The gold lights decorating the Mohawk Austin’s stage cut to black, and the anticipation of the roaring crowd grew uncontrollable. With the strum of a guitar and return of blinding light, Bruno Major appeared ready to shower listeners with his crisp vocals and smooth R&B melodies.
The 12th out of 20 stops on the North American portion of his Tour of Planet Earth 2023, Major arrived at Austin seasoned while passionate. Beginning his 19-song set with the elegantly smooth “The Show Must Go On,” Major immediately created a laid back and soothing atmosphere. Every note lulled the crowd further into a peaceful trance as the pit turned into a sea of unified sways. The song ended with an effortlessly masterful run by Major on his electric guitar, highlighting the breadth of his musicianship.
Before playing “The Most Beautiful Thing,” Major reminisced about his career beginnings. Citing his performance at Stubbs Austin five short years ago, Major expressed gratitude for the rapid growth of his audience. During the chorus, Major invited the audience to sing along, acknowledging everyone’s part in his musical journey.
As the evening grew cooler, the performance grew more intimate. Moving to the upright piano and temporarily sending his band offstage, Major fostered a direct connection with the audience. The piano carried the delicate sound necessary to support Major’s ballad about the unorthodox yet satisfying beauties of life.
Throughout the show, the singer took time to speak to the crowd like an old friend. Major even tried his hand at embracing Texan culture with the addition of a silver, sparkly cowboy hat to his ensemble. He let out a jovial yeehaw and hook’em before playing the next song. Urging the audience to turn on their phone flashlights, a cloud of stars lit up the night as Major sang “Nothing” before welcoming the band back to the stage.
Major transitioned back into the high energy vibe which was maintained for the duration of the show. When the set came to a close, Major joked about the arrival of the routinely “unprecedented” encore deciding to skip the formality of actually leaving the stage. The audience chanted in agreement before Major played “Easily” and bid the crowd goodnight.
The stage lights dimmed and the show seemed to come to a close. Confused by the absence of one of Major’s hit songs, the audience lingered hopefully. The front row strained to check the set list taped to the stage floor and muffled whispers filled the air. After a brief and bewildering wait, Major answered the crowd’s pleas with his return and true encore of “The End.” With a final thanks, Major said goodbye, leaving everyone’s spirits high.
