I was invited to watch the Manila leg of Bruno Mars’ The Moonshine Jungle Tour, the Fil-Am’s second world tour and concert in the Philippines. He’s back to promote his new album Unorthodox Jukebox, which has the hits Young Girls, Locked Out of Heaven, Gorilla, Treasure, Moonshine, and When I Was Your Man.
Bruno Mars opened his concert with Moonshine, Natalie, Treasure, and Money (That’s What I Want) / Billionaire. Everybody went crazy when he performed Treasure, including me. It was clear from the start that The Moonshine Jungle Tour was going to be a great show.
His band The Hooligans was amazing. I especially loved the parts when Bruno and the band did some dances together. There was even a point when Bruno “revealed” that one of his male bandmates did the female vocals of “oh my God, this is great” in The Lazy Song.
Along with his band, Bruno Mars also brought his sex appeal to the Manila crowd. His easygoing nature and charming smile had me melting. His gyrating hips proved to be the climax of his charisma.
His lights and videos were also top-notch. The lights from the photos above were from Grenade. Everybody started singing along when the opening riffs of the song started. I also liked his performance of Marry You, Just The Way You Are, and When I Was Your Man. Bruno admitted that When I Was Your Man was the toughest song to sing, and I completely agree. The song’s just heartbreaking.
Bruno Mars closed his Manila concert with an encore, singing Locked Out of Heaven and Gorilla. The crowd (myself included) lost their minds and soon, everyone was jumping and dancing. Gorilla was a visual spectacle, with lights, fireworks, and even a few flamethrowers. It was a fitting closing to an epic concert, proving that Bruno Mars has the showmanship to match his vocal prowess.
I totally enjoyed the concert. I enjoy his songs, but I wouldn’t call myself a fan. That totally changed during his one night stop in Manila. He gave tons of energy: singing, dancing, and playing a variety of instruments with his bands. In fact, I was impressed that he got through the entire concert with only one very short break.
Unorthodox Jukebox is a great album, too. It stays true to Bruno’s sound, a mix of soul, funk, disco, and pop. No wonder it won the Best Pop Vocal Album at this year’s Grammy Awards.
Thank you, PLDT Fibr, for giving Filipinos the opportunity to see one of the sexiest musicians alive! Here’s to great connections!