The good and the bad of Ricky Martin’s free show in Budapest – PHOTOS + VIDEO

No doubt, the world seems to be obsessed with Latin pop music lately. Thanks to Ricky Martin’s hits like “Maria” and “Livin’ La Vida Loca”, no party feels complete without these catchy tunes. But what could be better than blasting these bangers at home or down the club? Well, hearing them live on a Saturday night at Budapest’s iconic Heroes’ Square! And that’s exactly what went down last weekend. However, the audience’s reception was pretty mixed.

Whenever a massive free concert is planned at Heroes’ Square, the whole city is usually buzzing about it. But Ricky Martin’s gig was a bit under the radar—yet, by the time he hit the stage, the place was packed. The show was set to kick off at 8.15 p.m., but fashionably late as ever, Ricky didn’t appear until 8.30 p.m. The Puerto Rican singer made a striking entrance, dressed in an oversized suit that stole some smiles from the audience and set the tone for the evening.

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Here is what went down

The concert began with a slick projection showcasing Ricky Martin’s career, followed by a sudden blackout as the first song, “Pégate,” began to play. This was quickly followed by the mega-hit “Maria,” and the audience went wild. The atmosphere was electric, with the crowd enthusiastically shouting the three Spanish words everyone knows: “Un, dos, tres.” Only the die-hard fans could keep up with the next line: “Maria.”

But just as things were heating up, the concert’s vibe started to dip. This was largely due to the repetitive setlist and Ricky Martin’s polished, yet somewhat predictable performance. The band was killing it, but unfortunately, the sound system was not—it often turned their sound into a muffled mess, leaving people scratching their heads.

Another downer? Ricky barely talked to the audience. It wasn’t until the third segment of the show that he finally shared some thoughts, dedicating the night’s earnings to flood victims and praising Hungary’s unity. He also explained that his goal was to bring a taste of his culture to Hungary. The first half of the show nailed that, but the rest was just barely held together by the dancers, who were clearly working overtime to keep things lively. But let’s be honest: killer dance moves can’t make up for a lukewarm concert, especially when people have travelled from all over the country for it. Following the concert, some disappointed fans even took to TikTok to call out Ricky Martin for lip-syncing and miming the vocals while the backing tracks were playing.

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Baffled Ricky Martin fans

As the night drew to a close, Ricky finally dropped “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” and some fans took that as their cue to head out. The awkwardness didn’t stop there—while the fireworks were going off, Ricky chose that moment to introduce his band members, but the audience was way more into the epic drone show overhead. It was a weird, anticlimactic end to what should’ve been a night to remember.

The concert drew a mixed crowd, from teenagers to adults and grandparents, with even foreign visitors among the audience. But in the end, Ricky Martin’s performance felt like it peaked too early, leaving many wondering if the show ever really took off at all.

Check out the video of the concert’s highlights on THIS link or have a look at our photo gallery below. 

Author: Georgina Palincsák