During our amazing stay at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, we had the opportunity to rock out with Pitbull! He performed in front of a full house at the Filmore Lounge on-property.
We did not really know much about the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino experience when we first arrived. The idea that there would be a concert on-property seemed EPIC (and it is), but it is in fact the norm at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino properties.
Also, the resort is essentially a music museum. Hard Rock Hotels are recognized globally for their distinctive design that says “This is Hard Rock” (a Hard Rock slogan). From the moment you walk in the lobby, the walls are adorned with curated memorabilia from rock legends we all know and love (who often donate the artifacts themselves). This too, is the norm at all Hard Rock Hotel & Casino properties. What makes it even more awesome is that they embrace the attitudes, culture, and charisma of each location to make it unique. Local music culture and history will influence the design of each property. So if you are in Latin America you will see Shakira memorabilia, compared to Palm Springs you will see Frank Sinatra memorabilia. Along with the locally inspired artifacts, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana guests will be eager to see Elton John’s hand-painted piano, Tommy Lee’s Motley Crüe silver space ship outfit, Gene Simmons’ custom axe base, Sammy Hagar’s 1926 hot rod, and MADONNA’S LIMOUSINE. That’s right, they have the sparkly, sequins-tiled limousine that Madonna used at the Grammy’s in 2001. This is definitely a standout in the collection of rock memorabilia at the resort. The music memorabilia on-property at the Hard Rock definitely gets you in the right mindset before heading to a concert :)
In terms of the Pitbull concert, we did not know what to expect! We were not sure how many people would be there, if we would know that many of Pitbull’s songs, and what kind of performer he is. All we knew is that he is the king of collaborations. He has recorded songs with Ricky Martin, Christina Aguilera, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Belinda, Austin Mahone, Ne-Yo, Marc Anthony, Enrique Iglesias, Usher, Eminem, Fergie, Chris Brown, Ke$ha, and more! We had our fingers crossed that maybe one of them would be there?
Before the show, we did a little more research on Pitbull. First of all, Bobby had to dig into how he was able to collaborate with so many major artists. It turns out the Pitbull is a very savvy businessman. We also found out that he uses his fame in a positive way… challenging his fans to push themselves and pursue their dreams. He helped build the Sports Leadership and Management Charter Middle and High School in Little Havana, the neighborhood where he grew up in Miami. He came from poverty and used the obstacles in his life to fuel his journey to becoming “Mr. Worldwide”.
And did you know that his stage name and style all come back to his past? Maybe you actually thought his name was Pitbull? His name is Armando Perez. He grew up in Miami, the child of emigrants from Cuba. It was his family that inspired him to learn about his Cuban background, and why he learned of José Martí. Martí was that Cuban national hero and poet that taught Armando the effectiveness and power of words. He used these words to escape the streets of Miami, and it was then that he identified with a pit bull. He said in an interview that pit bulls have a lock-jaw, and they refuse to give up because they are too stupid to lose. He believes that the lock-jaw like quality has been the key to his success. As for his style, you will never find Pitbull performing in casual clothing. He shows up in Armani suits to show his maturity and evolution. He wants to inspire young people to leave their old lives and go after something bigger
So after a little background, we were pumped to see Pitbull perform. We would be looking closer at his suit (especially as it gets really hot in most venues), and were excited to see his energy for a close-to-home-crowd that he undoubtedly inspires.
Honestly, we were blown away. Pitbull rocks. Solo, without any of the superstar artists he collaborates with, he brought a remarkable show to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana. He came out dressed in a black tailored suit, and from the moment the first song began he never stopped dancing. The show is a combination of choreographed dancing from Pitbull and his dancers, as well as plenty of songs were he interacts with the crowd and is having a blast. The energy is high, the fans are crazy, and Pitbull and his dance crew put on quite a performance.
He played over 15 songs, the majority of which were major hits that we knew all the words to…
- “I Know You Want Me”
- “The Anthem”
- “Bon Bon”
- “We Are One”
- “Give Me Everything”
- “Don’t Stop The Party”
- “International Love”
- “Timber”
- And plenty more!
We couldn’t believe how many songs we knew! We were really impressed by his stage presence, how excited he was to be performing, and how thankful he was for his fans. There were multiple times where he talked about how grateful he was for the opportunity to be with us, and there was an authenticity to him that we really appreciated. He definitely wow’d us!
Thanks Pitbull, for giving us an amazing experience and for encouraging us to shake our Bon-Bon’s! It was an awesome night!
Thank you to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana for sponsoring this post!