Bad Bunny Review
We’re right at the halfway point of Bad Bunny’s sold out residency in Puerto Rico, but the energy and support surrounding the shows continues to grow strong. Saturday night marked show #14 out of the 30 that are planned, and the second weekend of shows open to non-residents.
Before you even walk into the arena, you’re met with an electric atmosphere outside. Music playing, freebies from brands and pop-up spaces fill the lot in front of El Choli and give it a festival-like feel. Once you step inside, excitement and anticipation fill the air from the 18,000-person crowd, many of whom flew in for the show.
The second the lights went down, the cheers from the crowd echoed throughout the arena. After a short intro, Bad Bunny emerged from the top left of the stage. He started the show with “ALAMBRE Púa,” his new single that was released in July.
After the first hour, which included an acoustic set with songs like “Amorfoda" and "Turista,” Bad Bunny headed offstage and Concho, the character modeled after Puerto Rico’s endangered crested toad, popped up on the main stage screen and appeared to be FaceTime calling him.
Bad Bunny answered the call from inside La Casita, the B Stage that was designed to replicate a Puerto Rican house. Friends and family of the singer’s lined the front of the casita and danced alongside him during some of his upbeat hits like “NUEVAYoL” and “Tití Me Preguntó.” Fans in the crowd cheered extra loudly to be given a shot onstage to speak the words “Acho, PR es otra cosa” which serves as the intro to “VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR.”
Next, Bad Bunny made his way to the rooftop of La Casita. Popular tracks “Yo Perreo Sola,” ”Efecto,” and “Safaera” were performed as he made his way around, giving fans on all corners of the room a great view. He was then joined by Omar Courtz and Dei V to perform “VeLDÁ” to loud cheers from the audience at their first glimpse of the special guests.
“DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” the album that the residency is in support of, has been described as a love letter to Puerto Rico - spotlighting the island’s culture and history, and a response to the challenges Puerto Rico faces. The album explores mixing reggaeton with traditional Puerto Rican musical styles like bomba, plena, and salsa and one of the ways that was brought to life was by including Los Pleneros de la Cresta, a Puerto Rican ensemble, to perform “CAFé CON RON” together at La Casita.
The penultimate song on the setlist was DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (I Should Have Taken More Photos) and midway through the song, Bad Bunny pulled out a camera onstage which was set up to show the camera’s view on the screen. He made sure to snap a photo of everyone and their lit up camera-shaped lanyards that turned the crowd into a sea of lights. Surrounded by his dancers, the show closed with “LA MuDANZA.”
“No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí” is a three-hour concert experience that showcases Bad Bunny’s love for Puerto Rico and its people. It’s a truly unique experience that blends a love of culture, identity and music together into an unforgettable night.