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CBC
29-07-2025
- 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.
Globe and Mail
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Oh, Hi!: What happens when a rom com meets Misery
Oh, Hi! Directed by Sophie Brooks Written by Sophie Brooks, Molly Gordon Starring Molly Gordon, Logan Lerman Classification R; 93 minutes Oh, Hi! is what might actually happen if your approach to true love was tinted with Misery. After four perfect months together, Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman) embark on a relationship milestone and flee the big city to spend a romantic weekend at a rented farmhouse in upstate New York. Obviously, they're cute. They're happy. Isaac cooks scallops. Their banter is healthy, their sex life is fun. The two resemble a photo spread from a J. Crew catalogue at its peak: beautiful and tousled and unbothered by mosquitos at night. This is what it looks like when you've found your soulmate. At least that's what Iris thinks. Choosing the worst possible time, Isaac informs her that they're not exclusive. He doesn't want a relationship, and up until that point he didn't think they were serious. Iris, heartbroken, responds the way anybody would if they'd attended the school of Annie Wilkes. She holds Isaac captive in an attempt to convince him that he's actually in love. Positioned as a romantic comedy, Oh, Hi! is less Nora Ephron than I Think You Should Leave. Bizarre and deranged, its characters are chaotic, narcissistic and profoundly unwell. In fact, they're both terrifying: Iris is what happens when you apply fictionalized grand 'romantic' gestures to real-world situations, and Isaac seemingly lives by the ethos of a Weeknd song. Yet the film still works. Directed by Sophie Brooks and co-written by Gordon, it subverts both the rom-com and horror genres to produce an original story that thwarts predictability. Gordon is sharp, funny and brings just enough humanity to Iris that you feel sorry for her broken heart and terrible judgment – despite desperately hoping that you never meet her in real life. It also helps that she's aided by comedy gold: Geraldine Viswanathan and John Reynolds show up just in time to add levity and fresh perspectives to a premise that could easily get stale. Especially since Lerman plays an everyman whose sole personality is 'totally perfect, until not.' Is any of it believable? Relatable? Does it need to be? Hardly a Hallmark film, Oh, Hi! is a testimony to what happens when we pour creative energy into original storylines instead of the dark abyss of reboot culture. By blending romance and horror tropes, Brooks and Gordon highlight the ridiculousness that defines each and illuminate the toxicity sensationalized by the classics. (There's more than one Casablanca call-out involved.) The story isn't aspirational and its characters are mostly irredeemable, but it exposes the outlandish nature of most rom-com plot devices by committing to the most common: two characters who suck. Oh, Hi! is the last love story you want to cite when writing your own, and Iris and Isaac are the last people you would ever want to spend a weekend away with. But for 90 minutes in a movie theatre? Their company will at least keep your attention.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Weeknd, Shakira Headline 2025 Global Citizen Festival
Global Citizen Music Festival is gearing up for another star-studded edition. On Tuesday, the fest announced that the Weeknd and Shakira will be headlining the 2025 edition of the yearly charity event, scheduled for Sept. 27. 'I'm honored to headline the incredible Global Citizen Festival in Central Park this September,' Shakira said in a press release. 'Music has always been my way of connecting with people and leaving a mark on the world. I can't wait to perform, unite, and inspire action.' More from Rolling Stone Shakira, Maren Morris, Matthew McConaughey Speak Out on Texas Floods as Death Toll Rises Shakira Says Being an Immigrant Under Trump 'Means Living in Constant Fear' Netón Vega, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, and Xavi Headline BelicoFest 2025 Tyla, Mariah the Scientist, and Ayra Starr are also scheduled to perform at this year's edition, adding to the global nature of the fest. Hugh Jackman, Global Citizen Ambassador, will return as the host. 'The 2025 Global Citizen Festival marks my eleventh year as host, and I'm thrilled by the progress we've made over the years,' said Jackman. 