Canadian jazz singer Michael Bublé's tour stop at a packed EnergySolutions Arena on Tuesday night was certainly a cause for celebration. Bublé’s rich, swaggering baritone, that Rat Pack vibe he sends out, with his tux and his mischievous smile, and his consistent home-run hits make him the man of the hour.
Platinum albums, arena-grade concerts, televised holiday shows and appearances everywhere from film to late night don't seem to have gone to his head.
After opening with a flaming stage and plenty of sizzling effects during “Fever,” he chatted up the audience like an old friend.
Bublé accepted a Utah Jazz romper for his newborn son and reflected on being a first-time dad, then stopped to admire some handmade signs.
Throughout the concert, he continued to charm by singing “Happy Birthday” to an 83-year-old woman, shaking hands down the aisles, cracking jokes and serenading a handful of children onstage.
He’d even done his homework — which is saying something considering the massive nature of his North American tour, which includes 40 cities in more than 12 weeks.
“Raise your hand if you’re a Mormon,” he instructed. Thousands of hands shot up. “I feel so left out,” he joked. Later, Bublé congratulated the audience on showing him what a great party — minus the alcohol — looks like.
“You guys have been crazy! Free coffee for everyone,” he joked.
But it was the music that stole the show, and there was plenty of it during his 2½-hour set. Bublé sang 24 songs, while running across the stage, jiving with his hugely talented 13-piece band, dancing and even sliding long distances in his patent leathers. He also took some time by the piano, sitting thoughtfully on a bar stool, crooning to the many swooners.
Bublé is a showman in the truest form, he’s the whole package, making fans out of first-timers and fanatics out of fans.
Highlights from the evening included “Haven’t Met You Yet,” “You Make Me Feel So Young,” “Come Dance With Me,” “Everything,” “Home,” “All You Need Is Love,” “It’s a Beautiful Day” and “Save the Last Dance for Me.”
“My grandpa loved these songs,” Bublé said of the many big-band, American songbook covers he’s known for.
“He used to say, ‘I’m a hopeless romantic, sunshine, that’s why I love them.” Bublé identifies himself as a hopeless romantic as well. Although he borrows heavily from an earlier era, Bublé manages to make a song his own.
Even the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back,” which he sang with the opening band, Naturally 7, oozed his signature style.
The demand for a Bublé ticket has skyrocketed over the years, meaning he’s booking arenas over music halls. While that means there’s more of him to go around, it’s a shame his trademark voice gets a little lost in the massive reverb of an arena. The space likewise did opening band Naturally 7, with its tight a cappella arrangements, a disservice. Many of the blends were lost in the echo.
It would be a treat to hear Bublé at an intimate venue like Kingsbury Hall or Red Butte Gardens. But alas, those days seem to be gone.
When Bublé unplugged during the encore, “A Song for You,” the crowd was stunned. The man is all voice and the other stuff could’ve just as easily melted away.
While no bubbly was actually popped at the concert (as was so aptly pointed out by the singer himself), Bublé put on an unforgettable show that intoxicated fans with excitement, nostalgia and admiration. When the singer comes back into town, it won't be soon enough. Until then, fans can catch him on NBC on Wednesday, Dec. 18, for his third annual variety Christmas special.