It seems nowadays celebrities are hotter than ever but have become sanitised in their sexy. We are in a romance drought. But Bruno Mars might be the dousing we’ve all been waiting for.
The Romantic Tour delivered exactly what it suggested, over two hours of pure seduction and unapologetic yearning in the form of his 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 embodies an old-school romantic crooner for a modern era. Everything about his performance is suave and sexy without being cringe or objectifying.
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His flawless vocals likely help in that area, effortlessly letting his silky-smooth voice take the spotlight and edging the crowd ahead of indulgent big notes.
For God Was Showing Off, women from the crowd were picked and shown on the big screen, dubbed the Angel Baby Cam, giving a personal touch despite the huge 75,000 mass gathered.
One woman was so excited she flipped between posing, crying, and blowing kisses at Bruno, who couldn’t help but break character to laugh with her.
The Marry Me singer’s personality shone throughout the show, clearly having the most fun when sharing the stage with his Hooligans band or with guest star Anderson .Paak.
He brought out his collaborator for the Silk Sonic section of the show, with Smokin’ Out The Window providing another heavy hitter on the yearn scale.
During Leave The Door Open, 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.
However, 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.
As a duo, their voices work so well together, and it’s criminal that they’ve only released one official studio album so far.
My only complaint is that the Silk Sonic section would have been incredible on a second stage or something further into the crowd. For a stadium gig, Bruno’s staging was very reserved.
He didn’t even have a catwalk, surprising for an artist known for his dance moves. For a show designed to make the audience fall in love, he and the band felt a little at arm’s length.
That’s not to say the stage set-up was bad by any means; the use of lights, pyrotechnics and confetti was some of the most comprehensive I’ve seen. He definitely didn’t skimp on the budget for fireworks.
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.
That’s what Bruno does so well; his music – particularly the early stuff – is drenched in an optimism you can’t help but get on board with.
Not done with the nostalgia, the Grammy winner sat down at the piano and led us through a medley of some of his older tracks, with Talking To The Moon, Grenade, and When I Was Your Man echoing throughout the stadium as we sang along.
Of course, he 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.
In the face of situationships, dating apps, and a ghosting epidemic, maybe Bruno Mars’ Romantic Tour is the antidote we all need right now. Stop stressing, start yearning.
Verdict
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.