Encore Theater at the Wynn, 8 March
Robbie Williams has been on my wish list of performers to see live for a long time, but I had sort of written him off because neither he nor Take That ever really caught on in America. When I found out that he was performing at the Wynn and that I could see him on my birthday, I was absolutely thrilled. Robbie as a live performer is everything that I hoped he would be: charismatic, cheeky, stylish, and a phenomenal showman. He only included a few big hits ("Let Me Entertain You", "Kids", "Rock DJ", and "Angels") on the setlist, but honestly he can sing just about anything and have the audience in the palm of his hand. As it was, the rest of the setlist was covers (including "Creep" "It Wasn't Me", "Sweet Caroline") and standards (including "Minnie the Moocher", "Mr. Bojangles", "That's Life"). Every single number was high energy, and the between song banter was top-notch – dare I say, the highest notch. Robbie even brought out his dad for a couple of songs, which was really sweet. Robbie clearly loves entertaining and getting love back from the audience. Everybody stood up for the entire show, which was great because, when I wasn't busy taking hundreds of photos, I was dancing. All in all, Robbie Williams's Las Vegas show is thrilling, high energy, and so much fun. This is an all-time Top 10 show, and I'd see Robbie live in an intimate venue again in a heartbeat.
Radio City Music Hall, 27 August
I've always liked Lenny Kravitz and his music, but never got super into him until I picked up Raise Vibration, the album that he released last year. I really connected with this album and thought it would be fun to see him in concert. I lucked out and got a seventh row seat at Radio City, so seeing this show was like being inside the music. No matter if it's a rock anthem like "Fly Away," "American Woman," and "Are You Gonna Go My Way" or a slow jam like "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over," "Can't Get You Off My Mind," and "Low," Lenny's songs are full of passion, vibrancy, and positive energy. He believes in beauty and the power of love, which he sends out though his music and his words. Named after his most recent album, this show was part of the Raise Vibration Tour, and that's exactly what this show did. It's one of the few shows this year that allowed me to fully get lost in the music and forget about all the stresses of my world outside the venue for a full two hours.
MSG, 29 June
The only thing disappointing about Hugh Jackman's show was that he didn't do even one song from Oklahoma!, which is my favorite musical, and one that he happened to star in. Other than that, this show was exhilarating. The highlight for me was the lengthy Peter Allen section, which included "Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Do)" and a jubilant version of "I Go to Rio" (complete with sparkly maracas and a pineapple-print shirt to match). This section of the show was not only the highlight because of the songs it included, but also because Jackman seemed the most relaxed and open during this segment. While I never got to see The Boy from Oz on Broadway, I am glad I got this short glimpse into the world of that show. Other notable numbers included a selection of songs from The Greatest Showman, which were delivered with plenty of brio and enthusiasm, a well choreographed version of "Gaston" from Beauty & The Beast, and a suave take on "Luck Be a Lady" from Guys & Dolls (my second favorite musical).
Barclays Center, 23 August
This show was a mood. I was sitting close to the B-stage (where the giant rose in the pic is), which gave me a great vantage on the whole arena. This was advantageous, because every attendee had been given a wrist band that synced to the music to pulse and change color with each song. The vibe and experience this created was truly magical. It was also pretty great to hear all of the great songs from Shawn's self-titled third album, as well as the recently released "If I Can't Have You", which is total banger when performed live. Shawn has grown so much as a performer since I saw him two years ago, and his audience has grown up a bit as well, so there was much less ear-splitting screaming going on, much to my relief. It was also amazing to hear songs like "Lost In Japan", "Where Were You in the Morning?", and "Fallin' All In You". Despite not being impressed by Shawn's concert back in 2017, I'm glad I gave him a second chance and made it to this show; I'd gladly go again next time he's on tour.
Webster Hall, 6 August
Mayer Hawthorne is such a fabulous performer to watch. His dedication to his craft is evident in everything from lyrics and music to clothing and choreography. Tuxedo has done a great job committing to a throwback funk style in all that they do. It was fantastic to hear some of the new material from Tuxedo III live, as well as some old favorites (including a couple of Mayer Hawthorne solo songs). Tuxedo had been the last show I saw at Webster Hall before the venue closed for renovations, and this was my first show back there since it reopened. As the (Tuxedo) song goes: "Round and round we go / Well I guess that's just the way it rolls / Rotational".
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