The Weeknd is set to perform at FedEx Field in Landover, MD on Thursday, July 21, 2022 as part of his After Hours Til Dawn tour. As one of the biggest pop stars in the world right now, The Weeknd always brings along impressive opening acts to kick off his shows. For his upcoming FedEx Field show, The Weeknd has tapped two exciting artists to get the crowd hyped up before he hits the stage.
Doja Cat
Headlining the list of openers for The Weeknd’s FedEx Field show is Doja Cat. The Grammy-winning singer and rapper has become one of the most popular new artists over the past few years thanks to hits like “Say So,” “Kiss Me More,” and “Woman.” Doja Cat is known for her unique and eclectic style that often fuses pop, R&B, rap, and electronic music influences. She’s an energetic performer who knows how to command the stage and get fans on their feet.
Doja Cat just released her third studio album, Planet Her, in 2021. It spawned the number one hit “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA as well as the tracks “You Right” and “Need to Know.” Fans can expect Doja Cat to perform her recent hits along with earlier smashes like “Juicy” and “Rules” during her FedEx Field opening set.
Mike Dean
In addition to Doja Cat, producer and musician Mike Dean will also open the show at FedEx Field. Mike Dean is best known for his work with artists like Kanye West, Travis Scott, and 2 Chainz. He’s produced a number of The Weeknd’s hits over the years, including “Wicked Games,” “The Morning,” and “Hurricane.” Mike Dean frequently joins The Weeknd on tour to perform as part of his backing band.
For the FedEx Field show, Mike Dean will take the stage ahead of The Weeknd to get fans excited with a DJ set. He’ll likely remix and mash up The Weeknd’s songs along with other unexpected choices. Mike Dean’s opening set is a chance for him to show off his skills on the keyboard, synthesizers, and other instruments. Fans can expect a high energy blend of The Weeknd’s music with Mike Dean’s inventive production style.
Set Times
Doja Cat and Mike Dean will alternate opening duties throughout The Weeknd’s tour. The typical set times for a Weeknd show are:
- 7:00 pm – Doors Open
- 8:00 pm – Mike Dean
- 8:30 pm – Doja Cat
- 9:30 pm – The Weeknd
These set times are still subject to change, especially for a stadium show like FedEx Field. Fans should plan to arrive early to catch both Doja Cat and Mike Dean’s opening sets ahead of The Weeknd’s headlining performance.
About the After Hours Til Dawn Tour
The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn tour is in support of his 2020 album After Hours and his recent 2022 album Dawn FM. He’s treating fans to hit after hit during these shows. Along with the two album namesakes, The Weeknd is performing smashes like:
- “Blinding Lights”
- “Can’t Feel My Face”
- “Starboy”
- “I Feel It Coming”
- “Save Your Tears”
- “Earned It”
He’s also including newer songs from Dawn FM like “Out of Time,” “How Do I Make You Love Me?” and “Take My Breath.” The Weeknd is well-known for his theatrical concerts complete with costume changes, staging, and more. He collabed with some top creatives to make the After Hours Til Dawn shows a full immersive experience for fans.
The Weeknd’s History with FedEx Field
This won’t be the first time The Weeknd has played FedEx Field. He previously headlined the stadium on his Starboy: Legend of the Fall Tour back in 2017. His return to the Landover stadium comes after massive tours and success over the past five years. The Weeknd’s popularity has continued to soar, making him one of the only artists capable of headlining a stadium show right now.
The Weeknd also has a connection to the Maryland area. He lived in Silver Spring for a few years during his childhood after immigrating from Canada. Experiencing his youth in the DMV area must make these FedEx Field shows even more special for the singer.
How to Get Tickets
The Weeknd’s show at FedEx Field is one of the hottest tickets of the summer. While the show has understandably been in high demand, there are still ways for fans to secure tickets:
- Check official ticket resale sites like VividSeats, StubHub, or SeatGeek for seats being resold by other fans.
- Prices often drop closer to the event as sellers lower costs to offload extra tickets.
- Purchase official Platinum seats from Ticketmaster which are premium tickets in prime locations.
- Arrive early on the day of the show and inquire about last minute ticket releases or upgrades at the box office.
- Enter contests and giveaways through local radio stations for a chance to win free tickets.
With Doja Cat and Mike Dean opening ahead of a full headline set from The Weeknd, his FedEx Field show is bound to be one of the top concerts of the whole summer. Fans won’t want to miss seeing this stadium spectacle live!
