Bruno Mars' ridiculous touring life

I have become a Bruno fan for the past few years. His songs are catchy and I think he is a really good singer-dancer. And good for him as he has been trying to make it big since he was literally six years old. He had modest success some 10 years ago and has become one of the most recognizable acts today.

But whether you like him or not is besides the point. You have to take a look on how hard he works. He has completed 161 out of a scheduled 210 shows in this current tour: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24K_Magic_World_Tour

Granted he's making a lot of money and usually takes a day break before the next performance, but consider that he doesn't lipsync like most of the other pop acts and he can be on the road 10 to 12 weeks at a time. The dude is a trooper. I mean I can hardly watch anything on youtube for a Michael Jackson performance where he isn't lipsyncing.




Are there any other musicians who are workhorses? For the Black album, Metallica logged a staggering 250 shows in a year's time, although they are in their 50's now so they can only manage 80 shows per year at two weeks touring at a time.


It has also been reported that he attends after party concerts and would still perform a few songs at that parties, guy is a beast.

But he should take care of his voice!

when that gets damage by over use that is nasty!
 
If you're looking for the true road troopers look for the bands who aren't that big. Dudes who cross countries playing shows every night crammed in a rented van and sleeping at shithole hotels for fuck all money.
 
I have become a Bruno fan for the past few years. His songs are catchy and I think he is a really good singer-dancer. And good for him as he has been trying to make it big since he was literally six years old. He had modest success some 10 years ago and has become one of the most recognizable acts today.

But whether you like him or not is besides the point. You have to take a look on how hard he works. He has completed 161 out of a scheduled 210 shows in this current tour: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24K_Magic_World_Tour

Granted he's making a lot of money and usually takes a day break before the next performance, but consider that he doesn't lipsync like most of the other pop acts and he can be on the road 10 to 12 weeks at a time. The dude is a trooper. I mean I can hardly watch anything on youtube for a Michael Jackson performance where he isn't lipsyncing.




Are there any other musicians who are workhorses? For the Black album, Metallica logged a staggering 250 shows in a year's time, although they are in their 50's now so they can only manage 80 shows per year at two weeks touring at a time.



But I thought he said "I don't want to do anything"?
 
I have toured, actually. Back when I was still trying to "make it" as a musician. With a few different bands, up and down the East Coast. But my experience with touring is being dirt poor and relying on strangers for food, places to sleep other than a van in the middle of winter.

Bruno Mars doesn't tour in a way that is "exhausting" in a way that anyone who works for a living will have sympathy for. If he doesn't fly between cities, I guarantee he's on a tour bus the size of a small house with all the amenities of one. The dude is a multi-millionaire. He earned it, as far as anyone can "earn" millions of dollars for singing. But what he does is not hard. Most touring musicians would kill for even a fraction of the comfort that dude tours with.

First of all, congratz on actually touring.

That said, i can't say i agree with all of your points. Sure, he tours comfortably. Roadies/cooks/staff does most of the prep work. He "only" sings/dances. But to say he doesn't work hard, or what he does is not hard, it's just not true (IMO). Do I sympathize for his problems: no, they're probably something most of us would say are 1%er problems.

And yeah, many people would kill for his comfort/life, but most people have this picture perfect in their heads of what someone elses life is, and it's just plain wrong in 99% of the cases.

Just my $0.02
 
Bruno Mars is absolute garbage.


I remember some idiot in these forums saying he was the new MJ. I found that one of the most offensive things ever said regarding the King of Pop.
 
First of all, congratz on actually touring.

That said, i can't say i agree with all of your points. Sure, he tours comfortably. Roadies/cooks/staff does most of the prep work. He "only" sings/dances. But to say he doesn't work hard, or what he does is not hard, it's just not true (IMO). Do I sympathize for his problems: no, they're probably something most of us would say are 1%er problems.

And yeah, many people would kill for his comfort/life, but most people have this picture perfect in their heads of what someone elses life is, and it's just plain wrong in 99% of the cases.

Just my $0.02

I say it's not "hard" in respect to how hard it is for the vast majority of people who have done it. It's the life he knows. He considers it "hard". But you take a dead broke band that has survived on touring year end and year out, and put them in the same situation? All of the sudden, it's easy. It's a perspective thing.

The biggest thing I can give him props for is having such relatively high comfort and not getting complacent. He still goes out every night. A lot of bands/artists would get lazy if it wasn't such a grind. I've seen it first hand. Bands that gain some popularity and make some money (amounts that a guy like Mars could wipe his ass with, but nevertheless) end up getting lazy and either touring less, or just straight up underperforming.
 
Does he drive himself?

No...they who gives a shit how many times he works 75 minutes a night.
 
