LAS VEGAS – One is Complete Wild Intensity. The other is laid back and laid back.
One is a whirlwind of muscular dance movements set to throbbing percussions. The other is nervous and feline as he climbs the ramps and ramps in a rhythmic pop parade.
However, the pairing of Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias on their first joint tour is not about their differences, but rather how these Latin superstars complement each other.
The tour – postponed for a year due to COVID-19 – kicked off Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with lasers, pyro, moving catwalks, confetti, and unstoppable smiles from Martin and Iglesias, all two clearly euphoric to be back on stage.
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Given their vast catalogs – they have collectively sold over 250 million albums worldwide – eliminating skinny setlists must have caused migraines. But Martin and Iglesias’ hour-long one-on-one performances ideally represented bilingual fan favorites and ubiquitous radio smashes.
Colombian Sebastián Yatra kicked off this musical fiesta (taking the stage 15 minutes earlier than expected) with a set of eight songs that bounced from the acoustic guitar ballad “Un Año” to the dashing “Chica Ideal”.
In black jeans and a tank top, Yatra charmed with a combination of humility (“It’s beyond a dream for me,” he said of the opening for two of his idols) and solid and reliable songs, her voice soaring to “No Hay Nadie Mas.”
Moments after Yatra’s set ended, Martin and his band stormed the stage under a colorful explosion of yellow and red lights for “Livin ‘La Vida Loca”, his groundbreaking 1999 English smash.
Stylish in a black satin gown with an “R” emblazoned on the back, pants and combat boots, Martin walked across the stage, his three-piece brass section following their flute player as he walked through “La Bomba “and the passionate ballad” Vuelve. “
It didn’t take long for Martin to squeeze to the end of the catwalk that protruded from the stage, sweat streaming down his face as he raised his hands to the sky and smiled up at the ceiling, soaking up himself. long awaited applause.
Surrounded by male and female dancers wearing face masks – which only increased the sexy-ometer – Martin, 49, was both philosophical (“All I see is a path filled with light,” a- he said from the stage) and attractive.
With a raised eyebrow or a tilt of his chiseled jaw, Martin conveys more emotion than the most flamboyant frontmen. Whether he’s singing a Valentine’s Day or pivoting in step with his dancers, Martin is a constant tease, his hips a GPS to all kinds of trouble.
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Her songs are also filled with rich Latin cadences, featured on “Lola, Lola” – her puffy horns are a centerpiece – and “Maria”.
Martin’s voice sounded clean and pure as he spun playfully during “She Bangs,” still a bundle of awkward pleasure. He also engaged in the burlesque setting that accompanied “Shake Your Bon Bon”, dancing with women and men as they frolic around giant dice arranged on the stage.
Displaying peace signs and smiles, Martin verified that his status as an impeccable showman didn’t diminish during his recall of “The Cup of Life,” which included precise drumming, plumes of dry ice and rains of rain. confetti.
After a 30-minute set change, Iglesias arrived to the fiery beat of “I’m a Freak,” crouching down as he sang in his dark cap and black work shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
The only evidence of an opening night glitch came towards the end of the song, when the sound had completely evaporated. But it was quickly restored for the electro-tinged pop of “Chasing the Sun,” from “Final Vol. 1 “album.
Like Martin, Iglesias could barely stop beaming throughout his set, so obviously happy to be able to interact with fans again. He jumped into the crowd and suffered some major hits during “Bailamos”, his No.1 hit from 1999, before heading to the back of the arena with a few band members to perform several songs on the smaller one. scene, including “Cuando” and the “Loco” sigh.
“I know we’re trying to be as safe as possible, but I’m going to ask you a favor: go (expletive) crazy tonight!” Iglesias, 46, shouted, raising a shot glass to toast the frenzied fans.
He displayed an unreduced upper register on “Be With You”, which was supported by swirling water lasers, and purred through “Hero”, his voice breaking in all the right places as the drums added an undercurrent to it. the mega-ballad.
After riding the railing to slap the hands of the fans – still predominantly female, but with plenty of testosterone too – Iglesias led the crowd in a standing-on-chairs version of the “Bailando” anthem.
Fittingly, the “I Like It” dance floor rager enveloped her ensemble, as giant balloons fell from the rafters and confetti once again covered the floor.
While fans might be understandably disappointed that Martin and Iglesias didn’t collaborate during the show, the final greetings included both Martin and Yatra joining Iglesias on stage to slap each other and clown around for a few minutes.
The trio are expected to tour until November – enough time to catch this effervescent spectacle of Latin pride.