Bruno Mars’ Phoenix concerts were a funky retro lovefest

I know it’s only mid-April, and therefore perhaps too soon to crown one show as the feel-good concert of the year.

But really, every other 2026 offering is going to have some stiff competition in the form of Bruno Mars’ Romantic Tour, which successfully wooed audiences at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on April 14 and 15.

Mars’ set began in church, not usually a great place for seduction; a prerecorded video clip showed the artist praying in a chapel for the protection of the audience and the musicians, and the power and strength to “give this city a show they’ll never forget.”

After that, the performance was less sacred and more soulful, as Mars used every tool in his considerable arsenal to delight the crowd.

He kicked off the show with “Risk It All,” the first track on his album “The Romantic,” which debuted Feb. 27, then slid into the Latin-flavored “Cha Cha Cha.”

It was during the third song, “On My Soul,” that the true nature of this concert revealed itself: a high-energy, funky, soulful celebration of love and music.

It wasn’t just the elaborate cape Mars wore during “Perm” that reminded me of James Brown; the Godfather of Soul’s influence was present in Mars’ phrasing, in the bright horns, in the “yes, I know I’m amazing” confidence he exuded throughout the show. We also got tastes of Elvis, The Temptations and “Soul Train” along the way.

The first third of the show leaned hard into songs from “The Romantic”: “24K Magic” and “Treasure” and “That’s What I Like” were the only older hits in that section of the show, which also included Mars crooning “Why You Wanna Fight?” under a rain effect and a medley sung both standing and sitting on a retro red convertible.

And then came the Silk Sonic portion of the evening.

Anderson .Paak, performing as DJ Pee Wee, had already thrilled the crowd during his opening set. Put him together with Mars for their Silk Sonic project, and their joy was infectious. With the ’70s vibes cranked to 11, the duo joked, riffed and belted their way through tunes like “Smokin Out the Window” and “Leave the Door Open.” In a show that was excellent all the way through, the Silk Sonic section was my favorite part of the night.

After that, I’m happy to report that, based on TikTok videos I saw the next day, at least one couple did get engaged during “Marry You.” In the floor seats, the lucky groom-to-be got a tearful yes from his now-fiancee as the folks around them cheered and sang along.

From there, it was bangers only until the end of the concert: “Locked Out of Heaven.” “Just the Way You Are.” It’s a testament to Mars’ success (and the depth of his catalog) that he stuck some of his 10 No. 1 hits in a late-set medley, but at least we got a taste of favorites like “Die With a Smile” and “When I Was Your Man.”

Mars closed with “Dance With Me,” but the real finale came one song earlier, when he brought the house down with an explosive rendition of “Uptown Funk.”

It was noteworthy that, in an era when stadium tours routinely include catwalks, flying singers, B stages and all manner of enormous props, Mars’ setup was comparatively simple: a stage and two large flanking screens, set at one end of the stadium.

But maybe when the music is this good, that’s really all we need.

Bruno Mars’ April 14 and 15 setlist, State Farm Stadium, Glendale:

• “Risk It All”
• “Cha Cha Cha”
• “On My Soul”
• “24K Magic”
• “Treasure”
• “God Was Showing Off”
• “I Just Might”
• “Perm”
• “Why You Wanna Fight?”
• “Oh Girl” / “I Miss You” / “You Are Everything” / “I Want to Be Your Man”
• “That’s What I Like”
• “Something Serious”
• “Blast Off”
• Silk Sonic Intro
• “777”
• “Fly as Me”
• “Smokin Out the Window”
• “Leave the Door Open”
• “Marry You”
• “Die With a Smile” / “It Will Rain” / “Talking to the Moon” / “When I Was Your Man”/ “Versace on the Floor”
• “Locked Out of Heaven”
• “Just the Way You Are”
• “Uptown Funk”
• “Dance With Me”