www.18tilidie.co.uk

23/07/96 - McALPINE STADIUM, HUDDERSFIELD

Review by Brigid Walsh (Huddersfield Daily Examiner):
Everything He Did Was First Class

The 'groover from Vancouver' he ain't. This man was meant to rock 'n' roll til he drops. For almost 3 hours Bryan Adams put on a first class performance at the McAlpine Stadium. He is a consummate entertainer who obviously enjoyed the occasion as much as the crowd.

They danced, they sang, they cheered, they waved. They had a great time. And it was certainly a night Paul from Harrogate won't forget in a hurry. Plucked from the crowd, the 40-something, and a tad balding, fan jumped on stage on Adams' invitation. After declaring he was here to "dance and keep on rocking" he was encouraged to give his own rendition of 'Summer Of '69' - with musical accompaniment. The crowd loved it - he loved it and simply said: "It's made my day just being up here on stage with you".

That song, one of Adams' many familar tunes of the evening, was balanced by a number of his popular ballads - not least the phenomenonally successful '(Everything I Do) I Do It For You' and 'Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?', both from film soundtracks.

With the volume turner up, he began the show with 'The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You'. And the pace of the evening was set. This was followed by 'Kids Wanna Rock', 'Can't Stop This Thing We Started' and '18 Til I Die', the title track from his latest album. Eighteen is significantly half his age.

This man likes choruses and he likes to have fun. With no Tina Turner to accompany him on 'It's Only Love' he decided to have a go at her part himself. All I can say is keep practising, but he enjoyed having a go.

Two video screens at either side of the stage were switched on to make sure everyone got a good view. And around 50 fans, allegedly from the fanclub, were invited on to an elevated platform at the rear of the stage, for their benefit or his I'm not quite sure. He said "It's our first time here and it looks great!". The fans roared. He raised his arms in the air. The crowd followed. He bought a beer for the first fan to bring him a union flag. Huddersfield Town even got a mention. And he donned a football top for his encore which was unmistakeably blue and black stripes not Town's blue and white.

As with last year's REM concert, some people got a pretty good view from Kilner Bank for free. And the fans in the centre of the pitch got a treat they weren't expecting. The band uprooted themselves and, while the lights were down, quietly made their way to a boxing ring sized stage in the middle of the crowd. They probably created a real headache for security men as fans were pulled onto the platform to join them. But, hey this was a party. The lighting system was a bit low key. The main 'attraction' was three illuminated blow-up bikini clad dolls. It takes all sorts...

But we weren't only treated to Adams' songs. The Troggs' 'Wild Thing' suited his husky voice while The Clash's 'I Faught The Law' was perhaps an unusual choice. The evening closed at around 11.15 with 'Heaven' and I think he proved the album '18 Til I Die' right. He certainly shows no sign of flagging just yet.

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Review of build-up and support acts by Brigid Walsh:
Police praise concert performance given by Bryan Adams' fans

New meausres to cope with traffic congestion paid off and police were delighted with the performance of the crowds at last nights concert. And Insp John Robinson, Of Huddersfield police, said the new traffic measures brought in to cope with the rush seemed to be paying off. "We hope the traffic measures assisted people to enter and leave in safety and in as much comfort as possible," he said.

Around 40 officers were drafted in to deal with the traffic and the police helicopter kept them updated with any problems. Close liaison with motorway police and local radio also helped avert any further congestion. St John Ambulance volunteers said the event passed without major incident. And stadium chief chief executive Paul Fletcher said improvements had been made to the running of the concert. An illuminated notice board indicated toilets, water, information points, lost property/people and first aid. And the thunderstorms, which weathermen said threatened, stayed away. Mr Fletcher said: "We are talking to promoters about who is touring next year. Nobody has been confirmed yet, but it's been a buoyant year and we are hoping to land our fair share of big names."

Seven hours of musical entertainment in an award-winning venue - that can't leave you with much to complain about, except perhaps the queues for the toilets and the price of the beer - but wouldn't life be boring without something to moan about?

(Above) BA comes swaggering onstage with 'The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You' in the days when the McAlpine Stadium (now known as the Galpharm stadium) was a 3 sider stadium. The stadium was completed a year or 2 later with the inclusion of the 'Panasonic Stand' at the this stage end with removable terracing so that larger stage productions (i.e. BA '96, Bon Jovi '01) could still take place with full pitch capacity. Bryan returned to the 'Galpharm Stadium' 10 years later to play to an audience a quarter of the size... hence why it had a centralized stage.

Ricky Ross had the hardest task of the evening - being the first act onstage. But never fear, this man has years of experience behind him and I doubt he is easily fazed. His style has changed, but the distinctive Deacon Blue voice was still detectable. Gone is the polished sound of his former band, now he has a more raw, guitar-based sound illustrated by his new solo single 'Radio On'. The only complaint about his performance was that it was too short.

Melissa Etheridge, American singer/songwriter, followed. I confess to never having heard of her before and therefore feel reluctant to criticise, especially as she has been described as the best songwriter since Prince. But her Kansas-style was very stereotyped. Neither heavy rock nor folk rock. But she has plenty of power in her husky voice.

Del Amitri is a band which puzzle me. Puzzles me in that they never achieved bigger things in the British charts. But they don't seem bitter. These Scots were just having a good time and enjoyed chatting with the crowd. The performance included 'Last To Know', 'Just Like A Man', 'Driving With The Brakes On' and 'Kiss This Thing Goodbye'.

Setlist:
The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You
Do To You
Kids Wanna Rock
All I Want Is You
Can't Stop This Thing We Started
This Time
18 Til I Die
Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?
Touch The Hand
Cuts Like A Knife
One Night Love Affair
Somebody
It's Only Love
(Everything I do) I Do It For You
Run To You
Summer Of ’69 (Paul from Harrogate)
There Will Never Be Another Tonight
***b-stage***
Land Of A 1000 Dances
(I Wanna Be) Your Underwear
Seven Nights To Rock
It Ain't A Party… If Ya Can't Come 'Round
Wild Thing
She's Only Happy When She's Dancin'
***b-stage***
Summer Of '69
All For Love
Let's Make A Night To Remember
I Fought The Law
Heaven