Bruno Mars may be at the vanguard of the latest trend in pop-star Las Vegas residencies, but when he was a kid, he was part of a very different Vegas entertainment trend: At just four years old, the young Mars started performing as an Elvis impersonator in Hawaii (where he was born), and he was featured among the throng of Elvis tribute artists in the 1992 movie Honeymoon in Vegas, a seminal film in the history of Las Vegas onscreen. Mars grew up surrounded by musicians: His uncle also performed as Elvis, and Mars’ first gigs were with his family’s band The Love Notes. Mars could already play multiple instruments by the time he was a teenager, when he became a regular entertainment fixture in Hawaii, performing in various groups and working as a Michael Jackson impersonator.
Mars’ path could have led him to something like Legends in Concert in Vegas, but instead he moved to L.A. to pursue his dreams of creating his own music, and he arrived as a Vegas headliner in 2014 with an arsenal of original pop hits. He first worked as a songwriter and producer for hire, helping to craft popular songs for artists like B.o.B (“Nothin’ on You”), Travie McCoy (“Billionaire”) and CeeLo Green (“Forget You”), before scoring his first solo chart hit with 2010’s “Just the Way You Are.” From there, Mars quickly rose to become one of the biggest stars in popular music, thanks to his smooth vocals, finely honed songwriting instincts, impeccable showmanship and ability to transcend genres, from pop to R&B and rock to electronic dance music.
Mars is now on his second Vegas home, having put down roots at the Park Theater when it opened in 2016. He’s maintained a career as a hitmaking pop star and international touring draw even as he’s continued to play regularly in Vegas, a balance that almost no other artist has achieved. Mars’ run of hits in the last decade includes “Grenade,” “The Lazy Song,” “Marry You,” “It Will Rain,” “Locked Out of Heaven,” “When I Was Your Man,” “24K Magic” and the massively popular Mark Ronson collaboration “Uptown Funk.” And he’s far from finished: He’s recently released collaborative singles with Cardi B, Gucci Mane, Kodak Black, Ed Sheeran and Chris Stapleton, demonstrating the range of his musical talent and audience appeal. Last month, he signed a deal with Disney to star in and produce a music-themed feature film, which will showcase all-new original songs.
Since he concluded his massive 24K Magic World Tour in December 2018, Mars’ only live dates have been in Vegas, and his 2020 residency shows are thus far the only bookings he has for this year. “I miss performing with the band and singing for beautiful people,” he posted on Twitter when announcing the latest dates. “So if you happen to be in Vegas … Let’s ride.” Mars has been taking audiences on a ride since he was barely out of diapers, so it’s no wonder that this born entertainer feels right at home in Las Vegas.
Park Theater at Park MGM, 9 p.m. March 6-7, starting at $99.50 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
