The Kids In Brooklyn Wanna Rock!

Bryan Adams, Norm Fisher, Keith Scott / photo by Howard B. Leibowitz /courtesy of B.L.Howard Productions

Bryan Adams / photo by Al Pereira

As great concert performances go, very few can rival the one given by the iconic Bryan Adams at his “Get Up” tour stop at the Ford Amphitheater at the Coney Island Boardwalk on September 7, 2016.

From the opening note of his non-stop 27-song set to the last haunting echoes of “All For Love,” Adams showed why he continues to expand the multi-generational global audience he has garnered over four decades.

Although Bryan Adams has been in New York City before, he told the audience that it was his first time in Coney Island and “it’s better late than never.” Apparently, his visit was as exciting to him as his energetic stellar performance was to the packed house; indeed, the Amphitheater provided a perfect setting for Adams and his Dudes of Leisure band mates.

Bryan Adams / photo by Howard B. Leibowitz / courtesy of B.L.Howard Productions

When the first notes cascaded from the stage, Adams was front and center, deftly weaving a musical quilt out of his cache of tunes. To the delight of concert goers, he poured generous helpings of his mega classics, such as “Run To You,” “Kids Wanna Rock” and “Summer of ’69” into the music mix. The emotionally charged “Heaven,” “Everything I Do” and “Please Forgive Me” had tears streaming down many eyes in the audience.

It was evident that this group of musicians knows each other quite well, as guitarist Keith Scott played electrifying riffs that blended perfectly with Adams on “It’s Only Love” and were joined by bassist Norm Fisher on a ripping version of “Cuts Like A Knife.. The encore set included “Brand New Day” (from the Get Up album, produced by ELO’s Jeff Lynne), Elvis Presely’s “All Shook Up,” the Eddie Cochrane classic “C’mon Everybody” and “Straight from The Heart.”

Bryan Adams Woos The Crowd / photo by Howard B. Leibowitz / courtesy of B.L.Howard Productions

The stage design, curated by the masterful Willie Williams, featured a video wall that served as the backdrop, with real-time screen projections that created a surreal visual experience and also featured a mosaic of the audience, making them a part of a wondrous live concert experience.