HE might be getting on a bit, but he rocked and we loved him!I've been to concerts at Wembley Stadium, at Milton Keynes Bowl and even at the Ipswich Corn Exchange, but this was my first visit to Newmarket Racecourse where horses thundered and Bryan Adams rocked.

HE might be getting on a bit, but he rocked and we loved him!

I've been to concerts at Wembley Stadium, at Milton Keynes Bowl and even at the Ipswich Corn Exchange, but this was my first visit to Newmarket Racecourse where horses thundered and Bryan Adams rocked.

Initially I thought I was going to endure the racing to get to the main event, but my conclusion was that the racing was just as much a part of this fantastic evening of summer entertainment as the music.

As a horse race virgin the first half hour was a real culture shock. (Yes, it was me who thought they called “wade in” rather than “weighed in” and envisioned ladies in frilly frocks fighting for the best view of the racecourse!)

At all the gigs I've seen fans arrive dressed in denim and leather and saunter around swigging pints of beer. The clientele at Newmarket Nights were a classier public who wore their Sunday best and sipped Pimms.

The atmosphere and spectacle were wonderful new experiences, so we chilled out and people-watched, and I discovered that betting on horses was little to do with animal form and firm ground, and a lot to do with luck - or not!

A few hours later the show really got on the road as the crowd of suits (now mixed with denims) surrounded the cosy Newmarket stage for Bryan Adams.

The effect of the stage being so close to the race course meant the audience was squashed sideways rather than lengthways to the stage, but with the usual big screens and an awesome atmosphere no one seemed to mind one bit.

Then on stage came Bryan Adams and his fans leapt into action singing and clapping along with this world famous Canadian rock star. There were no spectacular light shows, no fancy clothes or dancing, but superb guitar playing, powerful rock classics and good ol' left foot tapping.

All the old favourites, including Summer Of '69 and Heat Of The Night, blasted their way into the calm summer night.

During his performance Bryan Adams plucked a young woman from the audience to take on the role of Mel C and duet with him to When You're Gone. It just strengthened my view that for all his fame and fortune, Bryan Adams is a really nice guy who hasn't let his stardom get the better of him.

No wonder the night was a sell out.

Helen Skene