Review: The Weeknd After Hours til Dawn concert in Santiago, Chile

REVIEW:

Weekend lit up the stage in Santiago, Chile on Sunday with a thrilling night of hit after hit.

This was one of the most impressive live performances I’ve ever seen and given the big, bold nature of the show, there certainly can’t be a bad seat in the house, which is great news for anyone heading to his New Zealand shows. December.

Before we talk about the songs, I have to say that the production on this show is out of this world.

From the skyline backdrop to the giant inflatable moon, no expense or creativity was spared in this colossal production. There were laser lights, spotlights, a giant robot statue, flames galore… let’s just say it wasn’t boring.

The pyrotechnics were so epic that the heat of the flames could be felt even from the stands. The glow bracelets really got the crowd to come to the show. The Weeknd’s band was placed on top of buildings and his drummer was killing it.

All this creates a fascinating fantasy world that comes to life on stage.

This was my first visit to Chile and the Chilean fans were delighted with the performance (as was I). After a couple of years without major performances, it was clear that fans were excited to return to a stadium of this size.

The Weeknd joined the crowd and even shared his microphone for Out of time. The fans went crazy. There were tears, hugs and the most piercing fan singing I’ve ever heard, but it was magical.

The big sing-alongs were a crowd favorite. In your eyes was a personal favorite. Doja Cat wasn’t in attendance, but his saxophone solo was incredible. The show went on for two and a half hours without interruption – he barely stopped to catch his breath. After five songs in the show, I thought, “He’s already played all the cool songs, what is he going to play for the rest of the show?” but he continued to strike blow after blow. Now I realize how many great songs The Weeknd has.

I was very impressed with his vocals. None of these songs are easy to sing, but even after two hours of performance they still sounded fantastic and hit every note.

What was surprising about this big, loud and at times over-the-top show was that there were still intimate moments. The night’s peace has slowed down Earned And Say my name.

There were 36,000 people in attendance at the Estadio Bicentenario de la Florida stadium. Each of them made themselves known. It was one of the loudest crowds I’ve ever been a part of. Fans were there for The Weeknd in those humbler moments, too. Chileans are so passionate, it’s really nice to see. By the end of the set there wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd – I love live music moments.

It was interesting to see the lineup of people on the show. All age groups were truly represented there, from small children on the shoulders of their parents to the girl standing a few rows behind me who had brought her grandmother to the show. It’s not surprising, really—his fans not only love the music, but also the often quirky music videos that The Weeknd puts out, his controversial leading role on TV shows. Idol and even his dating history.

The Weeknd played for over two hours and never slowed down. If you’re looking for a fun night out, I highly recommend trying to catch his gigs at Eden Park in December. I will definitely go to this show in the second round. Eden Park may not be serving popcorn like he did at his Chile show, but trust me, I want to experience this show again.

He hinted that this could be his last tour with The Weeknd. You may have noticed back in May that he changed all of his social media handles to his real name, Abel Tesfaye. I imagine the music won’t be much different, but this will probably be your last chance to see The Weeknd live.

Tickets for The Weeknd are on sale now LiveNation.co.nz.