Pitbull | Ridgefield, WA
The nostalgia from the early 2000s was in full effect, as three artists took fans on a time machine to where they dominated the radio and music charts. T-Pain and Lil Jon joined Pitbull in Ridgefield, WA at the RV Inn Styles Resort Amphitheater on the tail end of his Party After Dark tour.
Lil Jon warmed the crowd up by performing hits like “Snap Your Fingers,” “Get Low,” “Shots” and more. Intertwined were songs from other artists in the same era to get the crowd dancing. The crowd was noticeably turnt up when “Turn Down For What” came on.
The stage was quickly turned over and ready on time for T-Pain who arrived at the top of the stairs and immediately danced to “Take Your Shirt Off.” Throughout his set, he checked in with DJ Montay about how Pitbull is a classy guy who wears suits and that he can't be throwing his crotch in the crowd's face. He then proceeded to thrust at the crowd to the sound of a gun. After each time they would try to reset with a hip-hop version of a classical song that would seamlessly flow into another hit. While some would say that their favorites were missed, T-Pain's catalog is so extensive that fans would still know nearly every song performed including “Bartender,” “I'm in Luv With a Stripper,” and his features on “Blame It” and “Kiss Kiss.”
During another quick changeover, the screens would display various Pitbull look-alikes throughout the crowd, many donning bald caps, sunglasses, and a suit. Fans were more than ready once Pitbull took the stage to perform “Don't Stop the Party.” The stage was set with a full band, dancers, pyrotechnics, and lasers. After a few songs, there was an interlude where DJ IAmChino entertained the crowd by playing hits from as far back as the 80s. Each time he would appear with a wardrobe change in a different colored jacket and dancers in new sexy outfits. One section of the night was a medley of songs where Pitbull was a featured artist. He performed his parts along with the chorus of songs including “I Like It” by Enrique Iglesias, “On the Floor” by Jennifer Lopez, and “DJ Got Us Falling In Love” by Usher. T-Pain also joined in a neon suit to perform “Hey Baby.” It was surprising that Lil Jon was not brought out during “The Anthem” or “Culo” since he was featured on those tracks, however he did join the stage to perform “Jumpin,” their version of House of Pain's “Jump Around.”
The night was an exciting flashback of 20 years of music. The energy never dimmed and stayed at level 10 the entire night. Fans are likely still recovering from the joy brought by Pitbull, T-Pain, and Lil Jon. A perfect end to summer and unforgettable memories made that night.
