It seems incredibly appropriate that Bruno Mars’ first appearance in front of the soon-to-be-adoring public was in the beloved 1992 movie Honeymoon in Vegas, which featured Nicolas Cage and a bunch of skydiving Elvis impersonators:
1. Mars, who began his career as an Elvis impersonator, had many drawing comparisons with the King himself after his 2016 Park MGM residency absolutely killed, selling out and practically guaranteeing Mars’ continued involvement with Sin City.
2. Elvis impersonators pay homage to the music of the past, and so does Mars, drawing on musical roots from Michael Jackson and Prince to the Browns (James and Bobby).
3. Much like Elvis and, subsequently, Cage, Mars is well on his way to becoming synonymous with Las Vegas and all its over-the-top history, glamour and glitz.
Don’t believe that last part? Well, believe this: Mars, who returns to Las Vegas this week, had to add additional shows to meet demand; his first shows sold out almost immediately. (If you’re thinking of just sauntering up to the box office and getting a ticket the night of one of his shows, you probably also believe in unicorns and that strippers really like you.)
It’s just the latest chapter in the career of a man whose influence expands daily, both from three solo albums to numerous collaborations (including the 2019 singles “Please Me” with Cardi B and “Blow” with Chris Stapleton and Ed Sheeran).
It’s been more or less a whirlwind ever since Mars exploded on the scene with 2010 album Doo-Wops & Hooligans, quickly becoming one of the few artists in music history to have two singles sell in excess of 10 million copies (“Grenade” and “Just the Way You Are”). In 2015, he became the only artist to have three, thanks to the song that catapulted him into the mainstream like no other: “Uptown Funk,” a collaboration with Mark Ronson that is so ubiquitous even people who have never heard of Bruno Mars can practically sing it by note by note.
But it’s one thing to listen to Mars on Pandora; it’s another entirely to witness one of his shows. He’s a consummate showman, not just singing and playing instruments, but dancing and engaging with the audience. There’s a reason Mars’ audiences are so diverse. Not only is he an of-the-moment performer for the younger fans out there, he’s a true throwback to those who remember the performances by Jimi Hendrix, James Brown and, of course, Elvis.
Those older influences are apparent on his third album, 24K Magic, but never do they feel like imitations; Mars makes each take feel fresh and exciting, and his legion of fans anxiously awaits his fourth album, currently in the works. Whatever direction Mars chooses, it’s a lock that his base will follow him.
Park Theater at Park MGM, 8 p.m. July 23-24, starting at $99.50 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
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