Eight years after his last tour, Don Omar is back on the road. The Puerto Rican legend kicked off his Back to Reggaetón Tour last Friday (Mar. 8) at the Santander Arena in Reading, PA, followed by a sold-out show at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, on Saturday. The Brooklyn show, produced by CMN, offered fans a taste of every era of his 25-year career — and even included a tribute toformer rival Daddy Yankee.
Before Don Omar took the stage, urbano pioneer DJ Nelson lit up the audience of over 13,000 with classics from across the genre, like Plan B’s “Guataba” and Karol G’s “Tusa” featuring Nicki Minaj. After his departure, the lights quickly went black, and a massive screen backdrop cut to visuals of a Don-shaped figure wearing a motorcycle helmet. The crowd roared as dancers appeared with flags bearing Don Omar’s geometric crown logo, like knights wielding the crest of their kingdom’s ruler. The ensemble lined two staircases framing center stage, and between them rose a massive skull sculpture, which rotated to reveal Don Omar seated inside, the King of Reggaetón at his throne. Pyrotechnics fired off as he stepped onstage to the opening beats of “Dale Don Dale,” which fans recited bar for bar.
The two-hour setlist included hits “Dile,” “Salió El Sol,” and “Ella y Yo,” during which an elated Brooklyn crowd filled in for Romeo Santos like it was their life’s duty. Don Omar laughed through Santos’s lines, and a smile stayed on his face as he delivered his verses with the precision of a true veteran.
The show’s visuals took a cyberpunk turn as Don Omar launched into a medley of songs from other iconic artists he’s appeared on over the years. Hector y Tito’s “Baila Morena,” Luny Tunes’ “Entre Tú y Yo,” and Wisin y Yandel’s “Nadie Como Tú” sent fans into a frenzy. Before launching into Daddy Yankee’s “Gata Gangster” and “Desafío,” Don Omar acknowledged the achievements of the retired reggaetón superstar. “[Daddy Yankee] dedicated 35 years of his life to reggaetón,” he said in Spanish and added with a laugh: “I don’t have anyone to argue with anymore.”
The night seemed to draw to a close as Don Omar launched into “Danza,” which ended with a confetti explosion. But in true legendary fashion, he returned to the stage for a two-song encore, starting with “Conteo” and ending with “Bandoleros” because, of course. He only sang one of the track’s four choruses; during the other three, he held his microphone out to the audience as they belted every word in unison.
With five outfit changes, a range of futuristic visuals, and dancers who sang along to every song as they performed, the Back to Reggaetón Tour is a victory lap fit for a king. In Brooklyn, Don Omar repeatedly expressed his gratitude to the crowd. Before “Bandoleros,” he made an impassioned speech about his mistakes throughout his career and how grateful he is to have learned from them. He put it simply in Spanish: “I’m getting to the best moment of my life because I’ve finally made peace with myself.”
Next, Don Omar will perform in cities including Los Angeles, CA, Las Vegas, NV, and Dallas, TX.
