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Thursday, 26 July 2007 22:07
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 WITH a career of almost thirty years behind him, Bryan Adams has nothing to prove.
He could have very easily stepped out on stage, sung a few of the many hits from his extensive back catalogue, and walked back off again leaving a very happy crowd indeed. But that wouldn't have been the Adams way at all. The audience at Murrayfield Stadium all gasped in unison when the Canadian appeared with his band, not on the main stage where his gear, lights and PA were sitting all ready for him, but on a barely noticed little platform right in the middle of the pitch. About as close to them as he could get. The fact that the rain was pouring steadily down on Adams, his band and their instruments didn't phase him one little bit. Lesser performers might have changed their plans and started the gig from the warm, dry safety of the covered stage. That wasn't the Adams way either. Where would the fun be in that? In fact, from the first note, the show was all about fun and energy. Adams knows how to please his fans and he began as he meant to go on.
There Will Never Be Another Tonight, he sang and, being Canadian and no stranger to inclement weather, he was clearly out to make it a cracker, regardless of the downpour. During The Best Of Me he took a stroll back down the corridor from the platform to shake hands with, and even hug some of his fans. One lady got a little carried away by the emotion of it all and wouldn't let go. A few hits later, which included Somebody, Open Road and the hugely popular 18 Til I Die, he chatted briefly with the crowd, before introducing Let's Make It A Night To Remember. His harsher critics might suggest that Adams' songs were full of clichés, cheesy rhymes and obvious lyrics, but the Murrayfield crowd wouldn't have been remotely interested. Adams is an obvious stadium rocker, who knew exactly how to use the huge space to best advantage, so it might have come as a surprise to some when he pointed out that it was the largest venue he had ever played in the Capital. Back To You was followed by the mega-hit Summer Of '69, which found even the most tight-lipped fans singing merrily along. The hits started coming out in packs, as (Everything I Do) I Do It For You and Cuts Like A Knife and Run To You followed on swiftly. Missing Mel C's contribution to the song, Adams picked a member of the audience to duet with him on Baby When You're Gone, to the envy of most of the crowd - never more so than when he vigorously ripped the plastic kagool from the nervous young lady, to the amusement and cheers of the audience. Later, during the encores, the band braved the elements a second time by playing on the centre platform in the rain. For She's Only Happy When She's Dancing, Adams invited six ladies onto the tiny stage for a dancing competition - all captured on the video wall, so that the audience could judge for themselves. Closing the evening on his own, he played acoustic versions of Straight For The Heart and All For Love to ecstatic applause. A great evening, despite the rain, with big, stadium sized entertainment, because that's the Adams way.
Sources: article: living.scotsman.com, photo: JAYNE EMSLEY
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