Puerto rican powerhouse Pitbull brought the house down on Sunday night, closing the weekend with a sold out show at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield as part of the Party After Dark Tour. Alongside rapper T-Pain, the duo lit the amphitheater on fire and kept everyone up and dancing all night long.
The Pitbull experience starts outside the venue; fans of all ages and genders showed up in full on Mr. Worldwide attire, paired with bald caps and signature aviators. The music could be heard before walking through the gates, with party buses dropped off concert-goers and tailgaters jamming out to mid 2000s club bangers.
Rapper T-Pain took the stage with a clean setup, only joined by a DJ and some bright lights, but this would be enough for him. T-Pain’s undeniable charisma and stage presence captivated the crowd, as he showed off his dancing skills. From club classics “Booty Wurk (One Cheek At A Time)” to “I’m N Luv (Wit A Stripper)”, T-Pain got the crowd fired up with his cheeky humor and impressive non-autotuned vocals. Despite the stripped down stage, the rapper certainly held off on his own, keeping the crowd entertained, laughing and dancing.
As he got the audience ready for Pitbull to arrive, the now packed venue was electric; from groups of young women dressed to the nines, to a hilarious stream of Mr. 305 lookalikes, everyone was ready for the party to erupt, and erupt it did. The lights came down to signal the singer’s arrival, as the stage lit up completely and he emerged from the back, escorted by a full live band and plenty of dancers. He kicked things off with a bang, going right into “Don’t Stop The Party” and “Hotel Room Service”, and the entire room was vibrating. Pitbull’s stage presence is dominant, in his classic black suit and aviators, yet he still felt warm and inviting; he would go from a sexy playboy to an inspirational speaker with ease, showing not only his gratitude to the fans, but his years of wisdom in the industry.
The night went on as he brought out banger after banger, leaving fans with barely any time to take a breath. Centered on the Part After Dark concept, the stage shifted through different party cities and eras, but keeping the celebratory themes alive and vibrant. From earlier hits like “Culo” and “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)” to his many collaborations with artist like Usher and Christina Aguilera, the party did not stop: the vibe was electrifying. Also in the mix were a few rock tracks, from Bon Jovi to Guns N’ Roses, which somehow blended in perfectly with the party atmosphere. Even the in between moments were filled with music, as the DJ would take over and blast more pop classics, from Bell Biv Devoe’s “Poison” to Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk”. T-Pain would return to the stage to perform his own collaboration with Pitbull, “Hey Baby (Drop It To The Floor)”, quickly becoming one of the highlights of the evening.
There’s no questions about Pitbull’s consistent mass appeal over the years, bringing people from all walks of life together to disconnect, get freaky and celebrate. With sultry dancing, monster hits and lots of pyro, Mr. Worldwide undoubtedly knows how to keep the party going after dark.
Photos and words by Maria Alejandra Mata
Keep up with Pitbull: Website // Instagram // Facebook
Keep up with T-Pain: Website // Instagram // TikTok
