It was billed as a romantic evening of Michael Buble’s music but Clark Barrios paid tribute to a host of other singers Saturday night in the Savannah Center.
“Tonight is all about romance,” Barrios told the crowd. It was an evening for soft tunes and warm feelings, thanks to Buble’s wide musical influences.
That meant the Barrios, with some major help from the Paul Vesco Band, sang the songs of Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Dean Martin, Van Morrison, Peggy Lee and even Queen.
Buble’ is known for covering such performers and that gave Barrios an opportunity to do the same.
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“Michael Buble’ has a knack for taking a classic song and giving it a little twist and something extra,” Barrios said. “It makes the old song sound new.”
It was that way when Barrios opened with an old timer called, “Dream of You.” He gave it a bouncy beat and injected life into the tune.
Next up was a far more contemporary number, “Moondance” by Van Morrison. Vesco’s eight-piece band, with a killer horn section, added just the right blend of jazz and rock to compliment Barrios’ vocal.
Barrios is the kind of performer who likes to get up and close and personal with his fans. A number of times he left the stage to walk through the audience and sing to his followers.
One time, he got a surprise.
“I sat on a lady’s purse,” Barrios said with a grin. “I don’t know what she had in there but it hurt.”
“This is a lot of fun and you people came ready to party,” Barrios told his fans. Like Buble’, Barrios has a warm and engaging personality. He possesses wholesome good looks with an embraceable closeness to an audience.
He set a kind of dreamy mood with a cover of Willie Nelson’s oft-recorded classic, “You Were Always On My Mind.” Then Barrios moved to more of a Dean Martin Vegas lounge style on “Sway.”
Then it was time for the leader of Rat Pack, Frank Sinatra. Barrios showed plenty of versatility throughout the show. He really nailed Buble’s modern, smooth style while covering Sinatra’s song, “Summer Wind.”
Barrios moved to a big-band sound on another Sinatra staple, “Come Fly With Me.”
There was plenty of finger-snapping on Peggy Lee’s fever. Barrios then found time for a couple of Buble’ originals: “Everything” and “Home.”
One of the unexpected highlights came when Barrios covered Buble’s version of Queen’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” He caught the smooth-rocking spirit of the songs and put the audience into a swinging groove.
“I like Michael Buble’ but I’m a bigger fan of Clark Barrios,” said Villager Barbara Bigos. “I’ve been following him when he sings in The Villages. He’s so down to earth and personable. He sings from his heart and has a way with a song.”
Mary Guiliano agreed.
“Clark has such an outgoing, friendly personality and it really comes through when he sings,” she said. “He likes to come out in the audience and get close to his fans and I like that.”