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The Weeknd Paces Himself, From Doom-Rock Prelude Through Giddy Synth-Pop Climax, at Impressive SoFi Stadium Show: Concert Review
In performing the first of four concerts at SoFi Stadium, the Weeknd hit a lot of bases, from doom-rock to silky R&B to New Romantics-style synth-pop.
They have glowing orbs for eyes, against set design that shows a wrecked city full of scorched and toppled skyscrapers, as the star sings the foreboding “The Abyss,” which wonders aloud why personal lives should go on if the world is going to end. The only time a musician ever appeared on the big screens was a single shot of Mike Dean, the producer who opened the show with an instrumental set, letting loose with some arpeggios on an old-school synthesizer. And when it came to the actual audience, the Weeknd made sure to get some personal time in, stepping down from the B-stage and going up to the rail at one point to lead some of his ecstatic female fans in a charming group-sing of the “Dawn FM” track “Out of Time.” (Fortunately he got right back on stage before there were any awkward moments about whether to have them sing about “the heat between your legs” in the next song, “I Feel It Coming.”)
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