Tour debuts on the Prisoner Tour in order of appearance
The National, Richmond, Virginia, USA
2017-03-05 :The National, Richmond, Virginia, USA
2017-03-06 :Township Auditorium, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
2017-03-08 :North Charleston Performing Arts Center, North Charleston, South Carolina, USA
2017-03-09 :The Parker Playhouse, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
2017-03-10 :Whitaker Center, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
2017-04-29 :Beacon Theatre, New York, New York, USA
2017-05-02 :Beacon Theatre, New York, New York, USA
2017-05-03 :iHeartRadio Theater, New York, New York, USA
2017-05-04 :Tower Theatre, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
2017-05-06 :State Theatre, Portland, Maine, USA
2017-05-07 :Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland, USA
2017-05-12 :Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland, USA
2017-05-12 :Civic Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand
2017-05-20 :Woolly Mammoth, Brisbane, Australia
2017-05-22 :The Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, Australia
2017-05-24 :Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, Australia
2017-05-27 :The Granada Theatre, Santa Barbara, California, USA
2017-06-01 :Greek Theatre, Berkeley, California, USA
2017-06-02 :Eccles Theater, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
2017-06-18 :Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
2017-06-22 :Alix Goolden Hall, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
2017-06-25 :Paramount Theatre, Seattle, Washington, USA
2017-06-28 :Palace Theatre, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
2017-07-29 :The Vic Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, USA
2017-08-03 :Lollapalooza, Chicago, Illinois, USA
2017-08-04 :McHugh's, Belfast, Northern Ireland
2017-09-07 :Cork Opera House, Cork, Ireland
2017-09-09 :Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland
2017-09-15 :Sage 1, Gateshead, England
2017-09-17 :Austin City Limits, Austin, Texas, USA
2017-10-13 :Reviews of shows on the Prisoner Tour
2017-03-06 The National, Richmond, Virginia, USA
That Adams kicked off his tour at the National is both surprising and unsurprising -- while Richmond is obviously not Los Angeles or New York City, the artist has numerous connections here, touring with local keyboardist Daniel Clarke in his band for many years as well as inviting Spacebomb singer/songwriter Natalie Prass to open dates on his 2015 tour.RVA Mag
2017-03-08 Township Auditorium, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
As for the show itself, Adams led a tight four-and-a-half-piece band (the half being a partially hidden, part-time tambourine player) through their paces admirably, diving deep into his well-received new breakup album, Prisoner. It felt and sounded like the same band that was in the studio, deepening the ’80s-esque atmosphere and Springsteen-isms that dominate the LP. He also pulled quite liberally from his similarly minded self-titled effort from 2014 while gingerly cherry-picking from the rest of his catalog (no Taylor Swift covers, sadly). He was in superb vocal form, soaring above the mix with his casually athletic voice and elegantly playing against his loose, in-the-pocket guitar style.Free Times
2017-03-10 The Parker Playhouse, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
About the worst audience behavior Adams had to contend with Friday night was exhaustion. Backed by a four-piece band and wearing a denim jacket over a black T-shirt with the logo of the speed-metal group Slayer, Adams performed 26 songs in a set that stretched past two hours, with no intermission, no encore and no lack of intensity.South Florida
2017-03-12 Gasparilla Music Festival, Tampa, Florida, USA
"Let's pick the ultimate bum-out person to f---ing play last at the festival," he joked. "It's so weird."
Thing is, Adams wasn't a bummer at all. Sure, he dipped into his bag of sad-bastardry now and then, playing the extreme slow-burners Magnolia Mountain and I See Monsters, but both exploded into smoky headbangers by the end.
"That's what I want to be playing! I want to play metal!” he said. “Why am I playing this s---?! What the f---!?"Tampa Bay Times
2017-03-14 Orpheum Theater, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Adams took to Instagram this morning to leave a parting message to the fans who he said helped him power through.
“I HAVE THE BEST FANS!,” Adams wrote. “I felt so horrible tonight but not ONE SINGLE PERSON flashed me tonight! You sweet folks carried me to into the second hour and I’ll love you forever for it. I LOVE NEW ORLEANS!!! I’ll bust my ass anytime for you.”
Adams also stopped the show at one point to make sure a fan who passed out in the crowd received medical attention.
“PS the guy who passed out was ok- last we heard, thank goodness,” Adams wrote.WGNO
2017-03-14 Orpheum Theater, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Much to his own apparent surprise, he powered through his illness. The more than two-dozen songs in the generous set ranged from intimate solo meditations to full-bore guitar rock chiseled from the same mountain upon which Neil Young dwells.
Adams retained more than his gregarious attitude from the 2015 Jazz Fest. He also brought along several of the same stage props, including stuffed tigers, a vintage Asteroids video game, an old Dr. Pepper soft drink machine, and comically oversize amplifiers worthy of Spinal Tap.
The early going included several selections from “Prisoner,” his new album. “Thanks for being nice about the new songs,” he said. It wasn’t hard to do. “Prisoner” is very much in keeping with the tone and temperament established across Adams’ ever-growing catalog.The New Orleans Advocate
2017-03-14 Orpheum Theater, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Adams set the pace for the show by kicking things off with the first song off his most recent album followed by the first song off his 2000 debut Heartbreaker. Mixing in new releases with classic tunes doesn’t always work, but Adams’s loyal fanbase had no problem staying with him. The band unleashed the first of many hard-rocking jams with the slow build of “Dirty Rain” before launching into “Prisoner,” the title track off the new album. Adams then strapped on a harmonica and acoustic guitar for a somber solo reading of “Doomsday” that silenced the capacity crowd.Nola Vie
2017-03-14 Orpheum Theater, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Despite a bout of nausea that lead to a cancellation at SXSW, Ryan Adams was able to power through a remarkable 140 minute set at the Orpheum last Tuesday night.My New Orleans
2017-05-02 Beacon Theatre, New York, New York, USA
The audience stood and cheered while he opened the night with his rock ballad “Do You Still Love Me?” There were no flashes, no cameras in your face. Adams’ fans were actually taking in the moment rather than documenting every second of it ? a welcome change in the current tech-crazy world we live in. The rest of the show was equally as personal, with people singing along to the lyrics of “To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High),” “Gimme Something Good,” and “New York, New York,” which Adams performed solo with a guitar and harmonica. (Lots of girls, and guys for that matter, “woo’d.” And “ooh’d” and “ahh’d.”)Huffington Post
2017-05-02 Beacon Theatre, New York, New York, USA
Completely seated venues can be tricky business, especially for a rock show that would also skirt into the quieter territories of folk and country. This was Ryan Adams’ first challenge as he took the stage in New York City’s historic Beacon Theatre, a grandiose, three-story venue. The stage is flanked by resplendent 30-foot-tall gold statues of Greek goddesses. Intricate murals line the walls, and a beautiful chandelier hangs from the vaulted ceiling. With sumptuous, red velvet curtains and seats, the venue feels fit for an awards ceremony. But a rock gig? As the lights dimmed, it remained to be seen whether the crowd would stay down or rise to the occasion.Consequence of Sound
2017-05-02 Beacon Theatre, New York, New York, USA
When the crowd began cheering as Adams strummed the opening chords to “Dirty Rain,” Adams playfully dismissed them.
“You don’t know that f--king song. That’s like eight of my songs,” Adams joked.
After “Kim” and “Haunted House,” the rest of the band left the stage, leaving Adams alone with an acoustic guitar and harmonica.
