CBS Radio’s We Can Survive Concert Brings Out Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, G-Eazy & More
CBS Radio and the Young Survival Coalition presented the fourth annual We Can Survive concert at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl Saturday night (Oct. 22). It was a fun-filled night of star-studded performances featuring Charlie Puth, Meghan Trainor, Pitbull, OneRepublic, Ariana Grande, and Bruno Mars. The sold-out crowd also received a pleasant surprise, a performance from the Backstreet Boys.
Check out some of the highlights from the night below.
Charlie Puth Has the Range
The newest star on the bill delivered an impressive performance early in the night. Running through songs like “Marvin Gaye” and “See You Again,” Puth’s vocals were equal parts delightfully sweet and strong. His playing at the piano also added a classic flair to the young Atlantic Records artist’s show.
Flashing Lights Everywhere
Various light-up products were available for purchase, including flower crowns, hats, and even bunny ears. In addition, attendees received free light sticks at the door that. The stunning display of lights in the crowd made for a magical moment as all of the artists stopped to glance on such an energetic crowd coming together for a good cause.
The Ladies Love G-Eazy
RCA rapper G-Eazy is a burgeoning star who’s had an incredible year with two successful tours. It was evident Saturday night that his stage presence has improved — the audience went absolutely wild when he stepped out. After going into a medley of his catalog rapping songs like “Order More,” “I Mean It,” and calling on frequent collaborator arc E Bassy to sing “Some Kind of Drug,” an album cut from 2015’s When It’s Dark Out, he finished strong bringing out Bebe Rexha for their popular hit “Me, Myself & I.”
Backstreet’s Back (Alright!)
During an intermission, a long two-tiered stage was set up, and before the crowd could make any judgment on what was about to happen next, the Backstreet Boys emerged from backstage to a roaring, surprised audience. Giving all of the nostalgic feels by singing smash hits like “I Want It That Way,” “Larger than Life,” and “As Long as You Love Me,” the seasoned boy band finished their set with a giant picture of the group promoting their new Las Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood, which begins March 1, 2017.
Photo Activations Galore
AMP Radio, Ashley Stewart, and more provided cool photo activations throughout the venue. Hawaiian Host offered attendees a GIF booth that could take photos with a green screen behind that revealed a beach scene. AMP Radio had a trippy photo booth featuring space for a specialist working the booth to “draw” light designs around the picture.
A Star-Studded Night
Epic Records pop darling Meghan Trainor rocked the stage opening her set with “Me Too” before going into a string of hits and closing out with confetti falling from the sky. Pitbull got the crowd hyped up per usual with his smash hits. OneRepublic gave a performance to remember bringing the house down with songs like “Apologize” and the recently popular “Counting Stars.” At one point in the show before proceeding to sing one of their hits, frontman Ryan Tedder noted, “If you haven’t heard this song, welcome back from North Korea” in a joke to the crowd.
Bruno Mars Shines
Hot off of the release of his new single “24K Magic,” Bruno Mars blew the top off of when a memorable performance. Opening with the wildly popular “Uptown Funk,” Mars ran through hit songs like “Treasure,” “Grenade,” “Marry You,” and “Just the Way You Are.” He closed out with an electric performance of “24K Magic.” Mars’ exquisite musicianship, seamless incorporation of his band into his performances, crisp vocals, and overall dynamic stage presence sets him up to be one of the greatest pop entertainers hitting the stage in the post-Michael Jackson and Prince era.
A Great Cause
AMP Radio on-air personalities (including 97.1 host Carson Daly) and breast cancer survivors introduced each act throughout the night. For every concert ticket purchase, $2 went towards the partner of the night, Young Survival Coalition, an organization dedicated to the issues that surrounded young women who have breast cancer.
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