MR

critic wrote:The difference between Bryan Adams and George Thorogood is a matter of about six beers.

Adams’ earnest, straightforward rock is the way you feel at the beginning of your night, when you’ve downed your first two. You’re a little heady, but still reserved and in control.

Thorogood is the way you feel when you’re nearing the end of the last can of your sixpack — loose, uninhibited and ready for some mischief.

It’s a shame those two feelings were all out of order Saturday night, when George Thorogood and The Destroyers opened a split bill with Bryan Adams at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center.

It’s not a knock against Adams. His set was solid and his performance dead-on. It’s more of a testament to how hard it is for a pop star to follow a rock legend.

Thorogood took the stage when the sun was still up. Just like the group’s sound, the stage was a Spartan affair, with Thorogood alone at center stage and his band shrouded in the background. But that’s all Thorogood needs.

The man — clad in black pants, a black cutoff T-shirt and white sneakers — is such a presence he rarely needed to wander from center stage, letting his attitude and music to carry the show.

That simplicity is exactly how Thorogood avoids the nostalgia that causes stars like Adams to wax and wane. Yes, his rock is “classic,” but it’s so damn fun everyone from 40-ish biker chicks are dancing with air guitar- strumming kids in backward baseball caps.

“Bad to the Bone” and “One Bourbon, One Scotch and One Beer” are songs everyone has grown up on — when first released, on 97 Rock or even in (sell-out alert!) car commercials.

Adams’ stage set was rather simple, but a bigger light show and the myriad amps arrayed around the band seemed to overcompensate for something. And while Adams’ music can be fun, it’s predictable.

That said, the performer definitely did his own songs justice.

The opener, “One Night Love Affair,” set a tame tone for the set, but “Life Is an Open Road” and “18 til I Die” brought the crowd to its feet. Even with the popularity of his set, the crowd didn’t sing along with Thorogood-inspired bravado until the opening of “Summer of ’69.”

His ballads were pitch perfect. “Everything I Do” had couples swooning and lighters swaying.

Adams’ romantic appeal might have been the most charming aspect of his show. His best moment with the crowd was when he selected a woman — shaking with excitement — to come onstage and sing with him.

Adams, a Canadian, owes much of his success to the Western New York region, and he paid tribute to that in his onstage banter.

“This is where it all started for me,” he said. “Radio stations in Rochester, Buffalo and Albany started playing me, and the rest . . .” and he segued into his next song.

Concert Review

Bryan Adams

With George Thorogood and the Destroyers on Saturday at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center.

Rockindeano wrote:One Night Love Affair set a lame tone tone for the night? [/size] One of the best songs ever.

Rockindeano wrote: One of the best songs ever.

Rockindeano wrote:One Night Love Affair is a rock song Dave. Have you lost your fucking mind?

RockInDetroit wrote:One Night love Affair is a great song. I would think it would make a nice opener also. The reviewer is high.

Kenny wrote:

RockInDetroit wrote:One Night love Affair is a great song. I would think it would make a nice opener also. The reviewer is high.

Agreed 100%. Makes me feel good every time I listen to it.
Love 'East side story' of RS too.

Rockindeano wrote:

Kenny wrote:

RockInDetroit wrote:One Night love Affair is a great song. I would think it would make a nice opener also. The reviewer is high.

Agreed 100%. Makes me feel good every time I listen to it.
Love 'East side story' of RS too.

Hey Kenny, what's up Mate? You should post here more often...always spot on with music and politic takes. Solid poster.

Kenny wrote:

Rockindeano wrote:

Kenny wrote:

RockInDetroit wrote:One Night love Affair is a great song. I would think it would make a nice opener also. The reviewer is high.

Agreed 100%. Makes me feel good every time I listen to it.
Love 'East side story' of RS too.

Hey Kenny, what's up Mate? You should post here more often...always spot on with music and politic takes. Solid poster.

Just kickin' back bro....long weekend here thank fuck.

I think it's become 'unfashionable' to like Bryan Adams, but I don't give a flying fuck - some of his stuff just brings a smile to my face and makes me think of good times. I think the reviewer indeed had his head up his ass!

stevek2007 wrote:

Kenny wrote:

Rockindeano wrote:

Kenny wrote:

RockInDetroit wrote:One Night love Affair is a great song. I would think it would make a nice opener also. The reviewer is high.

Agreed 100%. Makes me feel good every time I listen to it.
Love 'East side story' of RS too.

Hey Kenny, what's up Mate? You should post here more often...always spot on with music and politic takes. Solid poster.

Just kickin' back bro....long weekend here thank fuck.

I think it's become 'unfashionable' to like Bryan Adams, but I don't give a flying fuck - some of his stuff just brings a smile to my face and makes me think of good times. I think the reviewer indeed had his head up his ass!

I think it's stupid to call ANYONE out for listening to ANYTHING (not you...but whoever). Bryan adams made a lot of good music. That's my opinion. Just because someone doesn't agree with it...doesn't make the music any less ''good'' to me... Music is relative...to the person listening to it.... Day in and Day out....I get flamed and burnt on various message boards for listening to and nominating Queen as my favorite band....and they say "oh....he was a flamer....he was queer...." SO WHAT! That flaming queer made good fuckin music. So Bryan Adams sang a ballad (or twelve...)? But for every ballad he sang, deep in the albums there were 14 rockers... NEVER apologize for the music you listen to. NEVER.

Rockindeano wrote:Kenny, his new CD is a slow one...an adult effort, and it was intentional or so he says. He swears he will return to the rocking era next time 'round. He does however, have some top ten songs on "11."