He played a restrained rendition of “New York, New York,” arguably his biggest hit.Daily News
2017-05-03 Beacon Theatre, New York, New York, USA
Incense set the mood, which was full of a reverence you don’t experience much at shows anymore; these days, they’re often more content to be captured than music to be experienced. It was a welcome change to see more eyes than iPhones taking in this show — in part because concertgoers were met with flyers reminding them to avoid using any kind of flash photography, lest any sudden bright light trigger Adams’s Meniérè's disease, the inner ear disorder that can induce hearing loss, vertigo, and tinnitus.The Village Voice
2017-05-03 Beacon Theatre, New York, New York, USA
Sometimes a venue and an artist just seem to fit together. Though it’s a seated theater with opera-house trappings like stage-side golden goddesses and lion statues—with a gilded sunburst and chandelier looking down from above—the Beacon Theatre in New York has seen its fair share of rock shows. Just ask Derek Trucks. So when Ryan Adams came to town with his full (unnamed) band behind him, the Upper West Side stage welcomed them with open arms and red velvet curtains, providing a vessel to deliver a performance that ranged from bombastic to intimate—a perfect fit for the Beacon. Relix
2017-05-03 Beacon Theatre, New York, New York, USA
That Adams is a genuine rock star doesn’t discount how closely he often resembles a kid pretending to be a rock star — and that’s a compliment. If anything, his ability to lose himself so wholly in the verse at hand — which he did, waving around in a thick haze thanks to a super-aggressive fog machine during “Shakedown on 9th Street” — is a testament to the purity of his craft, in that he’s able to get back to the simplicity of his words and the chords that bring them to life. It’s his ability to invoke the past and work it into his present that is singular, and it’s clear that the corners of New York have more in store for Adams.MTV News
2017-05-04 iHeartRadio Theater, New York, New York, USA
Ryan Adams sat in front of a starry background of lights at the intimate iHeartRadio Theater in New York's Tribeca neighborhood on Thursday night (May 4). The singer-songwriter -- and jokester -- had the crowd captivated from the moment he walked on stage: "Sorry I'm late, I was just watching this on YouTube," he said, since the performance and interwoven Q&A was livestreaming.Billboard
2017-05-07 State Theatre, Portland, Maine, USA
Adams didn’t really come up for air until 10 songs in, when he played “When The Stars Go Blue,” a gorgeous track from his 2001 “Gold” album. He fired off a tongue-in-cheek checklist of announcements that including telling us that the set-list was jam-packed, hence the minimal chatter. He also spoke of walking around Portland and noticing things like a comic book store and a shop that still sells cassettes. He finished his comments by shouting, “You are my people! I am your people,” and then dove into “Magnolia Mountain.”Portland Press Herald
2017-05-09 Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
This time around, the ever-prolific singer-songwriter is touring in support of his latest LP, Prisoner (and a companion album of B-sides), which despite being misleadingly labeled as a "divorce album," is largely a bombastic ode to '80s rock.
It was fitting, then, that Adams stepped out on stage sporting a Canadian tuxedo and flying V guitar, situating himself amidst stacks of retro TV screens, walls of amps, an assortment of giant cats and a backdrop of twinkling, star-like lights before leading his band through an explosive rendition of Prisoner opener "Do You Still Love Me?" to set the tone for the rest of the evening.
Other new songs triumphed throughout the show, like "Outbound Train," "Doomsday" and a particularly poignant version of Prisoner's title track (which began with Adams alone on his acoustic guitar, but eventually swelled into a full-band blast of sound). Even B-side "Juli" got a turn in the spotlight, a near-perfect Smiths impression under a haze of purple laseExclaim!
2017-05-09 Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I’ve seen Adams many times over the years and this set was the heaviest I can recall. The volume was immense but did not overwhelm Massey Hall. His band’s playing was on point and Adams himself would combust into some serious fretwork throughout the night. A few times he would bring the intensity down a bit and allow patrons to collect themselves as he would do a quiet acoustic number, like his fantastic cover of Oasis’ “Wonderwall”.
Highlight were many, but particularly strong was the new material and how it stood up against his older songs. Honestly, the current trend of bands of the past playing their breakthrough albums in full could have worked here although Adams could have done it and I would have been happy with him playing Prisoner in its entirety, but “Prisoner”, “Haunted House” and “Outbound Train” were among the new highlights.Live in Limbo
2017-05-10 Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Surrounded by a projection of stars and old stacked televisions displaying static as their only visual, he finally opened up for “Prisoner” by singing his heart out into a microphone wrapped in holiday lights for a searing solo; he was vulnerable, sumptuous, and present.
He also managed to unravel for “Wonderwall,” “Kim” and “When Stars Go Blue.” His energy was still engaging and downright impressive, but during his steadier instances he was completely unstoppable. Unlike other his concerts, Adams kept his commentary — and crowd banter — to a scarce minimum.Vanyaland
2017-05-14 Shaky Knees Music Festival, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
“If this were a KISS show, it would be, like, the 12th song,” he said with a smile before the ballad, “Two.” While Adams’ voice was slightly craggy when it needed to be, it also soared appealingly on his slower material, such as “When the Stars Go Blue” (accompanied by, yes, blue lighting on stage, as well as a steady snare clap). A highlight, as usual, was his still beautifully vivid melodic stomper, “New York, New York.”AJC
2017-05-14 Shaky Knees Music Festival, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Only Ryan Adams with his brash yet charming perfectionism would make a crack about redoing a solo screwed up by a broken string, then actually carry it out to prove just how incredible it was supposed to be.
The hilarious but badass highlight occurred closer to the end of the North Carolina songwriter’s Sunday evening set to close out the Piedmont stage. As he and his band burst into the borderline-desert-rock extended breakdown of “Magnolia Mountain” – “the part that sounds like Steely Dan are mad,” as he put it – a string snapped mid-solo, and though he finished it nearly seamlessly in true rock star form with only a brief pause to plug in a new guitar rushed out by a roadie, he insisted on the second take.
“That was such bullshit! That was my shred moment, and it got fucked up! Fuck it, I’m doing it anyway” he exclaimed, cuing up his crew and then stepping out onto the stagefront speakers to strike his best glam-rock pose for the solo’s reprise.Consequence of Sound
2017-05-20 Civic Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand
A sombre moment came in the second cover of another artist, with Adams paying tribute to the tragic recent passing of Chris Cornell, through a performance of Soundgarden’s ‘Black Hole Sun’.
An extended version of ‘Shakedown On 9th Street’ sadly marked the end of the show - however left fans somewhat confused with no encore, as the house lights were left off, leaving patrons waiting for an encore that never came. Despite the lack of encore [which was due to the venue’s strict curfew which they just hit with the last song], no-one left feeling disappointed, instead full with musical joy from witnessing one of the greats perform.Coup de Main Magazine
2017-05-20 Civic Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand
I will say that this was probably the best band I’ve seen Adams play with. They really went to town during Magnolia Mountain, stretching out like classic Grateful Dead, before trying out some metal riffs and a bit of prog-rock puffery, going on for close to 15 minutes. The band was practically beaming afterwards, looking somewhat surprised and very pleased with themselves.
