[klaatumail] Re: Bryan Adams
- From: "Bradley, David" <David_Bradley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <klaatumail@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:33:06 -0400
> Ron Not Canadian Balliet
Ah yes, but such a perfect French name..... :-)
I remember seeing Bryan Adams when he was still a relatively unknown
performer in the U.S.
What was being touted as his "first album", (the true THIRD album) Cuts
Like A Knife, was currently going up the charts and I thought maybe
possibly I had heard the title track on the radio. He was opening for
Journey on their Frontiers tour which was not my first concert, but was
certainly my first major arena type concert. We weren't too concerned
with getting there in time for the opening act, Bryan Adams, but we
managed to take in the last 5 songs of his set. I don't recall what they
were, except that Cuts Like A Knife was one of them (the last one
perhaps?)....
I was impressed with his performance. Later recordings after the single
Run To You really didn't do much for me. I do have, aomewhere, a test
pressing of the single "Heaven" which isn't bad, but otherwise I'm not
necessarily a fan after Run To You. I don't dislike, it just doesn't
hold my attention.
However, that night, Journey put on a performance to be remembered.
One thing I especially remember about it was related to an event the
next morning.
I'm a "light" sleeper, however, I don't tend to want to wake up in the
mornings, so I had an alarm clock that was very loud, very obnoxious,
and which always made me jump sufficiently when it went off each morning
so that I was wide enough awake that I couldn't go back to sleep to
snooze. Had to get up for school, doncha know.... Anyhow, the morning
after the concert, I remember slowly waking up and hearing a distant
buzzing noise that made me think there were hornets or something in the
room. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it was my loud obnoxious
alarm clock!
By mid morning my hearing appeared to be back to normal, but just the
idea that after several hours of quiet peaceful sleep I was still
suffering the impact of the loud show the night before has always stuck
in my mind.
As for the show, it was primarily songs from Escape and Frontiers, with
some additional tracks from the then current album by Neal Schon and Jan
Hammer. Jonathan Cain put on quite a show doing some extended keyboard
solos as I recall.
Escape is one of my all time favorite albums, and definitely my favorite
Journey album, so the fact that they played so much from that album when
touring it's successor was a big thrill for me.
However, I still recall Bryan Adams' few tracks as being impressive
enough to make me listen for his stuff and take notice when it started
getting lots of airplay.
Despite his current inspiration or lack thereof, the fact that he still
makes a living performing music is something to be respected and I'm
happy for him.
I think the worst thing that happened to Journey was Steve Perry
leaving, not because there weren't other good singers but because the
band seemed so completely focused when he was there and seemed to lose
interest when he left.
I also think Steve Perry solo was a big disappointment. One or two good
cuts, and the rest just seemed to ramble on without direction. I think
Steve and Journey were good for each other in that respect, they kept
each other focused.
And Bryan Adams, never a member of Journey, is indellibly linked to them
in my mind because of that concert.
Dave
Other related posts:
