The Weeknd is set to return to Australia in October 2024, bringing his After Hours Til Dawn stadium tour Down Under after initially postponing and then cancelling his 2023 dates.
The Australian and New Zealand leg was originally planned as one of the final stretches of his world tour before those dates were shelved.
The Canadian R&B superstar, born Abel Tesfaye, will kick off the 2024 leg on Oct. 5 at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, with a second show on Oct. 6, before heading to Sydney for back-to-back performances at Accor Stadium on Oct. 22 and 23.
These will be The Weeknd’s first stadium shows in Australia and his first visit since 2017. Special guests Mike Dean and Chxrry22, along with Australian DJ and vocalist, Anna Lunoe, will join him on all 2024 Australian dates.
However, fans in Brisbane and New Zealand, who were included in the cancelled 2023 tour, will be disappointed to learn that these locations are not part of the 2024 itinerary.
According to a statement from the tour’s press release: “Due to schedule and logistical constraints, the ‘After Hours ‘Til Dawn’ tour will not be making its way to New Zealand or Brisbane in 2024 and there will be no further cities added.”
This decision has sparked backlash on social media, with fans expressing frustration over their shows being dropped from the 2024 run.
One commenter noted on Reddit, “Not sure what logistical circumstances they’re trying to blame for not coming to Brisbane or even NZ. Suncorp Stadium literally has no event booked in October other than the Travis Scott show at the end of the month.” Another added, “Apparently it’s more logical to fly to Australia, fly back to the USA, fly back to Australia and then fly back again.”
Before announcing the 2024 Australian dates, The Weeknd performed numerous sold-out shows across the United States as part of the After Hours Til Dawn tour.
The U.S. leg included notable performances at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where he fans with a setlist featuring hits from After Hours and Dawn FM.
In a statement about the upcoming shows in Australia this October, The Weeknd said, “I feel a strong pull to perform in Australia before moving on to the next chapter and want to make sure you all know I hadn’t forgotten about you. When I return now, it will be the right time, and I promise it will be such a special experience. I can’t wait to see you all!”
For 2023 ticket holders, a special ‘Past Purchaser Presale‘ will be available, offering the first opportunity to secure tickets for the upcoming Australian tour dates.
The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn tour has been a global success, with over 60 sold-out stadium dates and more than 3 million attendees across North America, Europe, the U.K., and Latin America. The tour has also broken attendance records, including a two-night run at London Stadium that drew 160,000 fans.
In other recent news, earlier this month it was revealed The Weeknd will return to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood on Sept. 5 with The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy, an immersive haunted house experience featuring music by The Weeknd and Mike Dean.
It follows the success of his 2022 After Hours Nightmare attraction, inspired by his Billboard 200-topping album After Hours.
The Weeknd After Hours Til Dawn 2024 Australia Tour Dates:
Oct. 5 – Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Oct. 6 – Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Oct. 22 – Accor Stadium, Sydney
Oct. 23 – Accor Stadium, Sydney
The post “The Weeknd Reschedules Australia Tour, Skips NZ and Brisbane” by Jessica Lynch was published on 08/19/2024 by www.billboard.com