The Weeknd in Foxborough, MA – June 11, 2025
Abel Tesfaye, stage name; The Weeknd performed for a sold out crowd Wednesday night during his two show performance at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. He was accompanied by openers Mike Dean, a producer, instrumentalist and long time collaborator and friend, along with American rapper Playboy Carti. This was the 5th stop on his “After Hours Till Dawn Tour” which started back in May.
The Weeknd
The opening of the show felt like something out of a movie, with a crumbling city set on stage and dancers decked out in head to toe red seemingly appearing out of thin air. The Weeknd took to the stage in an all black and gold bedazzled outfit complete with a gold mask and glowing eyes – the effect was breathtaking. From the moment the show started, until its very end I was blown away by the creativity of the production and stage setup. Every person upon entering was given a light up wristband and I love when artists do this, because it allows a big stadium venue to feel more intimate and connected. There were pyrotechnics, lasers, multiple stages, and everything was thought of – down to the tiniest of details. For instance, even the side of the catwalks had lighting bolts carved into them that would light up and make the stage appear as if it were cracking and shaking.
But more than anything, I was most impressed with The Weeknd himself. His vocals were incredible, and some of, if not the best I’ve ever heard live. He would start singing these beautiful riffs and ad libbing in things about Boston and the crowd, before seamlessly jumping back into a song. He took time to interact with fans, even going so far as to hand over his microphone to a girl in the crowd, before giving her a hug – a moment I’m sure she will never forget. Overall he seemed energetic, happy and honestly just grateful to be there performing. He took multiple pauses to stop and just look out at the stadium, with a smile on his face, just taking in the moment. It was really refreshing to see an artist so full of life and love for his fans.
The Weeknd performed 42 songs, totaling over two hours and it still seemed like he could have gone on longer. He finished with his hit song “Moth to a Flame,” which historically he has set off fireworks for. Some fans left disappointed that this was not the case at Gillette, though it was theorized this could have been due to the rain the night before. The highlights of the show for me were his performances of “Blinding Lights,” “Call Out My Name” and “The Hills.” You could feel the electric energy of the crowd and with everyone jumping up and down and dancing, if one were to pause and stand still you could literally feel the stands at Gillette shaking, something I had never experienced before. This performance was unlike anything I had ever seen and I left feeling overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions in the best way possible. The Weeknd will be continuing on his tour through August, and I highly recommend checking it out if you have the chance to.
