BRYAN ADAMS // OVO HYDRO, GLASGOW
BRYAN ADAMS KICKS ASS AND TAKES OVO HYDRO CROWD TO HEAVEN
★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
BRYAN ADAMS // OVO HYDRO, GLASGOW - 23.05.22
PHOTOCREDIT // BAZZA MILLS
It’s hard to believe Bryan Adams has been making music since the late 70s and it’s been a “wee” while since he dominated the UK Singles chart with his massive ballad ‘Everything I Do’ from the movie Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. That said, it’s no surprise the Canadian rocker continues to draw large crowds whenever he tours and his loyal fans got the party going from the opening chords of this Glasgow show.
As Adams emerges to opener ‘Kick Ass’ the crowd welcome their hero for the next 2 hours or so back to Glasgow. Illuminated in red throughout the opening song with a bright white backing screen, Adams vocal reminds his adoring fans just what a sore loss live music has been over these last few years. With a back catalogue packed full of hits, Adams wastes no time dropping the monster tunes with ‘Can’t Stop This Thing We Started’ and timeless classic ‘Run To You’ following. Adams, can do no wrong here and his well-oiled band deliver hit after hit and with Adams directing the crowd to sing-a-long there is little encouragement needed for the masses to join in.
Another “oldie” and fan favourite ‘Heaven’ appears surprisingly early in the set and Adams passes the vocals for the entire first verse over to the crowd. Between songs, Adams shares some narrative and informs the crowd he remembers playing Glasgow as a 24 year-old with Tina Turner. Whilst, I never caught that show, I did catch Bryan Adams pre Hydro days at the SECC and remember guitarist Keith Scott being something of a player. Whilst the long hair has been trimmed, Scott showcases his talent once again throughout the evening with a spicy solo during ‘It’s Only Love’ culminating in a guitar 360 around this body and on the Spanish guitar throughout ‘Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?’.
Rockabilly tune ‘You Belong To Me’ gets the crowd dancing and Scott joins them shaking his tailfeather on stage. ‘When You’re Gone’ is another highpoint and whilst there is no Mel C on stage tonight, Adams takes to the spotlight with his acoustic guitar and is joined by the Hydro/Glasgow choir for every word.
‘Summer of ‘69’ is accompanied with footage of a lady tattooed with every lyric helping anyone in the crowd in the sing-a-along should they need it. It’s around twenty years since I last caught Bryan Adams live and his gravel vocal still sounds terrific and alongside his band they deliver an outstanding set and night of entertainment.
REVIEW + PHOTOS BY //
BAZZA MILLS
SETLIST:
OVO HYDRO, GLASGOW
KICK ASS
CAN’T STOP THIS THING WE STARTED
RUN TO YOU
SHINE A LIGHT
HEAVEN
GO DOWN ROCKIN’
IT’S ONLY LOVE
ON THE ROAD
YOU BELONG TO ME
I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU
THE ONLY THING THAT LOOKS GOOD ON ME IS YOU
HAVE YOU EVER REALLY LOVED A WOMAN?
HERE I AM
WHEN YOU’RE GONE
(EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU
BACK TO YOU
NOT GUILTY
18 TILL I DIE
SUMMER OF '69
THE BEST WAS YET TO COME
REMEMBER
NATIVE SON
ONE NIGHT LOVE AFFAIR
CUTS LIKE A KNIFE
ENCORE:
SO HAPPY IT HURTS
SOMEBODY
THESE ARE MOMENTS THAT MAKE UP MY LIFE
WHISKEY IN THE JAR
STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART
SHINE A LIGHT
ALL FOR LOVE
TOUR DATES:
25TH MAY 2022
HULL // BONUS ARENA
26TH MAY 2022
LONDON // THE O2
29TH MAY 2022
BELFAST // SSE ARENA
30TH MAY 2022
DUBLIN // 3 ARENA
29TH JUNE 2022
CORNWALL // EDEN PROJECT
1ST JULY 2022
SCARBOROUGH // OPEN AIR THEATRE
2ND JULY 2022
WIDNES // HALTON STADIUM
3RD JULY 2022
TELFORD // QE2 ARENA
5TH JULY 2022
DURHAM // CRICKET GROUND
6TH JULY 2022
KELSO // FLOORS CASTLE
8TH JULY 2022
NORWICH // BLICKING ESTATE
9TH JULY 2022
CORNBURY // MUSIC FESTIVAL
10TH JULY 2022
LEEDS // HAREWOOD HOUSE
11TH JULY 2022
CARDIFF // CARDIFF CASTLE