Josh Groban - Take 2 (BrisVegas)...

Ok, so I was totally self-indulgent and treated myself to an encore helping of Josh Groban at his second Brisbane concert on Sunday night. Having seen him six days ago at the Opera House, I knew I’d be in for a great performance, but I was totally blown away by the Brisbane show.

As a venue, the Opera House was amazing, but the audience vibe in Brisbane was just so much better. I was in total shock – who would’ve thought that good old BrisVegas would rock like it did! I’m so pleased to say that my home town gave Josh and the band one hell of a rousing reception. I only bought my ticket the day before, but I somehow managed to score one about 7 rows from the stage, so I was able to get a really different perspective from the Sydney show.

I sat through Katie Noonan again and as a point of interest, her Mum, Dad and brother were practically sitting right beside me, although they didn’t stay for Josh…

Ok, so now to the main act – Josh!!! It was pretty much the same set as for the Sydney show, but it was the crowd vibe that really set it apart. He was looking hot and took to the stage in jeans, a blue jacket and a white shirt. Later he changed into a dark blue button-down shirt. Yum!

The Brisbane set list was:
You Are Loved
Mai
Un Dia Llegara
Un Giorno Per Noi
Now Or Never
So She Dances
February Song
Alla Luce Del Sole
Lucia's solo
In Her Eyes
L'Ultima Notte
Remember When It Rained
Lullaby
Weeping
To Where You Are
Machine

(Encore 1)
Canto Alla Vita (with Josh's drum solo)
You Raise Me Up

(Encore 2)
Awake

The concert totally blew me away. The acoustics in the concert hall at QPAC are great and he sounded great. And if you haven't worked it out already, I think I'll be a "Grobanite"** for life".

He did his usual audience thing during "In Her Eyes". But unlike Sydney he started way up in the very corner of the top level of the concert hall and came all the way down. When the music started and he started singing, I was waiting for him to appear in the boxes to my left, but when I couldn't see him I just though he must have been on my left and was out of my view. but it wasn’t until someone in the front few rows looked back, pointed to the back and screamed that I realised he'd adapted. So even though I was expecting it, it was like seeing it for the first time.

I love it how, when he finally makes it back to the stage, he tells the audience "You guys looked and smelt fabulous! I'm all hot and sweaty now so to whoever just hugged or touched me inappropriately just now, you're all hot and sweaty now too. But it's so great to be able to go into the audience and get face to face with you guys because usually I'm just up here. And I can hear you, 'honey the camera's in the front pocket. oh you missed it. oh.' I can hear you bickering in the audience, while I'm trying to sing a love song."

The band was introduced after he sang "Weeping", and you can really tell that he appreciates how talented they are.

Lucia Micarelli was again incredible. She's so tiny, but is such a talented violinist whoo plays with a lot of passion. I also love the fact that she’s wearing this beautiful black backless halter-neck evening dress, and is wandering around the stage barefoot. Cracked me up!!!

Unlike the Sydney show I saw, BrisVegas was treated to two encores, with him closing the show with Awake. We were again treated to his great drum solo during Canto Alla Vita

For me, the minute he’d left the stage after the encore of “You Raise Me Up" I just knew he’d be back as the crowd was going off. And thankfully he didn’t disappoint.

Now for some of the funny stuff that happened during the show

- after "Mai", a woman in the centre of the front row yelled out "Josh!" and when he looked at her, she held up a sign saying "Swap hug and Jack Daniels for drum sticks please" as Josh read the sign out loud the audience was killing themselves laughing! So he says "prove it", and she drags a bottle of JD out of her purse and holds it up, and Josh runs to the drums, grabs a pair of sticks, and they exchange then she got a hug, on top of it all!!

- in his little speech after "So She Dances", he explains how, as a guy, it’s so much easier to be romantic through the lyrics of a song. He told the audience “Girls understand that song straight away – guys get it later, much later”. Everyone laughed, and he then told us that “Guys can’t say it; so they can just say ‘here poopykins, track 3. That’s how I feel. From Groban’s mouth – to something, something. LOL.” Although it's obviously a standard line – he delivers it so well and has that connection and rapport with the audience that everyone just cracks up.

- after "In Her Eyes" when he was back on stage, he was talking about his walk through the audience and he said "I'm hot and sweaty, if you gave me a hug or touched me inappropriately, you're hot and sweaty..." He then mentioned that people had glowsticks and suggested that for the next show they should clear the seats and stage out of the concert hall and turn the concert into a giant rave (Josh Groban sings techno at a rave - I would totally be there for that!). He then breaks into a little bit of “Rhythm Is A Dancer”. Watch it here…



- after "L'Ultima Notte" he sat down at the piano and cracked a few bars of Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead Or Alive', then said "I can sing that because my jeans could not be any tighter" which of course made all the females in the audience a little flustered. He then broke into some terrible karaoke-style singing before saying "I suppose you paid to hear some of my music...yeah, three people in the audience are like 'yeah, that'd be good Groban', okay" - which of course got the audience giggling all over the place. Anyway, here's the a quick clip of the Bon Jovi moment (please excuse my terrible singing...)



Josh was genuinely funny all night, and was pretty relaxed and really interacted with the audience which just made the whole experience that much better.

Ah, so there it is. I think I’ve got a severe case of Grobanitis!!! Sigh......... Fingers crossed he comes back soon.

** Grobanite - can be characterized as a woman or man who enjoys the auricle ecstacy of Josh Groban's harmonious voice. Many of them rampage through the streets in the pursuit of being 'Joshed'.

In addition, a fan of Josh Groban views him as a wonderful singer, while in contrast, a Grobanite views Josh as a fantastic person who also has a beautiful voice.