Bruno Mars' career has exploded like a "Grenade" (the title of his 2010 hit), but has it blown up big enough for him to headline arenas already? Twin Cities fans will find out July 14 when the retro-styled, multi-faceted Hawaiian soul-pop hitmaker makes his debut at Xcel Energy Center with "Lights" singer/songwriter Ellie Goulding for an opening act. Tickets go on sale March 8 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster and the Xcel Center box office for $84, $74, $54 and $40.
Dubbed the Moonshine Jungle Tour, the summer trek begins June 22 in Washington, D.C., and follows last week's news that Mars has for the second time landed two different songs in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart: "Locked out of Heaven," currently sitting at No. 2, has been newly joined by "When I Was Your Man." Both are from his second album, "Unorthodox Jukebox," released in December to mostly high praise. Mars accomplished the same rare doubled-up feat in late 2011 when "Grenade" and "Just the Way You Are" simultaneously made the top 10.
Mars' show last May at Roy Wilkins Auditorium was close to a sell-out, but not quite. His gig this time around comes amid a very busy mid-July concert pileup (July 12-20) that also includes local shows by Beyoncé, One Direction, Kenny Chesney and the New Kids/98 Degrees/Boyz II Men package tour.
