You know that feeling when the lights go up after a stadium show? You’re sweaty, your ears are ringing, and you’re clutching a $50 t-shirt like it’s a holy relic. That is basically the energy surrounding the after hours til dawn shop. Abel Tesfaye—better known as The Weeknd—didn't just launch a tour; he launched a literal aesthetic movement that redefined what concert merchandise is supposed to look like in the 2020s.
Merch used to be an afterthought. It was a Gildan tee with some dates on the back. But the After Hours Til Dawn tour changed the math.
We’re talking about a multi-year global trek that spanned the After Hours and Dawn FM eras, blending 80s synth-pop noir with purgatorial, existential dread. The shop reflects that. It isn't just "buying a shirt." It is about buying into the narrative of the character Abel spent years building—the red suit, the bandages, the chrome mask, and the Sorayama-inspired robots. Honestly, it’s a lot to process, but fans ate it up.
What Actually Happened With the After Hours Til Dawn Shop?
When the tour finally kicked off after multiple COVID-related delays, the online shop became the primary hub for fans who couldn't make it to the stadiums. It wasn't just a basic Shopify store. It functioned as a rotating gallery of collaborations.
You had the high-fashion crossovers with MSCHF and Chinatown Market. You had the limited edition vinyl drops that sent Discogs prices into a tailspin. People weren't just looking for clothes; they were looking for pieces of the "XO" universe. The shop frequently updated based on which leg of the tour was active—North America, Europe, or Latin America—often featuring location-specific graphics that made the items feel like actual trophies.
There’s a specific nuance here that most people miss. The after hours til dawn shop wasn't just selling "The Weeknd." It was selling a transition. The transition from the chaotic, drug-fueled nights of After Hours to the "purgatory" radio station vibes of Dawn FM. This is why you see so much visual contrast in the inventory—bright, blinding reds mixed with cold, metallic blues and greys.
The Binance Connection and Digital Collectibles
One of the weirdest and most polarizing aspects of the shop was the integration of Web3 elements. Because the tour was sponsored by Binance, the merch experience often bled into the digital world.
Some fans loved it. Others? Not so much.
The shop acted as a gateway for "Souvenir NFTs." If you went to a show, you could often scan a code to unlock digital bits of the After Hours Til Dawn experience. While the NFT craze has definitely cooled off since the tour's peak, these digital assets represented a massive shift in how legacy artists monetize their fanbases. It wasn't just a physical hoodie; it was a "proof of attendance" in a digital ledger.
The Quality Debate: Is It Actually Worth the Price?
Let's get real for a second. Shipping times were a nightmare.
If you spend any time on the Weeknd’s subreddit or across X (formerly Twitter), you’ll see the same story: fans ordering a "Bolton" hoodie or a tour poster and waiting six months for it to arrive. This is the dark side of the after hours til dawn shop experience. When you're dealing with a global superstar of this magnitude, the logistics often buckle under the weight of the demand.
But when the gear arrives? It’s generally a step above the standard concert fare.
The "XO" brand has always been picky about its materials. They tend to use heavier-weight cotton and more durable screen-printing techniques compared to the "fast fashion" merch you see from TikTok-famous influencers. The designs—often handled by creative directors like La Mar Taylor—are intentionally cinematic. They use a lot of negative space and brutalist typography. It feels more like Blade Runner and less like a pop concert.
Notable Pieces That Defined the Era
- The Chrome Mask Keychains: A direct nod to the prosthetic mask Abel wore during the tour.
- The Sorayama Robot Tees: These featured the massive, 30-foot silver statue that sat center-stage during the stadium shows.
- The "Till Dawn" Heavyweight Hoodies: Known for being incredibly thick and having a boxy, oversized fit that mirrored current streetwear trends.
The resell market for these items is still incredibly active. A "limited" drop on the shop today will likely be on StockX or Grailed by tomorrow morning at a 40% markup. That’s the power of the brand.
How the Shop Influenced Modern Tour Branding
Before this tour, merch was a side hustle. Now, it’s the main event.
The after hours til dawn shop proved that fans will pay a premium for a "vibe" rather than just a logo. We saw this influence trickle down to other major tours. Look at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour or Beyoncé’s Renaissance—the emphasis on cohesive, high-concept visual identity is exactly what Abel was doing with the XO shop back in 2022 and 2023.
It’s about world-building.
When you buy a shirt from the shop, you’re not just a listener; you’re a citizen of the world he created. That sounds like marketing fluff, but for the millions of people who stream his music daily, that connection is tangible. It’s the reason why "deadstock" items from the early After Hours drops still sell for hundreds of dollars.
What To Know Before You Buy From Third Parties
Since the official after hours til dawn shop often rotates its stock or sells out of the "good stuff" quickly, many fans turn to eBay or Depop. Be careful.
The market is flooded with "reps" (reproductions). These aren't the high-quality, heavy-weight garments from the official site. They’re thin, the colors are off, and the prints flake after one wash. If the price looks too good to be true for a rare "Dawn FM" varsity jacket, it probably is. Always check the tags—official XO merch has specific branding and holographic stickers on the hangtags that are hard to fakes perfectly.
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Also, pay attention to the sizing. The After Hours Til Dawn era merch famously runs large. It’s that "LA streetwear" fit. If you’re usually a Large, you might find yourself swimming in a Large from this collection. Most veterans of the shop suggest sizing down if you want a more tailored look, or staying true to size if you want to look like you're heading to a warehouse rave in 1985.
Actionable Steps for XO Collectors
If you're trying to build a collection from this specific era of The Weeknd's career, you need a strategy. The official shop is inconsistent with its restocks, so you can't just wait around.
- Monitor the "Archive" Drops: Every so often, the official store will do an "Archive" sale where they dump remaining stock from previous tour legs at a discount. These happen without warning, usually announced via the XO newsletter or Abel’s Instagram stories.
- Verify via the "Wash Tag": If buying second-hand, ask the seller for a photo of the inner wash tag. Fakes almost always mess up the font or the "Made in..." location on these small details.
- Check for "Tour Exclusive" vs. "Online Exclusive": Some of the best designs never hit the website. They were only sold at the stadium stands. These are the true grails. Look for "Leg 1" or "Leg 2" specific markings to ensure authenticity.
- Invest in the Vinyl: If you don't care about clothes, the shop's exclusive vinyl pressings—especially the signed versions or the "Collector's 01" editions—have historically held their value better than the apparel.
The after hours til dawn shop wasn't just a place to spend money. It was the physical manifestation of a four-year long performance art piece. Whether you're a casual fan or a die-hard collector, the items from this era represent a peak in pop culture aesthetic that we likely won't see replicated for a long time. Abel is already moving toward his "rebirth" and the end of the Weeknd moniker, which means this specific shop's inventory is about to become a closed chapter of music history. Get what you can while the prices are still somewhat grounded in reality.