Bruno Mars’ concert was pure gold

By ALEX CASTRO

STAFF WRITER

 You can count on Bruno Mars for an amazing concert.

 Peter Gene Hernandez, also known as Bruno Mars, is a singer/songwriter on his 2018 24k Magic World tour. Bruno Mars visited the Staples Center in Los Angeles, performing on October 23rd through 27th.

 The show was a hit, combining humble performances with extravagant displays of technical engineering to create a dazzling and memorable performance.  

 Punctuality is usually a problem for concerts because of the large cast, crew and effects that must be prepared.  However, the concert started promptly at 8:30 PM. The concert had a DJ to keep the crowd satisfied while the show was being set up.

 Additionally, the concert had a large number of people, and as such, was able to generate the excitement necessary for an entertaining show. The Staples Center is large enough so that spectators could easily move, dance and see with no difficulties. Overall, there was just the right amount of people without the need for concern of safety.

 Furthermore, the security process was very efficient. Long lines are usually very irritating and spoil the excitement of the concert. Yet, the personnel had a hospitable attitude and got the checks done quickly.  Attendees were getting through relatively fast, which helped improve the overall attitude of the event.

 Saturday’s concert began with a lively performance by Charlie Wilson, ex-member of the GAP Band, and other performance from Boyz II Men, Ciara and Ella Mai.   Near the end of one of his songs, Charlie Wilson went for a quick costume change, allowing the other performers on stage to have some spotlight too. This attests to Wilson’s humble character. Between two of his songs, Charlie Wilson informs the crowd of his past alcohol and drug problem and how his faith redeemed him, bringing a monstrous cheer from the crowd. Empathizing with an artist is a great way to get the crowd in the mood to have fun. By admitting to the audience his flaws, Wilson reaffirms that he has flaws and weaknesses as well. Through this, the audience gained an understanding of Wilson’s excitement and energy, further adding to the enthusiasm of the crowd.

 Moreover, Mars’ concerts feature The Hooligans, a band that includes a guitarist, bassist, drummer, keyboardist, and horn section. They also serve as dancers and background singers. The interactions between Mars and the band show that the singer goes the extra way by becoming friends with his band, giving his Saxophone, drums, keyboard and guitar players their own solos. Each instrument that was played added another level of depth and complexity to the performance.

 The camaraderie between Mars and the band demonstrate how much they have been performing together. This can be seen in their near-synchronized choreography and cooperative attitudes on stage. The most notable part of the concert was how happy the performers appeared. Even after four performances in a row, they maintained their same eager attitude as when they first came on stage.

 In addition, he technical aspects of the concert was a sight to behold. The concert had clear and understandable speakers, and the lights were present but not overbearing. As a surprise, during his song “24K Magic,” small fireworks rained onto the stage from holes in the top of the set. Columns of flame then erupted in an arc around the singers. At the last stanza of the song, cannons roared, blasting a shower of golden confetti onto the cheering crowd. These effects served to shock the crowd and built up the ambient excitement.

 Even so, Bruno Mars could have extended his performance. Bruno and the Hooligans only played for 1 hour and 40 min. Compared to other concerts, that is a relatively short time. Including the intermission, between the short break he used to tell the audience a story, as well as the pauses in the songs, it seemed like not very long since he arrived before he had to leave. After the curtain fell, the crowd was still until Bruno Mars and the Hooligans performed only one encore song, a rendition of Uptown Funk. Nevertheless, the sheer quality of each performance definitely made up for the lack of stage time.

 All in all, the Bruno Mars concert definitely struck gold.  The performances were well thought out and the visual effects were mesmerizing. These combined to make a performance that will definitely be remembered.