Then there were the covers. An almost-solo version of Oasis’ Wonderwall is a staple of Adams’ live shows, but after stunning versions of New York, New York and Anything I Say To You Now, Adams and the band were clearly working up something new…and sure enough, after a tentative-sounding intro, we were treated to Soundgarden’s Black Hole Sun.13Th Floor
2017-05-20 Civic Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand
The stage is lit and in front of the speakers, sit tiger soft toys, alongside the keyboards a 1950’s lampshade. Guitars are ready on their stands as Ryan Adams pre-selected 80’s TV themed music plays throughout the theatre. The 2,400 capacity sold out crowd await in anticipation of their blue denimed hero to walk the stage. Ryan Adams struts out, grabs his guitar, speaks into the mic saying “Hi, we’re gonna have some fun tonight” steps back counting 1, 2, 3 and the keyboard begins playing the first single “ Do you still love me” off the new album Prisoner.Life Uncuffed
2017-05-23 The Tivoli, Brisbane, Australia
Adams, frequently changing guitars between songs, didn’t talk much, saying at first he was saving his voice. But later, he regaled the audience with a few odd stories about The Exorcist and Bob Dylan (don’t ask). “I love you. Now shut the f*** up,’’ he said in jest to someone in the audience shouting out requests. “Dad go home, you sure are drunk,’’ he said at another point to another well-meaning heckler. The good cheer and offbeat humour enriched an evening already made special by the artfully crafted music Adams seems to knock out with ease.Courier Mail
2017-05-23 The Tivoli, Brisbane, Australia
"So what is a winding wheel?" Dylan asked him at dinner about the song that was one of the hits from Adams' 2000 Heartbreaker album.
"I don't know. It just sounded good," he had to tell Dylan.
"I just made it up."
Adams shrugged, the crowd roared and he picked up an acoustic guitar and played the song Dylan had questioned, My Winding Wheel.
"Buy a pretty dress and wear it out tonight, for anyone you think could outdo me," he sang solo to a now-hushed crowd.
This 15-minute passage was one of the highlights of the show - which began around 9.15pm - just as the slow claps began - and finished on the tick of midnight with Shakedown on 9th Street, also from his Heartbreaker album.The Sydney Morning Herald
2017-05-24 The Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, Australia
Dear Ryan, going to do a gig at a pub in Byron Bay and complaining that some people have only come to drink and get laid is like going to the beach and complaining that it’s covered in sand. Such addresses to the crowd make people want to either punch you or hug you. That’s what you want, right? An extreme reaction? You don’t want people to walk away saying, ‘Oh, Ryan Adams, he’s a good time with a guitar strapped on.’ You want more.The Music
2017-05-24 The Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, Australia
The loud mouth goes to a live music shows specifically to have a conversation.
They especially like acoustic performances because it is so easy shout over the top of the music everyone else is trying to listen to.
Of course the loud mouths were out in force at this 'intimate' show because it was so easy to shout that important conversation they had to have about how awesome the day's surf conditions had been, the new frock they bought and how amazing the video app on their new smart phone was, above the music.
Sure enough, another five songs in Adams stopped again to tell us that now he had been singing to us for about an hour he felt he knew us well enough to tell the loudmouths in the audience to shut the f@#k up because they were being incredibly f@#cking rude.
"There is so much shushing going on out there it sounds like we are playing to a pit of snakes,” he said.Byron Shire News
2017-05-26 Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, Australia
Kicking the set off with the lead single from his latest offering, Prisoner, Do You Still Love Me? had the entire audience singing along from the first note.
The touching cover of Oasis’ Wonderwall was a beautiful moment, regardless of the thousands of people who filled the arena, it felt intimate and close and then the full rock star mode comes into play, with the talent shredding the guitar, with a stage filled with smoke and lights.Triple M
2017-05-26 Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, Australia
Two microphone stands stood at the lip of the stage, as if waiting for Adams and his gun second guitarist to make a dramatic advance towards us.
It kind of happened when Adams strode out to play Prisoner on an acoustic guitar before retreating to strap on one of his innumerable electric axes for a fabulous all-soloing climax.
These moments where he made his instrument sing pure heartbreak as his band splayed into fantastic smoke-billowing psych-blues wig-outs were the peaks of the show.
His poignant solo twist on Noel Gallagher's Wonderwall and the quiet rapture of My Winding Wheel brought the vast room to a standstill.Sydney Morning Herald
2017-05-26 Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, Australia
There was very little chit chat from Ryan during the concert, the songs being performed in fast sequence with hardly a pause, Ryan occasionally performing solo in the midst of what was a predominantly rock n roll set, his beautiful voice as always carrying clearly across the expanse of the arena.
The Melbourne audience was, as is generally the case, quietly appreciative and I did not witness any bad behaviour, acknowleged by Ryan, referring to his recent show at Byron Bay which was spoiled by disinterested attendees who chatted loudly throughout his set.
This may be the last time that Ryan Adams will visit Australia, so I’m glad I got to see him perform live one more time.Cat Politics
2017-05-26 Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, Australia
If there is a personification of the word “chill”, it’s US singer-songwriter, Ryan Adams. His hidden-eye mop hairstyle, mumbling presence and sizable discography took to a security-laden (and now-controversially named) Margaret Court Arena on Friday night and delivered a slick, calming performance. If anything was discovered tonight, it is that Ryan Adams may be a man of few words, but for fans, it’s all about the music anyway; and with the longevity – not to mention quality – of his talent, there’s a lot of material to draw from. And on a night like tonight, this rock show – with all its unnerving security measures – still proved a reminder of the power of escapism through music, something we need now more than ever.AU Review
2017-05-27 Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, Australia
‘Stay With Me’ and ‘Two’ bustle and swagger, while both ‘Doomsday’ and ‘Prisoner’ beam defiance in the face of despair.
Adams’ voice is soulful and soaring. Its potency really comes to the fore in the slower songs like ‘When The Stars Go Blue’ and ‘Tightrope’, not to mention his definitive, incomparable cover of ‘Wonderwall’.
In the second hour of the show, the band stretches things out on a few tracks, highlighting Adams’ love for The Grateful Dead. The jam during ‘Cold Roses’ twists and turns in all directions, with smoke billowing from the stage to the point where none of the musicians are visible, before returning to Earth and the roots of the track.The Brag
2017-05-27 Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, Australia
A handful of songs in, with none of Adams' usual wacky banter and humorous sidetracking, and the observance that he was wearing sunglasses, it began to become clear he wasn't his usual self. An expletive-laden response to a punter yelling out during the quiet Prisoner gave more credence to the realisation that Adams was off form. Musically though, it proved irrelevant. He's a consummate performer, never giving less than his all in the delivery of his songs, ranging from his take on Wonderwall to a brace of songs from the seminal Heartbreaker LP — still as tender and beautiful as ever — and nearly half of the new album.The Music
2017-06-01 The Granada Theatre, Santa Barbara, California, USA
Of course no Adams show would be complete without some kind of audience-interaction incident. At the Granada a woman engaged the star by asking him to encourage everyone in the audience to stand. After pointing out that the Granada is a “theater with seats,” and that the woman was likely blocking the view of someone perhaps too high to stand comfortably, Adams spun out a wild fantasy about Marilyn Manson, Maury Povich, and Rhoda Morgenstern that ended with the punch line “But I missed the whole thing because I was in summer stock.” Like him or not, there’s no one like Ryan Adams.Santa Barbara Independent
2017-06-02 Greek Theatre, Berkeley, California, USA
Ryan thanked the crowd immensely and mentioned that he was going to play as long as he could but the curfew was fast approaching. New York New York seemed to be the last song until Ryan came back out and finished this truly amazing concert off properly with a great, solo version of Come Pick Me Up (complete with guitar change mid-song, broken string perhaps?, which was almost seamless in spite of the guitar tech not wanting to step into the spotlight ) – the song ended and the crowd gave Ryan the long standing ovation that him and his band deserved. Ryan laid his acoustic down on the stage in the spotlight and started his bows which appropriately went on for a while as it was apparent that both he loved us and we him as well.Teenie Smith-Macbeth
2017-06-03 Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, California, USA
Curfew or not, after nearly two dozen songs, a strong opener and a gorgeous Los Angeles summer backdrop, the crowd was thrilled. Amid the bodies shuffling to get last-minute swag or figure out where their Uber pickup was, the conversation was consistently about the quality of the set, what songs were played and how this was better than previous shows. It’s a testament to the musicianship and vision of a now elder statesman of rock and roll as a Ryan Adams crowd knows exactly what they want when they buy a ticket and they got exactly that on Saturday night.AXS
2017-06-03 Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, California, USA
In front of a stage stacked with amps and TV screens — the latter showing images of things like outer space, dancing women and static — and dotted with stuffed animals, Adams was in fine form, with opener Karen Elson joining the band for the closer “Come Pick Me Up.” He was loquacious on this night too, riffing with some crowd members who had been holding up their phones the whole set (“Hey, I’m right here! Your wrist is gotta be killing you; you’re gonna get ‘carpe diemÆ Syndrome. I feel like you’re majorly bumming out the people behind you; they’re all making this terrible face the whole show.”) and bantering with guitarist Tod Wisenbaker (whose wife Katy Goodman of La Sera is pregnant).Buzzbands
2017-06-03 Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, California, USA
Ryan Adams’s two-hour Saturday show at Los Angeles’s Greek Theatre was a night of muscular musicianship — all extended Heartbreakers-style jams to complement the sensitive singer-songwriter’s trademark heartbreaking lyrics. But the night’s most compelling moment was its quietest one, when in the final moments before the outdoor venue’s strict 11 p.m. curfew, Adams was joined by Karen Elson for a sparse, acoustic rendition of his Heartbreaker ballad, “Come Pick Me Up,” under the stars.Yahoo Music
2017-06-03 Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, California, USA
Before most everyone took their seats to hear the beautiful music of Ryan Adams on an evening where only a denim jacket was needed for warmth, the lines at the merch booths were quite long. And with good reason. Ryan Adams has some of the best merchandise.
