Bad Bunny hit Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center with a tractor-trailer full of reggaeton | Review
The 28-year-old music artist dedicated the show to single mothers, working students and individuals who hold more than one job to provide for their families in Philadelphia.
There was no room for bad vibes Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Not only was the venue sold out, but it was full of that emotion that bursts when one gets extremely excited. It couldn’t be less.
Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny put up an amazing show for his Philadelphia performance in support of his third solo album, El Último Tour del Mundo, the first all-Spanish-language album to reach Billboard’s No. 1. Wednesday’s concert had the audience of more than 19,000 shouting from beginning to end. Bad Bunny’s show appealed to Latinos who like to gather for marquesina parties, singing, and dancing non-stop all night.
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio might be a bad bunny, but he is definitely not a bad showman . The 28-year-old rapper kept the crowd engaged for two straight hours of reggaeton and trap, jumping on top of three-part LED display panel mounted on a black semi-trailer truck. His voice sounded as clear and melodic as it does in each recording. The dancers, guitarists, and drummers who joined Bad Bunny were as captivating as the event’s 3D motion graphic videos, lighting, the 360 stage cameras with body recognition filters, and pyrotechnics.
In grand fashion, Bad Bunny arrived 90 minutes late to his own party, as we expected him to do.
His contagious music, filled with afrobeats from rock, R&B, hip hop, and reggae, made the stadium tremble, with fans perreando in blue shark costumes and furry bunny ears. With phones and hands up in the air, the crowd was ready to have fun and Bad Bunny did not disappoint.
Bad Bunny dedicated Wednesday’s show to single mothers, students, and individuals who hold more than one job to provide for their families in Philadelphia. People in the audience waved flags from Ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay, Dominican Republic, and, obviously, the encanto island of Puerto Rico. He thanked the crowd for a full house at Wells Fargo Center and shared his sentiment on how hard these last two years have been during the pandemic.
In a brief but emotional speech, the artist addressed his public like a preacher delivering a sermon: He expressed his respect and admiration for the efforts that each one of his fans makes to pursue their dreams and encouraged them to feel and express sadness. “Sometimes, you have to cry to be able to smile again.”
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When the finale arrived, his stamina and energy had fans wanting more.
One thing’s for sure: Bad Bunny’s lyrics are driving a new social movement, one that seeks to decolonize norms that oppress the young, the different, and the poor. As Bad Bunny himself sings, he “doesn’t compose songs. He produces anthems, so they don’t expire.”
Bad Bunny’s Wells Fargo Center is one of 35 sold-out shows in his El Último Tour del Mundo production for the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. His next tour, called World’s Hottest Tour, starts in August.