The Weeknd returned to Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium for the first time in three years for his After Hours Til Dawn Tour.
Wednesday night’s show kicked off a four-show run at the venue, which has earned him the record-breaking feat of the most sold-out shows by a male artist at the stadium.
Rapper Playboi Carti opened the show and surprised fans with an appearance from Travis Scott. The duo performed their hit song “FE!N,” which got the stadium shaking as the crowd jumped to their feet.
At 9:17 p.m. The Weeknd hit the stage dressed in his black and gold ensemble, complete with a gold eyemask. Flanked by dancers wearing red robes and head coverings, who had on similar masks that covered their mouths, the “Popular” singer got the crowd moving with “The Abyss” from his latest album “Hurry Up Tomorrow.”
The stage itself had the feel of a “post-apocalyptic dystopian cityscape.”
After getting the crowd warmed up, he revealed his face and addressed the elephant in the room. He was back at the place where he lost his voice and abruptly cut the show short within moments of it starting in 2022.
“We have some memories on this stage, don’t we?” he said. “Well I came back with a vengeance, four nights SoFi!”
He then credited the fans for the achievement shouting, “that’s because of you!”
“We’re going to make sure Night 1 is the best night out of four nights, though, alright?” he told the fans. “This is the best one.”
And that he did by showing that his voice was back and stronger than ever.
Throughout the night, the Grammy-winning singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, constantly engaged with the crowd, shedding the elusive exterior he’s long held since his mixtape days in the early 2010s.
Back in 2022, his After Hours Til Dawn show was about 90 minutes without an encore.
However, it seems he received some feedback and listened. This leg of the tour, he added extra touches like visuals on the big screen and a switch-up of the setlist, proving that he’s now a worldwide “Star Boy.”
The nearly two-and-a-half-hour show ran the gamut of his catalog, appeasing his longtime and newer fan base. He even made sure to include “One of the Girls” from his HBO show “The Idol.”
“I’m so proud and honored to have seen Abel perform over the past 10-plus years,” explained longtime fan and L.A. native Gyasi Woods, who has been following the singer’s career since he performed at small venues in Hollywood. “This show truly felt like he was in his element, doing what he loves.”
After belting out his pandemic-era hit “Blinding Lights,” fans thought that the show was over. But, the “Call Out My Name” singer kept them guessing by leaving the lights off.
Moments later, he told the City of Angels he wasn’t ready to leave yet, giving fans a multi-song encore including “Moth to a Flame” and “House of Balloons.”
The Weeknd will remain in Southern California for the rest of the week with shows at SoFi on June 26, 28 and 29.
