By Ed Condran
When Sting opened his Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace in October 2022, the iconic British singer-songwriter asked what songs he should play. Sting was advised to just play the hits.
“But all I’ve written are the f*cking hits,” Sting cracked.
The same goes for Bryan Adams as the award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter prepares for his third Las Vegas residency when he performs March 7-16 at Encore Theater in Wynn Las Vegas.
“I’ll play the songs people know, and I’ll throw in a few other songs for good measure when I return to Las Vegas,” Adams said while on a Zoom interview from Auckland, New Zealand. “I’m coming up on my 17th album of my career. It’s hard to fit in everything.”
Adams, 65, has been a hit machine with considerable range. There are the power ballads, such as the Oscar-nominated (“Everything I Do) I Do It for You” from “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” which topped the charts in 19 countries, and “Heaven,” which went to No. 1 in America.
There are the rockers, too, including “Summer of ’69” and “Run to You.” The former was a Top 10 hit in the U.S. and Canada when it was released 40 years ago, and it became one of the most popular songs in the world during the 21st century.
“ ‘Summer of ’69’ did quite well in America and Canada, but it didn’t do anything initially in other parts of the world,” Adams said. “The record company did nothing to promote it.
“But 40 years later, it’s in every bar and on so many radio stations. If a song has that right thing, it might be an instant hit, but you might have to wait 40 years for the song to catch on.”
“Run to You” was initially written for Blue Oyster Cult. “But Blue Oyster Cult didn’t use the song,” Adams said. “So when I was recording my album ‘Reckless,’ I pulled it out of the drawer and recorded it myself.”
Adams is rereleasing his incendiary duet “It’s Only Love” with the late Tina Turner. Two new mixes, a straightforward rock version and a “Midnight” mix featuring their vocals and keyboards, is set to drop in March. The original version is just as visceral as it was when it was released in 1984.
“When we recorded the song, I sung it in a key that works for me,” Adams said. “Tina sung it in my melody, but it was too low for her. I said, ‘Forget about how I sing it. Just sing the words.’ What she did was turn it into something magical.”
Adams will perform the familiar but also fresh material from his forthcoming album “Roll With the Punches,” will also be part of the set since he doesn’t want to just ride the nostalgia wave. That’s so even though many of his senior peers also release new music while many of their fans just crave the old hits.
“Someone asked me, ‘Why are you making new music?’ Adams said. “ ‘Why f*cking bother? No one gives a f*ck.’ Well, I give a f*ck. If I didn’t give a f*ck back then, I never would have written the songs early in my career. I know how the music world works. You’re not allowed in unless you’re 21. But I just make music for myself. That’s always been my approach.”
And Adams looks forward to returning to Las Vegas. “I’m looking forward to the show since my mum will come down for the shows,” Adams said. “I look forward to having my own little Las Vegas moment.”
If You Go
8 p.m. March 7-16 (select dates). 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. (702) 770-7000; WynnLasVegas.com
