Event Reviews

Opening the show fittingly with There Will Never Be Another Tonight, Adams and his 4-piece band used the full width of the stage to display their talents. For almost two hours, the Canadian superstar played his 80s and 90s hits to an army of fans who didn’t dare sit down once.

Eight or nine guitars were on full view, set out as if to say “Oh yeah these are all gonna get played tonight.” And if the humongous amps which stood in the background were a symbol of Adams’ status as one of the biggest musicians of his generation, then they were entirely apt.

Can’t Stop This Thing We Started, Kids Wanna Rock and 18 Til I Die gave the audience – a mixed bag of middle-aged once-rockers and their children - lots to sing along to. A quip about last year’s Pops venue had everyone in good spirits early on. Referring to 2006’s Big Top Arena, he asked: “What happened to the tent, did they burn it down?” It turned from a giggle to a cheer when he added: “It’s getting to be an annual thing playing up here.” He also revealed his new album will be out in October.

Sublime

A couple of reminders of his knack for softer love songs included Lets Make A Night To Remember, his smash hit Everything I Do I Do It For You and Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman? - the latter with a sublime Spanish guitar demonstration from lead guitarist Keith Scott.

Scouser, Kayleigh, was the lucky one, although once she’d clambered onto the stage she declared her lack of singing talents. Good job really, because after howling like a cat for the next five minutes, Adams jokingly grabbed the mic back and agreed that ”she cant sing, but she’s a great dancer.”

As he left the stage before the encore, I was left wondering what he possibly had left after using up his arsenal of hits. How foolish I felt though, when he returned for not one but two encores, firstly completing the rock show with Cloud Number Nine and Run To You before returning for a second, solo encore of Straight From The Heart and All For Love.

A fitting end to an all-singing all-dancing show which must have left much of the people in the audience as exhausted as Adams himself.