Bruno Mars

BEC 13.03.2014

Bruno Mars hit the Brisbane Entertainment with all the gusto of a tropical storm. Playing in Brisbane as part of his Moonshine Jungle tour Bruno set the scene with a super-cool mix tape before the band took to the boards. Hearing the likes of Jimi Hendrix’s Foxy Lady through the PA system got the capacity house in the right mood.

The curtain dropped and Bruno was front and centre with a rocking band: all busting out moves and delivering killer bv’s. All eyes are on Bruno though as the main man cuts a swathe out front. Moonshine and Natalie are early highlights. Early on Bruno offers an apology. He’s never had to postpone a show before: but tonight he can give us ‘300%’ as opposed to the measly ‘60%’ he had in the tank when he was ill the week before. Everyone there would agree it was the worth the wait.

Treasure dropped early and it was an absolute killer rendition that seemed to recall an old episode of Soul Train: replete with a massive glitter ball. After a quick ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie’, Bruno grabbed the electric guitar to show he knows a thing or two about garage rock. The band tore into a cover of Berry’s Gordy’s Motown masterpiece Money (That’s What I Want), before segueing into Billionaire and, finally, Aloe Black’s I Need A Dollar.

Mars is a man for all seasons and he showed just how good he was at not only singing and dancing, but the guy knows pop, rock, R&B and gospel. He can do it all. Just The Way You Are was a stunning closer to the main set. For a while Bruno even jumped on the drum kit and pounded the skins along to James Brown. Locked Out Of Heaven was a monster and Gorilla was damn fine. Bruno … you came, you saw and you delivered one helluva mighty show. Come back soon!

Words: Peta Kent

Photo: Glenn Pokorny, PK Productions