RICHARD BATSON Bryan Adams's classic Summer of 69 blasted out across Blickling Park and echoed around the tower of the Jacobean hall, which was built in the summer of 1619.

RICHARD BATSON

The gravel-voiced groover was strutting the stage next to the goose-speckled, still waters of a stately lake.

Bryan Adams's classic Summer of 69 blasted out across Blickling Park and echoed around the tower of the Jacobean hall, which was built in the summer of 1619.

In the normally tranquil grounds, 8500 people danced and swayed to the beat and the ballads of the chart- topping Canadian singer-songwriter.

The rock star nicknamed the Groover from Vancouver is more used to getting gritty in the city but here he was being funky in the country.

Adams, whose record sales and audience numbers run into millions, was in Norfolk midway through a Route of Kings tour which has so far taken him to Leeds Millennium Square, London's Hyde Park, and Cardiff Castle.

Shortly before the Blickling show he told the EDP he was enjoying the tour as the gigs were all like giant parties. And he told the crowd: “I'm Bryan, what a great setting for a gig.”

Out in the crowd, Adams fans were lapping up the star's appearance under a cloudless, darkening summer sky.

Adams broke pop records in 1991 when his Robin Hood film ballad (Everything I Do) I Do It For You topped the charts for 16 weeks.

Last night he opened with his new film hit Here I Am to a cheering crowd who had been warmed up by support band Vega 4.

During the two-hour concert he cruised through a string of other hits. From the rockier repertoire with the driving and screaming guitar of Keith Scott came classics like Can't Stop This Thing We Started and singalongs 18 Till I Die and Kids Wanna Rock.

His anthem Summer of 69 saw the band back off to let the crowd take the lead.

From the ballads bowl he served up party-in-the-park smooches such as (Everything I Do) I Do It For You – but it was a night when the 'Kid' did indeed want to rock. Towards the end he delighted fans by bringing the band down off the main stage to play a rock and roll medley on a smaller stage in the midst of the audience.

The no-glass-bottles rule proved to be no problem on the gate, with no hold- ups or arguments, and the police reported no major traffic problems.