HTML Tables Comparing Tour Details
After Hours Tour vs. After Hours Til Dawn Tour Setlists
Here is a comparison of common songs in The Weeknd’s setlists between his 2020 After Hours tour and his current After Hours Til Dawn stadium shows:
After Hours Tour Setlist | After Hours Til Dawn Tour Setlist |
---|---|
Blinding Lights | Blinding Lights |
Save Your Tears | Can’t Feel My Face |
In Your Eyes | Earned It |
Can’t Feel My Face | House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls |
I Feel It Coming | How Do I Make You Love Me? |
Starboy | I Feel It Coming |
Heartless | In Your Eyes |
Often | Often |
Wicked Games | Save Your Tears |
The Hills | Starboy |
Call Out My Name | Take My Breath |
After Hours Tour Stage Production vs. After Hours Til Dawn Stage Production
After Hours Tour | After Hours Til Dawn Tour |
---|---|
Smaller venues like arenas | Large-scale stadiums |
Intimate atmosphere with mood lighting | Flashy lasers, pyrotechnics and big LED screens |
Minimalist set design | Full replica cityscape set |
The Weeknd appeared in character with bloody makeup and bandages for storytelling | The Weeknd appears without blood and bandages |
Focus on The Weeknd’s vocals | Bigger live band sound |
Surprise guest appearances | Opening acts Doja Cat and Mike Dean |
While the After Hours Til Dawn Tour is on a much larger scale production wise, The Weeknd still manages to strike a balance between the spectacle and his stellar live vocals and performance. His creative vision comes through vividly in both intimate and stadium settings.
The Weeknd’s Musical Milestones Throughout His Career:
Year | Milestone |
---|---|
2010 | Uploads first songs to YouTube under the name “The Weeknd” |
2011 | Releases the mixtapes House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence |
2012 | Compiles mixtapes into album Trilogy and begins first tour |
2013 | Releases debut studio album Kiss Land |
2015 | Earns first #1 Billboard 200 album with Beauty Behind the Madness and Grammy nomination for “Earned It” |
2016 | Wins 2 Grammys for “Earned It” and releases smash album Starboy |
2018 | My Dear Melancholy debuts at #1 on Billboard 200 |
2020 | After Hours spawns hit singles “Heartless,” “Blinding Lights,” and “In Your Eyes” |
2022 | Releases Dawn FM and embarks on global stadium tour |
Tracking The Weeknd’s career path shows his steady progression from mysterious R&B artist to global pop superstar. He has continued to expand his sound and success with each album era.
Additional Background on The Weeknd
Early Life and Career Beginnings
The Weeknd was born as Abel Tesfaye in 1990 in Toronto, Canada. He dropped out of high school at age 17 and briefly attended a local community college. The Weeknd has cited a wide range of musical influences from Michael Jackson to indie rock to Ethiopian music.
He began pursuing music in 2007 by uploading tracks to YouTube under pseudonyms like “The Noise.” His early work caught the attention of fellow Torontonian Drake who helped promote The Weeknd’s music. The Weeknd steadily built an underground following and his debut mixtape House of Balloons was released for free online in 2011, introducing his signature dark R&B sound.
Breakthrough with Trilogy Album
The Weeknd continued developing his music on the follow up mixtapes Thursday and Echoes of Silence. In 2012, he compiled the mixtapes into the album Trilogy which was released by Republic Records along with his first national tour. Trilogy debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 and built major buzz for The Weeknd as an artist to watch.
Around this time, The Weeknd collaborated with artists like Wiz Khalifa, Sia, and Ariana Grande while working on his official debut album. He steadily earned more mainstream attention while maintaining his mysterious public persona by declining interviews and only appearing in promotional photos with black and white filters.
Continued Success with Beauty Behind the Madness & Starboy
The Weeknd’s sophomore album Beauty Behind the Madness arrived in 2015 and became his first #1 Billboard 200 release. Powered by hit singles like “Can’t Feel My Face,” “The Hills,” and “Earned It,” the album also won The Weeknd his first Grammy awards.
His 2016 follow up Starboy repeated the success, debuting at #1 with the smash title track featuring Daft Punk. The album produced multiple more hits like “I Feel It Coming” and “False Alarm” while The Weeknd collaborated with artists like Lana Del Rey during this era.
Recent Projects
After teasing new music in 2018 with the surprise EP My Dear Melancholy, The Weeknd unveiled his fourth album After Hours in early 2020. It contained his biggest hit to date “Blinding Lights” which broke the record for most weeks spent in the Billboard Hot 100 top 10. The album’s follow up Dawn FM arrived in January 2022 led by singles like “Take My Breath.”
Now on his After Hours Til Dawn stadium tour, The Weeknd continues reaching new heights as a live performer. He regularly collaborates with the biggest names in music and frequently appears on soundtracks from Top Gun: Maverick to The Hunger Games. Having successfully transitioned from indie artist to mainstream superstar, The Weeknd remains one of today’s most compelling and unpredictable musical artists.