Bruno Mars introduced his velvet-voiced showmanship to Atlanta’s Bobby Dodd Stadium for a funk-filled, crowd-commanding cease on The Romantic Tour. The evening was dripping in nostalgia, musicianship, and what felt like “777” nonstop hits all drenched in his signature, soul-soaked sound.
Earlier than Mars even touched the stage, the tone was set by Anderson .Paak, who took on his DJ alter ego, DJ Pee Wee, to heat up the gang. Opening with “Dancing Queen”, he hyped the viewers with, “ATL, I made it child,” earlier than welcoming them to “the best present within the universe, Bruno Mars presents The Romantic Tour.”
From there, he launched right into a genre-spanning set that saved the vitality excessive, mixing classics and crowd favorites like “Push It” and “We Discovered Love”, whereas even main the stadium in a full-fledged “Swag Surf” second.
Rocking his signature pageboy wig, DJ Pee Wee leaned absolutely into the bit, stepping away from his turntables to bop throughout the stage and toss T-shirts into the sold-out crowd, turning his opening set right into a full-fledged efficiency relatively than a standard warm-up.
Paak saved the gang–a mixture of lovers, college students, associates, and households, absolutely engaged with pulse-pounding sounds, punctuated by the electrifying trumpet abilities of Maurice Brown, earlier than transitioning into his personal hit, “Am I Fallacious,” for an additional stadium-wide sing-along.
Then it was Leon Thomas’ flip to interact the viewers.
Decked out in all purple in step with the tour’s romance theme, the multi-hyphenate kicked issues off with “How Quick” earlier than shifting into “Simply How You Are” and “Not Honest,” and naturally, his mega-hit “Mutt,” which drew one of many greatest responses of the opening units. Effortlessly switching from album-ready vocals to the guitar and drums, Thomas delivered a dynamic, high-energy efficiency that proved to be the proper warm-up for Mars.
Then it was time for Bruno Mars to hit the stage. Accompanied by his razor-sharp band, The Hooligans, Mars emerged to deafening screams, instantly commanding the stadium with the sort of polish and precision that’s at all times outlined his profession.
Mars set the tone, opening with “Threat It All,” performing in entrance of towering stained-glass visuals as trumpets blared and percussion boomed, underscoring the track’s urgency and emotional weight.
He then invited the gang to maneuver their hips with him throughout “Cha Cha Cha,” even breaking issues down for a energetic bongo solo that showcased his musicianship.
All through the evening, Mars danced and sang alongside his Hooligan background singers, transporting the sold-out stadium to the sleek, nostalgic sounds of the ’70s and ’80s, elevating songs into full-scale moments.
“On My Soul” featured not solely time-traveling eight-count choreography but in addition bursts of pyrotechnics and flashing lights that intensified the efficiency. That immersive method turned the theme of the evening with each track feeling like its personal expertise, together with his hit “24K Magic,” which he reimagined with a funk-driven twist, amplified by talkbox-infused background vocals.
At one level, issues obtained particularly funky because the “Treasure” singer paid homage to James Brown, draped in a cape in a nod to the Godfather of Soul’s legendary stage theatrics. The cape stayed on briefly earlier than he seamlessly transported concertgoers to 2016 with “Perm,” retaining the funk entrance and middle as the gang fed off the high-energy throwback second.
The visuals had been a standout all through the evening, significantly throughout a soulful, ’70s-inspired second when Mars delivered a {smooth} rendition of The Stylistics’”You Are Every little thing” earlier than transitioning into going into Zapp & Rogers’ “I Wanna Be Your Man,” mixing eras with ease and reinforcing the present’s nostalgic theme.
Then it was time for Silk Sonic.
Now buying and selling his signature DJ wig for his signature smile, Anderson .Paak reemerged behind the drum package whereas Mars strapped on his guitar for “777,” remodeling the stadium right into a casino-like spectacle full with pyrotechnics and a silky groove.
The duo didn’t waste time attending to the hits. Mars led Paak into “Smokin Out The Window” and “Fly As Me”, even breaking down “Smokin Out The Window” right into a playful, stop-and-start association that permit the gang savor each lyric. In addition they revisited Go away The Door Open; the monitor Mars jokingly referred to as the one which “began this entire Silk Sonic mess within the first place”, earlier than slipping right into a soul-stirring vocal showdown, buying and selling impassioned runs and sky-high notes in a enjoyable, full-throttle “yearn-off.”
After the Silk Sonic set, Mars continued with a slick run of hits, seamlessly weaving collectively eras of his catalog, from early chart-toppers to funk-forward anthems that saved the gang on its ft.
All through the evening, he maintained a direct reference to the viewers, pausing to joke, shout out followers on his “Angel Child” cam, and soak within the second.
With The Romantic Tour, Bruno Mars proves that traditional showmanship nonetheless reigns supreme. His Atlanta cease delivered a full-scale, funk-fueled manufacturing the place sharp eight-counts met soul-stirring vocals and silk-smooth harmonies. Each second leaned into romance, rhythm, and precision, the sort of efficiency that retains you locked in from begin to end.
This one was for the lovers. And simply when the (romantic) groove settled in, you wished it will by no means finish.
