There are hometown shows and then there’s whatever that spectacle was Monday night at Rogers Centre. Global superstar Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd (for now), brought his “After Hours Til Dawn Tour” to downtown Toronto with a maximalist, post-apocalyptic pop opera that proved, despite the whispers of wanting to retire his Weeknd persona, he still reigns supreme.
Fresh off being handed the key to the city by Mayor Olivia Chow and receiving a full-blown civic proclamation declaring July 26-27th “The Weeknd Weekend,” Tesfaye treated the first of several back-to-back Toronto dates like a coronation. Hometown pride bled into every falsetto, every pyro blast, every theatrical camera angle, and every on-stage shoutout to Toronto. If this really is the beginning of the end for the Weeknd moniker, it’s one hell of a last lap.
Super producer Mike Dean opened the show on an ominous note, with his moody synths and thunderous guitar sounds fitting in perfectly on the dystopian set. Originally, rap chaos agent Playboi Carti was slated to bring his manic energy to the tour. In true Carti fashion, he couldn’t get into the country for the Canadian leg (naughty). Luckily, the switch-up gave us a golden consolation prize: none other than Montreal’s trendy DJ superstar Kaytranada. His set was sleek and sweaty, a bouncing blend of house, R&B, and buttery funk that turned the early crowd into a dancefloor, not just a warm-up act. That’s how you open a hometown show in style.
Then came the main event. Opening with “The Abyss” from his latest album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, Tesfaye emerged from a dystopian skyline bathed in crimson light. His stage? A shattered cityscape, equal parts Blade Runner and biblical reckoning. Accompanied by Mike Dean’s live synth sorcery and a team of masked dancers straight out of a cult horror movie, Tesfaye whipped through a catalogue of hits like “Save Your Tears,” “The Hills,” “Out of Time,” and “Take My Breath” with eerie precision and raw emotional weight.
Vocally, he was on. That falsetto still sounds so good. Tesfaye seemed more comfortable, cheeky and self-assured than he has in some time, which makes sense as his hometown faithful surrounded him. And the visuals? Flames, lasers, smoke, and a gigantic gold statue of a woman. It was all made even more magical with the Rogers Centre roof being open.
The crowd? In the palm of his hands all night. From OG Trilogy fans to newer ones who may have been introduced to him through HBO’s The Idol (God bless you), there was something for everyone on the set list. His stadium-ready synth-pop bangers “Blinding Lights” and “How Do I Make You Love Me” got the arena rocking. He also dipped into his alternative R&B bag with early hits like “Often” and “Kiss Land.”
Though he’s teased the end of The Weeknd character, tonight made it crystal clear: Abel Tesfaye isn’t done just yet. There’s too much electricity, too many moments left to create, too many pop hits still in the tank. Maybe the next era will be something new and reach even bigger heights, but for now, Toronto is basking in the glory of this Scarborough boy done good.
Tickets for the August 7-8 dates of the After Hours Til Dawn Tour can be found here.
