LAS VEGAS – If James Brown, Jimi Hendrix and Dean Martin had a love child, it might be Bruno Mars.
The combination of his gliding feet, undeniable musicianship and supple voice are a trifecta of talent, with all on display for more than two hours during The Romantic Tour, named for his new album, “The Romantic.”
What Mars, 40, has crafted – a polished, choreographed production that spotlights the showmanship in his DNA – is the ultimate feel-good show.
It started with him on video in a church, saying a prayer and expressing thanks for “getting to do” what he loves, before a fanfare of mariachi horns and a spotlight trained on the center of the stage revealed the charismatic singer crooning “Risk it All.”
The slow-burn song might seem a subdued choice for an opener, but Mars quickly steered the tempo – and his giddy band, The Hooligans – into “Cha Cha Cha” as they moved in lockstep across the stage and Mars uncorked an exhilarating spin on a set of congas.
Bruno Mars has history in Las Vegas
That Mars kicked off the nearly 80-date worldwide outing – his first stadium tour and his return to the road after almost a decade – in Las Vegas is more than happenstance.
He recently wrapped a nine-year residency at Park MGM and in 2024, opened The Pinky Ring lounge at Bellagio. A few hours before Mars hit the Allegiant Stadium stage Friday, April 10, for the first of two sold-out shows opening weekend, he was bestowed with an honor not even the Queen of Las Vegas, Celine Dion, can boast – the official naming of his own street (Bruno Mars Drive) near the home of that long-term residency.
Mars was always a perfect match for Las Vegas with his innate ability to entertain. His outfits, which changed from a red-embroidered leisure suit to a bedazzled jacket matching with pal Anderson .Paak to a natty black and gold vest ensemble, also screamed groovy cool. Mars even held the microphone with style, as he smoothly segued from “24K Magic” to “Treasure” to “God Was Showing Off,” which he dedicated to “all the beautiful girls in Las Vegas tonight.”
Silk Sonic makes a comeback at Bruno Mars show
The multigenerational crowd displayed how much they felt like dancing to the strolling bop –and most recent of his 10 No. 1 hits – “I Just Might,” while Mars appeared to have just as much fun on the tiered stage as he grooved and spun with his roving band members.
The show ebbed and flowed with precision, with the uptempo jams countered by Mars’ considerable arsenal of ballads. He pleaded with conviction, his voice a velvety vessel of persuasion, through the soulful “Why You Wanna Fight,” performed atop a cherry-colored Lowrider along with a medley that included a nod to The Chi-Lites (“Oh Girl”) and a natural transition to his hip gyrator, “That’s What I Like.”
Mars’ own deep catalog is augmented by his side project with .Paak, Silk Sonic. While .Paak is on the tour to present an opening set as DJ Pee .Wee, he also vaulted out to perform a quintet of Silk Sonic tunes with Mars, including the funk-hip-hop-hybrid “777” and “the song that started this whole thing,” Mars said, the bedroom seducer “Leave the Door Open.”
While the pair share a reverence for classic sounds and style and possess outrageous musical acumen, they’re also close enough friends to needle each other.
“When I think about how much debt, I mean steps, it took to get here …” .Paak joked, a reference to Mars’ widely rumored gambling debt he allegedly worked off through his residency performances. (MGM Resorts maintained that Mars “has no debt with MGM” and Mars has frequently mocked the rumor.)
Mars shot .Paak a wry grin before leaning into the final notes of “Leave the Door Open,” his multi-octave voice a masterclass in vocalizing.
Why Bruno Mars is a musical unicorn
To wax rhapsodic about Mars as an executor of charm is commonplace. But his skill for molding melodies is sometimes overshadowed by his flair, even with 16 Grammy Awards on his resume. Anyone questioning that ability need only listen to “Die With a Smile,” his ballad for the ages written and performed with Lady Gaga (who also sings the song solo on her Mayhem Tour).
Sitting at a baby grand piano, Mars prompted swoons with his delivery of the lyrics, his pure voice holding notes with the same muscularity as early in the show.
But as quickly as he grabs your heart, Mars returns to electrifying your feet and turning a stadium into a discotheque with “Locked Out of Heaven” and “Uptown Funk.”
The Romantic Tour is a lavish spectacle that is buffed to perfection, with every light swirl and confetti drop precisely calibrated.
Mars makes it all look effortless, but the work he puts in is apparent in the sweat that bleeds through his headbands and the obvious attention to detail. He’s an old-school entertainer with fresh sensibilities, a musical unicorn who, 15 years into a career, seems to be hitting a new stride.