Manuel Turizo at the Salle Pleyel in Paris was one of the more unexpected concert experiences of 2025. The Salle Pleyel is a prestige venue near the Champs-Elysees more typically associated with classical music and jazz. Seeing a Colombian reggaeton and bachata artist perform there created an interesting tension between the room and the music that ultimately resolved beautifully.

The intimacy of the venue was immediately different from the arenas and stadiums I had been attending. Pit tickets put me close enough to the stage to see the expressions on the faces of the musicians. The sound mix in the room was precise and warm in a way that larger venues rarely achieve.

Turizo worked the crowd with the ease of someone who has been performing in front of devoted audiences since he was very young. His bachata catalogue produced moments of collective singing that had the entire venue moving in a way that felt more like a private party than a public concert.

The Latin music scene in Paris is large and dedicated. The crowd at this show was primarily from the Latin American diaspora in France, people for whom this music is a connection to home and family rather than simply entertainment. That context changes the energy of a room in ways that are visible and affecting.

I rated the show 8 out of 10. The intimacy of the venue, the quality of the sound, and the genuine connection between Turizo and his Paris audience made this one of the more memorable shows I attended that year. If he returns to Paris, go in the closest format to this one that you can find.