Nothing mars Bruno's show
CONCERT Review: Vanessa Williams
Bruno Mars
4 stars
Perth Arena
He's one of the biggest male pop artists in the world right now, so you wouldn't expect anything less than an energetic, vivacious set from Bruno Mars.
It's hard to imagine that the last time the Honolulu-born singer-songwriter was in Perth in 2011, he played to a much more intimate crowd at the Astor Theatre.
But going by the bustling crowd that spilled into Perth Arena on Friday night (there was hardly a free standing space in the general admission pit or an empty seat in sight) it's clear Mars' days of performing at intimate venues are well and truly over.
Bursting on to a stage flanked by vivid jungle visuals, Mars, wearing his signature hat, and his flamboyant eight-piece band open with a beat-pumping, toe-tapping performance of Moonshine, instantly revving up the throng of screaming fans of almost every demographic, from teenage girls and women in their 20s, 30s and 40s to couples and young families.
A glinting disco ball descends from above the stage as Mars unleashes his next track, Treasure, prompting a sea of fans to spring out of their seats and on to their feet to dance and sway along.
The crowd stays upright as Mars gives an impressive electric guitar solo before bursting into Billionaire, which he ties in with a fun cover of Money (That's What I Want).
Throughout the beat-pumping set, which is a colourful fusion of retro soul, funk, reggae, pop and R&B, Mars and his band unleash a series of hip-swaying, Motown-inspired moves and at one point the singer steps on to an elevated stage to channel Michael Jackson's signature crotch-grabbing moves.
By the time he launches into his chart-topping hits Marry You, Young Girls and Runaway Baby, Mars has practically every member of the audience under his charming spell.
Even if you're not the diehard know-every-song-and-all-the-lyrics fan (like me) the beauty is you don't need to be.
Mars has an endless catalogue of hits from his two albums (2010's Doo-Wops & Hooligans and his more recent 2012 offering, Unorthodox Jukebox) that anyone can croon along to without feeling like the odd one out.
Later, toning down the high-energy set, Mars gives a sombre performance of his heart-breaking ballad, When I Was Your Man, and at one point wipes away tears, having earlier told the crowd it was the hardest song he's ever had to write and perform.
Things then kicked back into high gear as Mars launched into two more of his biggest hits, Grenade and Just The Way You Are, and after a brief departure from the stage, he returned with a beat-slamming, pop-heavy encore of Locked Out Of Heaven.
There's no doubt that Mars has an amazing vocal range that would probably outdo most musicians of his age and calibre.
But stripping back the bright lights, the eye-popping stage visuals, the cool cat moves and the energetic band, Mars provides the kind of entertainment that can only come from real, bona fide talent.
