From the opening notes of The Abyss, Abel Tesfaye drew 50,000 fans into a world designed to mesmerize. His return to Toronto marked a full-circle moment—scarlet-lit, stadium-sized, and rich with gratitude. The Weeknd guided the audience through a 40-song narrative that shimmered with memory, power, and an otherworldly sense of control.
The stage design revolved around a towering LED structure that morphed into a hallway, a skyline, a mirror—always alive, always watching. Every moment flowed seamlessly, a testament to Tesfaye’s mastery of sequencing and set design. Dancers in flowing red robes moved with an eerie stillness, channeling the tension of a fever dream. Their presence felt theatrical and ritualistic, adding depth to the world Tesfaye built note by note.
After Starboy, he removed his mask, revealing himself like a character stepping from myth into reality – whatever that is, as we know so little about him compared to other pop stars living on social media. The gesture echoed the Super Bowl moment that introduced many to his full creative vision—knowing, deliberate, and timed with precision. From After Hours to Save Your Tears, Tesfaye held the crowd in a trance, always in motion, always tethered to something larger than the sum of lights and beats.
The stretch from São Paulo to Save Your Tears carried a BPM pocket that sent shockwaves through the stadium floor. In this sequence, Tesfaye connected the emotional core of his catalog to the rhythm of a packed dancefloor. Each drop hit with the clarity of intention and the thrill of freedom.
Throughout the night, he moved like someone guiding a story, not just performing one. His voice soared across Wicked Games, Timeless, and House of Balloons with the same wounded clarity that first earned him a devoted following in Toronto. That connection remained strong as he paused to reflect on watching Blue Jays games in the very stadium where he now stood, bathed in gold light.
The concert featured over two dozen songs with more than a billion streams, but the show never relied on numbers alone. Every moment felt earned, shaped by Tesfaye’s vision and carried forward by the crowd’s devotion. With each song, he invited fans deeper into the narrative – even coming off-stage to have members of the audience sing along with him – one full of neon reflections, masked silhouettes, and music that moves from club to cathedral.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow presented Tesfaye with a key to the city ahead of his shows, and declared this weekend “The Weeknd Weekend.” In response, Tesfaye pledged support for new creative voices in Toronto, backing it with Live Nation to support the the Boys & Girls Club of West Scarborough and The Weeknd’s alma mater of Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute to create spaces for youth to connect, create and thrive. That generosity extended into the performance itself—designed not to prove anything, but to share everything. To bring you along for the ride, and to remind you that he’s the kind of guy that will always have a second location to take you to when going out – and you’ll love it.
With this first of four nights at the Rogers Centre, The Weeknd expanded his legacy while anchoring it firmly at home. After several past cancelations in the city for reasons not his doing, It was a coronation lit by every voice, every strobe, and every memory brought into the present, knowing he’s only 35 and 6 albums in. After last night, it’s proof he’s just getting started.