Groban delights crowd at EnergySolutions Arena
Little did they know at the time, but the thousands of Utahns who filled the EnergySolutions Arena to the rafters Tuesday night are going to become stars.
Shortly before the start of Josh Groban's sold-out Salt Lake show, it was announced that the concert would be filmed for the DVD of Groban's 71-city Awake tour.
"You guys are the ones people are going to watch for forever," Groban told his adoring fans midway through the two-hours-plus show.
The result was a concert that felt overly staged at times, but which also perfectly showcased how a 26-year-old former musical-theater major has become a worldwide phenomenon.
There is, of course, Groban's golden voice, which is unlike anything in popular music today. It's a voice that can move even the most unmoving of hearts.
But it's not just the voice that has made Groban an unlikely superstar. It is his ability to blend that sound with an amazingly talented nine-piece band and a full orchestra made up of local musicians to create a complete musical experience.
From the show-opening "You are Loved (Don't Give Up)" to the penultimate "You Raise Me Up," Groban's 2003 break-out hit, the show was an experience unlike many others offered these days.
A haunting cello solo by 26-year-old Vanessa Freeman Smith on "Un Giorno Per Noi (Romeo e Giulietta)," also from the new album, made a trip to the arena feel much more like a night at the symphony.
Violinist Lucia Micarelli also had her turn to shine with a powerful solo that left audience members on their feet and in awe.
For the uninitiated, Groban, who took the stage in a black blazer, red T-shirt and blue jeans, does not look the part of a musical genius. With his trademark curls and a goofy grin, he looks more like, in his own words, a "theater geek."
But as soon as his rich baritone makes its appearance, it is clear how a man who sings a fair number of his songs in languages other than English can sell out arena after arena in the United States and abroad.
Of course, Groban's easygoing personality and self-deprecating humor don't hurt either. While he clearly takes his music seriously, Groban made plenty of time Tuesday night to chat with the audience and poke fun at himself.
Groban joked that the overly romantic tone of "So She Dances," from his newest album, is "borderline gag-me-with-a-spoon," and questioned how lines like "spinning between constellations and dreams" can inspire such loving feelings in women.
Recent comments
It was an answer to a dream for me. I found it soul moving, as all...
CHRIS | Sept. 6, 2007 at 11:41 p.m.
My twin daughters took me. I do not feel it was "over staged...
Ann | Aug. 29, 2007 at 11:12 p.m.
It was a good concert
Josh | Aug. 29, 2007 at 12:39 p.m.
