It was just like coming home for rocker Bryan Adams when he returned to Huddersfield in 2006.
The show was the star's second appearance in the town, having performed in front of 20,000 fans at the then McAlpine Stadium in 1996, just days after The Eagles had been in town.
Adams has family roots in Huddersfield, with his mother and her parents once living in Honley, and it is thought there are still relatives scattered around the area.
The 46-year-old Canadian-born star has such fond memories of visits to the village that during the 1990s he tried to buy the old stone house his grandparents used to live in.
Adams was one of many top acts who performed at the stadium during the 1990s.
A year before him two gigs by USA rock band REM pulled in 80,000-strong crowds, and in 1997 Hull band The Beautiful South played at the McAlpine with The Lightning Seeds and Cast.
American rockers Bon Jovi came to town in 2001 to perform for 37,500 fans.
After a three-year break from gigs, the stadium welcomed pop acts Blue, Girls Aloud! and Darius in 2004 and in 2005 it played host to one of the world's biggest stars – Sir Elton John – who was accompanied by Scottish singer Lulu.
Read what the Examiner's Brigid Walsh made of Adams' 1996 gig below
The 'groover from Vancouver' he ain't. This man was meant to rock 'n' roll til he drops. For almost 3 hours Bryan Adams put on a first class performance at the McAlpine Stadium. He is a consummate entertainer who obviously enjoyed the occasion as much as the crowd.
They danced, they sang, they cheered, they waved. They had a great time. And it was certainly a night Paul from Harrogate won't forget in a hurry. Plucked from the crowd, the 40-something, and a tad balding, fan jumped on stage on Adams' invitation. After declaring he was here to "dance and keep on rocking" he was encouraged to give his own rendition of 'Summer Of '69' - with musical accompaniment. The crowd loved it - he loved it and simply said: "It's made my day just being up here on stage with you".
That song, one of Adams' many familar tunes of the evening, was balanced by a number of his popular ballads - not least the phenomenonally successful '(Everything I Do) I Do It For You' and 'Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?', both from film soundtracks.
With the volume turner up, he began the show with 'The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You'. And the pace of the evening was set. This was followed by 'Kids Wanna Rock', 'Can't Stop This Thing We Started' and '18 Til I Die', the title track from his latest album. Eighteen is significantly half his age.
This man likes choruses and he likes to have fun. With no Tina Turner to accompany him on 'It's Only Love' he decided to have a go at her part himself. All I can say is keep practising, but he enjoyed having a go.
Two video screens at either side of the stage were switched on to make sure everyone got a good view. And around 50 fans, allegedly from the fanclub, were invited on to an elevated platform at the rear of the stage, for their benefit or his I'm not quite sure. He said "It's our first time here and it looks great!". The fans roared. He raised his arms in the air. The crowd followed. He bought a beer for the first fan to bring him a union flag. Huddersfield Town even got a mention. And he donned a football top for his encore which was unmistakeably blue and black stripes not Town's blue and white.
As with last year's REM concert, some people got a pretty good view from Kilner Bank for free. And the fans in the centre of the pitch got a treat they weren't expecting. The band uprooted themselves and, while the lights were down, quietly made their way to a boxing ring sized stage in the middle of the crowd. They probably created a real headache for security men as fans were pulled onto the platform to join them. But, hey this was a party. The lighting system was a bit low key. The main 'attraction' was three illuminated blow-up bikini clad dolls. It takes all sorts...
Seven hours of musical entertainment in an award-winning venue - that can't leave you with much to complain about, except perhaps the queues for the toilets and the price of the beer - but wouldn't life be boring without something to moan about?
Setlist:
The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You
Do To You
Kids Wanna Rock
All I Want Is You
Can't Stop This Thing We Started
This Time
18 Til I Die
Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?
Touch The Hand
Cuts Like A Knife
One Night Love Affair
Somebody
It's Only Love
(Everything I do) I Do It For You
Run To You
Summer Of ’69 (Paul from Harrogate)
There Will Never Be Another Tonight
***b-stage***
Land Of A 1000 Dances
(I Wanna Be) Your Underwear
Seven Nights To Rock
It Ain't A Party… If Ya Can't Come 'Round
Wild Thing
She's Only Happy When She's Dancin'
***b-stage***
Summer Of '69
All For Love
Let's Make A Night To Remember
I Fought The Law
Heaven
