Review: Feid at the Toyota Center

Feide
Toyota Center
May 24, 2024

For the uninitiated, the crowds of people dressed in green that surrounded the Toyota Center last night might have been mistaken for relics of St. Patrick’s Day. But if you looked closely, for example at the sunglasses that many also wore, you would see that on one of the lenses was written FER. Each other, XXO.

That would be Ferxxo (pronounced Fercho), a reference to the Colombian star Feide (real name Salomón Villada Hoyos). Feid went from writing songs for artists like J. Balvin and Sebastián Yatra to last night bringing his Colombian-infused reggaeton style to Houston for a stop on his headlining FerxxoCalipsis tour, and yes, the Green is sort of his signature color. If for some reason you were short of something green, the staff would hand out glow bracelets to you as you entered the building, the dominant color of which was green.

The stage was also very green, stretching almost the entire length of the Toyota Center, with smaller round stages sticking out in each corner and a three-story structure that was used to good effect throughout Feid’s run. perreo-heavy set. Interestingly, the word perreo, referring to the sexy gyrations most associated with reggaeton, was officially recognized as a Spanish word last year by the Real Academia Española (aka the main arbiter of these things).

In true Feid style, he opened the show by calling the chimbitas – “to see dónde están” – in “Alakran,” a passionate synthesizer track from last year Ferxxocalipsis. The perreo is strong in this one, and the mood remained strong with the irresistible rhythms of “50 Palos” and “Chimbita,” which followed. The next two songs, “Lady Mi Amor” and “Castigo,” are from Feid’s 2022 album. Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo Te Pirateamos El Álbumwhich you may remember as the one he posted two months earlier after it leaked online, before Feid took a minute to address his green-clad, sunglasses-wearing fans for the first time. sun.

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Green dominated Feid’s stop in Houston on the FerxxoCalipsis tour.

Photo by Jennifer Lake Reister

There were several moments of heartfelt sincerity, but during that first pause, Feid made it a point to shout out the different Latin cultures that he knew would be present in the room. The Colombian star proudly and unapologetically embraces her Colombian roots, and this appropriation of her culture is infectious and empowering for her fans, who feel encouraged to do the same with their own Latin heritage. At a Feid concert, when someone asks you where you’re from, the answer they’re looking for isn’t Houston (even though that’s literally where you’re from). The correct answer will be Mexico, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, etc.

The sometimes futuristic Mor, No Theme at Darkness, which Feid also released in 2023, showcased the artist’s versatility, incorporating varied sounds into the album’s tracks, such as the Afrobeat medley “Bubalu,” which Feid recorded with Nigeria’s Rema , and the heavy EDM, impossible to miss if you are on TikTok “Ferxxo 151”. Speaking of impossible things, this section of the show included “Fumeteo,” which is impossible not to scream. But the highlights here were the forays into songs Feid played on, like Bad Bunny’s “Perro Negro,” Mora’s “La Inocente” and “Brickell,” taken from Feid’s joint EP with Yandel released on last month. Feid is known for his work with other artists, and other such songs – Maluma’s “Mojando Asientos,” Yandel’s “Yandel 150” and Ozuna’s “Hey Mor” – are sprinkled throughout the setlist.

Feid then took to one of the smaller stages for an acoustic set including “Ferxxo 30,” “Prohibidox,” and “Porfa.” Sitting cross-legged on stage and flanked by his guitarist and backing vocalist, the stage rose to the sky for this lovely little jam session. It’s worth noting that even though Feid was on this elevated but small corner stage, thanks to the giant screens that dominated the center of the venue, there was still a sense of Feid everywhere. And yes, at times it seemed like he was literally trying to be everywhere at once, as he spent much of the night running around the stage and up stairs to reach the audience in new places and from new angles.

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Feid performed his Colombian-influenced style of reggaeton to a packed house.

Photo by Jennifer Lake Reister

It’s not fair to try to single out the synthesizer on just one song (because it’s often used to good effect), but “Esquirla” definitely deserves a mention. “Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo” and “Normal” received two of the biggest pops of the night, and in between there were even more bangers, like the pulsating electro of “Luces de Tecno” and the charming, comforting synth from “Romanticos”. of Moons. Feid followed with a number of bops to conclude the show, including the catchy as hell, Young Miko featuring “Classy 101” and the ATL Jacob-produced “Luna.”

In total, Feid took the stage around 9:15 p.m. and performed for over two hours, with a total of 36 songs performed. I haven’t mentioned them all, but below is a complete setlist to check out his music on Spotify. It’s actually a must. Whether you like reggaeton or Latin music in general, and whether or not you speak Spanish, doesn’t really matter. It’s a party for everyone when Feid is in town, and you won’t want to miss it when he returns (and he will, because his star is still on the rise). Well, maybe, unless you have an aversion to the color green. But even then, just wear sunglasses. You’ll fit right in with the crowd with an FER/XXO pair.

PS To the lovely young lady next to me who didn’t want to”Perreo Sola»: I promise it wasn’t personal. I was working.

Set list

Alakran
50 Palos
Chimbita
Lady Mi Amor
Castigo
Bubalu
Ferxxo 151
Ultra-solo remix
Fumetéo
Black Dog
Cual Es Esa
Brickell
El Cielo
The Innocent
Ferxxo 30
Forbidden
Porfa
Esquirla
Mojando Asientos
Exclusive Remix
Ferxxo Edition
X19X
Feliz Cumpleanos Ferxxo
Monastery
Rhythm of Medal
Tecno Lights
Ey Chorie
The Pido in Dios
Romantic Moons
Normal
Ferxxo 100
Yandel150
Hi Mor
Classy 101
Chorrito Pa Las Animas
Moon