Bryan Adams - vocals, guitar; John Hanna - keyboards; Keith Scott - guitar, vocals; Dave Taylor - bass, vocals; Jim Wesley - drums
Bryan Adams would go on to become one of the biggest rock icons to emerge from the nation of Canada, sharing his acclaim with acts like the Guess Who, Neil Young, BTO, and Rush, but when this show was recorded for the King Biscuit Flower Hour in February, 1983, he was still at the onset of his nearly three-decade long career.
Recorded at a reconditioned 1920s Vaudeville/ Loews movie theater in Albany, NY, Bryan Adams and his four-piece backup band give a thrilling show to an audience which had tripled since his previous appearance in that area a year prior. Opening with "Remember" and launching into "One Good Reason" (one of his earliest hits), Adams gets the rock 'n' roll energy meter on 10 from the start and keeps it there throughout the show.
"Lonely Nights," a new hit from his then-current LP, You Want It, You Got It, is next, followed by a passionate read on "Tonight." "Cuts Like A Knife," which would go on to become one of his biggest hits, is another highlight, as is the closing one-two punch of "Fits Ya Good" and "I'm Ready." On "Take Me Back" he does his best Mick Jagger audience singalong imitation.
Adams, who already had made a name for himself with a debut LP and plenty of co-songwriting credits for Bachman Turner Overdrive, Loverboy, and Kiss, was promoting his first US release, You Want It, You Got It at the time of this tour. Adams had developed into a seasoned pop hit writer, but was only two years into his performing career when he did this show. His immediate radio hit, "Cuts Like A Knife," would take him from rising rocker to bona fide superstar.
Adams would end up touring with this band non-stop for nearly two years, and by then he was one of the hottest live rock acts in North America. Ironically, the young Canadian, who presented a very hard rockin' live show, would see his greatest commercial success writing and recording mushy ballads such as "Heaven," "Everything I Do, I Do For You," and "Please, Forgive Me," though (thankfully) none of those songs are included in this performance.