By Joanie Cox-Henry
Photo by Larry Marano
Bryan Adams has been rocking audiences since 1975 and on June 20 at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood he vibrantly demonstrated he can't stop this thing he started nor does the world want him to. The Canadian singer-songwriter who has dueted with Tina Turner and Barbra Streisand has themed his current "So Happy It Hurts" tour around a flying car named "Doris" and it's as fun as it sounds.
"Hi, my name is Bryan, in case you didn't know, and I'm happy to be back in Florida," Adams said to the cheering crowd.
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts opened the show with an explosive set list of hits spanning from Jett's earliest days with The Runaways to her latest material "If You're Blue," a punky song about being there for others and living in the moment. That single was released this month and Jett says she's excited about putting out new material.
Jett's keyboardist, producer and songwriting partner Kenny Laguna acknowledged her infinite contributions to women in rock and roll. "Joan Jett overcame a lot of things and every glass ceiling she has encountered, she broke through it," Laguna said at the show.
Jett went on to play a slew of hits including "You Drive Me Wild," "Crimson And Clover," "I Hate Myself For Loving You," and "Bad Reputation." She closed the show with "Whiskey Goes Good," a tune written by her lead guitarist Dougie Needles. The pair has been writing more material together lately. It's a departure from Joan Jett's typical rock ragers thanks to its sea shanty vibe, but it goes down smooth like a shot of Irish whiskey.
Before Bryan Adams took the stage, an inflatable 1966 Chevrolet Corvair convertible drone car flew over the crowd while a black and white video for "So Happy It Hurts" played on a huge screen. Adams directed the video which features his 93-year-old mother. It was a curious way to amp up the crowd but it worked.
Bryan Adams is 63 now and he is still jumping around the stage and high-fiving his bandmates. And speaking of bandmates, he still has Keith Scott on lead guitar. Scott has worked with Cher, Bowie, Bryan Ferry and many others. Influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, his solos are complex and thrilling yet, at times, so tender. With Mickey Curry on drums, Gary Breit on keys, and Solomon Walker on bass guitar and upright bass, they round out the powerful blend of bluesy rock riffs laced with catchy hooks and relatable lyrics that have defined Adams for decades.
Adams sizzled through a hot set list of "Summer of '69," "Heaven," "Everything I Do) I Do It For You," and "Run To You," while peppering in some of his new material from 2022's So Happy It Hurts. Eager for fan interaction, Bryan Adams cherrypicked a few fans from the crowd to move closer to the stage and encouraged twerking during his performance. While belting out his hit "Heaven," the entire arena sang the intro and his rendition of his 2019 song "Shine A Light" prompted the entire venue to hoist their cellphone flashlights in the air.
At one point, the bold entertainer was taking song requests from the crowd. A woman named Christina requested "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman," and this Flamenco-flavored fan favorite was a definite highlight of the show.
Bryan Adams concluded his 24-song set with an acoustic encore of "Straight From The Heart." It was just Adams with a guitar and a harmonica. His bandmates had already exited the stage and it was a stunningly raw and real way to end such a satisfying show. It was the sort of show you didn't want to end. It appears Bryan Adams is achieving his goal of making audience members "So Happy It Hurts" one city at a time. For the latest show dates on Bryan Adams' tour, visit https://www.bryanadams.com/.
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