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An Evening with Silk Sonic at Park MGM
Concert residency in Las Vegas, Nevada From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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An Evening with Silk Sonic at Park MGM was a concert residency by American R&B superduo Silk Sonic, composed of musicians Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. It was held at Dolby Live (previously Park Theater) at Park MGM in Las Vegas, Nevada. For performances, Sonic was accompanied by Mars's band the Hooligans, except for Maurice "Mobetta" Brown who played the trumpet and Mateus Asato, lead guitarist, who replaced Phredley Brown. The setlists feature songs mostly from An Evening with Silk Sonic (2021), as well as some songs from each artist's discographies, along with various covers.
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The show typically ended with Sonic performing an encore of "Leave the Door Open" (2021). It received a positive reception from music critics, who praised the duo's energy and their showmanship. The concert residency was promoted by Live Nation and MGM Resorts, ran from February to August 2022, and grossed $50.4 million. At the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards, the concert residency was nominated for Favorite Residency but lost to Harry Styles's Love On Tour (2021–23).
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Rehearsals
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Mars rented a Burbank rehearsal studio to practice the live show of Silk Sonic's band at Park MGM in Las Vegas. Nevertheless, Mars used the latter studio for wardrobe choices at the concert residency, including "patterned shirts", "fedoras and bedazzled eyewear", and footwear such as "Gucci loafers, Florsheim boots, Vans slip-ons the color of banana Laffy Taffy". The practice took place in the studio next to this one.[1]
During one of the practices, Mars used an electric guitar to perform "After Last Night" with the band, while .Paak sang and later played a drum solo. The song had noticeable differences from the studio version; it was "harder and funkier" with an influence of psychedelic rock and lasted longer. The band only stopped playing when Mars said so. During the show, everyone would be wearing matching suits, and there would be a horn section and some choreography. The duo included some solo material from each other.[1]
Mars said the shows taking place in Las Vegas reminded him of his childhood, as he used to perform for people from different countries in a family band in Honolulu, and it was their job to entertain them. He explained the reason behind locking the audiences in pouches during the concert was so that the fans could enjoy the experience they created and make them a part of it. It would also allow the duo to try different dance moves or jokes, with no camera recording it, and later face potential social backlash because of it. .Paak confessed he had a hard time learning the dance moves from Mars: "OK, do it slow so I can wrap my head around it."[1]
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Production
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According to Front of House (FOH) engineer Chris Rabold, Park MGM is equipped with a "giant L-Acoustics K2 rig" and Dolby Atmos. In order to enhance the classic vintage R&B, the performances were mixed in conventional L/R stereo. Rabold decided to start to use, as a mixing console, a Solid State Logic's L650, which features Optimal Core Processing (OCP) and advanced AoIP. Rabold affirmed the console's input list is usually set at 80. It is able to do Silk Sonic's residency or promo and Mars's shows. To do so, Rabold only needed to reload files and change a couple of things, such as cabling and patching.[2]
The Shure Axient wireless microphones used Shure Beta 58A capsules, and the horns used DPA 4099 miniatures. The kicks used a Shure Beta 91A and Electro-Voice RE20. The snare tops and underneath had Telefunken M80s and AKG-C414B-ULS microphones, respectively, while the hats were equipped with Sennheiser 441 and the toms with Audio-Technica ATM-25s. There were two sets of drums with different overheads: "a large-diaphragm Telefunken AR70 stereo tube condenser in an X-Y pattern" for Eric Hernandez and "a mono Telefunken AR51 tube mic over [his] set" with "an Electro-Voice RE-15 'trash' mic set off to the side" for .Paak. This placement around the drums was to get a "dry 70's drum sound".[2]
