Pitbull

A SiriusXM Subscriber Event
A LocalBozo.com Concert Review
Apollo Theater, New York, NY
May 19th, 2015

He’s collaborated with just about every notable artist in pop and hip-hop, but Tuesday night there was no need for Pitbull to share the spotlight with any of them. Marking the official launch of his own channel (“Pitbull Globalization”) courtesy of satellite radio giant SiriusXM, the rapper turned dance music mogul brought his spectacle of a stage show, replete with his own brand of swagger, to the historic Apollo Theater. The event, exclusive to Sirius subscribers and streaming live across its airwaves, unleashed a high octane 75 minute set that fueled an excitable crowd undoubtedly amped to a frenzy as hit song after hit song prevented them from sitting down even momentarily.

As soon as the performance was announced, any available tickets quickly vanished. The result, a venue jam packed with excitable fans- each of whom was treated to glow sticks and commemorative t-shirts to celebrate the historic evening. With the lights turned low, the crowd swooned with anticipation to some Top 40 hits as they awaited for Pitbull’s arrival. And backed by a swarm of provocative dancers behind him, the familiar shaved head and sunglasses would soon arrive, stylishly donning a black tuxedo in trademark fashion.

To say that the Apollo Theater was rocking would be a classic understatement- the diminutive sized setting made everyone inside feel like a VIP on this night with such close proximity to the stage. Opening with a fury, Pitbull launched into “Don’t Stop The Party,” a particularly fitting tune given the evening’s celebratory vibe. His verses on tracks with other artists like Chris Brown (“International Love”), Jennifer Lopez (“Dance Again”) and Shakira (“Get It Started”) would follow in short order and although none of them made appearances on stage, the ebullient crowd didn’t seem to mind.

His backing dancers changed wardrobes numerous times as the show progressed, but save for a quick change from a black jacket to a white one, Pitbull remained front and center in complete command of the crowd throughout. Anthemic singles like “Timber,” “I Like It” and “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love” played like a greatest hits album from the last decade, albeit with the energy of being hopped up in your favorite club. Thematically however, the grandeur of the evening was never lost on the Cuban born artist who rose from a humble Miami upbringing to become one of the biggest stars of the day, spanning multiple musical genres and spoken languages. Pitbull would repeatedly echo his Carpe-Diem style passion for living, proof of the cliche that hard work and believing in oneself makes dreams come true.

As the show neared its conclusion, the dancers would re-emerge one final time in black sequin jackets and amid a puff of smoke, Pitbull would close out a fun performance with the familiar rendition of “Tonight.” The audience sang along to Ne-Yo‘s impassioned chorus in unison as Pitbull, glistening in perspiration as a result of his tireless work on stage, basked in the glory of a New York City audience firmly entrenched in the palm of his hand. And amid the intimacy and the history of the Apollo Theater, the crowd realized that they had just witnessed a live concert that was truly something special.

- Alexandra Fetsey