The Weeknd // From Scarborough to Miami

Are we as a Black Toronto/Canadian population giving The Weeknd proper accolades, respect, and credit for how fucking amazing he is? Do we realize that [yet another] one of our homegrown musicians is one of the greatest entertainers in the world right now? Not Drake. Not Bieber. We have The Weeknd: this legend, as well.

I am still on my high from Saturday night's concert at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, where I travelled from Toronto to join approximately 60,000 other music lovers for what would be a spectacular musical experience. The After Hours Til Dawn Tour was supposed to kick off in Toronto on July 8, but thanks to the Rogers outage, had to be postponed until September 22 (the last date of the 19-date North American tour). 

He tried to pay homage to his beloved Toronto early, but circumstances wouldn't allow that moment to happen. 

But it happened for me in Florida, this past weekend. I couldn't have possibly been any further from the stages, but I swear I felt that music. From the third level. And as a fellow Canadian, I actually felt proud too. Proud about how normal it was for me to travel from Toronto, to see a Black Toronto artist...in a successful stadium tour.

The opening from DJ/producer Kaytranda complimented the city I was fortunate enough to visit. It vibrated and echoed like Miami should: sensual, psychedelic, brilliant, and groovy. There is something unexplainable about the energy of Miami, and the evening's show managed to encapsulate The Weeknd's own unique sound and style, but still give it that obvious touch of electricity that only Miami encompasses.

The Weeknd fans covered every demographic possible: teens, older adults, Black, white, Latino, brown, Asian...they were all there. They were all excited. They were all singing along word for word, and never sat down from the second Abel's band began to play their ominous opening notes, until the lights came on. Dedicated ass fans.

I'm still in awe, because I haven't seen that type of musical energy...in that way, truly since I saw Prince perform back in 2004 at the Air Canada Centre. Hands down the BEST live show I've ever been to (and I've been to a lot), Prince was unexplainably magical.

 

 But this brother. Abel. He's something special, too. 

I'm not sure if it's his humility, or the "pop" sound to his music that makes me feel that we are not quite giving this artist the extreme accolades he deserves. I mean, the Grammy's, the SuperBowl, and every musical chart will tell us. He's a bigger star than we probably even acknowledge.

We treat Abel different than we treat Drake and other Toronto artists.

We have The Weeknd in a different category, which is odd, because he's come from the same streets as the rest of them. Rode the same 401, and grew up with the same people we know, or know of. He's in a different lane, for some reason.

So reflecting on his show this weekend, I realize that I am guilty of not exalting this artist the way that I should be. I've always respected him and enjoyed his music, but now that I have experienced his live show and it's every bit as vibrational as I imagined it would be, I have officially transitioned into a different level of Abel fan.

The entire production was spectacular. His artistry inspired me, and the experience was seamless in transition and presentation.

He inspired me, which is the only request I have from any artist I encounter. I might even buy a ticket to see the show again, when he returns to Toronto. If there are any available.

He's that good. 

 

Written by Stacey Marie Robinson for Kya Publishing's "Reflection & Reason" blog.