Bad Bunny Takes Over the Toyota Center

The lights dimmed in the Toyota Center as the crowd noise began to calm. Just a moment before fans screamed as flames and fireworks ran along the side of the stadium, Bad Bunny disappeared from the stage and a mist began to float through the building. On the large screens above the audience video of a man riding a horse alone in the desert played, his face covered in a ski mask with bug eyes. As the video played, the masked horseman moved toward a black ominous hole floating in front of him. The crowd cheered in anticipation with each trotting step of the animal, the sound of its hooves clicking echoing through the stadium. As the rider crossed the brink of darkness on the screens above, below he and the horse appeared on the side of the stage on the stadium floor. Chants of “Benito” filled the room as Bad Bunny dismounted the horse and walked over to greet members of the audience. Fans screamed as the Most Wanted Tour continued to rock the Toyota Center.

Dallas fans of Bad Bunny may have been disappointed with the rescheduling of the Puerto Rican rapper’s recent tour due to the NBA playoffs. The show has already been rescheduled and luckily it didn’t affect the rest of the tour, including the two nights the King of Latin Trap would be gracing the Toyota Center stage here in Houston. This show and latest album are supposed to be a return to the superstar’s roots and the first show did not disappoint. Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio is a showman and his only challenge in Houston right now is creating a second night that would top the first. Whether running through hits from the new album like “Monaco” or older tracks like “25/8” the MC puts his all into the show.

When audience members entered the stadium, they were given lanyards with a cowboy-boot-shaped pendant to wear around their neck. It meshed with the outlaw/cowboy/western theme that so many fans came dressed in. The boots, however, weren’t just quick fan give-aways but also doubled as a part of the show with each one having a light that was activated by Bad Bunny’s team. As the singer performed, waves of light would pulsate around the stadium along with the music and his lyrics. The floor was split between two stages that Bad Bunny traversed throughout the night giving the entire hall the opportunity to get a close glimpse of the MC. At some points both stages were filled with dancers while at other points one stage would house a full orchestra. The middle of the show had Ocasio on a long-elevated stage between the two halves rotating toward the sides of the Toyota Center.

Bad Bunny continues to be a powerhouse in the music industry with his latest tour putting up record setting numbers early on. Billboard Boxscore has it crowned as the top tour in March already earning $64.6 million over 13 shows. This puts him ahead of other heavy weights like Madonna, Zach Bryan, Nicki Minaj and the Eagles. It’s a notable accomplishment given that he is just in the middle of his 48-date tour covering 31 cities throughout North America and his home in Puerto Rico.

The Most Wanted Tour supports the superstar’s fifth solo studio album Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Manana, with Bad Bunny releasing a promotional poster saying, “Only Trap” and “If you’re not a real fan, don’t come.” His latest album is a return to the charts and a reclamation of his number one spot after taking a social media break, headlining Coachella, and releasing a collaboration album Un X 100to with Grupo Frontera. His latest offering is 22 tracks where the MC has described himself experimenting with Spanish and English music from the seventies. The results are another critically acclaimed offering earning him his third number one on the billboard charts.

That success is evident in the response displayed by the fans Tuesday night.

“He just knows how to create an atmosphere that you can immerse yourself in,” said Alec Hughes of the first night’s show. “The energy here tonight is contagious. You can’t help but dance. Every second of the show was incredible and I’m going to cherish this forever.”

For fans that missed Tuesday night there is still a chance to see Bad Bunny before he leaves Houston. The second night of the show will be held Wednesday evening.