A t-shirt that reads “Generic Ryan Adams T-shirt – I am with ? boxes for Not Doing So Great, A Glutton For Punishment, A Secret Goth, At The Gym Crying, On This New Medication, Satan, “Winging It,” and Only Into His First Album.” Another one that read “I ? Ryan Adams because I worship Satan.” L.A. Record
2017-06-03 Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, California, USA
“It’s good to be home,” touted singer and guitarist Ryan Adams, who performed at LA’s Greek Theatre with his Unknown Band last Saturday.
Fresh off a stop at Berkeley’s Hearst Greek Theatre the night before, Adams showcased some older favorites and a slew of new tunes from his 16th and latest studio album Prisoner, which came out in February. SoCal fans were treated to some extended full-band jamming, a couple of solo acoustic performances and Adams’ usual witty banter over the course of the evening.Showbams
2017-06-18 Eccles Theater, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
One of Adams’ greatest talents is how he pivots from the silly to the serious. He did so masterfully midway through his set. As mentioned, Adams loves making up songs. Tonight’s topic of choice was Instagram’s live-streaming feature. What does one do when performing such a song? Well, one streams it live on Instagram, of course. The song ended, and Adams grabbed his 12-string acoustic for what became the night’s best performance. He approached a different mic at center stage that was wrapped in Christmas lights — one that hadn’t yet been used — and performed the title track off his newest album, “Prisoner,” as the other lights dimmed.
Adams’ band gradually joined in midway through the rendition, first with a serene organ part and kick drum hits on each beat, as Adams switched to an electric guitar. The crowd started clapping on the beat, too, and Adams dove headfirst (metaphorically speaking) into the most incisive, heart wrenching guitar solo of the night.Ticket
2017-06-18 Eccles Theater, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
"Imagine there's smoke … almost like you're at a rock show," Ryan Adams said to a packed Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City on Sunday night. His crew didn't use smoke machines at his concert because, according to Adams, the theater wouldn't let them.
"And I was like, 'But it's theater!'?" Adams said.
I don't think anyone would have even noticed. Who needs smoke when most of the songs were lengthened by the band jamming, riffing and showing off their rock chops?The Salt Lake Tribune
2017-06-18 Eccles Theater, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Adams addresses the audience with song requests while a gentleman in the first few rows repeatedly yells out for “Jacksonville Skyline.” The request could have been a whole lot worse, but Adams responds to the man’s request with an oddball, offhand comment—“When I make, you a special lasagna, you don’t ask for a ham sandwich”—alluding to the fact that this man’s request is for a song by a now-extinct band that Adams was a part of, called Whiskeytown.
“Doomsday,” another song from the new album, starts out strong, giving off the vibe of being a followup single to any number of Bruce Springsteen’s early albums. Less than a minute into the song, with an atomic bomb lit up on the televisions Adams waved his hand in a circular motion over his head, signaling the band to quit playing. “Doomsday” flipped from hard electric rock to a solo acoustic set, adding the signature harmonic riffs found at the beginning of the song heard on the album.Slug Magazine
2017-06-20 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado, USA
Adams spoke highly of Red Rocks during an improvised song, which also contained a world's greatest dad reference and a solo from guitarist Todd Wisenbaker, which Adams claimed was “too good” and “blew out his amp.” Adams then proclaimed that playing at Red Rocks was like “your birthday mixed with ‘Survivorman.’"
Perhaps in place of an encore, Adams brought the house down with “Cold Roses" and an epic jam before shutting the night down with a solo acoustic “Come Pick Me Up.” To paraphrase a line in the last tune: We all had a smile on our face. And we’ll do it again.AXS
2017-06-20 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado, USA
The audience took note of the relaxed nature of the set, at times interchanging grooving along with Adams as he jammed with his band or sitting down and just taking it all in. However, It was the moments after his amp failed that Adam’s shined the most. With little more than a harmonica, an acoustic guitar and an illuminated microphone, Adams treated the audience to stripped back versions of some of his strongest songs. Acoustic renditions of both “Doomsday” and his popular cover of Oasis’s “Wonderwall” were hauntingly beautiful in their execution. “Doomsday” in particular, with Adam’s harmonica resonating through the amphitheatre and his voice leading ours, was show-stopping.303 Magazine
2017-06-20 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado, USA
Ryan Adams: I’ve always enjoyed his music, but have never been much more than a fringe Ryan Adams fan; listening to Heartbreaker when he comes up in conversation with friends or when I’m going down a rabbit hole of related artists. If any venue has the chance to change someone’s mind about an artist, it’s Red Rocks, and that’s what happened Wednesday night when Adams took the stage at the storied venue with The Unknown Band.
From the first notes of “Do You Still Love Me?,” Adams had the crowd in the palm of his hand. As a lightning storm danced over the Denver metro area, Adams and his band worked their way through a twenty song set that had this Ryan Adams newbie entirely satisfied. Red Rocks’ famed acoustics are custom made for a single guitar and a voice like Adams’, and he took full advantage by breaking up the set with solo acoustic takes on “Prisoner,” “My Winding Wheel,” “Doomsday” and the set closing “Come Pick Me Up.”Listen Up Denver
2017-06-23 Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
The whole concert felt ragged and unplanned, off the cuff, yet delivered with precision where it counted. The banter between songs was the real deal: As if you were talking to the guy face to face. He in fact did, at one point, address a gentleman in the crowd who sneezed – likely due to the organic incense-spewing fog machines (incense: if flowers could fart). He teased the hapless audience member, and called it a “gentle sneeze,” whereupon the band launched into an improvised song about sneezing that managed to squeeze in two shots at Donald Trump. Adams called his president a “motherfucker,” just for the record.Gig City
2017-06-27 Orpheum, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
As a personality, Ryan Adams certainly packs a rebellious, if mainstream, style of charm. From the get-go the country-tinged North Carolinian embraced the audience. Adams’ peculiar personality was also evident in his stage setup framed with piles of old TV sets, and stuffed animal tigers perched atop towering stacks of vintage amplifiers. The stage setup also featured two microphones; Adams spent most of the set in the rear centre of the stage, interacting with his four supporting musicians which did much to retain the immediacy of sporadic and spontaneous live performance. During a few numbers, Adams approached the forward microphone to perform solo, or in the case of the title track from Prisoner, half of the song by himself before his supporting musicians knocked the track into a country-rock rhythm. The evening’s most endearing moment must have been Adam’s impromptu acoustic song where he interacted with a few members of the audience and meandered in lyrical thought at the expenseVancouver Weekly
2017-07-06 NOS Festival, Lisbon, Portugal
Ryan Adams used his appearance at Lisbon’s NOS Alive 2017 to apologise for the President of the United States of America being “a fucking moron”.
