Concert Review: Bruno Mars – Bell Centre, Montreal – July 23rd 2014

Bruno Mars brought his Moonshine Jungle tour to Montreal on Wednesday, playing to a very enthusiastic sold out crowd. Backed by a dynamic band, the singer played all his hits and more, keeping everyone on their feet (even through some of the quieter songs). The charismatic singer had total control of the crowd, and his every word and every move elicited shrieks of glee from the young (and not so young) females in attendance.

At times, he recalled a young James Brown, but if there is one thing that he proved, it’s that he’s the musician that’s best suited to take over Michael Jackson’s place as King of Pop. There is nothing we’ve never seen in his show, but he brings it all together in a spectacular way and stamps it with his exuberant personality to make it entirely his own.

The show kicked off with Moonshine, followed by Natalie and Treasure and never really let up. Marry You (complete with marriage proposal in the first row. She said yes.), Runaway Baby or the softer When I was Your Man (with the whole crowd singing along) were all highlights.

The singer came back for his encore playing a drum solo, followed by his mega hit Locked Out of Heaven. Confettis, lasers, elaborate lighting, pyrotechnics, rising platforms: his show has everything. He finished off the evening with the more subdued Gorilla, but pulled it off brilliantly to end the show on a high note. Truly an amazing artist.

Pharell Williams was supposed to open the evening but he pulled out of the Canadian dates a few days before the show; Bebe Rexha, an Albanian-American singer-songwriter took his place. Clearly nervous at the beginning, she grew more at ease and ended her short performance brilliantly. She obviously made a lot of fans tonight.

Setlist

• Moonshine
• Natalie
• Treasure
• Money (That’s What I Want)
• Billionaire
• Show Me / Our First Time / Pony / Ignition
• Marry You
• If I Knew / It Will Rain
• Runaway Baby
• Nothin’ on You
• When I Was Your Man
• Grenade
• Just the Way You Are

Encore:

• Locked Out of Heaven
• Gorilla

http://youtu.be/TZfMM1UpbUs

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Jean-Frederic Vachon

By day, Jean-Frédéric is Head of Development Services at videogame developer Behaviour Interactive. Rock journalist by night, Jean-Frédéric fills every waking moment of his life with music. Diary of a Music Addict is the little corner of the Internet he's claimed for himself to share his passion with the world.

He's also a regular contributor at the excellent news site Montreal Rampage

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