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"The show must go on," the saying goes. Michael Bublé lived by those words at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Sunday — on what he said at concert's end was "one of the hardest days of my life."

"My grandmother, who raised me like a Mom...today we lost her," Bublé said — drawing gasps from the audience.

Bublé continued, on the verge of tears, cries of "We love you" and supportive applause helping him through.

"I didn't know what to do. But I know what my grandmother would want," he said. "I know she wouldn't want me to cancel. She'd want me to come out and do the show and smile and do what she supported me doing."

And so he closed the night singing her favorite song, the sentimental standard "I Wish You Love," as his musical director, Alan Chang, played the piano.

"Goodbye, let our hearts call it a day / But before you walk away / I sincerely want to say / I wish you bluebirds in the spring / To give your heart a song to sing."

His hand trembled, his voice ached — but Bublé endured, expressing his love, and his sadness, the best way he possibly could — tenderly, through song.

VIDEO: Piet Levy's concert recap

Bublé said Sunday was "the hardest performance I've ever done," but the only indicator of his struggle was that heartfelt revelation at night's end.

For nearly two hours before that, Bublé effortlessly personified the classic, crowd-pleasing crooner. And that took more than a great voice or strong songs — which Bublé, and a total of 28 supporting musicians, up to 20 performing at once, supplied.

VIDEO: Bublé performs 'Try a Little Tenderness'

It takes charm in every phrase, care in every gesture and showmanship in every step. And, in 2014, it evidently also requires flame throwers, a cover of Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" and a little crass humor to go with the class.

Bublé brought all of that and then some to an engaged crowd that filled the floor and the Bradley Center's 200 sections to near capacity (most of the rest of the arena was curtained off). Whether he was covering songs made famous by Frank Sinatra ("I've Got the World on a String"), Otis Redding ("Try a Little Tenderness"), Van Morrison ("Crazy Love"), the Beatles ("All You Need Is Love") or Elvis Presley ("Burning Love"), Bublé, through his sweet, confident voice, made each song his own.

VIDEO: Bublé performs 'Fever'

And the few songs that were actually his own — like the heartstrings plucker "Home," the unflinchingly positive "It's a Beautiful Day" — stood strong among the standards.

But Bublé said Sunday wasn't just a concert. He likened it to a first date — one, he joked, he'd hope would end with dirty sex in his car. (And that's when he saw an oblivious little girl in the crowd...prompting more laughs and a little blushing by Bublé.)

VIDEO: Bublé performs 'Haven't Met You Yet'

But, true to his analogy, he had some smooth moves to support the music, whether he was smartly sliding across the stage and swinging his mic from the cable on romantic-comedy-ready original "Haven't Met You Yet," or swiftly pivoting his feet in every direction, his shiny black shoes glistening in the lights, during a Latin swing rendition of Sinatra's "Come Dance With Me."

And Bublé made sure it was not just the Michael Bublé show — which naturally endeared him further.

The band got special NFL-style introductions, complete with Bublé's colorful, risqué commentary, and the musicians' names, musical alma maters and some swinging solos all appearing on the show's three big screens. The eight-piece all-male horn section stepped out for a few songs, replaced by a stirring, and never saccharine, all-female, eight-piece string section. (Its contribution to a top-notch "That's All," first sung by Nat King Cole, was a standout).

Bublé shared a so-so chorus of a song he first started writing, before revealing the completed version of his single "Everything" that was made better by his songwriting partner Chang. And he walked through the crowd to join opener Naturally 7 on a secondary stage, for a crisp a cappella cover of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back."

There were fun crowd moments, too — seeing a fan with a sign requesting a hug and picture for her birthday, Bublé remarked, "Not going to happen" with crushing deadpan, before obliging her request. He also grabbed a fan's cellphone and made a selfie video singing the Bee Gee's song "To Love Somebody."

At one point in the night, Bublé stated that he fell in love with these songs because they brought romance to a cynical world. And for thousands of fans, that's exactly what Bublé provided Sunday.

No doubt grandma would be proud.

See Bublé's tribute to his grandmother at BMO Harris Bradley Center.

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THE TAKEAWAYS

■ When introducing the string section, Bublé confessed, "I was going to lie and say they were from Milwaukee so that you'd like them better. But then I was afraid, because I know there must be a critic here from the paper, and he'd look it up and say, 'He's a liar. They weren't from Milwaukee at all. He just said that for bigger applause.'" Bublé then turned around to ask the string section if anyone was from Milwaukee — prompting one woman to stand up and wave her bow. "I love you, you just saved my ass," Bublé said.

■ Standout banter: "As I start into this beautiful song, I hope you will indulge me, and reach out into the dark, and fondle whoever's next to you."