By MIA MOORE
Bruno Mars performed to a crowd of over 55,000 fans at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sept.9 for his Romantic Tour.
The stadium was a sea of red, with thousands of fans dressed in theme, ranging from “24K Magic”-inspired red silk pajamas to Hooligans jerseys.
details on the opening acts and main performance:
DJ Peewee (Anderson .Paak)
- The Vibe: Opened with a high-energy set in a sparkly red suit and his signature Silk Sonic-style bob wig. He kept the crowd on their feet by playing classic tracks spanning generations from the 1950s to Gen Z.
- Highlights: A live trumpet player accompanied him on a few of his own songs, including “Come Down” and “Am I Wrong.”
- Critique: The song mixing fell flat, as another individual behind the DJ booth was handling transitions. Additionally, playing “Swag Surf” didn’t resonate well with this particular crowd.
Raye
- The Vibe: A emotionally candid set supported by a 12-piece band. She mentioned being emotional backstage prior to performing her 6-song set.
- Highlights: Her band was exceptional, and her vocals were strong throughout the set, ending on a high note with “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”
- Critique: Audio balance was an issue; the horn section often overpowered her vocals, making it difficult to understand the lyrics at times. The performance lacked the high-energy punch of the opening DJ set.
Bruno Mars
- The Vibe: An incredible, full-effort performance starting around 8:45 PM. He sang, danced, and played multiple instruments, including the piano, congas, acoustic guitar, and electric guitar.
- Highlights: Anderson .Paak joined him mid-show for a few Silk Sonic songs, closing with a quick sing-off between the two. The backing band’s synchronized dancing and playing was phenomenal, complemented by excellent camera work, screen cuts, fireworks, and pyrotechnics.
- Critique: Notably, he did not utilize a runway or the full extent of the stage to interact closer with the crowd.
Overall, it was an exciting and impressive show. Even from an unbiased perspective, The Romantic Tour is a concert worth seeing again.
Mia Moore is the owner of SheShoots317 and a freelance multimedia photographer for the Indianapolis Recorder.
Note: Featured image is not of the tour stop in Indianapolis.
For more, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
