David Bisbal

David Bisbal | May 28, 2025 | Emo's, Austin, TX

David Bisbal's anticipated Austin debut almost didn't happen. I arrived 20 minutes before showtime to find Emo's pitch black - a first for me. The art installation that usually lights up the room was dark, victim of a random hailstorm that caused mass power outages across the east side of town.

But David Bisbal was not going to let his first show in Austin get derailed. The lights flickered back on at 8:00 PM - right when Bisbal was scheduled to go on stage. The second power returned, the crew was testing mics with the urgency of people who've dealt with worse. A fifteen-minute delay was amateur hour - they've clearly handled more in 20 years of touring.

Meanwhile, the crowd wasn't phased. They were actually inside Emo's already filling out the pit during the blackout, and the AC wasn't working - so if they were willing to wait in a hot, dark venue, Bisbal's team knew they had to bring it. There's something about shows with Hispanic or Latino artists where the crowd becomes an equal participant. On this night there was international flavor: Spanish flags, Cuban flags, American flags waving throughout the venue while fans chanted "David! David!" before he even appeared. At these shows it's just as important to watch the crowd as the star because they engage in a give and take all night.

When Bisbal finally hit the stage, everyone forgot about the delay. Two decades into his career, he moved with the restless energy of someone half his age - all sharp choreography and genuine charisma. What got me was his genuine surprise at the audience response - you could tell he and his band didn't know what kind of reaction the crowd was going to give but were pleasantly surprised. "Now that the light is on, we're going to give you everything I've got," he said mid-show. And he delivered. The energy never dropped, turning what could have been a disaster into Austin's most unlikely dance party of the night.

Bisbal came out in a full suit and danced with the crowd all night. His first time in Austin didn't disappoint, and it was a great mid-tour bump for him to finish out his return to the US tour.

Find David Bisbal at Instagram, Facebook, and his official website.