Photo via Rolling Stone, Todd Owyoung
This weekend wrapped up the Latin Alternative Music Conference, but while most of our staff was bopping around intimate indie showcases at venues in Bushwick and LES, a massive phenomenon was blowing up the Bronx: the self-proclaimed King of Bachata himself, Romeo Santos, came home to fill Yankee Stadium with 50,000 fans. TWO TIMES IN A ROW.
Say what you will about Romeo, there’s no denying that he’s taken bachata from the obscure, tinny songs my Salvadorian high school boyfriend used to bump in his beat up car — music that was once derided for its associations to Dominican lower classes — to a massive international movement that appeals to Latinos from all over the diaspora and is also gaining cross-over traction.
Our Official Dominican Authority Joel Moya will be writing a more traditional review later today, but we also felt a better and more hilarious way to vicariously absorb the Romeo experience is through the live tweets of some of our favorite Latino Twitter personalities: music journalist Julianne Escobedo Shepherd (who wrote a great concert review you can check out here) and Bronx writer/comedian The Kid Mero, who attended Friday and Saturday night’s shows respectively.
FRIDAY (featuring guests Tego Calderon, Luis Vargas, Antony Santos and Fefita la Grande)
HOLLER IF YR GOING TO ROMEO SANTOS TONIGHT AND CAN’T WAIIIIIIITTTTTTT
— J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 11, 2014
100,000 Latinos in NYC alone #romeosantos — J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
Romeo butt gyrating in white pants
— J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
Romeo humping the ground in white pants. YOUR corazón, bruh bruh? — J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
I think I am falling in love with this entire stadium also Romeo just told his dude to fuck the guitar
— J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
All this needs now is a video clip of Romeo hugging babies and giving roses to sick tweens — J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
“If Madonna, if Paul McCartney, if Metallica gonna sell out Yankee Stadium, Latinos gonna sell out this shit too!” -Romeo
— J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
Tego — J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
Romeo, furiously humping his mic stand in white pants
— J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
Uh there is a live wedding proposal happening now on screen that Romeo is narrating — J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
SHE SAID YESsS
— J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
There is no better intro to “Un Beso” than a wedding proposal — J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
Now Romeo is giving game advice to the new generation of dudes who aren’t romantic
— J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
Romeo butt gyrating in black pants (costume change) — J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
Luis Vargas and this stadium may riot with joy
— J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
“Fuck clothes” -Romeo Santos — J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
There’s a baby onstage, CALLED IT
— J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
this was one of the highlights of my life, just saying http://t.co/rp4VkbHNnA — J. Escobedo Shepherd (@jawnita) July 12, 2014
SATURDAY (Feat. Prince Royce, Marc Anthony, and Aventura members)
IMA CHALLENGE JON TO A FAKE BUTT SPOTTING CONTEST B #ROMEOSANTOS
— The Kid Mero (@THEKIDMERO) July 13, 2014
Ed Note: The “Jon” in question here is NY Times music writer Jon Caramanica.
THIS NIGGA IS HUMPING AN INVISIBLE WOMAN WHO IS DEFINITELY PREGNANT NOW — The Kid Mero (@THEKIDMERO) July 13, 2014
THIS NIGGA ROMEO LEAD BACKUP SANGER DRESSED LIKE A GOTHIC JAPANESE BOYSCOUT #ROMEOSANTOS
— The Kid Mero (@THEKIDMERO) July 13, 2014
THIS NIGGA IS LAYING ONTHE GROUND HUMPING ANOTHER INVISIBLE WOMAN. MAX SWAG LEVELS ACHIEVED #ROMEOSANTOS — The Kid Mero (@THEKIDMERO) July 13, 2014
NIGGAS TALKIN BOUT TOTAL SLAUGHTER AND IM OVER HERE DROWNING IN GMO DOMINICAN SHORTIES #ROMEOSANTOS
YO THIS NIGGA JUST MADE OUT WITH A BBW ON STAGE B IF IM LYING IM FLYIN