The Weeknd’s extraordinary performance electrified Manchester’s Etihad Stadium

Written by Chloe Buckley

Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, played two nights in Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium as part of the After Hours til Dawn Tour. Manchester was the first city that the Canadian artist hit for the European leg of this tour, and the second night was electric.

The Weeknd performing at Etihad Stadium last Friday night | Credit: Chloe Buckley

Following Playboi Carti’s opening performance, which included tracks such as ‘FE!N’, ‘Sky’ and ‘Type Shit’, the stage was set for The Weeknd’s return to the city after three years.

The new Sorayama statue in the centre of the stadium stood 40 feet tall as a masked The Weeknd took to the stage, along with performers in red robes, and opened with a shortened version of ‘Baptized in Fear’.

From here, The Weeknd transitioned between songs seamlessly. He played more songs from his latest album Hurry Up Tomorrow, including ‘Open Hearts’ and ‘Wake Me Up’, before flowing into the atmospheric ‘After Hours’.

After performing ‘Faith’, The Weeknd took his mask off to the sound of an erupting Etihad Stadium and Manchester were ready to witness the performance of a lifetime.

‘São Paulo’ was a definite highlight of the night, with the crowd going crazy for the Brazilian phone style song that had the bass pulsing through the stands.

Including interludes, The Weeknd played 37 songs from his lengthy discography, many of which were absolute classics like ’Starboy’, ‘Often’ and ’The Hills’.

Credit: Chloe Buckley

Around halfway through the set, Tesfaye invited Carti onto the stage to perform ‘Timeless’ and ‘RATHER LIE’. The Weeknd and Carti make a great pairing as their musical chemistry is clearly seen both on stage and in their studio tracks. ’Timeless’ was especially popular with the audience on Friday night.

The fan favourite song ‘Stargirl Interlude’, which features Lana Del Rey, was another track played while the stunning Sorayama statue slowly spun at the centre of the stage, glistening under the floodlights.

It was then the final stretch, mixing tracks from his latest album all the way back to Trilogy. Of course, Blinding Lights was placed near the end of the set, with the light up wristbands of every audience member illuminating the stadium.

‘House of Balloons’ was a personal favourite of mine, with massive balloons being thrown around the general admission area.

The final song of the night was ‘Moth to a Flame’, a collaboration that Tesfaye has with Swedish House Mafia. This was the perfect song to end the night with the pyrotechnics being the cherry on top.

When you have a sold-out stadium of 60,000 people equally screaming every word to your songs and staying on their feet for every moment even up in the stands, that’s when you know you’ve made a gripping show that people truly love and connect with.

The Weeknd is a generational talent. Even if this is his final tour under the name, there are no doubts that he will go make even more history.