Bruno Mars is 24K Magic

It’s safe to say no matter who you are and how bad your dancing skills might be, it’s nearly impossible not to groove out at a Bruno Mars concert. His live performance is electrifying and emotional, and his dance moves are smooth and sexy, making him a brilliant performer. He brought a dance party to TD Garden on Sept. 27 and 28 with his 24K Magic World Tour, and the crowd was on their feet for the entire concert. While his set was simple because he kept it to one main stage, one outfit, very few props, and a some fireworks here and there, Mars doesn’t need the extra fluff of special effects. He’s got his band — The Hooligans — and his stylish dance moves. And that’s more than enough.

After Cardi B dropped out of the tour earlier this year after giving birth to her first daughter, Ciara stepped in. While “I Like It” and “Drip” were admittedly missed, Ciara was a great substitute, and she warmed the crowd up for the first two hours of straight dancing. Ciara’s set included some of her older songs like “Body Party” and “Promise,” but she gave her most energizing performance during her newer singles like “Level Up” and “Dose.”

When the curtain dropped, Mars and his band jumped out wearing colorful Hooligans jerseys and gear and got right into “Finesse.” The crowd exploded in cheers, and Mars seemed surprised that the audience knew the lyrics, as he regularly turned the mic over to let them have their belt-out moment with the chorus.

His performance was not over the top, but that’s how Mars kept his audience engaged. Without the usually flashy sets that come with top hits performers, the focus was on his voice and dancing. The performance could have benefitted, however, from another stage closer to the back of the arena. It felt stuck to the one area after a few songs, and another stage might have made for more crowd interaction.

That being said, his ability to keep the crowd jumping up and down all night with only a few props proves just why Mars can use just his singing and dancing talent to draw in his fans.

Mars’ singing was, as expected, nearly perfect. His voice is smooth but his dance moves, with a plethora of moonwalks and hip thrusts, were even more impressive. Alongside his equally jazzy band, Mars gave off Michael Jackson and Prince vibes, and he did justice to their dance legacies.

Mars didn’t disappoint with the rest of his set as he included all the crowd favorites, like “Treasure” and “24K Magic.” Swaying phone flashlights came out for “When I Was Your Man.” Alone on the stage and shining under a bright spotlight, Mars elicited emotions for the ballad. Tears were shed by a group of older men next to me — that’s how good it was.

In fact, the audience represented a wide range of ages, with everyone from herds of young girls to older couples on date night. Without the extra fluff of most concerts, Mars attracted and entertained a diverse audience.

Mars’ dance party came to a peak, ending with “Locked Out of Heaven,” complete with confetti cannons and more fireworks, but the crowd stayed for an encore of “Uptown Funk” before the curtain closed for the night. When the lights to the arena turned back on, I found myself not wanting to leave, my feet still shuffling and head bopping as “Don’t believe me just watch” kept replaying in my head.

In the final months of his tour that started in March 2017 and ends in November, Mars hasn’t lost his energy. Every minute of his concert proved why he will be a timeless singer of this decade.