Rabold had to use a "tube mic", which was complicated due to the "wave that returns to the stage" and could be heard on the microphones and overheads. The latter is a big part of the sound, so it needed to be large, but it would also pick up a lot of unwanted sounds. The team used a "single mono Telefunken AR51 overhead" on .Paak's drum. On the other set, Rabold used a Telefunken AR70, which surprised everyone due to the "loud and cracking" snare sound. Rabold used digital and analog tools during the tour. He uses a "clean bass DI channel on a Distressor". He copies "the clean DI channel" and uses "a SansAmp RBI" for distortion". He also has an "EarthQuaker Westwood overdrive pedal", like a Tube Screamer, that he uses on the bass. Rabold used a SansAmp RBI to separate .Paak's drum music, creating a "breakbeat and hip-hop crusty sound".[2]
Monitor engineer Ramon Morales runs 18 mixes from the band and technicians on Shure PSM1000s. They either use JH Audio JH16 or JH16-V2 in-ear monitors. Morales said there were no stage wedges, but they "have a pair of flown sidefills, mostly as a bit of ambience" and "backup in case someone loses a frequency". In 2022, the latter engineer began mixing on a Solid State Logic L650: "I'm using all the inputs of the desk, and I have a sidecar over there, where I leave my outputs." Morales enjoys concerts in residences, as "the aspect of reflections coming back at the stage into the in-ears through mics changes", but they are already used to the room and do not need to compensate for those reflections like they would if they were touring on different stages: "Just turn it off, come back the next day and turn it on."[2]
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Background and development
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On January 19, 2022, Silk Sonic announced they would be performing 13 shows at Dolby Live in Paradise, Nevada, formerly Park Theater, featuring 5,200 seats. The first dates announced were between February 25, 2022, and April 2, 2022.[3] Ticket prices started at $125, and pre-sales were made available on the same day of the announcement, while general sales started on January 21.[3][4] The shows were subject to the venue's COVID-19 protocol, which requires masks and may require proof of full vaccination, proof of a negative COVID test, or a rapid on-site test.[5][6] Regarding the shows, Mars affirmed, "Its happening! [sic] The sexiest party of the year! Them Silk Sonic Boyz are performing Live in Las Vegas!" Moreover, .Paak said "The terms is locked and Vegas might not ever be the same Jack!! You're invited to the hottest show in sin city!"[7][8]
All the shows of the residency took place at the theater at Dolby Live, with the first concert on February 25, 2022.[5][9][10] In March of the same year, Silk Sonic performed a total of ten shows in the same venue.[11] They also took the stage on April 2 to finish the first leg of shows.[5] Later on the same date, after the first round of shows was announced, 12 more dates were added in May.[9][11] In May, Sonic announced the last nine final dates of the residency to be performed in August.[10][12] The concert residency was promoted by Live Nation and MGM Resorts.[13][14] The concert had a no cell phone policy, with the audience's devices locked in Yondr pouches before entry and only returned when leaving the venue.[14][15] In Vegas, there were various billboards advertising the show as "The Sexiest Party of the Year."[15]
Sonic's after-parties took place at a nightclub, On the Record, at Park MGM.[16] These were held by DJ Peter Shalvoy, and sometimes Mars and .Paak attended. Shalvoy commented on the great vibe and everyone having fun, elevated when .Paak joins. The parties are sponsored by a spirit co-owned by Mars, SelvaRey Rum. The rum brand started "the SelvaRey After Party Lounge" next to the Juniper Cocktail Lounge.[17] After their show on March 23, 2023, the duo, along with Usher and Jermaine Dupri, celebrated at the Delilah at the Wynn Las Vegas. Usher and .Paak did an "impromptu performance".[14]
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Concert synopsis
