Life seems pretty good for Ryan Adams right now. The American talk shows’ favourite musical guest of the moment has enjoyed a five-year marriage to a celebrity wife without the slightest intrusion of tabloid magazine drama and arrived in Vancouver fresh off a well-publicized on-stage jam in London with Johnny Depp.
The creative benefits of a happy life were on full display at the Orpheum Theatre last night as one of America’s most prolific and beloved singer-songwriters delivered two stunning hours of music that he enjoyed as much as his adoring crowd.
IN PICTURES: Rock 'n' roller Ryan Adams riles up Vancouver
It’s always a sign of musical confidence to start a set with your latest hit. Hunched over his microphone stand and peering out from under an unruly mop of hair, Adams’ wasted no time in launching into “Gimme Something Good” and the hooks that have invaded the living rooms of Letterman, Fallon and Ellen viewers in the last month. Ballad, “I See Monsters” demonstrated his still-remarkable vocal capabilities, before quickly returning to the rock with the brilliant “This House is Not For Sale” and “Let It Ride.”
There have always been two internal musicians fighting for the soul of Ryan Adams. His 20-year career has been a tug-of-war between the introspective acoustic balladeer and the death metal-loving rock addict. It was apparent from the beginning which had triumphed last night; his crack team of musicians in ultimate southern bar band mode, an unfussy and crunchy compliment to his whisky-soaked brand of emotional, country-tinged rock.
Between the glorious music came Adams’ unique, and frequently hilarious, stream-of-conscious monologues. An early point about Pink Floyd’s The Wall (“What’s inside The Wall? Is that record about water erosion?”) was followed by the story of that morning’s encounter with a friendly Canadian border agent (“So guys, I guess you’ve been enjoying the doobs.”)
As the tales became wilder, the band grew tighter. A gentle “New York, New York” was followed by grungy “Cold Roses” and “Peaceful Valley,” Adams and band channelling the spirit of Neil Young in full riff rock mode.
With an audience full of Adams die-hards, shouted requests between songs came thick and fast. When the bizarre yelp of “Option Number Four” came from the crowd, Adams and the band conjured an improvised song about pizza menus. Although a long way from the finest song in the Adams catalogue, it was still more inspired than anything off the last Coldplay album, and deservedly produced the biggest cheer of the evening.
Having historically loathed any comparison with the well-known Canadian singer-songwriter with similar name, Adams confirmed his new, easy-going side by announcing “You might know this one” and finishing the set with a straight up, tongue-out-of-cheek cover of Bryan’s “Run To You.”
Demonstrating that the good life hasn’t entirely erased the heartbreak that propelled Adams to prominence, the lone encore, old favourite “Come Pick Me Up,” was a delicious reminder of the musical potency of doomed romance.
Musical longevity can be a poisoned chalice when commercial comfort gets the better of artistic hunger. On last night’s form, there’s little chance this is a fate likely to befall Ryan Adams. He’s having too much fun to want to play it safe.
