Friday night marked my 5th Bryan Adams concert. He selectively invites audience participation for key verses. He gives fans wristbands for lighting effects. And he encourages you to dance to an old school cover of Twist and Shout. Most importantly, he delivers all the hits and throwbacks you’d want while singing about romance and resilience. He’s a pro!
“I’m Bryan Adams and I’ll be your singer for the night.” In his introduction, he jokingly pretended to be hosting an intimate show. In reality, he drew a sold out crowd at Scotiabank Arena. He also repeated a joke from his previous tour about forgetting his own songs, but of course he came prepared.
Playing with his all-Canadian band clearly makes him so happy it hurts. There were some very genuine shoutouts to Toronto where he built his music career at small clubs. He also paid tribute to Tina Turner and his late dad.
Bryan pointed out that he started his career before MTV and MuchMusic popularized music videos. Mocking his old hairstyle while playing his music video for This Time (1983) created a fun moment.
“If you wanna stay young, get off the internet!” Loved how he tweaked the lyrics to 18 Til I Die. They also edited the graphics ahead of his upcoming birthday on November 5. They updated the lyric “Someday I’ll be 18 goin’ on 55” to reflect his age because he’s turning 66.
All eyes were on Bryan Adams for two hours, but he seemed too tethered to a mic stand. He literally dragged a mic stand across the stage with him to sing (Everything I Do) I Do It for You! Not exactly charming choreography. He still showed the audience on the big screen a bit too much and his side screens could’ve been bigger.
However, starting and ending the show with an acoustic solo on a small stage in the crowd was legendary. And it was cool to see The Sheepdogs as the opening act because I love their song Nobody.
Bryan Adams’ concert at Scotiabank Arena in October 2022 was a few weeks before I was laid off from EA. It was a really special night before a difficult winter. Bryan Adams’ new song Roll With The Punches became a theme song for my time of transition.
I had to go to the Roll With The Punches Tour! 3 years is a long gap between shows. I was happy to pick up a one-of-a-kind punching glove keychain because accessories are rarely worth buying at concerts. It’s something to hold onto that holds meaning.
My last Bryan Adams experience inspired me to share a candid video. Sometimes hearing love songs at concerts makes me brainstorm wedding playlists – no boyfriend required. Now I’ve realized I like to stomp my feet for rock songs and sit down for a break during ballads. As Bryan Adams gets older, it’s easier to focus on the party I’m currently at and worry about my hypothetical DJ later.
A photo of Bryan Adams performing Summer Of 69 with Taylor Swift has been framed on my dresser since The Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018. Seeing him live on the night of Taylor’s latest album release was funny timing. I can’t wait to see Bryan Adams again in whatever era comes next.
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Find the whole setlist for the Bryan Adams concert in Toronto here.