June 6, 2025 – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford NJ
Review & Photography by Estelle Massry
The Weeknd made MetLife his home for 3 nights straight on his current tour, After Hours Til Dawn. This isn’t a typical tour—it’s an immersive experience that blends dystopian imagery, futuristic staging, and a carefully crafted narrative voyage through his music. It showcases his evolution from underground enigma to global pop icon.
Opening sets by Mike Dean (powerhouse American record producer, audio engineer, and multi-instrumentalist) and Playboi Carti (rapper and trendsetting figure in modern hip-hop), laid the perfect groundwork, serving up high-energy beats to hype us before Abel took control. Playboi Carti also joined The Weeknd for “Timeless” & “Rather Lie” mid set which had fans lose control.
From the moment the house lights dropped at MetLife Stadium, The Weeknd transported over 80,000 fans into his cinematic universe. Abel made a very haunting entrance as he emerged with a futuristic mask and black cape surrounded by a circle of figures covered up in red drapes. Opening with “The Abyss” and “Wake Me Up,” Abel immediately plunged the audience into the atmospheric world of Hurry Up Tomorrow. Abel emerged from the abandoned cityscape set design, instantly sinking us into his apocalyptic vision—a perfect blend of After Hours and Dawn FM aesthetics. His voice filled the stadium with crystalline precision, proving that even at this scale, his vocals alone can captivate.
Abel jumped right in and started the epic night with his iconic hits “After Hours”, “Starboy”, “Heartless”, and “Faith“. Tracks like “The Hills”, “Can’t Feel My Face,” and “Blinding Lights” turned into rallying cries as thousands sang along in unison. Songs like “Kiss Land”, “Often”, and “I Was Never There” delivered powerful nostalgia, satisfying long‑time fans. The energy soared when synchronized LED wristbands lit up the crowd , pulsating with every beat and changing colors throughout the night.
The stage’s dramatic lighting—deep reds, stark backlights, and billowing fog—created silhouettes that, when timed perfectly, turned Abel into a mythic figure towering in front of an eighty-thousand‑strong backdrop. The full-stadium runway was quite impressive and Abel made it a point to own every corner of it to ensure the massive venue felt intimately connected. There were massive LED backdrops, pyrotechnics, and a stage design that resembled a post-apocalyptic city, The Weeknd created a world his fans can fully step into. Each performance is a visual and emotional journey, proving his artistry extends far beyond the studio.
This setlist was an expertly crafted flow—blending new and old, darkness and light, intimacy and spectacle. Each transition felt intentional, every highlight purposeful. From opener to closer, it was an unforgettable three‑hour ride through The Weeknd’s evolving sonic universe—captivating, cohesive, and emotionally resonant. A flawless fusion of storytelling, sound, and spectacle. dramatic lighting & emotional peaks.
For more info, please visit http://www.theweeknd.com