Concerts

Weeknd on Thursday

September 1, 2025

850

Written by: Christie Bilbo

Photos by: Abbie Respondek

On Thursday night (8.28.25), AT&T Stadium hosted a sold-out two-night event featuring The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, and Mike Dean. Each night, the stadium drew a crowd of 42,000, making it a vibrant and lively venue.

The After House Til Dawn Tour definitely lasted longer and featured more songs than any other concert I’ve attended. The Weeknd ensured that attendees got their money’s worth by performing a setlist of 42 songs.

With doors opening at 5:30 p.m., the entry lines moved quickly. Although the merchandise lines were much longer, fans waited over 30-45 minutes for their shirts. Despite the heat and humidity, a crowd of people was gathered around the tents, eagerly scrambling for their purchases.

Upon entering the stadium, I was greeted by people handing out bracelets. Unaware of their purpose, I asked, “They will flash with the music during the show. Afterward, you’ll need to return it.” As I strapped the bracelet on, I was eager to see how it would function and what it would do.

Tickets for the show sold out quickly. Basic seats in the upper deck ranged from about $45 to $6, while floor seats, VIP packages, and premium seating started at $750. Resale prices soared to $2000 or more. Despite these high prices, thousands of people still filled AT&T Stadium.

Parking was straightforward to access, with prices beginning at $40 and many spots available on the stadium grounds and nearby. Golf carts were abundant, providing rides for those who chose them, which made entering the stadium quite convenient. The only difficulty was for the thousands of women wearing stiletto shoes who bravely marched on—quite crazy!

Promptly at 7 p.m., Mike Dean energized the stage with his instrumental performances. As the audience began entering the stadium, their ears were delighted with electric keyboard melodies, and his image was broadcast on the large screens around the venue.

Following Mike Dean, the crowd erupted as Playboi Carti took the stage. He and his entourage entered at 8:15 p.m. and entertained the audience with five songs.:

Evil Jordan
FE!N
Sky
Timeless
Like Weezy

The girls were loudly screaming while he was entertaining the crowd. I had front-row seats right next to the stage. Two young women in their early 20s pushed past me, eager to get photos. As they shouted, “He’s so beautiful,” and shoved me to move, I realized I needed to stand my ground at the concert for the first time in a while. When they started shoving, I pushed back, and eventually, they stopped. It turned out they didn’t even have those seats—they had snuck in and were later asked by security to move to their proper seats.

When The Weeknd finally appeared on stage, his singing was drowned out by the roaring crowd. The backdrop depicted a dystopian skyline with a collapsed building. The stage was designed in the shape of a cross, with gold hoops at the ends of each arm. At the center, a large gold statue of a naked woman wearing a visor appeared to be flying.

I had noticed women in the crowds dressed entirely in red, with veils covering their heads, but I wasn’t sure of the reason until The Weeknd’s dance troupe appeared. They were also dressed in red veils, gloves, shoes, and tights, with half-gold masks obscuring their faces. The women then formed two lines on either side of the cross, moving slowly and deliberately in a sequence of movements.

The Weeknd was dressed in bejeweled, priest-like robes, wearing a mask similar to the women in red but illuminated through the eye holes. It resembled a Star Wars costume, particularly when the lights were on. After several songs, as he slowly removed the mask, the crowd’s screams became so intense they were deafening.

The pyrotechnics during the show were impressive, especially given the setup. The golden statue woman would emit smoke from her mouth, and her eyes would glow. She would rotate to face the direction where The Weeknd was standing.

For someone with an incredible setlist, I was impressed that he managed to sing and entertain the crowd with 42 songs. Two of these songs featured Playboi Carti joining in. To the crowd’s delight, it was truly an amazing concert.

It would be interesting to see the total dollar amount from his tour. From what I understand, he’s selling out every show, which is incredible. I feel happy seeing so many fans come together to watch their favorite artist perform. This is what life is about — being entertained and living it to the fullest.