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10/02/04 - CR & FC GROUNDS, COLOMBO
Review by Shimali Senanayake AP Media:
More than 15,000 fans come to see Bryan Adams rock for peace
in Sri Lanka
Canadian rock idol Bryan Adams held thousands of Sri Lankan fans
spellbound at a concert that organizers said promoted the island’s
peace efforts.More than 15,000 fans thronged the Ceylonese Rugby
& Football Club on Tuesday to see the open-air concert, blocking
traffic for hours in the capital, Colombo.
Dressed in blue jeans and a black T-shirt, Adams bounced on stage
strumming his electric guitar and singing, “Here I am . . .
this is me, there’s no where on earth I’d rather be!”
Some 20 minutes into the concert, he said he felt like he was “performing
in someone’s backyard,” after claiming to have been attacked
by some “unknown bugs” — probably mosquitoes.But
the fans loved it all.
“I just can’t believe he’s really here, I feel like
I’m on cloud No. 9,” said Shenuka Umagiliya, an ardent
fan, waving her hands to the music of Summer of 69.Adams delayed
his appearance by an hour to make sure crowds lined up outside were
able to enter the grounds.
“It’s a special occasion for me to be here. I never thought
we would make it since it took such a lot of organization,”
he said.
Adams rocked for more than 1 1/2 hours and was forced twice to return
to stage by screaming fans, who were then treated to all-time favourites
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You, and Cloud No. 9.He ended his
performance with a ballad he wrote when he was 18 years old, Straight
from the Heart.
The show’s promoters — two Indian entertainment companies,
with help from the Sri Lankan government — said the concert
was held to promote peace. But Adams did not comment on efforts
to end 20 years of civil war during the concert and held no news
conference.
One of the organizers, Jiveer Panwar of Showdiff Worldwide, said
a two-year truce between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels
had opened entertainment opportunities on the South Asian island.
“The show was a complete success,” he said. “We are
already looking at bringing more quality entertainers to Sri Lanka.”Tickets
to the event sold for $10 to $50 US — a large amount in this
impoverished nation. An average monthly salary for a government
worker is about $60.
Adams arrived Monday from India with a nearly 30-member entourage
and eight tons of equipment. He left Wednesday for a performance
in Dubai.
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