I don't mind his stuff, but MANY other bands have logged those number of tour dates. Rush used to average 280 shows per year, every year, for years on end.

When I played a lot overseas, I was playing 6 nights a week, four hours per night, 365 (yes, I even played Xmas Eve AND Xmas...then New Years).

Bruno has all the nice touring luxuries as well; personal plane, 5 star hotels, personal assistants taking care of his every whim...he's doing alright lol. I guarantee you, the hardest part of his tour schedule is doing press (answering the same questions for hours on end). The hour and a half on stage is the fun part.
 
Its hard, but then every other life inconvenience is taken care of.

Transportation? Private jet
Grocery shopping? Private assistant
Cooking? Own Cheff
Cleaning? What's that?

Is what he is doing much harder than somebody woeking 60 hour weeks and then also taking care of day to day responsibilities? Dont think so.

While I agree with you in principle, the average person isn't scrutinized for everything they do, or live their life under a microscope.

We have a bad day at work, no big deal. A performer has a bad day at work, he/she is getting lit up on twitter, TMZ etc.

Though I don't really understand celebrity culture, I would argue that it isn't as easy as it seems. If you value privacy or autonomy, your shit out of luck when you live life in the public eye.

As for Bruno Mars, he seems extremely talented, but his songs are played to death on the radio. I eventually got sick of him merely because every other station was playing "Uptown Funk"
 
That's a bit presumptuous to say. Have you ever toured? I haven't, but from what i hear/read, it's a PITA.

From riding most of the day, to sleep deprivation, mostly unhealthy eating habits, no partying whatsoever (otherwise you can't perform) etc etc. Ti do it consistently, regularly, for several months at a time, and provide an adequate level of entertainment (especially if not lip-syncing), it's exhausting. That "one hour" is energizing, but the adrenaline dump that follows, each and every single night. Man. I can only imagine playing "Turn the page" over and over again.

Agreed.

i'm no big fan of his music. While I find his songs catchy, I kinda think they're overplayed. But I give credit where credit is due.

His work isn't just "singing an hour every night". He sings and dance, and his dances require a lot of practice, choreography and synchronisation with his backups, and I dare say more so than band practices.

All those on-the-road band members don't need as much prep for their performances as Bruno Mars does. And unless you perform like Angus Young, you probably don't burn as much energy as Bruno Mars does after every concert too.
 
I say it's not "hard" in respect to how hard it is for the vast majority of people who have done it. It's the life he knows. He considers it "hard". But you take a dead broke band that has survived on touring year end and year out, and put them in the same situation? All of the sudden, it's easy. It's a perspective thing.

The biggest thing I can give him props for is having such relatively high comfort and not getting complacent. He still goes out every night. A lot of bands/artists would get lazy if it wasn't such a grind. I've seen it first hand. Bands that gain some popularity and make some money (amounts that a guy like Mars could wipe his ass with, but nevertheless) end up getting lazy and either touring less, or just straight up underperforming.

Yes, it's a perspective thing. Do i work hard? I'd say yes. Oil rig workers would laugh at me even considering (any way of performing) my menial desk job "hard". But that doesn't mean it's not hard, or that i don't work hard.
 
Im a dangerous man with some money in my pocket


Hes awesome
 
The wife and I brought our oldest to one of his concerts last july. I wasn't a huge fan though I did like uptown funk.

It was one of my top 3 favorite concerts of all time. The kid has a touring band (no DJ crap), does all of his singing (no lipsyncing), will shred on the guitar for some songs (his live version of grenade is so much better than the album version) and he dances throughout.

I left the concert with a whole new respect for the guy. I can't believe he is doing it 210 times. I'd say he has one or two more tours before he starts phoning it in. No one can sustain that level of energy forever no matter how much cocaine you consume.

Went back to this thread randomly.



Awesome!
 
Bruno is very much the new James Brown. He is the hardest working man in show business. Period.

He is constantly moving and dancing when he sings live. He's not standing still, just holding the mic. Those are some fun shows to watch!

As someone else said, I don't own any of his stuff, and he's not my preferred type of music, but I don't change to a different song when he's on. His music is catchy and has great energy. Much like James Brown's music.

Shit, I may buy some of his music. I DO actually like him!
 
BM still killing it!



Now compare that to Jason Derulo in concert without the help of lipsync. Jason himself being talented AF in song and dance. There is no comparison.

 
BM still killing it!



Now compare that to Jason Derulo in concert without the help of lipsync. Jason himself being talented AF in song and dance. There is no comparison.



Bruno Mars wins simply by not saying his own name in every fucking song.
 
It is often said that record companies and managers push their indentured servants too hard to make as much profit as possible. They don’t have the artists’ best interest at heart!

Artist, lol. Bruno Mars is merely another algorithmic creation of old men.
 
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