06/12/05 - COLISEE DE QUEBEC, QUEBEC CITY

Review by Daphné Bédard (Le Soleil):
Translated by Steven Stanley

Bryan Adams plays his hits in Colisée

His last visit was in 2002 so his fans awaited this one impatiently. The Canadian rocker stepped onto the stage at the Colisée and did not disappoint, offering a fantastic rock n' roll concert.

There were only 6000 to have bought tickets for the return for this show in 2005 Quebec by Adams. A disappointing attendence, acknowledged the promotor Michel Brazeau. It should be said that his last album 'Room Service' did not receive a good reception. In spite of that, the career of Bryan Adams can surf on the incredible number of great successes which he's had. And it is what he put out during this concert. The spectators were obviously smitten with Adams. The majority of them sang every last word and were up out of their seats as soon as the first notes were played.

At 46, Bryan Adams does not have anything any more to prove. For this tour which marks its 25 years of career, has all the music. He chose a sober stage setup which constituted mainly of suspended white cloths, as well as a constant lightshow.

(Above) A new stage setup to co-incidence with 'Anthology' and 'Room Service'... it now features a big cross structure of lights in the middle, with white sheets all around. During the show the sheets tear away to reveal the 'Room Service' banners.

It began with the French version of 'Here I Am' (Me Voila). This got the ball rolling and Adams didn't stop for more than 2 hours. Simply wearing jeans and a black t-shirt he played his songs with lots of solid energy accompanied by 4 other members of his band.

(Above) Bryan gets bouncin' during 'Back To You'

Bryan Adams played his best known songs; 'Summer Of '69', 'Can't Stop This Thing We Started', 'The Best Of Me', 'The Only Thing That Good Looks On Me Is You' and of most recently... the title track to his last studio album 'Room Service'. It obviously did not seem impossible to him to be '18 til I Die', the rocker seemed to have fun onstage yesterday, no doubt that he could still be a teenager at heart. He also gave pleasure with romantic songs, delivering the ballads to a sea of lighters; '(Everything I Do) I Do It For You', 'Straight From The Heart' and the very beautiful 'Heaven', which created a strong moment of intimacy with the crowd.

Bryan Adams knows how to make his fans happy, even if it is addressed to them only seldom. In the medium of the concert, he made one of his fans very happy. He made climb a girl on stage to sing with him 'When You're Gone'. After Mel C of the Spice Girls and Pamela Anderson, it was with the turn of Genevieve of Quebec to sing in duet with the rocker. Adams appeared impressed by interpretation which was very respectacle of the young woman.

In full possession of musical and vocal talent, Bryan Adams offered an excellent concert yesterday evening. It's a pity that the crowd didn't turn up.

**********

Hightlights of the show from Alicja:
*From the first chord, everyone was on their feet - WOW!!!! And Bryan, well he looked like he was right at home :)
*The stage is a surprise and is covered up until the guys hit the stage, then the black curtain goes down and you see a huge criss-cross X symbol in the middle made out of what looks like the stage light beams. There is a white curtain behind it and to the left and right of it. Those curtains are uncovered during the show and then you see the huge Room Service curtains. So, at first you get an Anthology vibe and then you get a kick of Room Service. It's brilliant how the stage set reflects both albums! Oh and the best part are the hanging huge spot lights that go up and down.....they are not blinding and they do wonders.
*Bryan kept his promise of bringing out some more guitars :))) There were 6 on stage with a new one added I haven't seen before. Couldn't tell you what kind it was but it was red and sounded really good :) He used it during This Time and Lonely Nights, although in Montreal he only used it for This Time.
*Norm is no longer in between Bryan and Keith when he comes forward to sing his lines but to the right of Keith.
*Bryan forgot the words a few times but we were just lovin it cuz he has this huge grin on his face when he forgets and it's funny to see him get out of it :)
*During WYG, Keith plays a funky guitar I also haven't seen before. He had his own display of guitars on his side and in addition to this funky one there was also a colorful one on display but he never played it. I should also say that the WYG girl was fantastic! Bryan spoke French all night so can't tell ya what he said but every time he asked the WYG girl a question in French for some reason she answered in English even though she spoke perfect French so we really appreciated that.
*After one of the songs (can't remember which one) Keith took his bow, then Bryan followed him and then Keith again and then Bryan and they were going back and forth imitating each other. Then they each started doing the kurtzy (did I spell that right?), Bryan pulling on his pants so lady-like.....LOL. They were having a great time them two!
*ALWAYS the highlight for me is Kids Wanna Rock and they ended up in front of us, saying that I was excited is an understatement ;) Best Of Me was brilliant too, gosh how I didn't want to let that hand go ;)
*They do individual bows at the end was also different then the group bow we're use to seeing. And the thunderous applause for each one of them was well-deserved. Maestro Keith got to do it twice jumping in the air before his bows and boy can he jump high. He then did a little Irish dance......a man of many, many talents!!!! By the time it was Bryan's turn the audience was deafening.

Setlist:
Me Voila
Room Service
Somebody
Open Road
18 Til I Die
Let's Make A Night To Remember
Can't Stop This Thing We Started
Kids Wanna Rock
Back To You
Summer Of '69
Everything I Do
This Time
Cuts Like A Knife
When You're Gone (with Genevieve from Quebec)
Hearts On Fire
Heaven
I'm Ready
Lonely Nights
It's Only Love
The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You
Cloud #9
Run To You
The Best Of Me
Straight From The Heart
All For Love
Room Service (Acoustic)

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Thanks to Christian for the setlist, lovebad for the French review and of course Teresa for the pictures

Bryan screams down the microphone

Bryan onstage for the first time with his new Rickenbacker guitar, using it for 'This Time' and 'Lonely Nights'. Two days later (8/12) was the 25th Anniversary of John's Lennon's death, who of course used a Rickenbacker guitar on tour with the Beatles. An odd co-incidence BA starts using a very similar one on the anniversary of his death 25th years on... even more of a co-incidence that he's JUST started his 25th anniversary tour himself! As one career came to an end...another began eh. It's a Rickenbacker 330 series. Those who have been into BA a while may remember he used a black one during the 'Cuts Like A Knife' video shoot in that LA swimming pool all those years ago. Looking at it, it's an old one probably between '59/'69.

Keith shows he isn't to be outdone with Bryan's new guitars and brings out a flying v onstage for the first time in 5 years!

Bryan slamming thru '69

The legend that is Keith Scott

BA on his gorgeous Gretsch

Bryan on acoustic and harmonica at the end of the show taking it 'Straight From The Heart'