MarketAn Evening with Silk Sonic at Park MGM
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An Evening with Silk Sonic at Park MGM

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 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.

Rehearsals
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. 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. 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 audience's phones 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." ==Production==
Production
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. 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". 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". 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." ==Background and development==
Background and development
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. Ticket prices started at $125, and pre-sales were made available on the same day as the announcement, while general sales started on January 21. 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. 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!" All the shows of the residency took place at the theater at Dolby Live, with the first concert on February 25, 2022. They also took the stage on April 2 to finish the first leg of shows. The concert residency was promoted by Live Nation and MGM Resorts. 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. In Vegas, there were various billboards advertising the show as "The Sexiest Party of the Year." 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. 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". ==Concert synopsis==
Concert synopsis
The concert, which had a runtime of 90 to 120 minutes, was used to perform the entire An Evening With Silk Sonic album. 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". The curtain lifted, and "sunset orange beams" filled the stage and displayed "giant multicolored stars", "streaks of rainbows", and a neon "shell-style background". At this point, Mars and .Paak had a "bongo and drum face-off". 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!". It fitted Silk Sonic's sound and .Paak joked, "Some of them look mad." His unscripted and mid-set observations "kept the crowd engaged and entertained". During their performance of their version of "Love's Train", Mars interpolated Earth, Wind, & Fire's "Can't Hide Love" and danced choreographed routines. 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. .Paak's own "Am I Wrong", taken from Malibu (2016), was "delivered in slow and sexy arrangements", as "yellow fireworks flared like giant sparklers". This was followed by a solo trumpet of "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" by Maurice "Mobetta" Brown. 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". 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?" 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. 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. 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. 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. He was compared to James Brown. 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. 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. ==Reception and other shows==
Reception and other shows
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". 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". 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. 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. 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. The duo joined "the house band", the 442's, and their set lasted for 15 minutes. They were wearing their "signature Silk costumes", while .Paak had a blonde wig and was holding red Solo cups during the show. and performed covers of Papa Roach's "Last Resort", the Outfield's "Your Love", and the Police's "Roxanne". Their band also played "along with a DJ set that included Clipse and Ja Rule". 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." 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". ==Setlist==
Setlist
The set list given below was performed on February 25, 2022. Rolling Stone also published a similar list, omitting the interludes and covers. • "Silk Sonic Intro" • "777" • "Skate" • "Love's Train" (cover) • "That's What I Like" • "Am I Wrong" • "Treasure" • "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" (cover) • "Fly as Me" • "Smokin out the Window" • "Put on a Smile" / "Make It Better" / "When I Was Your Man" • "After Last Night" • "Come Down" • "Runaway Baby" • "Pure Imagination" (cover) • "Blast Off" ;Encore • "Leave the Door Open" ==Shows==
Personnel
Silk Sonic and The Hooligans • Kameron Whalum – backup vocals • James King – backup vocals • Maurice "Mobetta" Brown – trumpet Sound and monitor productionClair 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 ==References==
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