The Weeknd Kicks Off Sold-Out Four-Night Stand in Los Angeles

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Three years ago, during The Weeknd’s inaugural series of concerts at SoFi Stadium for the After Hours til Dawn Tour’s initial North American leg, the star had to end the show prematurely after only a few songs on night two due to vocal strain. He promptly rearranged for two additional performances a couple of months later, but as Abel Tesfaye took the stage once more in the first of four more sold-out shows on Wednesday night, it was evident that this incident lingered in his thoughts.

It’s been a long time since we last met, Los Angeles. We’ve created some special moments on this stage before. The Weeknd declared as he spoke to the audience at the start of the show on Wednesday. “Four consecutive nights, one after another, and that’s all thanks to your support.

Man, let me tell ya, the energy throughout the entire night was nothing short of triumphant and celebratory. I stood there, soaking up the adoration from thousands of fans, taking brief breaks between songs to look up and return their cheers with a smile. This tour, After Hours til Dawn, is one of the biggest this year, and it’s no surprise that we drew a whopping 163,000 fans across four shows at MetLife Stadium earlier this month. According to my team, I became the top-grossing Black artist in that venue’s history with those shows. The Inglewood dates are shaping up to be even bigger, as my team announced Thursday that we’re expecting a total of 200,000 fans for these concerts. It’s an incredible feeling to know I can connect with so many people through music.

The evening kicked off unexpectedly when tour opening act Playboi Carti introduced fellow hip-hop artist Travis Scott. Together, they performed Scott’s popular song “Goosebumps” and their joint hits “Crush” and “Fein.

Just as anticipated, The Weeknd’s performance was nothing short of a visual extravaganza. He kicked off his show right after 9:15 on Wednesday evening, emerging alongside dancers cloaked in red and wearing masks, while he himself donned a black and gold ensemble with a mask featuring glowing eyes. A massive golden statue stood prominently at the center of the stage. The audience roared with excitement as he gradually removed his mask after several songs, revealing his face. Over the course of more than two hours, Abel delivered over three dozen songs, concentrating largely on the trilogy of “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” “Dawn FM,” and “After Hours,” but also showcasing timeless hits such as “I Can’t Feel My Face,” “Star Boy,” “Often,” “The Hills,” “I Feel it Coming” and “Lost in the Fire.

He inquired, “Although it’s quite warm, have we reached the right temperature yet?” after performing “I Can’t Feel My Face.” Notable moments from the evening included a rendition of “Kiss Land,” a track from his first album with the same name, which he dedicated to “the original XO fans on the West Coast.

During The Weeknd’s performance, Playboi Carti made another appearance, much like he has throughout the tour, to perform “Timeless” and “Rather Lie” with Abel. Unlike Carti, no other guest appearances were featured in the night one setlist. The lineup, which included popular songs such as “Blinding Lights,” “Save Your Tears,” “Call Out My Name,” and “Creepin’,” didn’t appear to vary significantly from previous nights. Those who expected The Weeknd to perform “Take Me Back To LA” from the album “Hurry Up Tomorrow” will have to hold on, but there are still three more shows where it might be played.

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2025-06-26 21:24