The Moonshine Jungle Tour is the ongoing second concert tour by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars in support of his second studio album, Unorthodox Jukebox. The tour is set to begin on June 22, 2013 and will continue through March 16, 2014.
In April 2013, Bruno Mars announced that the tour would include Australia in February and March 2014. A promotional trailer and behind-the-scenes footage of the tour were released through Mars' official YouTube channel and website. As of September 10, 2013, the tour has grossed $40.5 million from the first 42 shows and dragged more than 565,000 fans, according to John Marx when interview by Billboard.
Background[]
On January 2012 it was decided that Bruno Mars would not play in any theaters or ballrooms like on the previous tour. This decision came from the success that Mars was experiencing not only for the sold out arenas but also due to the dynamic performances. John Marx, in an interview to Billboard confessed that the decision of making the 'leap from smaller venues to arenas, it’s never an easy one' and added 'you take precautions to make sure that you don’t leave any empty seats.'
Reception[]
Critical reception[]
Chris Richards' review for The Washington Post was glowing in its praise, "Sprawling video screens. Blasts of smoke, fire and confetti. A disco ball the size of a Toyota Prius." The performance of the singer who sold out Washington’s Verizon Center was "one of those rare, thrilling, upside-down pop concerts where instead of rigidly trying to recreate the high sheen of various hit singles, the singer takes complete control of the songbook, reshaping it at will. Which is to say, it was fantastic." The reviewer also metioned the wide ranges that Mars aprochs "hopscotched through Motown, new wave, late-’70s funk, mid-’90s R&B, flaunting a pop fluency that’s earned him a vast and diverse horde of admirers. You could see it in Saturday night’s audience—there were baby boomers, babies of boomers, babies of babies of boomers, and in Section 100, an actual baby." However he criticized the fact "he still needs to learn how to assert his personality through all of his genre-jumping time travel." and "Put the Hooligans, the name of the backing band, on that ticket stub, too."
Writing for Billboard magazine, Jason Lipshutz felt that Mars' most impressive thing was the list of songs that was on the set list during his performance. He wrote that "Mars' biggest asset as a performer has always been his ambidextrousness, and in his current stage show, the singer holds high notes, leads choreographed dances, plays electric guitar, plays acoustic guitar, plays drums, engages the crowd and even flirts with some ladies in the front row. He's a convincing "whole package" kind of pop artist, and like an ace Pixar movie with "in" jokes for parents, he expertly caters to his older and younger demographics at his live shows". He concluded his review with, "His pop tracks may not possess enriching messages, but his tirelessness and dedication must be appreciated when seen in person. And appreciate it they did: when all was said and done, the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia roared with a collective dizziness usually reserved for the all-too-occasional Flyers playoff win."
Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe gave the show, especially the overall performance of Bruno Mars and his band, a critically positive review, opening her article with "14,785 fans in attendance left with more than a few beads of perspiration on their brow hanks to the indefatigable singer-songwriter’s ecstatic approach to performing." His show in Boston was so energetic that "The energy never flagged as Mars displayed his flair for dramatics and classic showmanship, twisting, thrusting, and shimmying through retro soul jams". She adds "Mars has chosen his band wisely as they not only bring his music to life but match his enthusiasm and hit every step alongside the boss." She concluded the review by saying "Clearly, much work, planning, and rehearsal went in to the show, but Mars made it look easy."
Jim Farber of New York Daily News praised the "show aimed to recreate a bygone era of flashy entertainment, a disco-age, tip-of-the-fedora to natty, ’70s acts like The Jacksons, The Tramps and The Bee Gees." He described the music as "Befitting his Pacific rearing, Mars’ music has an Island ease and warmth." Althought he ended up by criticising the "inhabited the glad-handing part so winningly, it hardly seemed to matter that the show wasn’t big on risk or depth."
Opening acts[]
- Fitz and The Tantrums
- Ellie Goulding
- Mayer Hawthorne
- Miguel
Setlist[]
- "Moonshine"
- "Natalie"
- "Treasure"
- "Money (That's What I Want) / Billionaire"
- "Bam Bam / Show Me" (cover)
- "Candy Rain" (cover)
- "Our First Time" / "Pony" / "Ignition"
- "Marry You"
- "If I Knew"
- "Runaway Baby"
- "Nothin' on You"
- "When I Was Your Man"
- "Grenade"
- "Just The Way You Are"