Pitbull

Article by Brittany Ormiston

“We came to do one thing, and that’s to party.” Pitbull brought his Party After Dark tour to Ruoff Music Center over Labor Day weekend. The crowd’s energy soared when he took the stage in his signature all black business attire with aviator sunglasses. Smoke shot out of the cannons to conclude the opening track, and cheers could be heard all around the venue. Pitbull pounded his chest, nodded, and smiled from ear-to-ear in response. The night was certainly just getting started. 

Pitbull performed countless of his greatest hits to which the audience knew every single word, including ‘Hotel Room Service.’ Witnessing the instrumentals cut out for the crowd to scream “Holiday Inn!” was definitely one for the books. The nostalgia continued onward for ‘International Love’ with pink palm trees gracing the screens, and an astounding number of people jumping in sync from the front row to the back of the lawn. Pitbull’s compilation of ‘On The Floor,’ ‘I Like It,’ and ‘DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love’ was a real treat, and had us all reminiscing about the good times back in the early 2000s. The best part of the entire evening was when T-Pain joined Pitbull on stage to perform ‘Hey Baby (Drop It To The Floor).’ They instantly matched each other’s vibe from their dance moves and crowd interactions down to their yellow and red suits. “Tell your kids that this was Deadpool and Wolverine,” laughs T-Pain as he exits the stage. 

The entire amphitheater put on their dancing shoes for ‘I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)’ and ‘Fireball.’ The dancers’ gold sequined outfits glistened in the spotlights as they devoured their routine. The multi-colored explosions on the screens, and the real-life fire designs provided a staggering effect that only had the crowd wanting more. Pitbull taught the crowd some Spanish before performing a cover of Daddy Yankee’s song ‘Gasolina,’ and blew a kiss to a fan making our hearts swell. He put his own spin on other tracks by covering ‘Suavemente’ by Elvis Crespo, and ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ by Guns N’ Roses. One thing about Pitbull is he can sing a rendition of any track, and will impress every single time. To bring everyone in attendance a bit closer, he gave a speech about living life to the fullest and enjoying each and every moment. This was the perfect introduction for ‘Feel This Moment,’ and for those three minutes throughout the performance the crowd felt completely united as one.  

Pitbull’s tour stop in Noblesville was iconic in more ways than one. The throwback music, outfit changes, eloquent visuals, and flawless dance moves created a lively atmosphere filled to the brim with smiles and good vibes. You know what they say…the party never ends when Mr. Worldwide comes to town.

Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, IN on September 1, 2024

Photos by Everly Ormiston