Quietly spoken Bryan Adams may not have lived his life in the rock ‘n’ roll fast lane but in order to continue to flourish whilst lesser contemporaries flounder he has no doubt had to Roll with the Punches. Which makes for a great title for a new album by the sprightly “18 goin’ on 65” rocker who is so confident in his new material he kicks off tonight’s show with the eponymous track. It’s a thundering instant Adams classic, with a rousing chorus accompanied by catchy hooks and trademark nifty guitar lines.
As if to emphasise the song’s brute strength we have the accompanying promo video playing on the giant behind-stage screen whilst a giant inflatable boxing glove drone flies above the audience -and yet neither distracts they merely enhance the enjoyment. Adams kicks off proceedings on bass accompanied by a simple three-piece band, including ever-present guitar buddy Keith Scott, but switches between electric guitar, acoustic guitar and back to the four-string at regular intervals for a simply sensational two hour 15 minute journey through some of the most rousing rock anthems ever penned.
Second song Run To You would no doubt be an encore worthy blockbuster for most acts, but for Adams it represents merely an amuse-bouche for the 28 song jukebox juggernaut.
‘Can’t Start This Thing We’ve Started’, ‘Somebody,’ and ‘18 ’til I Die’ all have the 12,000 audience singing at the top of their voices along whilst no momentum is lost as he delivers an up-tempo take on swooning Reckless-era ballad Heaven.
Audience involvement steps up a gear when (at Adam’s encouragement) as hundreds of middle-aged male tee-shirts are shed and helicopter-swirled above the heads to the rockabilly treat of You Belong To Me.
Sheffield song-writer Eliot Kennedy is in the crowd and gets a shout-out from Adams before their co-written smash Baby When You’re Gone is performed in paired-down fashion on acoustic guitar without the female vocals present on the 1998 original by Spice Girl Mel C.
Prior to the show fans are invited to use a QR code to vote for cover versions to be performed – however it seems the same fans must be voting every night as Whiskey in the Jar and Can’t Take My Eye’s Off You were also performed on previous dates? Still at least the marketing team get most of the crowd’s email details I guess.
Adams pays homage to his much-missed pal Tina Turner, who he attributes his UK success to her taking him on tour in his early days, before playing an electrifying version if It’s Only Love.
Everything I Do (I Do It For You) provokes the mother of all singalongs whilst a drone is back flying among us – this time in open-top Cadillac form – for So Happy It Hurts whilst the superstar tells a funny tale of how he was once in a Mexican restaurant and the mariachi band performed ‘Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman’ without recognising “I was the guy who wrote that”.
He was also the guy who penned Summer of 69 and after teasing the distinctive intro there is an eruption of joy as Adams launches into his signature track.
Acoustic versions of Straight From The Heart and It’s all For Love – performed by Adams solo with just an acoustic guitar – bring a final end to the barrage of gold-standard crowd-pleasing anthems and he departs the stage to rapturous applause. One day he’ll be 18 going on 75 but there is little doubt that on this form Adams will still be going strong – after all everywhere he goes the kids wanna rock.