It’s time to admit concert dressing has become a chore. Once a fun nod to your favourite, nowadays it’s an expensive competition to be the best dressed. That is, unless you’re at a Pitbull concert.
Fans have been so dedicated to this absolute fever dream of a dress code that at his BST Hyde Park show, we even set the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people wearing bald caps.
Concerts are meant to be about community and connecting with people who love the same things as you; nothing says that more than 22,141 ‘baldies’ sweating in the 30°C heat.
As part of that 22k, I’m not ashamed to admit that borrowing a tie, drawing on a beard, and grabbing my bald cap was unironically one of the most freeing experiences I’ve ever had while listening to live music.
It’s impossible to look glamorous with a plastic skin-coloured helmet on, so all pretences just fell away. We were all there for one purpose – to enjoy some downright bangers.
And boy did Mr Worldwide deliver.
Before he even came on stage, the energy was palpable with security guards dancing to Lil Jon’s recognisable voice shouting ‘Shots shots shots, everybody!’ as we entered the park.
Most fans were in various forms of Pitbull-inspired get-ups, with our bald caps donned for at least a minute to be counted in the official world record attempt, with DJ Greg James and content creator Jack Remmington on stage to guide us through the whole thing.
Once the formalities were out of the way, the party really began with Labrinth taking to the stage. His presence on the line-up made immediate sense, as like Mr 305, his features took average tracks into the stratosphere.
He hit us with big tunes like Earthquake, Frisky, and Pass Out, as well as mixing in new songs such as unreleased Rude, which definitely had chart potential. You know you’re onto a winner when you’ve got the crowd singing along to a song they’ve never heard before.
Next up on the famed Great Oak Stage was Kesha, an icon in her own right who again fills that 2010s nostalgia that this BST was really aiming to hit.
With three costume changes and some steamy choreography, it was hard to tear my eyes away from the stage. Kesha’s latest album might not have had the commercial success of her early work but her star power is shining brighter than ever.
She opened with huge song Tik Tok, a brave choice if you’re limited in your discography but hitmaker Kesha doesn’t suffer from that problem in the slightest. From classics to Joy Ride, she didn’t miss a step and was every bit the popstar I’d hope she’d be.
One major tune was omitted from the packed setlist. Timber. Of course, she was leaving it to perform later with Pitbull, sending the crowd into a frenzy as she appeared wearing a bedazzled bald cap.
As for the man himself, I was a little worried he would struggle to fill the two hour set but his DJ, Chino, saw to that. We got three mini raves, so stuffed with absolute hits you almost forgot Pitbull was due back on stage. Almost.
Pitbull’s energy is unmatched, just like his discography, hitting us with tune after massive tune with no sign of slowing down. BST was his victory lap.
The production pulled out all the stops, with fireworks at the end, outfit changes, bald caps for the whole band, and several, very talented ass-shaking dancers. It was a spectacle and exactly what I wanted from a Pitbull concert.
At one point, he brought out Lil Jon to sing Damn I Love Miami, with the American rapper’s familiar ‘yeahs’ echoing around the park. It was utterly surreal.
Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and it was in full force as he sang I Like It, Hotel Room Service, and Get On The Floor. He truly dominated the charts in the 2010s and wasn’t going to let us forget it any time soon.
Pitbull barely slowed down all show, guiding us through his best songs as well as a random rendition of Wonderwall played – not sung by him – through the speakers ahead of final track, Give Me Everything.
He said he played it as a ‘thank you’ to the fans and perhaps a nod to the Men’s World Cup since Pitbull himself previously wrote a World Cup song, which he also sang with an extra verse.
Even when singing in Spanish, he had us all belting along, whether we understood or not. Isn’t that really what music should be about?
If you strip away the need to look perfect and poised, you might find yourself enjoying a show far more than you ever imagined.
Nobody seemed to understand that better than Mr Worldwide, who could have taken offence to the silliness of the bald caps but has fully embraced his ‘baldies’ as the ultimate compliment.
Repeatedly, he told the crowd how blessed he felt to be on that stage, now as a world record holder. The sheer joy was written on his face for the full two hours, knowing that this gig was historic in every way possible.
The appeal of Pitbull comes down to a feeling, an inexplicable vibe you just have to ‘get’, but clearly something in his music is reaching fans at their core and continues to do so years after release.
Ultimately, I should never have worried that Mr Worldwide would let me down. He gave us everything.
Verdict
Pitbull’s performance at BST Hyde Park will go down in the history books for more than just a world record attempt. With a packed catalogue of absolute bangers, Mr Worldwide really is one of a kind.
His support acts perfectly built the day up to culminate in a Wonderwall singalong and Give Me Everything, really what could be better?