Playing the Heineken Stage on the opening night of the Portuguese festival, the North Carolinan singer-songwriter also took playful aim at Alt-J, who had performed earlier in the day. Adams joked before ‘Shakedown On 9th Street’: “We wrote this song for Alt-J. It’s like a mosquito bite, if you ignore it it’ll go away. No, no. I’m joking. I love Nickelodeon, it’s a great channel.”
Adams had opened his set with an urgent performance of ‘Do You Still Love Me?’, the lead single from this year’s ‘Prisoner’, which he played on a a Gibson Flying V. He followed that with a rousing version of ‘To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High)’, taken from his 2000 solo debut ‘Heartbreaker’. Later in the set, after playing another new track, ‘Outbound Train’, Adams shouted: “People still believe in rock’n’roll, they still fucking believe!”NME
2017-07-28 Palace Theatre, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
After classic ‘80s metal tunes blared over the speakers between opening act Jillian Jacqueline and the headliner’s set, Adams took the stage sounding like he wanted to start his own version of Skid Row. He even donned a Flying V-style guitar as he burned his way through the opening tunes “Gimme Something Good” and “Do You Still Love Me?”Star Tribune
2017-07-28 Palace Theatre, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
Other than an exclamatory “Hell yeah! Thank you!” following a scorching “Stay With Me,” Adams was oddly silent between songs for much of the show. Instead, he condensed his banter into one improvisational song that allowed the band to fix a minor technical issue and Adams to catch his breath. During the hilarious improv, Adams riffed on getting chased by a dog while he went for a jog downtown, how all the stoplights were against him and he hit every red light, how romantically stable he is, and how he’s a walking Paxil commercial.City Pages
2017-07-30 Riverside Theatre, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
After bashing through what would qualify as most bands’ entire sets, Adams and company decided to stretch out. They settled into two extended guitar jammers. It could have been 45 minutes, but it felt like it would never end and that this was where the audience was going to live now. Foot pain and boredom crept in The Dead-shirt-clad audience members were undoubtedly doing their slinky hippie dances in their seats as the weed aroma grew. The set eventually returned from the guitar noodle fest, but the momentum never quite returned to its earlier levels. Even bonafide classics “New York, New York” and “Come Pick Me Up” didn’t get it there. The set approached the two-hour mark and had become a slog.Milwaukee Record
2017-08-01 The Pageant, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Adams played a handful of songs from his most recent album, “Prisoner,” but also culled favorites from older albums such as “Heartbreaker,” “Gold” and “Ryan Adams.”
Among the highlights were a slow, soulful take on “Dirty Rain;” “Prisoner,” which began as a solo acoustic number, then escalated as the band kicked in and Adams threw down a wild guitar solo; and a countrified take on “Let It Ride” that Adams said would be “the chillest version of this song we’ve ever played.” For whatever reason, the band was joined onstage by a black-hooded figure wearing a demon mask and playing a tambourine.
“Friend of the devil,” Adams quipped, calling back the Grateful Dead theme once again.St. Louis Post-Despatch
2017-08-01 The Pageant, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
From "To Be Young..." to the close of the show, we were treated to a great sampling of "alt-country," "indie rock," and what Adams has always done best, "rock 'n' roll." Simply put, he visibly and sonically puts everything he has into his shows. This wasn't my first proverbial rodeo with Ryan's performances, given I have travelled to Nashville and other places in the past to see him. I will only add that this was my favorite performance out of a slew of concerts of his, and perhaps his recently found sobriety has something to do with this. I don't know. I do know that my friend and I both went in very skeptically and came out with huge grins and ears not ringing quite hard enough. Forget all of this and go back through his catalog of great albums of which there are many. Ryan Adams picked so many tunes from such a wide, deep and lifelong devotion to his craft, that there is nothing to find fault in him other than what he's probably thought himself. I loved last Tuesday, though WednesdKDHX
2017-08-04 Lollapalooza, Chicago, Illinois, USA
"This song is called 'New York, New York.' But it's about a girl that lives in Chicago," explained Adams, launching into a bluesy take on one of his biggest hits. Augmented by extra guitar and Adams on harmonica, it was a highlight Friday in Grant Park. Chicago Now
2017-08-09 Vega, Copenhagen, Denmark
Lige så meget hurlumhej, cirkus og show, Robbie Williams lavede i Parken i mandags, lige så lidt af dette bød Ryan Adams ind med, og det var en befrielse kun at lade sig forføre af musikkens intense verden. For det var ikke meget, Adams sagde, dog var det tydeligt, at han kunne lide at stå på scenen og satte en ære i at udføre sine numre perfekt. Som da han efter to minutter stoppede ”Cold Roses/ Magnolia Mountain” og ville have sin vokal højere op. Det er skønt at se en musiker, der ikke går på kompromis med sit høje niveau. Selve sangen udviklede sig til en maratonlang sekvens, hvor der kom et langt jam-stykke undervejs, og hvor publikum benyttede lejligheden til at fylde sin gane med barens varer.GAFFA
2017-08-09 Vega, Copenhagen, Denmark
Selvom publikum for det meste var gode til ikke at tage billeder med blitz, var de stadig elendige til ikke at snakke højlydt hver gang Adams spillede en stille sang. Man kunne have forestillet sig at en billetpris på over 500kr, kunne give incitament til at fokusere på manden på scenen med den akustiske guitar og den flotte stemme, men det var desværre ikke altid tilfældet. Men med lyd som vi oplevede i aften, skulle der mere til at trække helheden ned for det var nemlig hvad vi fik serveret, det HELE.Poplish
2017-08-09 Vega, Copenhagen, Denmark
Under When the Stars Go Blue vågnede folk igen op, og nu virkede det til at koncerten var ved at få liv. Dette dræbte Ryan dog hurtigt med en ekstrem lang solo, der kedede mig ihjel. Musikken bliver fremført til perfektion og hans vokal sidder i skabet på trods af han er små syg, men jeg mærker ingen nerve eller gnist. Jeg ser også flere der vælger at forlade Vega, og sidegangene, hvor baren er, er proppet med mennesker, der sidder og keder sig.Tjeck
2017-08-09 Vega, Copenhagen, Denmark
Cirka 50 minutter inde i koncerten gik Adams over til hvad der godt kunne være hans tourmanager og udvekslede et par ord…man nåede et øjeblik at blive lidt nervøs, da Ryan Adams vender tilbage til mikrofonen og fortæller at han den seneste uges tid har været ramt af influenza, og pga. feberen føler sig som en 8-årig der bestiger et bjerg. Men han fortsætter ufortrødent, og har herefter brudt stillelegen imellem numrene. Han fortæller et par numre senere, at han selvom han er syg, bare gerne vil gøre sit bedste for at levere musikken til os, som respons får han en masse tilråb fra salen med sangønsker, som resulterer i en tydeligt forvirret og lettere frustreret Adams, som i få øjeblikke ikke helt ved hvad han skal gøre af sig selv før han svarer; at feberen og tilråbene får ham til at føle sig som en del af en film han ikke ønsker at være med i.Blaa Vinyl
2017-08-10 Øya Festival, Tøyenparken, Oslo, Norway
Mot slutten går Adams over i sitt Grateful Dead-modus i «Magnolia Mountain». Bandet jammer av gårde lenge før de kommer tilbake til selve låten, og ettermiddagen går sin veldig fine gang. Er det noe han ikke kan? Alt slutter med rockepsykedelia i «Shakedown On 9th Street», mens en diabolsk figur danser med tamburin foran, og et helvetes røyk og lys dekker hele på scenen. Ryan Adams skinte nesten om kapp med sola, med humør og en glede vi ikke alltid har vært bortskjemt med fra denne kanten.Dagsavisen
2017-08-10 Øya Festival, Tøyenparken, Oslo, Norway
Han er i storform og på hugget, ihvertfall til han å være, der han står med svart Emperor-T-skjorte (han er fan av norsk black metal). På en av høyttalerne står en kattefigur (han har uttalt at kattene hans reddet ham gjennom kjærlighetssorgen) og på scenen ligger tigrer i forskjellige størrelser. «Jeg har ikke sett dagslyset her før. Det er fint», sier han.Dagbladet
2017-08-11 Way Out West Festival, Göteborg, Sweden
”Jag trodde han skulle vara mer ledsen”, berättar en hängiven Ryan Adams-lyssnare efter konsertens slut. Av artistens olika musikpersonligheter får Way Out West välsignelsen av ta del av den ösiga av dem, vilket säkerligen delar fansen i två läger. Under den dryga timmen som han står på scen ekar balladbiblioteket tomt och tyvärr Taylor Swift-biblioteket med. Men det är nog till Ryans fördel i kväll, då publiken redan är trött som det är.Festivalrykten
2017-08-11 Way Out West Festival, Göteborg, Sweden
”Sweden! Are you ready for some rock’n’roll music?”
