. It was the "Hulkster" against Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at WrestleMania X8. "I've only had probably three or four times my entire career, which spanned over a decade in WWE, where I walked out onto the floor. That one I wanted to be out there, and it was the most amazing 45 minutes of my career, watching the fans watch these two icons, and they changed the match because fans wanted to cheer for Hulk Hogan and boo The Rock," Coachman recalled. "So, it was such a unique time to see the Hulk, who physically wasn't where he needed to be and that was basically the stretch for him to even go that long in a match. It was a magical night, and I still look back on it as one of the highlights of my career." The match took place in Toronto at the SkyDome, where these two were the main attraction. The match was dubbed "Icon vs. Icon," and it was Hogan's first WrestleMania appearance since WrestleMania IX in 1993. The storyline at the time was The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin against New World Order, which consisted of Hogan, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. The Rock had challenged Hogan to a WrestleMania match, and Hogan shook his hand in agreement. However, The Rock's signature move, "Rock Bottom," came out instead of letting go of Hogan, leading to the feud that built up until the match came around in March 2002 north of the border. "That's what the wrestling business has always been: Building up to big moments. Building up to big spectacles and having them pay off," Coachman said. "And up until the mid '90s or late '90s, Hogan was really the guy above and beyond anybody else. As we got into the 2000s, things started to happen and there was good and there was bad. Being able to put that match together, and your words are awesome, because I wanted to feel it. I was part of so many big moments in my career, and my career was the attitude era and there was no better time." The crowd was electric throughout the night, and some even believed it to be one of the loudest pro wrestling crowds of all time as these two traded blows back and forth for more than a half hour. Coachman also said that it was The Rock who kept Hogan in it as long as they did. There was even some improvisation that needed to be done mid-match. "I don't know that the match would've ever happened because Rock was at his prime at that point. He had to give so much to Hogan to make that match believable," he said. "Then, what was so shocking, they had worked on that match for weeks. They even set up a ring in the hotel and we would rent it out for the entire week. They had worked on it for so many hours. "Then, to walk in the ring with 80,000 or however many people were there, they happened to completely switch it because there's certain things you can do as a good guy, you can't do as a bad guy and vice versa. For The Rock to stand there, and people watch the match, they barked at each other for 10 minutes. They weren't trash talking – Rock was telling him how to switch it up." In the end, The Rock came out victorious over Hogan, and Nash and Hall didn't like Hogan showing respect to Rock. Nash and Hall began to beat up on Hogan, who was effectively out of NWO at that point. The Rock ended up coming to Hogan's aid, and as a huge sign of respect, he asked Hogan to pose with him in the ring to salute the crowd. "To me, it's the pinnacle of what our business is," Coachman said. "I wrestled for three or four years. If I had to go 10 or 12 minutes, that was a long time for me. These guys, they held the crowd in the palm of their hand and that was the greatness of Hulk Hogan the character and Hulk Hogan the wrestler for so many years." Hogan died at 71 years old due to a suspected "cardiac arrest" at his home in Clearwater, Florida, according to TMZ Sports. "WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away," the company wrote in a statement. "One of pop culture's most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. "WWE extends its condolences to Hogan's family, friends, and fans."
CBC
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
After 23 years, WWE wrestling comes home to the dome this weekend in Toronto
Wrestling's new era is coming to Toronto this weekend, as the WWE returns to the city's largest venue for the first time in 23 years. Rogers Centre will play host to the World Wrestling Entertainment's "elimination chamber" event on Saturday, featuring superstars like the Rock and John Cena, now well into his retirement tour. It's hallowed ground for Toronto wrestling fans, who, depending on their age, will remember the World Wrestling Federation's WrestleMania X8 event there in 2002 or WrestleMania IV in 1990. With Netflix now the exclusive hot of WWE programs such as Monday Night Raw, bringing wrestling back under the dome represents both the sport's growing popularity among a new group of devotees — and a nostalgic homecoming for Toronto fans. "To me, it's still the SkyDome," said Canadian wrestler Sami Zayn, who remembers driving to Toronto to watch wrestling before going pro himself. Zayn, who is set to compete against fellow Canadian wrestler Kevin Owens on Saturday at the Rogers Centre, called the upcoming event "one of those perpetual, sort of can-you-believe-it moments." The elimination chamber isn't the only event in town this weekend: the WWE is also hosting a Friday Night Smackdown at the Scotiabank Arena, complemented by smaller shows hosted by independent organizations like Smash Wrestling and Superkick'd. "I'm loving the fact that Toronto is getting lots of love," said lifelong wrestling fan Vanessa Lima from her home in Oakville, Ont. "Toronto is a large wrestling city." Fans come back into the fold Speaking to the CBC in front of a wall of glittering replica wrestling belts, Lima said she's seen more and more former fans make their way back to wrestling recently. "I've been speaking with friends of mine who stopped watching it … and they're getting [back] into it, they're bringing their kids into it," she said. Outside of the WWE, other brands are also being revived, including Maple Leaf Wrestling — a Canadian promotion that got its start back in the 1930s. It will host a show at another historic Toronto venue in May: Toronto Metropolitan University's Mattamy Athletic Centre, formerly Maple Leaf Gardens. Gary Fonseca, a die-hard fan from Mississauga, Ont., is part of a wrestling-focused Facebook group that's gone from 10,000 members to just over 100,000 within a few years. Fonseca, who fondly remembers the cheering that filled the SkyDome at WrestleMania IV back in 1990, is thrilled to see wrestling heating back up enough to fill the venue again. "I like the fact that we're able to do that again. I've been waiting for a show at the dome for so long," he said. For other fans, though, the price tag this time is too high a barrier to get over. Nathon Gurnick, from Barrie, was there in 2002 for WrestleMania X8, with his ticket running him about $100 to sit in the 100-level section. With tickets in the same section going for approximately $800 for this event, he's opting to stay home this time and watch on Netflix. "You have a family of four, and it's going to cost you a grand almost to get decent seats," he said. "It's definitely not a cheap night anymore."
