The Romantic Tour delivered exactly what it suggested, over two hours of pure seduction and unapologetic yearning in the form of Bruno Mars' biggest tunes.
Opening with Risk It All and Cha Cha Cha, Bruno instantly got the crowd dancing, but the second 24K Magic came on, the energy exploded. Ten years on and that song – and the album as a whole – remains one of his strongest releases.
Deploying a career-defining hit so early on is a risk, but Bruno has plenty to keep the party going, which he proved instantly by blending it flawlessly into Treasure. That disco-funk sound, which Bruno embraces wholeheartedly, is something that’s been missing from pop for a while, but I think we’re finally ready to bring it back.
The urge to move, to dance, to feel, has been bubbling up in recent releases and cultural conversations, and there’s no one who does that better than Mr. Mars.
He’s a performer who knows how to keep the party going, embodying an old-school romantic crooner for a modern era. Everything about his performance is suave and sexy without being cringe or objectifying.
During Leave The Door Open, Bruno collaborated with Anderson .Paak for the Silk Sonic section of the show, with Smokin’ Out The Window providing another heavy hitter on the yearn scale.
The pair engage in a sing-off, which was one of the major highlights of the entire set list, purely for Bruno’s outfit. Starting out civil, the duo took it in turns to riff at the end of the track, with Anderson upping the stakes by downing an entire pint before belting out some dreamy notes, which is no mean feat.
Bruno blew him out of the water as he walked out in a Union flag bucket hat, football scarf, and clutching a Paddington Bear – you don’t get much more British than that.
For the final section, Bruno opened with Marry You, a song once so overplayed that listening to the Glee version instead felt like a relief. However, 16 years on, that infectious optimism feels more relevant than ever.
In an era defined by dating apps, Marry You is a nostalgia-loaded love bomb that makes you think maybe, just maybe, the love of your life is around the corner.
Bruno rounded out the show with a run of songs that deserve to be in the pop hall of fame, with Locked Out Of Heaven catching me off-guard because I’d honestly forgotten about it amid all other bangers.
He dedicated Just The Way You Are to the women in the crowd, a final flirt from the biggest lover boy in pop. The feeling was utterly mutual.
Bruno closed the show with Uptown Funk, a crowning jewel in a discography bursting with gems. The track is infectious, especially with some distance, you can really appreciate just how it remains one of the most perfectly constructed earworms ever to hit the radio.
Bruno Mars is a unique talent among male pop stars at the moment, a triple threat when it comes to dancing, playing, and singing. He has the stage presence of a living legend who is just having fun; it’s an irresistible charm that music needs more of right now.
It’s no wonder he sold out his Wembley Stadium run; there’s no one doing it quite like him.