En klassisk rockkonsert förtjänar en klassisk öppning. Liksom en klassisk frontman. I yvigt hår, billiga bensinmackssolglasögon och dubbeldenim viskar hela Ryans väsen ”I dig music”. Men så har han också släppt ett album med samma namn, samt rockat bort sin karriär. Och rest sig på nio med ett knippe fina album, inklusive senaste ”Prisoner”.
Ikväll bjuder Adams på gamla godingar, som ljuvliga Dylan-pastischen ”To be young (is to be sad, is to be high)”, ordsalve-hymnen ”New York, New York” och en glimrande ”When the stars go blue”. Men det är i de nya rock noir-rökarna ”Gimme something good”, ”Doomsday” och, framför allt, Springsteenska ”Outbound train” som Ryan låter som mest inspirerad.
Annars är Adams i ärlighetens namn sporadiskt trött under konserten, men försöker peppa upp sig själv (och publiken) i mellansnacken. Ryan älskar sina skruvade rock-klyschor.
– Here’s a song about nothing! Let’s hear it for nothing!
Man måste älAftonbladet
2017-08-11 Way Out West Festival, Göteborg, Sweden
Ryan Adams och hans "nya band" trycker på rätt bra, det låter tungt utan att kännas stelt, men när balladen Two träffar helt rätt i sommarkvällen önskar man ju att han ska fortsätta i den riktningen. Följa den stillsamma, vackra vägen. Men det vill inte Ryan Adams. Han vill rocka!
Alltså blir New York, New York till en rak och lite platt rocklåt, men å andra sidan är Cold roses och Halloweenhead riktigt sköna.Göteborg-Posten
2017-08-16 Tivoli Redenburg, Utrecht, Netherlands
Maar het mooie is: hoe kitscherig zijn zelfmedelijden ook dreigt te worden, tóch geloof je hem. Waarom? Simpelweg door de ijzersterkte, kraakheldere liedjes, die live nog net een fijn rauw randje krijgen en moeiteloos kunnen concurreren met Adams’ grote voorbeelden. In ‘Anything I Say To You Now’ klinkt hij als Bruce Springsteen zonder de zelfoverschatting, Tom Petty zonder het knauwende southern accent en Neil Young zonder de valse noten.NRC
2017-08-16 Tivoli Redenburg, Utrecht, Netherlands
Adams staat flitsend en strak te spelen, maar oogt toch wat onstuimig. Na een halfuur onderbreekt hij de show. Hij kan geen flits meer verdragen. Geflitst wordt er niet, maar linksvoor staat een fan met een compactcamera foto’s te maken. Met ieder schot knippert een groen lichtje, wat de zanger ‘dizzy’ maakt. Nog een flits wordt hem teveel, geeft hij ernstig aan, om dat vervolgens te relativeren: ‘It’s not your fault, it’s mine. I’ve got an disorder.’ Even later lijkt hij even zijn evenwicht te verliezen, maar geen groene lichtjes meer. De rit wordt uitgezeten. Bij vlagen lacht hij de kuiltjes in zijn wangen, maar over het algeheel is hij te stemmig om de indruk te wekken dat hij echt geniet. Het is een van de zekerheden van een Ryan Adams-concert: er valt altijd wat te beleven.OOR
2017-08-16 Tivoli Redenburg, Utrecht, Netherlands
Nou, daar komt de grote Amerikaanse rootsrockzanger - die de wereld twee jaar geleden zo blij verraste met zijn integrale coverversie van Taylor Swifts popplaat 1989 - dan het podium op, kennelijk met de angst in de benen. De eerste nummers komen er benepen uit, en dus ook dat heerlijke, Springsteen-achtige stadionrocknummer Do You Still Love Me? van zijn laatste liefdesverdrietplaat Prisoner. De gitaren zijn dun, en Adams bezingt zijn verlatingsangst verre van overtuigend. Hij is nu even bang voor andere dingen.Volkskrant
2017-08-17 Pukkelpop Festival, Hasselt, Belgium
De sfeer kantelde toen Adams ‘Cold roses’ bracht - uit zijn tijd met de Cardinals - en daar een lange gitaarsolo aan breide. Plots leken ook zijn muzikanten door het heilige vuur bevangen, en werd het dan toch nog een rauwer concert dan wij aan het begin vermoedden. ‘Shakedown on 9th street’ bracht de countryrocker in hem naar boven, en eerlijk: zo hebben we Ryan nog het liefst. Als hij op zijn best is, brengt hij classic rock gekleurd met flinke vegen country: ongepolijst en daardoor onweerstaanbaar. Het was dan ook jammer dat Adams er tien minuten vroeger dan voorzien mee ophield, terwijl iedereen ongetwijfeld nog op zijn Taylor Swift-cover ‘Bad blood’ stond te wachten.Standaard
2017-08-17 Pukkelpop Festival, Hasselt, Belgium
Let wel, een potje huilen was Adams passage allerminst. Gimme Something Good shufflede een lekker eind ver, Cold Roses pikte een outro van Pink Floyd in zijn hoogdagen - had iemand een orgelsolo besteld? Maar het waren die bloedmooie Prisoner-songs - Prisoner zelf ontbrak vreemd genoeg - die naar voren werden geschoven. Doomsday schilderde met vijftig tinten blues, Outbound Train verwees weinig bescheiden naar Bruce Springsteen. Nog zo’n held van Adams naar wie nadrukkelijk gerefereerd werd: Neil Young. Stay With Me kon zo mee op Youngs Harvest Moon, tijdens Am I Safe haalde Adams zélf de mondharmonica boven. Eer uw idolen, heet dat.Nieuwsblad
2017-08-17 Pukkelpop Festival, Hasselt, Belgium
Timide oogde Adams allerminst. "Hello Belgium, let's party!", waren zijn vurige openingswoorden. Prikkelgevoelig? Vergeet het. Met een flying V-gitaar om de nek zette hij 'Do You Still Love Me?' in als een echte rockheld. Adams eiste en kreeg de handen omhoog. Zijn jeansjasje ging al snel uit - het werd tijdens 'Gimme Something Good' netjes over een kapstok gedrapeerd - en met het aan het publiek opgedragen 'Stay With Me' vroeg hij iedereen mee te klappen. Ook Timothy Showalter, de frontman van Strand of Oaks die naast ons stond, gehoorzaamde gewillig.De Morgen
2017-08-19 Green Man Festival, Brecon, Wales
No, there weren't any Taylor Swift covers. Yes, people still made the Bryan Adams jokes. No, they still weren't funny.
