Bruno Mars 24K Magic Concert in the Philippines was amazing (just the way you are)!

What’s a metal chick doing in a Bruno Mars concert? Simple. He’s THAT good. It was 2010 when I first heard Grenade and thought it’s a beautiful song with catchy melody, and just a great lesson to top all that off, there’s no denying that Mars has a vocal gift. His high, clear notes help this song stand out among the vast crowd of synth-pop tunes out there. Here’s my review of Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic concert in the Philippines.

What Happened at Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic Concert in the Philippines?

Old and new fans alike flocked to the Mall of Asia Arena on May 3, 2018 to watch the multi-talented Bruno Mars jive, sidestep and slide through his 90-minute set for his 2-days sold out 24k Magic World Tour.

Jabbawockeez served as the opening act, mesmerizing and entertaining the crowd with their dynamic mix of awe-inspiring choreography, pulse-pounding music, and stunning special effects.

It was an hour after when the drapes were pulled up, an impressive stage set up was revealed, complete with hydraulic stage lifts, light-up disco flooring and pyrotechnics so loud I jumped every time they went off.

Kicking off with Finesse, Mars was joined on stage by The Hooligans, a seven-piece backing band that was the perfect harmonizing, two-stepping accompaniment to their frontman. The crowd went crazy when they played the second song, 24K Magic and that was just to get the crowd hype.

Throughout the evening, Mars, with his trademark swagger, served up a smorgasbord of hits from his last three albums belting out crowd favorites from Treasure, Locked Out Of Heaven to Versace on the Floor, Marry Me, and Calling All My Lovelies.

There were little breaks of Bruno talking to us and introducing certain songs, but for the most part he kept the momentum going, from one to another while still delivering his dance moves and high octanes without a fault. He let the crowd cool off and gave the band a break as he stepped up to the mic to sing the ballad When I Was Your Man. He sung with so much passion you could almost spy a tear trickling down his face. It was a huge moment vocally and the audience sang along like it was karaoke night. And out of nowhere, someone nearby screamed ‘Bruno, I love you!’ in a deep, manly voice and got people in our area laughing.

I was pleasantly surprised by Bruno’s sense of humor. He teased, “If you’re gonna be quiet, we’re gonna be quiet too” and proceeded to perform with the Hooligans playing at an incredibly low volume to the point when they were just miming. And those times when he’d mention about his fans being on their phones but would jokingly do some cheesy poses (to be posted on their Instagram) before putting their devices away.

The set ended with Just The Way You Are which Bruno dedicated to me *wink* (and everyone else in the arena). We sang it back to him and he intro’d his band before leaving the stage.

Bruno left Uptown Funk for encore. The crowd was on its feet, reveling in the 70s funk-ignited moment before two firemen appeared, discharging fire extinguishers as if to quell the heat Mars had released into the room.

The sad part? He didn’t play Grenade. 🙁

Bruno Mars Set-list for his 24k Magic Tour in Manila, Philippines 2018

• Finesse
• 24K Magic
• Treasure
• Perm
• Calling All My Lovelies
• Chunky
• That’s What I Like
• Versace on the Floor
• Marry You
• Runaway Baby
• When I Was Your Man
• Locked Out of Heaven
• Just the Way You Are
• Uptown Funk (encore)

More Philippine Concert Reviews

• The Corrs live in Manila 2023 – A Night of Pure Nostalgia and Timeless Hits (The Ultimate #SendMeBackSaturday)
• Bruno Mars Sets the Stage Ablaze with an Explosive Performance in the Philippines 2023
• Guns N’ Roses Live in the Philippines 2018: A MAMMOTH Experience You Will never forget
• 24K Magic in the Air: Bruno Mars Concert in the Philippines 2018