Our critic on Night 2 show

‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’: The Weeknd endures emotional turmoil

Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, plays an insomniac musician who goes on an existential journey with a young woman (Jenna Ortega) in “Hurry Up Tomorrow.”

• The dominant colors throughout the concert were red and blue, mirroring the contrasting palettes of the “After Hours” and “Dawn FM” album covers.
• The show had ebbs and flows — the energy peaking, then settling back down, feeling like a roller coaster with no end in sight.
• At the halfway mark, Tesfaye brought out Playboi Carti, who opened the show with Mike Dean.

From flames and fireworks to smoke machines and strobe lights, The Weeknd performed the show of a lifetime to a sold-out MetLife Stadium. 

The Weeknd, also known as Abel Tesfaye, returned to MetLife for a second night of the After Hours Til Dawn Tour. The electrifying show was a two-hour performance, consisting of 40 songs (setlist below) and featuring artists Mike Dean and Playboi Carti.

The setlist combined hits from his three most recent albums: “After Hours” (2020), “Dawn FM” (2022) and “Hurry Up Tomorrow” (2025), as well as fan favorites from “House of Balloons” (2011), “Beauty Behind the Madness” (2015) and “Starboy” (2016).

The Toronto-based artist captivated audiences with his falsetto vocals and bold visuals, lights, outfits and dancing. With “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” Tesfaye is now concluding his three-part musical trilogy, which explores major themes of chaos (“After Hours”), reflection (“Dawn FM”) and rebirth (“Hurry Up Tomorrow”). Each album delves deep into its respective theme, combining lyrics, light, fashion, dance, color and sound to convey the message.

From the second fans entered the arena, the energy was unbelievable. Audience members flaunted their black, red and gold outfits as they snapped photos nonstop. Fans poured into seats, wearing everything from polished leather jackets to sequins that glistened in the light.

The stage resembled a golden-colored city in ruins, the skyscrapers toppling over one another. Laid out in a cross-shaped design, smaller stages branched off to either side, and at its center stood a towering, metallic statue of a woman that glowed and rotated in tandem with The Weeknd’s movements across the stage.

The show began with an entourage of red-robed backup dancers huddled around The Weeknd. Moments later, they dispersed, leaving Tesfaye fully revealed to the crowd. Wearing a black mask, with eye holes glowing white, and a black robe bedazzled with gems, he opened with “Abyss” — and the crowd went crazy.

Tesfaye performed the first five songs wearing the mask while the synchronized backup dancers marched through the center stage aisles. After performing “Heartless,” he finally took off the mask, leaving fans awestruck and full of energy. The Weeknd put his hand over his heart, taking in the audience.

“It’s been too long, New York, it’s been too long. And I know we in Jersey tonight. How many people from Jersey out here too?” he said.

The crowd responded with plenty of cheers, and Tesfaye continued by performing major hits from his “Dawn FM” album, including “Take My Breath,” “Sacrifice” and “How Do I Make You Love Me?”

The dominant colors throughout the concert were red and blue, mirroring the contrasting palettes of the “After Hours” and “Dawn FM” album covers.

The Weeknd maintained high energy throughout the concert, strategically pacing his setlist by scattering crowd favorites across the night. One moment, fans were shouting lyrics at the top of their lungs; the next, they were captivated by his heart-wrenching, melancholic ballads. You didn’t know what to expect.

Tesfaye spent most of the night trotting down the cross-shaped stage layout, interacting with every section of the crowd. He prompted the left and right sides to put their hands up and wave their light-up wristlets, programmed to flash in sync with each song.

“I’m feeling night two,” Tesfaye said while looking into the crowd and nodding.

At the halfway mark, Tesfaye brought out Playboi Carti, who opened the show with Mike Dean, and fans erupted, causing the stadium to nearly shake. The Weeknd then went on the floor to sing “Out of Time” to a young woman, alternating the microphone between his face and hers.

“It might be MetLife night two for the win,” Tesfaye assured his fans.

The red-robed dancers re-emerged from time to time. The show had ebbs and flows — the energy peaking, then settling back down, feeling like a roller coaster with no end in sight.

The concert neared an end when fireworks during “Less Than Zero” lit up the sky with streaks of blazing red and orange — the heat radiating into the crowd.

To say the night was an out-of-body experience would be an understatement. The performance was a journey — one that tugged at heartstrings, energized and electrified fans, and stirred emotion. Every movement felt deliberate, every detail masterfully executed.

In an interview with Variety, Tesfaye alluded to his decision to retire his persona, The Weeknd, after releasing and touring “Hurry Up Tomorrow.” He is not quitting music, he said, but rather moving on to a bigger and better challenge.

At MetLife, The Weeknd poured every ounce of himself into the night. And if this truly marks the beginning of the end for The Weeknd as we know him, he’s making sure the final chapters are nothing short of unforgettable.

The Weeknd setlist, June 6, MetLife Stadium

1. The Abyss
2. Wake Me Up
3. After Hours
4. Starboy
5. Heartless
6. Faith
7. Take My Breath
8. Sacrifice
9. How Do I Make You Love Me
10. Can’t Feel My Face
11. Lost in the Fire
12. Kiss Land
13. Often
14. Given Up on Me
15. I was Never There
16. The Hills
17. Baptized in Fear
18. Open Hearts
19. Cry For Me
20. Sao Paulo
21. Timeless (with Playboi Carti)
22. Rather Lie (with Playboi Carti)
23. Creepin’
24. One of the Girls
25. Stargirl Interlude
26. Out of Time
27. I Feel it Coming
28. Die For You
29. Is There Someone Else?
30. Wicked Games
31. Call Out My Name
32. The Morning
33. Save Your Tears
34. Less Than Zero
35. Blinding Lights
36. Without a Warning
37. Reflections Laughing
38. High For This
39. House of Balloons
40. Moth to a Flame