The concert of the year finally arrived on August 4, 2022, at Raymond James Stadium, when The Weeknd first appeared on stage singing Alone Again. 

Before the concert started, there was a thunderstorm that made fans doubt if The Weeknd would be performing. This storm caused the concert to be delayed by a couple of hours, and fans were not allowed to find their seats during this time. Since the entrance to seats was denied to fans for the first hour, the area near the restaurants and bathrooms was full of people sitting on the floor or picnic tables waiting for updates. I took this opportunity to eat before the concert started; my friend and I found a spot on the ground that wasn’t wet from the rain, which was coming in the building sideways. 

After the 2-hour delay consisting of sitting on wet seats and listening to Kaytranada (The Weeknd’s opening act) for 20 minutes- The Weeknd came out wearing a mask on top of a burning building set up on the stage. Throughout the performance, there were background dancers with sheets covering from their heads down to their ankles, appearing like ghosts, routinely walking up and down the stage, almost mimicking models at fashion shows. 

Before entrance into Raymond James Stadium, all guests received black rubber wristbands with a light on the center of the band. These would begin flashing during the songs I Feel It Coming, Less Than Zero, and Blinding Lights. Experiencing The Weeknd in person singing my favorite songs was amazing; what made it even better was all the fans singing in harmony. When the wristbands turned on, you could see all the audience members dancing and jumping to the rhythm of the songs being performed- which was an unforgettable experience. Senior Mary Anderson states, “The Weeknd concert was one of the best concerts I have ever been to; even with the rain delay, he still managed to put on a good show.” 

Throughout his performance, The Weeknd made comments between songs about how much Tampa means to him because it is where he sang for the Superbowl performance of 2021. He added that the Superbowl made all this possible and is very grateful for the opportunity it gave him. However, besides showing his appreciation for Tampa after a couple of songs, The Weeknd did very little to engage with the crowd throughout the concert. Because of this, the concert was not very long; it lasted from roughly 9 to 11 pm, not including the rain delay. 

My favorite songs performed during the concert include Take My Breath, Sacrifice, and Die For You. However, while songs like Less Than Zero and I Feel it Coming are not my favorite, the fact that those are the songs that the lights turned on made them among the best performed, in my opinion. 

Overall, I would say The Weeknd is the best concert I have ever attended, mainly because of the audience’s involvement. Also, his props on the stage with the burning city were unique and took the performance to the next level. Even though the concert did not start as planned, it ended with fans excited for his next performance. I know I will continue to have his songs on repeat until he returns to Tampa. 

Click here to listen to the Weeknd album!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lof4LwixOChTIwhwFhcNV?si=p1FGJ5RPQgaDYZk0FqpX1Q