Opening up the night, was Scotland's Amy MacDonald, who is making her Australian debut after finding great success in Europe. Her voice is amazing, and the acoustic cover of "Dancing In The Dark" was amazing. As was the Tweet wall between the opener and the headliner, where any Tweet tagged with @bryanadams was displayed on the big screen behind the stage. As one Tweet suggested, maybe one day a live Twitter feed will replace a support act?
Then, right on 8.30pm, the lights went dark, and away we went. Bryan Adams took the stage with arms raised, guitar ready, and rolled right into the music.
I always go into these "classic rock" era shows with a certain amount of trepidation, because you can't be sure how good an artist's voice is going to hold up. We've seen some voices deteroriate rapidly - Vince Neill of Motley Crue comes to mind, as does Meatloaf - whilst others - Bruce Springsteen, John Farnham - continue to be powerhouses, making a mockery of their advanced age.
Well, you can add Bryan Adams to that list. The pride of North Vancouver, British Columbia still has it - in a big way. Through a set that ran for nearly two and a half hours, the guitar-playing legend reminded us of just how many big hits he had, rolling through just about all of them, to the delight of a capacity crowd at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. With a brilliant four-piece band, led by long-time lead guitarist Keith Scott, a man of immense talent with an axe in hand, there was barely a song that didn't have the entire crowd up on their feet. No wonder Adams himself, and the tour, is getting such glowing reviews. They're well-deserved.
Adams makes Bruce Springsteen, himself notoriously short of a word during his songs, seem like an out-and-out conversationalist.He barely said more than a handful of words, aside from when he brought an audience member out of the crowd. That lucky woman was "Liesel from Penrith," who looked like she was having the time of her life, singing with Adams and the band on "Baby, When You're Gone, the song that was originally a duet with Melanie C of Spice Girls fame.
Other than that, it was hit after hit, stuff from the eighties and nineties, great anthemic rock that might be widely thought of as a guilty pleasure beyond the walls of whatever arena is boasting Bryan Adams as it's headliner that night. The giant hits were all there, peppered nicely through a set that, to be honest, was just about all giant hits, be they anthems or ballads. Of course "Summer of 69", "Heaven", "Can't Stop This Thing We've Started", "Cut's Like A Knife" and "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" were all there, and more, including a roaring "House Arrest" and a Tina Turner-less romp through "It's Only Love."
The focus of the night - and the tour - was, we were told, the twenty-year anniversary of Waking Up The Neighbours, the album that shot Adams to a new level of the stratosphere in 1991. A lot of songs from that landmark release were played, including the big hit, "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" that made it's mark thanks to Kevin Costner's action epic Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. The incredible thing is that Adams' voice doesn't sound much different than it did twenty-odd years before.
When the big songs were played, the crowd stood and sung - and danced - the night became epic. "Summer of '69" particularly, is one of those anthems that's really stood the test of time. You tend to remember where you first heard a song like that (in the same vein, for instance, as Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer", and when there's 10,000+ people singing it at once, and when the guys up there on the stage respond in kind, giving it everything they can, it's a moment that simply can't be recreated in a smaller, more intimate venue.
There were no encore breaks here - because no one really believes that the band is going anywhere without having played all their big hits - and not much in the way of stage sleight of hand. Certainly, no pyro or extravagant lighting. Just a group of guys on a stage, singing great songs, all night long. Stadium rock - long may it reign.
The only downside? No "Let's Make It A Night To Remember". Other than that, a top-notch night. Bryan Adams still has it!
Bryan Adams - Sydney 2013 Set List:
1. House Arrest
2. Somebody
3. Here I Am
4. Kids Wanna Rock
5. Can't Stop This Thing We've Started
6. Cloud Number Nine
7. I Thought I'd Died & Gone To Heaven
8. Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?
9. Hearts On Fire
10. Do I Have To Say The Words?
11. 18 Til I Die
12. Back To You
13. Summer Of '69
14. If You Wanna Leave Me
15. Touch The Hand
16. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You
17. Cuts Like A Knife
18. When You're Gone
19. Heaven
20. Please Forgive Me
21. It's Only Love
22. The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You
23. Run To You
24. There Will Never Be Another Tonight
25. Straight From The Heart
26. All For Love
Great review mate. As always, a pleasure to read.
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