It was a source of considerable frustration for fans used to the reverential silence of Adams' gigs, to watch him while boisterous festivalgoers enjoyed the bars loudly. People were shushed (at midnight on a Saturday!) to draw the line between obsessives and the dilletantes.
But Adams wasn't shooting down hecklers or giving off the air of a man peddling his wares on the wrong doorstep. He was too busy loving every minute of it. To end the show he asked the audience 'Cold Roses or Halloween Head?' They chose the former, he played the latter. But it came across as playful, not willfull. He enjoyed jumping around to a short sharp punky wig-out.The Mirror
2017-09-07 McHugh's, Belfast, Northern Ireland
"Entrance w donations for Assisi animal shelter @AssisiSanctuary I love you Belfast," he tweeted.
Twitter user Kris Nixon reported on social media that he performed to about 100 people in McHugh's Bar.
Fans were treated to songs from Adams' back catalogue as well as an improvised number with lyrics that declared: "I'm so jetlagged. Why did I decide to do this gig? I did it all for the cats."
Assisi Animal Sanctuary thanked Adams on Facebook and said that it was a "lovely surprise to find out we are the lucky recipients of the processed of this secret gig".BBC
2017-09-07 McHugh's, Belfast, Northern Ireland
A spokesman for McHugh's said the singer had been in the bar having a few drinks when he made the impromptu decision, adding the venue filled within about 15 minutes of his Twitter announcement.
Alison Kamble from the Assisi Sanctuary said they were very grateful to Adams for highlighting the charity.
She added: "We rely on every penny we receive so it is lovely that he would think of us."
When he arrived in the city on Thursday, Adams told his Twitter followers: "Very excited for these shows! Hello Belfast! That was a long long flight. Happy to be here."Belfast Telegraph
2017-09-07 McHugh's, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Those who entered donated to the shelter and Adams hit the small stage for a solo acoustic show that included cuts like the Cardinals’ “If I Am a Stranger” as well as new tunes like “Doomsday,” “Do You Still Love Me?,” “To Be Without You” and “Prisoner.”
The back half of the set included a number of surprises including an acoustic cover of Danzig’s classic “Mother” as well as the ultra rarity “Funny How I’m Losing You,” not played by Adams since 2002. The show closed with an improv song about saving cats to go along with an earlier improv tune about Adams’ jet-lagged state.Jambands
2017-09-08 Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Twitter user Kris Nixon reported on social media that he performed to about 100 people in McHugh's Bar.
Fans were treated to songs from Adams' back catalogue as well as an improvised number with lyrics that declared: "I'm so jetlagged. Why did I decide to do this gig? I did it all for the cats."
Assisi Animal Sanctuary thanked Adams on Facebook and said that it was a "lovely surprise to find out we are the lucky recipients of the processed of this secret gig".BBC
2017-09-12 Olympia Theatre, Dublin, Ireland
Keeping up with Adams’ recorded output can leave you as confused as a Prince fan after the eighties, there’s such a volume of material that it’s easy to miss things, but his latest album, Prisoner, is a good one, and we get most of it tonight – ‘Outbound Train’ and ‘Broken Anyway’ standing out. What’s particularly welcome is a section dedicated to his work with The Cardinals, 2005’s Cold Roses, one of the strongest albums with Adams’ name on it, in particular. The band stretch and pull at ‘Magnolia Mountain’ and the title track, locking in together, working the groove, until we end up in Traffic or Little Feat territory. I’m standing beside Kíla bass hero, Brian Hogan, a man who knows a thing or two about getting in the pocket and staying there. He reckons it sounds a bit like Meddle era Pink Floyd, “You know, good Floyd”. “Bollocks”, I reply, “there’s no such thing”.Hot Press
2017-09-14 Apollo, Manchester, England
Newer material is also well received. In particular, the beefed up, Smiths-like jangle of Anything I Say To You Now is genuinely great live and the heart on your sleeve emotion of To Be Without You has the makings of a classic.
The set draws to a close with obvious crowd favourites from his 17 year solo career. New York, New York bristles with energy, culminating with a harmonica solo into the every-man heartbreak sing-along that is Come Pick Me Up. The band then storm through the Stonesey stomp of Shakedown on 9 Street. It’s a fitting crescendo.
Do we still love you? On the basis of tonight’s showing, yes Ryan....the feeling is very much mutual.Manchester Evening News
2017-09-14 Apollo, Manchester, England
“The most fun you will have listening to sad songs”. 27 songs packed tightly into a 2 hour set, Ryan and the Unknown Band put their foot down with the opening Do you still love me and continued at a pace with predominantly songs from the latest album, Prisoner and Cardinals era interspersed with crowd favourites,To be young and When the stars go blue (full list below). Ryan clearly enjoying himself, throwing guitar god poses in the huge clouds of dry ice (occasionally disappearing, particularly during the closing number! Roadies a bit heavy handed with the switch!). The band were tight and accomplished and T’Ben Alleman added some nice touches on keyboards. Sound quality was excellent and it was nice to come away without my ears ringing for days after!The Afterword
2017-09-14 Apollo, Manchester, England
One thing we agreed on as we barrelled our way along that motorway to the gig, is that those days where you couldn’t predict exactly which Ryan Adams you were gonna get, The Ryan Adams gig Lottery? They’re gone. He’s been through the mill, it took its toll, but generally, he’s out the other side, cleaner, fitter and stronger.
That much was more than clear when his powerhouse beginning of Do You Still Love Me, To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High), Gimme Something Good and This House Is Not For Sale. It was a fool around set, hewn from this intriguing career, with a handful of Cardinals songs such as Halloweenhead given a ride out. (In the case of this song, we’re bound to ask…why? We’ll never know. Its so far from a strong Ryan Adams song. But we speculated that he played it for a laugh, as a pisstake. In which case fair play, Ryan) “I got a bad idea again”, he sings. Well…erm, yeah.Getintothis
2017-09-15 Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland
In between times, in a show that had moments of pure rock ‘n’ roll theatre, Adams showed that, if the equipment fails, he can still produce the high end goods with just his expressive voice, an acoustic guitar and a harmonica rack. Indeed, his spontaneous troubadour set, while his techs fixed the problem, was a reminder of Adams’ ability to conjure up three-dimensional imagery, not least pertaining to his home town through The End and Jacksonville Skyline’s vivid depictions.Herald Scotland
2017-09-15 Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland
One of many cringeworthy rockstar moments involves him standing atop one of the stage monitors with a spotlight shining on him from behind to perform Broken Anyway, taken from his latest album, Prisoner. The performance consists of Adams repeating the same four words, 'It was broken anyway', for two-and-a-half minutes without leading to any climax and it sadly feels entirely self-indulgent.
