Macey Chelstrom

Fans from across the state flocked to the Xcel Energy Center for the much anticipated The Weeknd concert on Sunday, Sept. 24.  Expectations were high as tickets were anything but cheap.  People of all ages, genders, and backgrounds swarmed the merch stands when the doors swung open at 6:30 p.m.  Fans were willing to drop anywhere from thirty dollars for a hat to an eighty dollar sweatshirt, anything to commemorate the night of music to come.

As the seats of the arena began to fill to capacity, the lights dimmed for the first opening act, NAV. There were mixed emotions among the crowd as avid fans of the rap artist screamed with delight while others were less amused and sat waiting for the true show to begin.

Gucci Mane followed Nav as the second opening act, proving to be a disappointment as he did not play some of his most popular and expected songs, such as Met Gala. However, he did humor the crowd by performing the song Both, which is a Drake song he is featured on.

Two hours of opening act music, and a brief intermission later, the lights dimmed for the third time.  The entire arena held their breaths with anticipation. Music began to play and a single spotlight shone down onto the stage as held breaths turned into an eruption of cheers and applause when the electric voice of The Weeknd’s headman opened with his hit Starboy (the name of the tour and his latest album).  Phones were whipped out of pockets to begin recording before he had a chance to hit the first note.

He continued to play hit after hit, some from Starboy, and others from his original albums such as House of Balloons or Beauty Behind the Madness. The band sounded even better live than when I stream it through my car speakers from Spotify or Soundcloud.  In my section, unfortunately, my groups mad enthusiasm of singing and flailing our arms was not reciprocated by the people around us.  I apologize to those seated near me taking videos around me which most likely have my tone-deaf voice in the background.

About halfway through the show, while in between songs, The Weeknd was met with applause I have not heard at any concerts I have attended. Cheers and screams lasted for around five minutes after a song, in love and admiration for the singer. It got to the point where he had to politely shush his adoring fans so he could continue his set, but not until he soaked in the praise himself.

The crew of the tour also deserves a shout out for the show’s intricate lights system which involved a triangular shaped structure suspended from the ceiling. Each song brought a different showcase of colors and lighting patterns.

Overall, the show was well worth the money spent, considering the rising prices of concerts.  As a dedicated fan, the show far surpassed my expectations; and I would not trade the ringing ears and light-headed feeling afterwards from singing along with the lyrics for the world.