Bruno Mars packs powerful punch with big show at Rogers Stadium

Mars will play five shows once he wraps up his Toronto residency on Sunday night

Published May 28, 2026  •  Last updated 24 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

Bruno Mars in Toronto at Rogers Stadium during one of five shows Photo by Daniel Ramons

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Bruno Mars

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Wednesday night

Rogers Stadium,

RATING *** (3 out of four)

*****

Bruno Mars is what the kids like to call “a short king.”

Diminutive, yes, but supremely confident and packs a powerful punch as the 40-year-old singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist more than proved on Wednesday night at Rogers Stadium during the second of five shows in front of 50,000 fans.

Mars’ two-hour and 10-minute set, which wrapped up by the curfew time of 11 p.m., pretty much had everything a fan could want, including a vintage convertible.

Bruno Mars in Toronto during one of his five shows at Rogers Stadium IDaniel Ramos) Photo by Daniel Ramos

There were not only smooth-sounding soul-funk-R&B-Latin songs from his latest album, 2026’s The Romantic – Mar’s first in a decade – but a mid-show set from Silk Sonic, his superduo with Anderson .Paak, and older hits that produced massive crowd sing-alongs and had the grandstand seats shaking.

Add to all that an enormous stage with two giant video screens plus loads of fireworks, firebursts, confetti, and three costume changes. Mars’ general affinity for dance, and an “angel baby cam” to capture his adoring female fans, many dressed in red silk pyjamas, red head scarves, or red hoodies.

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Then there was the car.

“Julio! Bring out the stretch!” Mars commanded as a vintage convertible came out on stage before he sang a medley of covers, including Oh Girl while seated on the hood.

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Mars has great funk, soul, and R&B influences 

The Honolulu-born Mars may wear his influences on his sleeve- James Brown, Earth, Wind and Fire, Carlos Santana, to name a few – but they’re such good influences nobody cares.

He began the show in a filmed sketch, seated in a church pew, praying for a good show and the safety of the fans before appearing on stage in a head-to-toe red suit and red bandana.

“Toronto! Are you ready?” he yelled.

Silk Sonic, Bruno Mars’ superduo with Anderson .Paak, during one of five shows at Rogers Stadium in Toronto (Daniel Ramos) Photo by Daniel Ramos

As the night progressed, Mars proved to be a versatile musician alongside his band the Hooligans, playing congas, guitar and piano with set highlights like Cha Cha Cha,  24K Magic, Treasure, Perm, Something Serious, Marry You, Die With a Smile (his hit with Lady Gaga), Locked Out Of Heaven, Just the Way You Are and Uptown Funk.

The Silk Sonic set was a diversion for me away from Mars’ stronger solo material, but the crowd seemed to lap up songs like Fly As Me and Leave The Door Open and Mars even reminded .Paak they had a curfew at one point.

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Otherwise, noise complaints aside, traffic in the area seemed improved from the stadium’s inaugural season last year and there was a long row of bus shuttles waiting outside as the concert wrapped up to take fans to Wilson, one of three subway stops.

I could take or leave new beverage items like the $60 wine guitar (26 oz), but welcome the generally more organized feel.

Mars returns to the venue to play Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, the latter a makeup date from last Saturday when rain and wind postponed the first scheduled show.

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SET LIST:

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
*****
Silk Sonic set

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

Locked Out of Heaven

Just the Way You Are

Uptown Funk

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