Music icons Bryan Adams and Dave Stewart played the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA January 27th. Last year Joan Jett & The Blackhearts were the opening act. Adams is a Canadian native while Stewart is British, but they each had a big impact on American music. Stewart is one half of Eurythmics and with Annie Lennox has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2020) and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2022). To name a few artists Stewart wrote and produced for Ringo Starr, Tom Petty, Stevie Nicks, and Mick Jagger. Stewart along with his all female band performed a 11-song Eurythmics set. Stewart’s vocalists are his daughter Kaya, Judith Hill, Vanessa Amorosi, and Stevvi Alexander. The musicians are Musical director/ keyboardist Hannah Koppenburg, harmonica player Indiara Sfair, saxophonist Yasmin Ogilvie, drummer Ellie East, and bassist Julia Lamb. Stewarts set began with “I Need a Man,” and included “Here Comes the Rain Again,” “Sisters are Doin’ It for Themselves,” and "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These) " which were the last two songs.
In 2022, Adams released his 15th album So Happy It Hurts and this tour began in January that year. Since his self-titled debut album in 1980, Adams has had 25 top-15 singles in and five number one albums in Canada and has sold over 75 million albums and singles worldwide. Before Adams took the stage a car was flying around like Pink Floyd’s famous flying pig. Adams’ band includes guitarist Keith Scott who has been with Adams since his third album Cuts Like a Knife, drummer Pat Steward returned to the band in 2021 and first recorded with Adams on his fourth album Reckless and played on the major hit “Summer of ‘69,” keyboardist Gary Breit joined the band in 2002 and has recorded with Adams’ since 2004’s Room Service, and bassist Solomon Walker since 2017.
Adams played a set of 27 songs over two hours which included all the hits like “Somebody,” “Heaven,” “(Everything I do) I Do It for You,” “Summer of 69’,” and “Cuts Like a Knife” was the last song before the two song encore of “Straight From the Heart” and “All for Love,” which were both performed by Adams acoustically. The fan requests which came before the end of the set were “One Night Love Affair” and “All for Love.”
