HEARTLAND rock found a new home this week - and I was lucky enough to be in the crowd!

Llangollen hosted its first-ever concert celebrating this brand of straightforward, no nonsense music, and what a show it was.

Heartland rock purveyor Brian Adams' rich back catalogue of anthemic songs threatened to blow the roof off the Pavilion venue and is sure to be remembered by those who were there for years to come.

Not a bad night's work when you consider the Canadian-born rocker confessed on stage that "I 'd only heard of this town about a month ago."

His concert on Tuesday (June 18) kicked off a series of performances by UK and international music stars serving as impressive accompaniment to the 75th  Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

Having had our appetite whetted by the outstanding Cassyette plus a flying inflatable car, we watched as the video screen sparked into life with footage of Adams running towards the camera,  replaced with the star live on stage, launching into the song Kick Ass, quickly followed by the obligatory Can't Stop This Thing We Started.

Adams is familiar to music fans for having graced our radios and TV screens on Live Aid and for months on end in the early 90s with the longest-ever run at number one (16 consecutive weeks) with Everything I do I do it for you.

We screamed with delight on hearing Somebody, One night love affair and 18 till I die, and The only thing that looks good on me is you.

Fun moments saw the singer quickly establish a relationship with the crowd by claiming his name Bryan was Welsh, and organising an impromptu dance audition involving audience participation with footage of improvised moves featuring on the venue’s video screen and judged by the star.

A young boy named Dylan was crowned the winner and invited on stage to meet Bryan and the band, being presented with a T-shirt.

Adams  halted his performance to enable a medical assistance to be provided to a fan.

Standout musical moments included a moving versions of his 80s anthem Heaven and Run to You, plus a heartfelt tribute to the late Tina Turner with a rendition of It’s only love, featuring excerpts from the soul singer’s hits Simply the Best and What’s love got to do with it.

Other highlights included the aforementioned Everything I do I do it for you, which descended into a joyous singalong with the Llangollen crowd in fine voice.

A spellbinding version of Summer of 69 with face melting guitar solos from bandmember Keith Scott delighted everyone.

A stripped back acoustic take on Baby when you’re gone successfully landed while the hugely successful recording artist’s first-ever self-penned song Straight From the Heart served as the concert closer and was dedicated to his nonagenarian mother and wonderful Llangollen audience.