[dropcap]E[/dropcap]nrique Iglesias and Pitbull brought endless energy and fun to The Palace of Auburn Hills Sunday Sept. 22, as they made a stop in Oakland County during their North American tour.
Photos/Stephanie Sokol
Following a brief opening act by J Balvin, Iglesias took the stage, dressed casually in a plain white tee, baseball cap and jeans. But despite his casual appearance his fans went crazy as he ran around the stage.
He started the night with “I’m a Freak,” following with his 2001 hit “Escape,” which drew a strong response from fans.
A few songs into the set, Iglesias and his band walked off the stage, and headed over to the soundboard, climbing on top to perform.
“Last time I was here, I only gave 99 percent,” he said. “I swear on my mom, I’m going to give you 100 percent Detroit!”
Going with the Motown theme, Iglesias and his band went R&B with a cover of “Stand By Me.” During the song, he got the crowd pumped, and ended up bringing an audience member onto the stage. When the man brought his beer, Iglesias offered him a tequila shot instead, to which the man responded by taking the bottle and chugging it. The crowd laughed and cheered and after being briefly interviewed by Iglesias, they finished the song as a duet, the man unable to take the smile off his face. The ladies also loved Iglesias. When he approached the aisles, women tried to rip off his shirt, and one even threw a clothing item on the stage.
During an uncensored performance of “Tonight I’m Lovin You,” Balloons with the words “Sex Love” were dropped from the ceiling, and fans had fun throwing them back and forth, as pyrotechnics went off onstage. Iglesias asked all his fans to hold their phones up at one point during the show, which made the Palace look like a sky full of stars.
Though he played a variety of new hits, old tracks and covers, Iglesias wrapped up his set with a fan favorite, performing
Pitbull
“Hero,” as a majority of fans sang along, and shortly after, this year’s single, “Bailando,” which also kept fans dancing at their seats.
After a 40-minute “intermission” featuring a deejay trying to get the crowd pumped for Pitbull, the Palace went black and Pitbull’s biography began scrolling over the screen.
In Pitbull tradition, the arena became a night club, full of constant disco-lighting and dancing. His dancers moved after a 2 minute routine, to reveal him walking out wearing an all black suit.
“You know what I want to do n the D tonight? I want to take it back,” Pitbull said.
Throughout the evening, he sampled other artists, including Ozzy Osbourne, Guns N’ Roses, Salt and Pepa, among others, throwing in his signature strut across the stage and randomly adding his own thoughts, in addition to video clips constantly airing behind him.
Old tracks like “Give Me Everything” and “Hotel Room Service” brought a smile to fans’ faces, and Pitbull repeatedly reminded everyone that he was Mr. Worldwide, and “went from negative to positive.”
“What I love about music is that it brings everyone together, no matter where you’re from… it breaks down all boundaries, all barriers, all limits,” he said.
Pitbull wrapped up his set with “Feel This Moment,” and smoke filled the stage as dancers encouraged fans to keep dancing.
Iglesias and Pitbull returned to stage to play two songs for the encore, during which streamers were thrown from the stage, and fans continued to dance the night away, proving that there really was no stop to the party these two artists brought.
Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull brought a party to the Palace of Auburn Hills last night.
