REVIEW | BRUNO MARS - 24K MAGIC TOUR
Eleven-time Grammy award winning singer Bruno Mars graced Auckland with four shows for his 24K Magic tour and left the whole city strewn with gold.
It was almost impossible to get tickets. They sold out in seconds before I could blink and I’m sure the whole office heard my heartbreak. And then, miraculously, two tickets appeared for his last show and I felt like I’d won the lottery. Someone offered to purchase one ticket for over three times the original price, but there are some things that are worth their weight in 24 carat gold and should never be given up. There was no way I was going to miss this experience. In fact, Bruno Mars’ final concert last night actually broke the attendance record for Spark Arena.
The opening act was British rising star Dua Lipa, who did a good job hyping the crowd with energy and showcasing her dark, dusky vocals with hits such as New Rules. I particularly enjoyed her humour and attitude when she asked the crowd if we’ve ever had our heart broken, directed us to never let that happen again and to flip the bird before performing her song IDGAF.
And then it was time for Bruno Mars. The 24K Magic tour was everything the title promised – complete with pyrotechnics, dazzling lighting effects and, of course, pure talent. Performing with his amazing band The Hooligans, Bruno Mars jived his way around the stage and brought his special mix of funk, R&B and pop to life. I had the most fun I’ve ever had at a concert. Watching Bruno Mars onstage is a pleasure because his whole team look like they really enjoy performing and sharing their music with everyone.
Bruno Mars belted out the infectious hits from his most recent album 24K Magic, such as That’s What I Like, Finesse and Uptown Funk, but also treated fans to some of the older ballads that grabbed people by the heartstrings like When I Was Your Man. His powerful vocals and mesmerising dance moves made for an unforgettable performance. When I heard one of his first singles, Grenade, where he sang about catching a grenade for a girl he loved, I would scoff with cynicism. But after watching him sing live with such passion, I actually believe him now.
Towards the end of the show, gold foil confetti rained down on the crowd and I loved it. When I woke up today, I still had pieces of gold in my hair to remind me of the best concert ever and that all that glitters is Bruno Mars.
