Reviews: Blackpink, Santana, Michael Bublé & More

John Davisson – Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana weaves his magic at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla., Oct. 27.

This week, for your reading enjoyment, we have compiled critical reviews of live performances from Blackpink in Inglewood, Calif.; Santana in St. Petersburg, Fla.; Michael Bublé in Vancouver; Alan Parson Live Project in Edmonton, Alberta; Take That in Sheffield, England; and Baroness/Deafheaven in New York.

Blackpink @ Forum in Inglewood, Calif., April 17 – “As the concert approached its end, BLACKPINK made sure to appeal to its fans. After singing the last song on the agenda, the entire venue went dark. No music played and despite the audience’s incessant chanting for BLACKPINK, the members failed to reappear, causing some attendees to leave. However, about 10 minutes later, they ascended from the stage for encore performances, catering to the hardcore fans who chose to stay behind.” – Ethan Pak / Daily Bruin

Santana @ Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla., April 18 – “Fifty years after his star-making turn at Woodstock, Santana, it seems, wasn’t the only one looking to get frisky with space and time in St. Pete. A day after checking out memorabilia from his Woodstock appearance at the Florida Holocaust Museum — part of an exhibit honoring his old promoter friend Bill Graham — Santana turned back the clock for 6,200 fans in tie-dye, throwback Woodstock tees and the occasional pungent haze. They responded by dancing for nearly two hours beneath a nearly full moon, hippies at heart happy to let loose with one of the biggest Woodstock veterans still touring.” – Jay Cridlin / Tampa Bay Times

Michael Bublé @ Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, April 12 – “In between songs he made it clear that his outlook on life has changed, becoming more focused on pushing kindness and empathy towards others. He then gave fans several high-fives and came down off the stage to greet a 12-year old fan. The kid reminded him a lot of himself and brought back memories of being sat on the bus in Burnaby, day dreaming about his fantasies of singing at the Pacific Coliseum and Madison Square Gardens.” – Lukas Holt / BeatRoute

Alan Parsons Live Project @

AP Photo / Pool – Robbie Williams and Take That
“Ween Dass” broadcast, Halle, Germany

Take That @ Sheffield FlyDSA Arena in Sheffield, England, April 13 – “Take That are known for putting on a spectacle, and in the past the band have used big props to deliver jaw dropping moments including Om the Robot, a giant mechanical elephant and a flying car. Whilst this tour feels a little more stripped back in comparison to what we’re used to in terms of production, the whole experience is wonderfully thought out and full of intricate details.” – Katrina Rees / Celeb Mix

Baroness/ Deafheaven @ Terminal 5 in New York, New York, April 12 – “Their latest single ‘Black Brick’ came early in the set, a definite highlight and a crushing example of Deafheaven’s versatility as songwriters. If this song is a hint at new material, then it hails the return of the band’s demo-era harshness and most metal tendencies. The crowd loved it (the Slayer-like breakdown in the midsection had heads bobbing) and the enthusiastic movements of the band hinted that they did, too.”

“Baroness had the arduous task of following Deafheaven’s dynamic performance, but they quickly won over the crowd with the emotional weight of their songs. Blue Record staple “A Horse Called Golgoltha” opened the set with the literary sludge metal of their early days, when they were still holding down the Savannah, Georgia, metal scene alongside bands like Kylesa.” – Jon Hadusek / Consequence of Sound