Reviews: Bruno Mars, Demi Lovato, Dead & Company & More

This year, for your reading enjoyment, we have compiled critical reviews of performances with Bruno Mars in Auckland, New Zealand; Demi Lovato in San Jose; Dead & Company in Sunrise, Fla.; Fall Out Boy in Brisbane; Tyga in Copenhagen; Iced Earth in Louisville; Chase Rice in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Matt Sayles / Invision / AP – Cardi B & Bruno Mars
Cardi B and Bruno Mars perform their joint single, “Finesse,” during the Grammy Awards at Madison Square Garden in NYC Jan. 28.

Bruno Mars @ Spark Arena in New Zealand, N.Z., Feb. 27-28 – “Mars’ popularity is due to his well-rounded showmanship, and I would argue after seeing last night’s show that he’s one of his generation’s best performers. But I would also argue that he’s over-polished and although he puts on a hell of a show, his own personality gets lost amongst the nostalgic references he sticks so closely to.” – Ellen Falconer / RNZ

Demi Lovato @ SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., Feb. 28 – “Lovato was at her best … in the slower segments, where her personality and voice had the time and space to shine, while she sometimes seemed a bit lost and overwhelmed by the big dance numbers.” – Jim Harrington / The Mercury News

Dead & Company @ BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla., Feb. 26 – “Dead & Company made its Florida debut on Monday night with a powerful and emotional show that will be remembered for years to come. The rescheduled date, due to guitarist and vocalist John Mayer’s emergency appendectomy in December, couldn’t have been more timely following the horrific tragedy in nearby Parkland just 12 days prior.” – Jeff Cornell / Variety

Jimmy Davis – Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy plays Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland Oct. 20, 2017.

Fall Out Boy @ Brisbane Riverstage in Brisbane, Australia, Feb. 27 – “The US band wowed an audience ranging from longtime fans to teenagers and even young children, performing songs from across their seven albums.” – Kristy Symonds / The Courier-Mail

Tyga @ VEGA House Of Music in Copenhagen, Denmark, Feb. 23 – “The concert’s intention was clearly to promote the newly-released ‘Kyoto’ album, so not all of Tyga’s signature tracks were performed. For instance, the Chris Brown collaboration ‘Deuces’ along with Drake’s ‘The Motto’ were noticeably absent.” – Eric Maganga / CPH Post Online

Iced Earth @ Mercury Ballroom in Louisville, Ky., Feb. 24 – “There is a palpable level of energy in the venue as the house lights fall and the guys blast on stage, immediately dropping into ‘Great Heathen Army,’ ‘Burning Times,’ and ‘Dystopia’ as the moshing and thrashing in the pit begins.” – Michael Deinlein / National Rock Review

Chase Rice @ 20 Monroe Live in Grand Rapids, Mich., Feb. 23 – “Although the tour is winding down and the band is able to see home at the end of the tunnel, that did not deter them in their performance this evening as each one was able to feed off the energy of the crowd for a crowd-pleasing musical memory to last.” – John Reasoner / National Rock Review