Last year, Canadian singer The Weeknd released his third album, Starboy, to worldwide acclaim, and launched his Starboy: Legend of the Fall tour across Europe and North America to promote the album.

On May 18, The Weeknd arrived at Washington’s Verizon Center as the audience waited eagerly in anticipation. The show began suddenly, as the lights turned off, plunging the arena into darkness. Then, a starship descended from the ceiling as The Weeknd came out on stage to uproarious applause.

The Weeknd performed songs from both Starboy and his second album Beauty Behind the Madness at the concert, transitioning quickly from song to song while the audience kept pace.

The concert began with “Starboy,” The Weeknd’s latest Billboard Hot 100 number one, and continued with “Party Monster,” another frenetic and energetic tune that contributed to the audience’s fervor.

From then, the concert slowed pace, with hits like “Acquainted” and “Earned It,” performed. In addition, The Weeknd brought in Rae Sremmurd, the opening act, to perform “Black Beatles,” another recent Billboard Hot 100 number one.

The concert then ended with energetic hits such as “In The Night,” “Rockin’,” and finally with “The Hills.”

As a Weeknd fan, I came into the concert with high expectations, and yet The Weeknd managed to surpass my expectations. Unlike many other artists, he was a compelling live performer with lots of energy and skill in interacting with the audience.

The set and effects were absolutely amazing and created a uniquely powerful concert experience. The Weeknd’s powerful and versatile voice vibrated throughout the arena and the crowd also sang along for the vast majority of the concert. I left the Verizon Center with my voice almost lost and my ears almost deaf, but with no regrets.

It seemed that everyone, for a night, was able to forget their worries and instead enjoy The Weeknd’s captivating lyrical mastery.

10/5