The Weeknd finds magic in the dark to kick off two-night Detroit stand at Ford Field
The Weeknd summoned musical rapture from the ruins of an otherworldly wasteland inside Ford Field on Saturday night.
Broad in imagination, grand in scope, the R&B superstar's cinematic spectacular played out for a packed and exuberant crowd at the downtown stadium to kick off a two-night Detroit stand.
The concert was part of the Weeknd's long, ever-morphing After Hours Til Dawn Tour, which originally brought him to Ford Field in 2022. Saturday's show deepened the post-apocalyptic chill of that night three years ago; the crumbling cityscape that surrounded him then has given way to the rubble of fallen buildings and a vast video backdrop crawling with trippy visuals.
Returning to the no-expense-spared production were dozens of mysterious, red-cloaked figures who solemnly crept across the stage for much of the evening in a kind of surreal druid ritual. The show's new cross-shaped runway configuration featured a towering, sexy-robot statue designed by Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama.
Still, amid the cyberpunk dystopia, a Saturday night party extravaganza blossomed. Songs flowed into one another like a live mixtape, with fans across the stadium belting along ecstatically as each new tune arrived. There was less aloofness in the Weeknd's presence this time, as he played to the crowd with frequent exclamations of 'Detroit!' and interacted with fans in the front rows.
New to the proceedings were 11 numbers from 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,' his recent sixth album, part of a set list that mingled crowd-pleasing hits with deeper cuts to service the diehards.
Night one at Ford Field drew a slew of fans from neighboring Canada, including many from the Weeknd's Toronto hometown, where he'll play a pair of shows in July. It was part of a lively and crowded night in downtown Detroit, including a Tigers game next door, the riverside Movement festival and its array of associated parties, and preparations for next weekend's Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.
The Weeknd was in strong voice for most of the night, though it's clear the 35-year-old has begun adapting his falsetto-rich studio style to suit the rigors of a global tour. It all unfolded atop a shimmering instrumental soundscape led by keyboardist Mike Dean, who deftly manned a corner of the stage amid his battery of synths.
Ford Field is the second stop on the tour's fourth and final leg, though it came more than two weeks after opening night in Arizona. That down time was occupied with the May 16 premiere of 'Hurry Up Tomorrow,' the Weeknd-starring companion film to the new album, and he took the opportunity to shake up the set list, swapping in the old-school fan faves 'Kiss Land' and 'High for This' among other tweaks.
Following the dark, twinkling show opener 'The Abyss,' the 2-hour, 5-minute set tapped the Weeknd's assorted sonic shades: futuristic club pop ('Take My Breath'), slow burners ('Creepin',' 'Niagara Falls'), warm and melodic new wave ('Save Your Tears,' 'Less than Zero'), simmering anxiety turned into galloping salvation ("Baptized in Fear"), lush throwbacks drenched in '80s charms ('Out of Time,' 'I Feel it Coming').
Rapper Playboy Carti, who had been a bit of an odd fit as opening act, returned to the stage to join the Weeknd to revisit their recent collabs 'Timeless' and 'Rather Lie.'
'Blinding Lights' — the eternally infectious, dayglo-streaked hit that stands as the most-streamed song in history — was the inevitable climax late in the show. It was followed by a wind-down that ultimately culminated with 'Moth to a Flame' and a few final fiery blasts from the flame projectors that had been busy across the stadium all night.
The Weeknd and company will do it again Sunday night at Ford Field as the After Hours Til Dawn tour kicks into high gear for its final run across North America. (Note for ticketholders: The Weeknd took the stage Saturday at 9:12 p.m.)
Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: The Weeknd finds magic in the dark to kick off two-night Detroit stand
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