BC Place party: Bruno Mars delights in first of record 5 concerts there
Published 8:27 pm Thursday, October 15, 2026
There are shows, and then there are capital-letter SHOWS.
Wednesday (Oct. 14) was the first of five nights of concerts for American entertainer Bruno Mars at BC Place, and boy, did he ever put on a SHOW, a two-hour party full of dazzling lights, tight choreography, A-list musicianship, fireworks, fire, confetti and old-Vegas charm.
It’s a record run of concerts at the Vancouver stadium for any musical artist, eclipsing Taylor Swift’s three concerts there in 2024 and The Jacksons’ three in 1984.
Live Nation-produced The Romantic Tour marks the first full headline tour in nearly a decade for the Honolulu-born Mars, following his 24K Magic World Tour of 2017.
This week, the four other concert dates at BC Place are Friday, Saturday, Tuesday and next Wednesday (Oct. 21), promising close to 200,000 bums in seats, total.
Show up, Mars fans do.
Opening night, the lead showman was there to party with a large posse of band brothers and sisters, bringing funk, soul, Santana-like salsa, sugary ballads, disco and guitar rock to a sold-out stadium, where the sound was decent for a change.
24K Magic at @bcplace, party place on the first night of a record five concerts for the dynamic @BrunoMars. REVIEW: https://t.co/OOnFbHBnxN https://t.co/OZ3DMg0NYd
— Tom Zillich (@TomZillich) October 16, 2026
Romance was in the October air, too, with Mars and much of the audience dressed in matching red and feeling the mutual love.
Highlights of a truly dynamite night included a Silk Sonic set of dance-mandatory songs with Anderson .Paak, a string of early hits Mars played on piano and the irresistible funk of his latest hit, “I Just Might.”
Gates opened at 5 p.m. Wednesday, a DJ set started at 7, London’s impressive Raye was mid-set by 8 and Mars hit the stage at 8:45 p.m.
From London, @raye sure gives Amy Winehouse vibes at @bcplace https://t.co/BJ5JcNG3J4
— Tom Zillich (@TomZillich) October 15, 2026
BC Place-bound SkyTrain cars were packed starting in Surrey, and the “Uptown Funk” singer’s voice can be heard at the end of the commute. In a collaboration between TransLink and Warner Music Canada, a special announcement featuring Bruno Mars’ voice will play periodically at Stadium–Chinatown Station on concert days Oct 14-21. The advertising revenue will “help support transit service in Metro Vancouver,” according to TransLink.
Both inside and outside the stadium, many merch tables did brisk business selling $95 T-shirts. At Terry Fox Plaza, be sure to get a selfie with the giant “BRUNO” sign, in lights.
Concert-goers should check bcplace.com for venue rules and regulations. “Be reminded that BC Place is an open-air stadium regardless if the roof is open or closed,” the website notes. “Dress accordingly based on temperature outdoors.”