Jennifer Lopez’s «Up All Night» world tour is nearing its end, with her penultimate concert held Aug. 10 at Central Stadium in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city. On the eve of the show, one of her musicians took time to connect with locals.
Kazakh-style meat for J.Lo’s bass guitarist
Brandon Brown, Lopez’s bass guitarist — also known as Pastor Funk — met a local teenager on the basketball court at the hotel where the tour team was staying.
The encounter led to a surprise visit to the boy’s family home, something that delighted the hosts. According to the family, Brown turned out to be «a simple, open and good-natured person.»
In keeping with Kazakh tradition, the guest did not leave empty-handed but departed with a full bag of sarkyt, treats brought back from a celebration or family gathering.
In April, Lopez’s fans in Kazakhstan lit up the comments section of her manager’s social media post announcing the tour, which included a stop in Astana on Aug. 1. They flooded the post with heart emojis, Kazakhstan flags and warm invitations to try beshbarmak, the country’s signature meat dish.
While it’s unclear whether Lopez herself tried beshbarmak, Brown enjoyed it during the visit. One Instagram commenter joked that Brown’s colleagues were probably searching for him while he was busy eating.
‘Locust’ and gender reveal
Lopez’s concert in Almaty drew more than 20,000 fans — and at least one unexpected guest. During one number, a grasshopper landed on the singer.
Lopez handled the moment with a smile. She brushed off the insect and kept performing without missing a beat, as if nothing had happened. Fans in the front rows caught the moment on video, and the clips quickly went viral on social media. Viewers joked that the insect «got a ticket to the front row» and «decided to dance with J.Lo herself.»
The concert also featured a touching surprise for one fan. Lopez noticed a sign in the crowd reading, «We are expecting our first child. Help us find out the gender.» She agreed to take part in the big reveal.
An envelope with the ultrasound results was passed up to the stage.
To the sound of a drumroll, Lopez opened it and announced that the couple was having a girl. The crowd erupted in cheers as the emotional moment spread rapidly across social media.
