On Tuesday night in St. Petersburg, an audience request prompted Canadian rocker Bryan Adams to play his 1984 barnburner “Kids Wanna Rock” at Al Lang Stadium.
Sure, most in attendance were far from being kids anymore but you’d never know it. The sheer enthusiasm and elation both Adams and his audience exuded all night long was nothing short of infectious and, yes, downright youthful.
Playing on a wide-open, expansive stage at the home of the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer club, Adams and his solid four-piece band filled the stadium with good vibes while delivering a shot of mid-week rock and roll that obviously came as a welcome jolt to the many who sang, danced and savored the experience.
A solid two-hour set filled with hits, rockers, ballads and even some obscurities was the perfect excuse to get up, get out and lose all inhibitions. Bryan Adams knows just the recipe to cook up that type of night.
Supporting his most current album, this year’s strong and varied Shine a Light, Adams, who’ll celebrate his 60th birthday later this year, is no stranger to a concert stage. Paying his dues early in his career as an opening act, he wistfully recalled supporting madman rocker Ozzy Osbourne decades ago in Florida. But throughout his many years as an internationally recognized headliner, Adams has honed his craft and is as engaging and charming a performer as there’s ever been. His show is a true, unabashed rock and roll celebration that can effortlessly turn signature, monster hits (“Cuts Like a Knife,” “Summer of ‘69”) into boisterous sing-alongs. One of his many gifts is a genuine, no-nonsense delivery and an ability to bring each and every audience member along as an integral part of the ride.
Sporting slicked-back hair and an ever-present grin, Adams (dressed in a form-fitting black dress shirt and tight blue jeans) looked every bit the part of the fashionable rocker. Showing off his recognizable gravelly croon, the singer’s pipes were in top form and, quite honestly, sounded better than ever. Adams’s health and stamina has most definitely benefited from his vegan lifestyle.
His spry youthfulness was on full display all night, but never more than during his earnest, brawny performance of “18 til I Die,” a razor-sharp rocker that revels in the concept of refusing to grow old. Adams doesn’t just sing about it; he embodies it. Making his way from side to side of the massive stage, Adams looked as if he could have easily gone on for another two hours without flinching. With his inspiring tirelessness and his glowing presence, Adams did plenty to keep the crowd rapt on this gorgeous, breezy Florida spring night.
Without the addition of an opening act, Adams wasted no time kicking things into high gear. Opening the lengthy set with “Ultimate Love,” a recent rocker centered around a killer pop hook, the night’s mood and energy was set from note one.
Steamrolling through a slew of recognizable rock numbers, Bryan also showed off his softer, tender side via some of his enormously popular ballads. “Everything I Do (I Do it For You)” and “Straight From the Heart” were expected on the night’s music menu but surprises like an impromptu, acoustic rendition of the brawny “Hearts on Fire” and a note-perfect reading of “Please Forgive Me” gave those in attendance ample opportunity to get cozy and experience the intimate feel of the amorous, more laid-back numbers. It’s hard to juggle between all-out rockers and slower tunes, but Adams knows just how to mix and interchange the moods like no one else.
With a huge, high-resolution video screen playing snippets of old MTV videos to artsy, colorful city scenes, it was tough to take one’s eyes off the stage. The most fascinating clip, however, featured Adams casually walking through a shopping mall where patrons recognized him and reacted fanatically while others seemed totally clueless as to who the slender, well-dressed guy walking around was.
Making cracks about the surrounding hotels and high-rises that adorn the gorgeous St. Pete scenery, Adams wondered if the nearby denizens were anxious for him to wrap things up. But, in true professional showmanship and endurance, Adams treated those who bought a ticket to see him to an absolutely fun, exuberant night.
Sadly, many were deprived of the joy of witnessing a Bryan Adams concert back in 2017 when Hurricane Irma forced him to reroute from Florida, but those who took another chance and attended this outstanding rock show got treated to the full-on experience.
The kids still wanna rock, and as long as Bryan Adams is gracing a concert stage, he’ll continue to give them plenty to rock about.
Setlist
Ultimate Love
Can’t Stop This Thing We Started
Run to You
Shine a Light
Heaven
Go Down Rockin’
It’s Only Love
This Time
Cloud #9
You Belong To Me
Summer of ’69
Here I Am
Lonely Nights
(Everything I Do) I Do It for You
Back to You
Somebody
I’ll Always Be Right There
The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You
Cuts Like a Knife
18 til I Die
Hearts on Fire
Kids Wanna Rock
Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?
Please Forgive Me
Brand New Day
—
I Could Get Used to This
I Fought the Law
Straight From the Heart
All for Love
Follow @CL_music on Twitter to get the most up-to-date music news. Subscribe to our newsletter, too.
This article appears in May 2-9, 2019.