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The concert, which had a runtime of 90 to 120 minutes, was used to perform the entire An Evening With Silk Sonic album.[15][18][19] It opened with fog coming out "from under a red velvet curtain". The "venue went dark", which meant the start of the show. A disco ball hovered over the seats, while two screens on "opposite sides of the stage" showed images of the duo drinking "cocktails in a tropical setting with flowery button-up shirts".[20] The curtain lifted, and "sunset orange beams" filled the stage and displayed "giant multicolored stars", "streaks of rainbows", and a neon "shell-style background".[20][18][21] At this point, Mars and .Paak had a "bongo and drum face-off".[20][18] Then, "piano keys fluttered" as fans lifted from their seats, starting to dance.[20] The duo wore velvet jackets and .Paak a "mushroom-cut wig"; he also wore a "cream-colored silk blouse", while the band wore "shiny, silk shirts and bellbottoms".[15][19] The band was responsible for instrumental interludes, and the horn section was also part of the choreographed dances.[15][22]
A giant screen came down from the roof "with an animated spaceship", while Bootsy Collins's "Silk Sonic Intro" played, followed by Mars playing a "teal guitar" and then screaming, "Let’s go!".[20] Paak continued, "You didn’t even let us work out the kinks yet."[15] The first song was "777", which was "followed by a seamless transition" to "Skate". The duo danced with two backup singers to the latter song, and then they thanked the audience for coming to the show.[18][20] Due to their no-phone policy during the concert, Silk Sonic teased fans, saying, "What happens in Las Vegas should stay in Las Vegas—that's why!" singing an R&B uptempo melody, "We took your phone away!".[15][22][23] It fitted Silk Sonic's sound and .Paak joked, "Some of them look mad."[22] His unscripted and mid-set observations "kept the crowd engaged and entertained".[19]
During their performance of their version of "Love's Train", Mars interpolated Earth, Wind, & Fire's "Can't Hide Love" and danced choreographed routines.[18][20][19] The duo also played solo tracks from each other, Mars's "That's What I Like" with "Earth, Wind & Fire vibes", which had individual spotlights for each artist, and the stage went dark for a slowed-down and intimate version of the song.[14][20][19] .Paak's own "Am I Wrong", taken from Malibu (2016), was "delivered in slow and sexy arrangements", as "yellow fireworks flared like giant sparklers".[20][15] This was followed by a solo trumpet of "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" by Maurice "Mobetta" Brown.[18][19] It was used as an interlude between Mars's "Treasure", with .Paak singing in the bridge, and "Fly as Me" where the duo used "ad-libbing" with various "vocal breakdowns".[15][20][22] During the latter performance, .Paak asked the fans to "throw their hands up and let loose" as he used the whole stage, sliding from one side to the other as he joked, "Where's the ladies with some money in their pockets?"[20]
This was followed by a "costume change into glitzy black jackets" to sing an extended version of "Smokin out the Window", which featured improvisation with vocal breakdowns.[20][22][19] They sang a medley of "Put On A Smile", "Make it Better", and "When I Was Your Man", the former song with some portions a cappella.[20][22] Sometimes, this medley would include The Dramatics's "In the Rain" instead of "Make it Better" and Mars's "When I Was Your Man" as an "acoustic outro" featuring a "thunderstorm backdrop above a park bench". It was followed by "After Last Night", where Mars played a guitar solo under a blue spotlight, reminiscent of Prince and Michael Jackson.[19] Paak played the drums during Mars's "Runaway Baby", while Mars played the drums for .Paak's "Come Down", the former featured a dance portion performed by Mars.[15][18][20] He was compared to James Brown.[20] Then, "the spaceship visuals" resurged for Mars and .Paak's performance of "Blast Off" had some portions sung a cappella, and when it ended, the lights shut down.[20][18][22] The curtain was lifted up for an encore performance of the show closer, "Leave the Door Open". In the end, confetti cannons were fired as the curtain closed.[18][20]
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Reception and other shows
