#BGReviewer: Bryan Adams

"Let's Make a Night to Remember, London!": Byran Adams Rocks Budweiser Gardens

It may have been frigid outside, but on Thursday, January 31st, Budweiser Gardens was fired up! Bryan Adams, the iconic Canadian singer/songwriter/musician himself, hit the stage with bandmates to perform an impressive two and a half hour set for his 2019 'Shine a Light' tour. Much to the delight of a sold-out audience, Adams belted out many of his classic hits, such as 'Summer of '69' and 'Cuts Like a Knife', along with several singles from his newest album, 'Shine a Light'.

While the tried-and-true songs had the audience on their feet, singing and dancing, Adams' new music is demonstrative of his icon status and staying power. Adams shared with the crowd that 'Shine a Light,' the first single from the album of the same name, had already become one of the most downloaded songs in Canada. It is clear that, even approaching sixty, nothing can slow Bryan Adams down.

If a 14 album discography that spans a wildly successful 40+ year career isn't enough, Adams also defines himself through his philanthropic pursuits. Adams truly does make a point to shine a light everywhere he goes. Prior to taking the stage, an announcement was made to the audience, asking us to raise our hands and look around at one another. It was revealed that for every ticket sold, Adams and his partners at DHL would plant a tree.

For such a generous and immense talent whose popularity is undeniable, Adams was remarkably down-to-earth, cracking jokes with the audience and directly engaging with folks in the crowd. When introducing himself, Adams' playfully quipped, "My name is Bryan, and I'm your singer for the evening. I'll try to remember as many songs as I can." He encouraged people to swing dance in the aisles, threw guitar picks for young fans, and even took photographs of the crowd with his own device. It was clear that Adams and company were having an amazing time! The casual, humourous, fun-loving attitude on stage was mirrored by the crowd, who spent the evening laughing, cheering, and singing along.

Adams had the audience energized, even encouraging us to sing the entire first verse of 'Heaven'. It truly was hard to believe we weren't in music heaven! While the music alone would have been enough to keep the crowd engaged, we were also treated to an interesting and often times cheeky visual component of the show. Rather than simply having a camera trained on Adams for the duration of the performance, an accompanying film added quirky visual interest. Sometimes the screen showed old music videos, sometimes it panned out to the audience, and interspersed in between were artistic clips. Along with this video, the lighting crew did an expert job of creating a specific ambience tailored to each song.

All in all, Adams put on a personable, well-balanced show featuring both upbeat rock classics, and mellow acoustic hits. His new material shone just as brightly as the fan favourites, and it was plain to see that both Adams and the audience enjoyed the evening. A great show; definitely a night to remember! A big thank you to Bryan Adams and Budweiser Gardens.

#BGReviewer: @caldwell_sarah
Photos by: @BillWoodcock