Allgemein, Concerts

Bryan Adams: A whirlwind of emotions and images

Pretty much exactly two years ago Bryan Adams made a halt with his “Get Up!” tour at Hallenstadion Zürich. Back then I was still in Uni and unfortunately I had to go to a mandatory week away somewhere in the middle of nowhere in Switzerland. Having already bought tickets I had to make peace with it that I couldn’t go. I was devastated. So when Bryan Adams announced his “Ultimate Love” tour I was super happy! I couldn’t wait to see this maestro live.
With no support Bryan Adams and his amazing band of 4 took the stage at 8.20. There was a huge LED screen on which amazing images and stories supported the songs. The stage itself was very simple and small. The music and the images are supposed to be the highlights of this evening and with a repertoire this big I think it’s fairly save to say that it was.
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We started into the night with the title track of this tour “Ultimate Love”. I already mentioned the big screen and I was fascinated by it! I think like me people needed “Can’t stop this thing we started” and “Run to you” to stop staring at the screen and the band and to actually start clapping their hands. During the third song my concert buddy and I were both trying to figure out in what shopping centre Bryan Adams shot the video on screen. At the end it was revealed that it was NY. Now what image would you project to this third song? Legs running! It made so much sense and the rhythm of the song finally got the Swiss audience going. Bryan Adams addressed the Swiss crowd now and said:

When you go home you gotta remember this: “Go down rockin'”

Loved the song! 🙂 During “Heaven” and “This Time” you could really see how much fun the lads had on stage. Thanks to my camera I was actually able to zoom in and see their laughs and their emotions on their face. It was pure joy to play in front of an audience that came to rock with them. The next song “It’s only you” would have been a duet with Tina Turner but unfortunately she couldn’t be there 😉 So Bryan Adams and his lead guitar player Keith Scott had a bromance duet 😉 For all my fellow One Tree Hill lovers – YES I KNOW KEITH SCOTT!!! <3 I already liked him! lol


I always waited expectantly if I knew the song or not and amazingly even if you aren’t the biggest Bryan Adams fan you deffo know at least half of the set list. “Please Stay” was next but I was surprise to hear “Cloud No. 9”. I didn’t even know that this was a Bryan Adams song! I just knew that I sang along to when I was a kid and started to listen to the radio! Back then in 1998 it was one of my favs. And again Bryan Adams addressed us:

B: So I know it’s a bit tight down there but for the next song I want you to dance and shake your arse. How do you say shake your ass?
The crowd: Arschwackeln!
B: Arschwackeln? OK, so I want you to arschwackeln! 🙂

And he started to play “You Belong To Me”. Finally some people started dancing and what I loved the most is the three lads on guitars and bass who turned around too and actually shook their ass! 😀 Absolutely hilarious!
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Only 3 chords were enough and people knew the song and started to jump up! 😀 On a day like yesterday with over 30 degrees I think it was more than fitting to play this song even 33 years later: “Summer of 69”. The crowd was rocking and on the LED screen we saw a naked woman tattooed all over with the lyrics – Yes, that kinda helped during the verses 🙂 After this fast song it was time to tune it down and so the next two songs were played acoustically. First up “Here I am” and then “When you’re gone”. And I thought where’s Mel C? 😀 I love that song but I haven’t heard it in a while either! YAY


One of the most famous soundtracks (Robin Hood) and awarded with an Academy Award Bryan Adams started to play “(Everything I do) I Do It For You”. What a ballade! And again I was not only fascinated by listening to this song live but also by those hanging lights which were moving up and down. It looked brilliantly! It reminded me a bit of the Red Hot Chili Peppers lights. Huge hits just in the middle of the set and not as you would expect at the end as an encore. I mean how cool is that??!! Without a break – it was just song after song – “Back to you”, “Somebody” and “Have you ever really loved a woman?” with a Spanish touch.

And another song that celebrates the woman came next: “The only thing that looks good on me is you”. How cheeky?! haha “Cuts like a Knife” continued this incredible set of songs. For the next one I let you guess the title from my pictures below:

Before the encore Bryan Adams played “I’m ready” and “Brand New Day” before the 5 super talented musicians left the stage only to come back for the encore a little while later and yes, he knew about the Swiss “ohhhhh” wave. But before I forget I’d like to mention that Bryan Adams had freaking Helena Bonham Carter on the screen during Brand New Day!!!! How amazing is that?! I was amazed again… and now that I watched the video clip I am gobsmacked. Not only did he get Helena Bonham Carter for the clip he also got Theo Hutchcraft from Hurts to play in it!! :-O
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Back to the gig: “I could get used to this” and a cover by the Crickets “I fought the law” finished the main set and Keith Scott and Co. left the stage for the evening but not before they all bowed and did a little dance for us. Time for Bryan Adams and his guitar (and his harmonica) to finish the evening. Even though he is Canadian we enjoyed a very slow acoustic version of a traditional Irish song called “Whiskey in a Jar”. As you all know I have a bit of a thing for Irish music so he definitely hit a nerve 🙂
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For “Straight from the heart” Bryan Adams told us a little story:

When I was little my parents saved money for school for me but then I saw this piano. I asked my Mom if she would buy the piano from that money and she said “Yes sure!” My Daddy didn’t know about it at first and when we told him waay later he said: “Good for you!” that’s what he always used to say – Good for you. So when people ask me how do you remember Switzerland I can say that today is the day my daddy died. So I want you to sing the next song with me for him.

I couldn’t believe what he just said. I managed to not cry because my concert buddy and I were wondering towards the end of the song why would you be doing a concert when your daddy just died? Did he mean it’s “just” the anniversary of the day? In any case I was very moved and I was close to tears which only Adele and Robbie Williams were able to do once.
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With a lump in my throat I put on my phone torch for “All for Love” and the whole Hallenstadion did the same. It looked incredible and we all belted out the song in honour of Bryan Adams’ dad. And this is how I want to finish this review as well. In Memoriam  Conrad J. Adams – Good for you!
Have you seen Bryan Adams live? Share your experience with Kekoas Korner in the comments below or on Instagram.

Check out my latest gigs: Caribana Festival, Gavin James, Foo Fighters

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