'The growing impact of the Global Citizen movement touches every corner of the world, and I'm eager to advocate alongside my fellow ambassadors, performers, world leaders, and private sector executives to leave the world better than we found it.' The 2025 festival will focus on increasing access to energy for 1 million people in Africa and — by working with FIFA — ensuring that 30,000 children access quality education and football. The two organizations will mobilize $200 million to protect 30 million hectares of Amazon rainforest. The event will also help register 40,000 New Yorkers to volunteer. This year marks the return of the Weeknd to the festival, after he headlined the event alongside Janet Jackson and Cardi B in 2018. For her part, Shakira performed at a version of the fest hosted on the eve of the G20 Summit in Hamburg back in 2017. Last year, Post Malone, Doja Cat, and Rauw Alejandro headlined the festival, which featured appearances from Lisa and Jelly Roll. Benson Boone and Raye rounded up the lineup, which featured Jackman as host and Dr. Jane Goodall as a speaker. In 2023, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Anitta, and Ms. Lauryn Hill were among the performers. Global Citizen Fest is a free event, and fans can access tickets through the charity's app and website by volunteering. The event will come several weeks after the Weeknd wraps his After Hours til Dawn Tour, which concludes in early September. The Global Citizen Fest will also arrive a day after Shakira headlines a stadium show in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic as part of the Latin American leg of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked Solve the daily Crossword
San Francisco Chronicle
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Santa what? The Weeknd flubs Bay Area city name during Levi's Stadium concert
The Weeknd committed the ultimate Bay Area sin during the first of two Levi's Stadium shows in Santa Clara, mixing up the South Bay city with the name of a similar sounding Los Angeles County suburb. A TikTok clip of the Canadian artist, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, shows the 'Save Your Tears' singer attempting to shout out the Bay Area city in which he was performing on Tuesday, July 8. It has since gone viral, with local fans in the comment section poking fun at his blunder. 'In Santa Clarita,' he sings in the brief video, recorded during his performance of 'Baptized in Fear,' a song from his sixth studio album, 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,' released in January. 'It's Santa Clara, not Santa Clarita,' an off-camera voice yells back, distinguishing the two cities, which are about 351 apart. As of Thursday, July 10, the video has been viewed more than 294,300 times and earned 26,700 likes. 'He was saying everything BUT Santa Clara,' one user commented, receiving more than 1,800 likes. Another joked that 'he seen an amusement park and got confused,' referring to California's Great America next to Levi's Stadium and Six Flags Magic Mountain located in Santa Clarita. The comment got nearly 4,000 likes. But he didn't totally forget where he was. A different TikTok user shared a slightly longer clip of the Weeknd's performance of the track, which shows the artist successfully referencing other Bay Area cities before the slip-up. 'I've been around the world, from San Francisco to San Jose,' he croons before accidentally name-dropping 'Santa Clarita.' Tesfaye also acknowledged other cities in the region during his Tuesday night performance, shouting out a few in between songs to hype up the crowd. 'Who's out here tonight,' he asked. 'We got San Francisco out here tonight — we got Frisco tonight? We got Oakland out here tonight? What's going on? Berkeley? San Jose?' The Weeknd isn't the only musician to get tripped up by Bay Area city names. Earlier in the night, rapper Playboi Carti called out 'San Fran' during his opening set, despite the city being an hour away. Thankfully, one TikTok user commented that Tesfaye correctly referred to the crowd as San Jose and Santa Clara for his final night at Levi's Stadium. (They added that Playboi Carti, on the other hand, still said San Francisco.) It's become common for artists to give the city in which they're performing special recognition during concerts, whether it be slipped into lyrics during a song — as the Weeknd attempted — or in between tracks. During Metallica 's recent stint at Levi's Stadium last month, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo performed a cover of Dionne Warwick's 'Do You Know the Way to San Jose.' Mick Jagger opted for a reference to the broader Silicon Valley during the Rolling Stones' Santa Clara show last summer, during which he joked about Waymos and the growing Bay Area crime rates. Beyoncé was appointed honorary mayor of Santa Clara for the day during her 'Renaissance' tour stop at Levi's Stadium in 2023. During her performance, the 'Cuff It' singer correctly named the city when addressing the crowd — an essential detail considering her official title.
San Francisco Chronicle
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- 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
