If you ask anyone that knows me, from minor Facebook acquaintances to lifelong friends, they would tell you that I am a huge fan of Bruno Mars.
I have a generally old-school taste in musicians: simple songs, ability to play instruments and the biggest part of all, the ability to sing live.
Bruno Mars has it all.
So of course when the Moonshine Jungle Tour made its way to the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, I couldn’t help but go on Aug. 28.
The plaza area of the forum was packed. People, young and old, purchased t-shirts and took pictures in front of the tour truck.
After venturing inside and waiting a short period, Fitz and the Tantrums opened up the show.
Energetic and upbeat, the band played their biggest hits getting the crowd moving and dancing.
When Fitz and the Tantrums exited the stage, the crowd was antsy again, waiting for the main attraction to hit the stage.
The wait seemed so long in fact, the audience started a wave going around the stage multiple times just to pass the time.
However, when the golden palm tree curtain fell from the rafters covering the stage, and the crowd started screaming, I knew we were in for a good show.
The room went dark and then a single backlight lit the center of the stage, showing the simple outline of a man in broad brimmed fedora. Bruno Mars had arrived.
He opened the show with the ‘80s inspired power-ballad Moonshine setting the mood from the start.
He then addressed the crowd saying he hoped to get us “moving”, “shaking,” “dancing,” and maybe even sweating a bit. So he asked us to put down our phones and cameras and dance with him.
The concert just got better from there from the modern-disco track Treasure that had both me and my mother, who came with me, dancing, to the emotional and heartbreaking When I Was Your Man.
Mars and the band, the Hooligans, even took the time to give the audience and little “R&B 101” showing us their best pick-up lines.
Equally as impressive as Mars’ smooth vocals, was the band. Phillip Lawrence, backup vocals, sang If I Knew with Mars and found perfect harmonies with him.
Kameron Whalum, trombone, Jamareo Artis, bass guitar, James King, trumpet, Phredley Brown, keyboard, lead guitar and backup vocals and Dwayne Dugger, saxophone, all added depth to the songs and still managed to dance with the other guys.
John Fossit, keyboard and piano, played a beautiful piano solo during a short break that reminded you these guys are professionals.
Eric Hernandez, drummer and brother of Mars, kept the beat going on the drums and didn’t even seem to break a sweat.
Mars ended the show with "Just the Way You Are, "having the whole audience sing the chorus with him one last time as he left the stage.
Fortunately, the show wasn’t quite over yet.
Drumming must run in the Hernandez family as Mars opened up the encore with a rousing drum solo that had the audience on their feet once again.
After playing "Locked Out of Heaven," the stage when black followed by green lights and primate images flashing on the screen: Gorilla.
The suggestive tune was coupled with pyrotechnics and even fire on stage, but even that couldn’t take away from how much energy Mars seemed to give to this song.
As the platform sunk into the floor and Mars left the stage, the Hooligans finished playing out Gorilla and with a bang the show was over.
The about an hour and a half of nonstop Mars was satisfying and yet also left me wanting more.
All ages ranging from middle school age students to older adults enjoyed the show.
Mars closed his United States tour in Puerto Rico on Sept. 1. He will then start up his European tour Oct. 2 in Belfast, North Ireland.
Sunday, Sept. 8, Mars also received the halftime performance spot for Super Bowl XLVIII on Feb. 2, held in New Jersey.
I can tell you, without question, not only will I be glued to the television on February 2. The next time Bruno Mars steps into the Sunshine State, I’ll definitely be there.
