At Sunday night’s Toronto show, center Bruno Mars and his backup singers performed an oldies medley while sitting on the hood of a vintage Cadillac.Daniel Ramos/Provided
Towards the end of the first of three parts of Bruno Mars’ lively second concert at Rogers Stadium in Toronto on Wednesday, the show’s star told the sold-out crowd of some 50,000 people that he was “going for a little drive.”
A red Cadillac convertible came out. The car was vintage, as was the medley of cover songs Mars sang while sitting on the hood. “Oh Girl” by The Chi Lights, “You Are Everything” by The Stylistics, “I Miss You” by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and “I Want to Be Your Man” by Roger (Troutman).
While Cadillac was undoubtedly a gas guzzler, Mars benefited greatly from the music of its time.
His own songs, performed early in the concert with his large band, the Hooligans, mimicked the party funk, 1970s vocal group crooning, sophisticated Chicano soul, jazzy horns, sleek disco-pop and Tex-Mex moments of the pre-Mars era, 40 years old.
On “Something Serious,” Mars spoke in fluent Carlos Santana. God imagined the Jackson 5 in brass. Just Might made me want to dance with Leo Thayer. All of these songs are taken from Mars’ latest album, The Romantic.
Bruno Mars brought a fireworks extravaganza to Toronto’s outdoor Rogers Stadium on Sunday.Daniel Ramos/Provided
Add in stadium-sized fireworks and a weather factor, and you have a two-hour extravaganza called “Earth, Wind and Fireworks.” Mars’ scheduled Saturday show, the first of five at the outdoor facility, was postponed to May 31 due to rain.
After Sunday’s show, people near the old Downsview Airport at the top of the city complained about the noise. One resident said the nightly concerts at the stadium, which is hosting 20 performances in its second season of operation, are comparable to the next door’s parties.
Related article: Laid-off data analyst takes rock’n’roll job for summer
“If you want a free Bruno Mars concert, come to my condo tonight,” Susie Martins told CP24 TV. “We have the best seats in town.”
On the other hand, there were many people who came from far away for the show. We spoke to one fan who drove eight hours from Baltimore, Maryland, for Saturday’s postponed concert.
“I really thought it was going to be a great experience,” said Jasmine Bornhall, a journalist from Baltimore. “That would have been something we could talk about for years to come.”
She was traveling to Toronto with her husband to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary. Due to previous commitments, I was unable to attend makeup concerts and other shows.
Tickets for postponed performances will remain valid for the postponed performances. Refunds are also possible. Unfortunately, Ms. Bonehall didn’t get to hear her favorite Mars song, the aptly titled “It Will Rain.”
It’s neither unusual nor new for fans to travel far to meet Honolulu-born musicians. The Uptown Funk singer was a longtime resident of the Park MGM Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. But what happens in Las Vegas doesn’t necessarily stay in Las Vegas. Increasingly, Mars and other stars are performing in fewer cities and focusing on longer shows in larger markets, reducing travel costs (and increasing costs for fans).
For example, Harry Styles’ current Together Tour will feature 68 concerts in seven cities around the world, including a 30-night stop at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Canadian rockers Rush’s upcoming Fifty Something Tour is a series of multi-night arena residencies.
“We are definitely seeing an evolution of the touring model across live entertainment,” Eric Hoffman, president of Live Nation Canada, said in an email to the Globe and Mail. “As global touring continues to expand, artists and promoters are increasingly looking for ways to maximize production value, create destination-style fan experiences, and operate more efficiently across markets.”
The original songs performed by Bruno Mars were a pastiche of party funk, 1970s vocal group sing-alongs, sophisticated Chicano soul, jazzy horns, and hip disco pop.Daniel Ramos/Provided
In Canada, Mars’ The Romantic Tour will play 10 dates in just two cities: Toronto and Vancouver (BC Place, October 14-21). Want to maximize production value? The Mars crew only needs to build and dismantle the vast stage twice.
So there are fewer roads for roadies. And for fans, Wednesday didn’t seem to disappoint one bit. Mars is lovable, hard-working and not a pleaser. Rogers Stadium was built for major touring artists like him, but he was also built for big rooms.
RELATED: Ontario’s new ticket resale rules were meant to protect fans. Some people say they are losing money now.
His music, while undeniably derivative, is danceable and charismatic. The second segment of the show was dedicated to songs from Silk Sonic, Mars’ side project with Anderson .Paak. The duo ran through a sophisticated, high-energy set of contemporary R&B and modern funk.
In the final segment, Mars took the spotlight (and often sat on a piano bench) for pop-oriented songs, including his 2024 hit single (co-starring Lady Gaga) “Die With a Smile.” After his second costume change of the night, he returned for the infectious “Locked Out of Heaven,” the pleading romantic ballad “Just the Way You Are,” and the horn-blaring, bass-slapping thriller “Uptown Funk.”
Bruno Mars will play at Rogers Stadium on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. BC Place in Vancouver from October 14th to 21st.
Source link
