Invited| Review by Aaron Whittington
Bryan Adams rolled back into Newcastle on Wednesday night, and let’s just say — the man knows how to roll with punches. The Utilita Arena was packed to the rafters, buzzing with anticipation, and from the first chord Adams had the Geordie crowd in the palm of his hand.
There was no support act for tonight, which meant we had two hours of full on Bryan Adams’s and seeing as it was packed out crowd, standing attendance on the floor and seating packed out, we were ready for it.
Opening with “Roll With the Punches,” he wasted no time setting the tone: loud, loose, and full of heart. He also had a giant drone boxing glove fly around the arena. What followed was a masterclass in arena rock. Backed by his razor-sharp longtime band — Keith Scott on guitar, Pat Steward on drums, and Gary Breit on keyboards — Adams powered through hit after hit: “Run to You,” “Can’t Stop This Thing We Started,” “Somebody,” “Summer of ’69,” and the ever-epic “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You,” which turned into a massive singalong, couples swaying, arms aloft, and phone lights flickering like stars across the arena.
One of the most striking things about a Bryan Adams show is just how effortless he makes it all look. Performing with just a tight band, a frontman who genuinely looks like he’s having the time of his life, and a crowd singing every word back to him. And Adams, now in his mid-60s, sings like a man half his age — raspy where it counts, tender when it matters, and always, always on point.
Adams also played the live debut of “Never Ever Let You Go,” a fresh reminder that he’s not just leaning on his past glories. Tracks from his latest album So Happy It Hurts sat comfortably alongside the classics, showing Adams is still pushing forward creatively.
Just when you thought the night couldn’t get more special, Adams shifted gears for the encore. Rather than stay on the main stage, he surprised the crowd by heading to a B-stage set up at the back of the arena, delivering beautifully stripped-down renditions of “Straight From the Heart” and “All for Love.” It was a moment of intimacy that cut through the arena’s size, pulling everyone into a shared, joyful final chapter.
The band was positioned across a classic layout, with Keith Scott commanding stage left on guitar, Pat Steward holding down the centre on drums, and Gary Breit adding depth on keyboards from stage right. Adams worked every inch of the stage, often stepping right up to the edge to connect with the crowd, and as mentioned above surprised fans by moving to the B-stage at the back of the arena for the acoustic encore. The simplicity of the production underscored the show’s raw energy and made the intimate moments land even harder, proving that sometimes less really is more.
Bryan Adams delivered the kind of night that reminds you why live music matters. And judging by the smiles pouring out of the Utilita Arena at the end, nobody was leaving disappointed. Legend is something that can be bandied around all too easily nowadays, but Adams truly is a rock legend.