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The concert residency was met with positive reviews from critics. Melinda Sheckells from Billboard commented that "it felt impossible that Mars and .Paak had never done a show of this magnitude before as a duo".[18] Melissa Gill of Consequence wrote the show "is an electric dance party that's not to be missed". She added that it "might just be the sexiest dance party Sin City has ever seen."[20] Rolling Stones's Mark Gray called the concert a "soulful, energetic vibe blending disco, funk, R&B, and rock". Gray also praised it by saying, "From the fashion to the footwork, the show was a masterclass in Seventies nostalgia."[15] Matt Kelemen from Las Vegas Magazine stated Silk Sonic "created the ultimate retro-soul dance party that must be attended in person".[23] Taylor Weatherby, writing for the Grammy Awards, declared Silk Sonic "crafted a night to remember", and their "harmonies were even more unbelievable live than on record".[22] Brock Radke from Las Vegas Weekly dubbed the show "enthralling and celebratory". Radke added the duo "isn't transporting the audience to another era so much as pulling that era's amazing music into the present day".[14] John Katsilometes from the Las Vegas Review-Journal praised the stage, calling it "staggering". Katsilometes concluded the show "is like time travel to a period when it was fine to suit, up, show up and get your groove on".[21] During a show in May, Katsilometes commented that the concert "is transformed into a giant Soul Train experience".[24] Mya Abraham of Vibe also found the concert to be a Soul Train experience, but the "lighting elevated the show", and the duo studied "incomparable performers of the past". Abraham furthered that the concert "was a well-sequenced, true mastery in visual storytelling".[19]
The set was nominated for Favorite Residency at the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards but lost to Harry Styles's Love On Tour (2021–23).[25] On August 10, 2022, a total of 12 out of 34 shows were reported, with 60,518 tickets, which meant the shows reported were sold out, and a gross of $18,311,526. The average ticket price was $302.58.[26] As of May 2025, the residency's Las Vegas shows ranked among the "25 Biggest Concert Residencies of All Time" at number 20. It grossed $50.4 million from a total of 170,000 tickets sold in 34 shows.[27]
Silk Sonic, after playing their set on August 14, 2022, also performed a surprise concert at The Barbershop Cuts & Cocktails at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, operated by MGM Resorts International.[24][28] The duo joined "the house band", the 442's, and their set lasted for 15 minutes.[29] They were wearing their "signature Silk costumes", while .Paak had a blonde wig and was holding red Solo cups during the show.[28][30] and performed covers of Papa Roach's "Last Resort", the Outfield's "Your Love", and the Police's "Roxanne".[31] Their band also played "along with a DJ set that included Clipse and Ja Rule".[32] Allie Gregory from Exclaim! commented, "The Papa Roach cover is pretty faithful — down to the early-aughts-style nasally vocals, which were mainly delivered by .Paak."[31] American Songwriter' Alex Hopper and Tom Breihan for Stereogum shared similar views, saying the duo made "Last Resort" not be a despair track with lyrics regarding suicide and made it "another party song".[28][32]
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Setlist
The set list given below was performed on February 25, 2022.[20] Rolling Stone also published a similar list, omitting the interludes and covers.[15]
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Shows
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Personnel
Silk Sonic and The Hooligans[20][18][33]
- Bruno Mars – lead vocals, congas, guitar, piano (2021–2022)
- Anderson .Paak – lead vocals, drums (2021–2022)
- The Hooligans (excluding Philip Lawrence and Phredley Brown) – same instruments (2022)[34][35]
- Maurice "Mobetta" Brown – trumpet (2022)[18]
- Mateus Asato – lead guitar (2022)[36]
Sound and monitor production[2]
- Clair Global – sound company
- Chris Rabold – FOH engineer
- Ramon Morales – monitor engineer
- Julian Gates – systems engineer
- Scotty Megrath – stage patch/monitor technician
- Shannon Fitzpatrick – Stage Patch/Monitor technician
- Paul Tobey – RF technician/crew chief
- Charles Moniz – recording Engineer
- Chris "Sully" Sullivan – L-Acoustics support
- Kevin Valind – Dolby Live Theater audio
- Luis Leiva – Dolby Live Theater Audio
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References
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