Bryan Adams is one of the most influential and best-selling musical artists of all time, with his brand of soft rock taking him into living rooms all around the world, as he captured the hearts of so many over his career, which has now spanned nearly five decades. 

Returning to Australia for the first time since 2019, Adams made his way onto the stage of the sold-out Qudos Bank Arena for a set spanning over 2 hours and traversing the bounds of the Canadian’s vast discography. 

Adams started his show with the uptempo rocky number “Kick Ass” which was the perfect arena opener as the venue filled with the sound of guitars. The energy in the room was high in the room from the beginning of the set and it only continued to lift as Adams moved through his anthemic songs, having the whole crowd singing along to “18 til I Die.”

It was when Adams moved into “Please Forgive Me” that the night had transcendental levels. Adams’ voice reverberated throughout the arena, as the power of the song and the music was harnessed by the crowd, who all stood and sang at the top of their lungs. It was a moment of magic, and one of the best moments of the night. 

It is amazing to think about just how many hits Adams has had over the course of his career and he played almost all of them throughout the set, with very few filler songs and high energy throughout. He moved almost immediately into an up-tempo version of “Heaven” which meant that the crowd could not stay off their feet for long. It is incredible how similar Adams’ voice sounds to the records he made decades ago and he was still able to move around the stage in the most energetic way, with the capacity crowd consistently in awe of his work. 

Adams did not need to perform any covers given the extent of his discography, however, he managed to squeeze in a tribute to Tina Turner, during which he reflected on the influence of their time on the road together. It was a sensitive moment, especially in a concert filled with rock anthems so it provided a nice contrast to the rest of the set. 

After a short acoustic break, Adams moved into his biggest hits, with the crowd absolutely raucous as he began singing “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You”. It is a song that has meaning to so many and Adams captured that emotion in his performance, belting with power and passion for everyone in the audience. He kept the audience on their feet as he launched into “Summer of 69” soon after, with unbridled joy befalling upon the venue. 

He then brought opening act James Arthur on stage for a duet of Arthur’s hit “Rewrite the Stars.” Arthur hadn’t been at his best during the opening set, failing to connect with the audience and losing pitch on some of his biggest hits but their duet was welcomed by the crowd, who recognised the humility of someone with Adams’ profile taking on his opener’s song (and singing the harmony on it.) Although the pair had performed the song at other stops on the tour, it felt like a unique moment for the crowd to savour as they saw Adams in a completely different context. 

Adams closed out the show on a small stage at the back of the venue, where he sang “Straight from the Heart”, which he dedicated to his mother and “All for Love.” It was a low-key way to end the night but by moving to the other side of the venue, Adams showcased his generosity for his crowd, making sure to shower everyone with love, which was very much reciprocated. 

This was the perfect concert, with Adams showcasing outstanding vocals, great musicianship and superb crowd work. It was everything one could ask for from a rock singer and one can only hope that this is not the last time that Adams comes to Australia, because he is still very much at the top of his game. 

Rating: ★★★★★

Bryan Adams – Qudos Bank Arena – 13^th February 2025

All photo credits: Richard Nicholson