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How the Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn Tour is taking the world by storm!

The Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn Tour is taking the music world by storm, leaving a trail of sold-out stadiums, attendance records, and a jaw-dropping production that has fans and critics alike in awe. With over $350 million in gross earnings and numerous milestones reached, this tour has solidified its place as one of the most significant music events of the decade.


background stars with text of the tour and a figure breathing fire
The Weeknd's after hours til dawn tour poster

The Evolution of the Tour


The After Hours Til Dawn Tour began in 2022 and is set to continue into late 2023, covering North America, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania. Originally planned as an arena tour in support of his "After Hours" album, the tour had to adapt due to the challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It transitioned into a stadium tour to accommodate the demand for tickets and the evolving restrictions on indoor gatherings.



Record-Breaking Success

The Weeknd, the chart-topping Canadian singer, kicked off his After Hours Til Dawn Tour in 2022, and it has been nothing short of a massive success. The tour has grossed more than $350 million worldwide, with the North American leg alone raking in $148 million. As he ventures into the European and Latin American phases of the tour, The Weeknd's earnings continue to soar, surpassing the $350 million mark.


city landscape with a red light and a planet in the sky
City landscape built for the tour. image from Es Devlin

Attendance Record Shattered


One of the standout achievements of the tour was the historic two-night performance at London Stadium on July 7 and 8. The Weeknd broke the venue's attendance record with a staggering 160,000 concertgoers over these two nights. Notably, the July 8 show saw the highest single-night attendance at the London Stadium, with over 80,000 fans in attendance. The Weeknd's ability to draw such massive crowds in a single city is a testament to his global appeal.


The tour also made waves in other parts of the world. On July 22 and 23, The Weeknd performed at Allianz Riviera in France, where he achieved the highest number of tickets sold in the city's history, totaling an impressive 70,000. In Italy, on July 26 and 27, The Weeknd became the first artist to sell out two consecutive nights at Milan's Ippodromo La Maura, with approximately 160,000 fans attending these historic shows.


The Weeknd continued to make history in England, with a performance at Wembley Stadium on August 18. This event saw The Weeknd sell the most tickets for a concert with the "traditional concert set-up" at Wembley Stadium, totaling 87,000 tickets sold. The Weeknd's ability to consistently fill stadiums with enthusiastic fans speaks to his status as a global music icon.


Innovative Production

main stage showing the city landscape and beams of lights with a crowd
Main stage. Image from Kvant Lasers

One of the standout features of The Weeknd's tour is its groundbreaking production. The lighting rig alone includes a staggering array of equipment, including Claypaky Sharpy Plus units, VL3600 Wash FX units, VL4000 BeamWashes, Robe Spiiders, GLP FR10 bars, Chauvet COLORado PXL Bar 16s, Acme Thunderbolt strobes, TMB Solaris FLARE strobes, and more. The challenge was to create visually stunning and unique looks with over 1,100 lighting units while maintaining a sense of freshness throughout the entire show.



A Visual and Sonic Spectacle

The Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn Tour is not just a concert; it's a multi-sensory experience. The production features an enormous LED wall, an intricate cityscape, a massive moon, and a performance runway spanning hundreds of feet. The creative vision for the tour was brought to life by Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd), creative director La Mar Taylor, and production designer Es Devlin.


The cityscape design draws inspiration from dystopian movies, creating a surreal and immersive environment that transports the audience to a different world. The production also incorporates a narrative element, making it more than just a concert but a rock opera.


taken from the crowd showing the stage with beams of light in the sky

Pushing Boundaries

The Weeknd's tour pushes the boundaries of what is possible in concert production. It seamlessly integrates lighting, video, special effects, and pyrotechnics to create a visual spectacle that complements the music. With a massive LED wall, transformative environmental imagery, and a focus on audience lighting, the tour blurs the line between reality and fantasy.


Sound and Technology

The audio production is equally impressive, with a massive PA system featuring Clair Global's Cohesion Series CO-12 speakers. Front-of-house engineer Derek Brener faced challenges due to the elaborate video setup but found innovative solutions to deliver a powerful and cohesive sound experience. The tour also incorporates playback elements, given the electronic nature of The Weeknd's music.


A Cultural Phenomenon





The Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn Tour is not just a concert tour; it's a cultural phenomenon. It showcases the artist's ability to connect with fans on a massive scale and solidifies his position as a global superstar. The combination of innovative production, record-breaking attendance, and a diverse setlist featuring hits from "After Hours" and other chart-topping albums makes this tour a must-see event for music enthusiasts worldwide.


As the tour continues to captivate audiences around the globe, The Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn Tour stands as a testament to the power of live music and the ability of an artist to create a lasting impact on the world stage.



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