The best part of the set comes when technical difficulties cause Adams to resort to an acoustic intermission while his guitar is being repaired. Performing with just his acoustic guitar and harmonica, the one-man band thing really suits him and it's testament to his dedication to his fans that he finds a way to keep the show runningThe Skinny
2017-09-15 Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland
If there are not already enough purely musical reasons to love Ryan Adams, his quirky insistence on the anachronistic use of swathes of fragranced dry ice, more suitable for an 80s goth band or a production of Phantom of the Opera than one of the most adored Americana songwriters of his generation, could well have clinched the love affair.The Scotsman
2017-09-18 02 Academy, Leeds, England
The prolific North Carolina musician is like a man reborn tonight, strapping on a flying-V guitar for the opening statement of intent ‘Do You Still Love Me?’ In unapologetic classic rock mode, the track testifies to the slogan on his merchandise: ‘I’m a metal-head but I play sad music’. It’s this underlying sadness that’s seen him bridge his well documented love of Morrissey – themes of loneliness and heartache are shot through his lyrics – with that of hard rock. In this spirit ‘I Just Might’ has the thundering guitar lines of AC/DC and the heavy blues of closing number ‘Shakedown On 9th Street’ – on which support act Karen Elson adds vocals – splutters into action like The Stooges.Yorkshire Evening Post
2017-09-18 02 Academy, Leeds, England
Two years on from his last visit, the enfant terrible was back in town, and for those who were worried that he might be in danger of settling down, you can stop worrying: Ryan Adams has definitely growing into an adult terrible just the way we’d want him to. At O2 Academy in Leeds on Monday, September 18th, pieces from his most recent album, Prisoner (QRO review), featured heavily on the set list, but despite the relative quietness of that album, Adams took no prisoners with an excellent four-piece tour band for company.
“These songs are all starting to sound like fucking Judas Priest songs,” he said at one point in the set, and it was true. This was Adams at his rocking-est with many numbers, including compelling versions of “Invisible Riverside” and the once folky “Magnolia Mountain” delivered with extended jams.QRO
2017-09-19 02 Academy, Bournemouth, England
The 02 Academy, previously the Opera House and Grand Theatre prior to that, is a real hidden gem of a venue. It lies, pretty much unnoticed, setback within in the fading arcades and gum stained pavements of Boscombe. It deserves a mention as tonight’s gig was the best sound from Ryan Adams – with a band – that I’ve ever heard him do. At the same time I think this current band have a confident tightness, his vocals had a clarity and Ryan himself also carried out increased guitar solo noodling duties with effect and direction (perhaps his own recently released signature guitar pedal helped).Americana UK
2017-09-21 Corn Exchange, Cambridge, England
The lights were kept low, possibly because of his disease, and it was difficult to make out Adams’ face and those of the band – just that familiar mop of unkempt hair, which rather added to the slight air of mystery that surrounds him.
The backlights were constantly changing colour and provided a stirring backdrop. Everybody Knows, one of the artist’s finest moments, was terrific and the lighting recalled the video.
It’s difficult to choose, but other high points included When the Stars Go Blue, Tired of Giving Up and Magnolia Mountain.
Not only an emotionally-resonant singer of the highest order, Adams also displayed his musical virtuosity throughout – his guitar playing was first class and he also channelled his musical flair and intensity through the harmonica on New York, New York and Come Pick Me Up.
I’d waited a long time to see Ryan Adams in the flesh and he didn’t disappoint. Long may he continue to share his considerable gift with the world.Cambridge Independent
2017-09-22 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
Flicking an unruly mop of dark hair from his eyes, Adams began with Prisoner’s opener, the pleading Do You Still Love Me?, with a bristling verve that refused to relent all night. New material rarely provides the highlight of a live show, but Adams has thrown off the fancies of country music he once favoured and instead evoked the heartland rock of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen. It is where he belongs. Outbound Train and Doomsday, two standout tracks from Prisoner, were urgent, spiritual-sounding thrills. Adams’s voice reverberated through the hall as he bounded about the stage, accompanied by percussion and hypnotic melodies so exhilarating they almost belied the devastation in his lyrics.The Telegraph
2017-09-22 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
Based on the enthusiastic reception it received, you could have been forgiven for thinking Adams’s opening song, the power-ballad pastiche Do You Still Love Me? from new album Prisoner, was one of his cherished classics. Plenty of songs from the album — only out since February but surely his most well-received since Heartbreaker — were included and all felt like old favourites.
Channelling Nebraska-era Springsteen, Adams’s heart was not so much bared as exposed, valves and all, despite his efforts to hide behind his wild, college-student hair. When the Stars Go Blue, Broken Anyway and Prisoner saw him at his most fragile, as did his duet with the impressive Karen Elson on the Nashville-inspired Cold Roses.
If there was a theme to the night, it was one of rock’n’roll catharsis. Evening Standard
2017-09-22 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
As the troubled boy-king of alternative country, Ryan Adams is notorious for his artistic temperament. He has picked fights with fellow musicians, castigated critical journalists and, most famously, lost it with naughty audience members who heckle him with requests for Summer of ’69 by Bryan Adams.
At this prestigious concert he was on his best behaviour, delivering a solid set that showcased his versatile abilities: thoughtful singer-songwriter, maudlin country balladeer, bar-room rock’n’roller. At times, though, the B separating Canadian arena-filler Bryan from North Carolina cool guy Ryan became very small indeed.The Times
2017-09-22 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
Adams invited his support act Karen Elson on stage to duet for Cold Roses, a lovely sojourn to Nashville punctuated with a guitar interlude that, while impressive, was overlong and was only just saved from dragging by a fierce, unexpected rush of drums – which had kept the pace feverish all night. Closing on a rapturous Shakedown on 9th Street, Adams shone through the smoke, back with affirmation at the top of his game.Cetus News
2017-09-30 The Orpheum, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
The veteran singer-songwriter drew laughs and applause when he playfully chastised a fan donned in Grateful Dead attire sitting in the front row and filming the performance on his phone: “Disconnect, bro! You don’t have to stream it, man! Jerry would want you to watch!”
Adams even improvised a song – we’ll assign it the working title of “Two Empty Chairs” – which he wrote about a bickering couple who were sitting in the front row, but apparently left their post mid-set. Adams penned the song from the female’s perspective, who he imagined was critical of her male counterpart for wearing a sleeveless T-shirt to the show because, his ad-lib song explained, it “exposed his bushy chest hair” and looked like something “he could mow the lawn in.”Shindig Music
2017-10-06 Austin City Limits, Austin, Texas, USA
A slight surprise: On a day in which the grounds often rang out with salutes to Tom Petty (Asleep at the Wheel’s “I Won’t Back Down,” Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real’s “American Girl,” the Revivalists’ “Wildflowers” and “Refugee”), Adams stuck to only his own songs. He actually has a song of his own called “Breakdown” which isn’t a cover of Petty’s; Thursday night at Stubb’s, he played that song and dedicated it to Petty. Friday, there were simply too many songs to play in too little time. Nobody’s fault, really, but the fans who filled out the grounds at the Miller Lite Stage likely would’ve loved to hear more.Austin 360
2017-10-06 Austin City Limits, Austin, Texas, USA
“Hey, you! Dude with the glasses,” Americana icon Ryan Adams hollered mid-set on Friday. “Are you havin’ fun? Are you rockin’ out? Then stop takin’ fuckin’ flash photos! I have Ménière’s disease [an inner ear condition that could eventually claim his hearing], and flash messes me up! Seriously, if you haven’t got the photo now, you never will! Give it up!”Austin Chronicle