Bryan Adams Records Acoustic Show at Pompeii

POMPEII, Italy (November 4, 2025) — Bryan Adams performed an acoustic concert at the ancient amphitheater of Pompeii as part of his Bare Bones tour and recorded the special evening for posterity. Nearly four decades after he sang about the enduring energy of rock, the spirit remains alive in this intimate setting at a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Bare Bones Tour

The tour, known for its stripped-down approach, featured select performances in cities such as Rome, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Scotland, and Pompeii. Each concert focused on Adams’ voice, guitar, piano, and a tightly curated setlist, creating a direct connection with the audience.

Minimalist Mixing Approach

Front-of-house engineer Stefan Holtz mixed the final show using a locally rented digital console. By avoiding heavy analog setups and complex processing racks, he aimed for clarity and honesty in the sound.

“People want to feel as if Bryan were standing right in front of them without a microphone,” explains Stefan. “The moment they hear an engineer’s hand in it, the magic’s gone. The technology has to disappear.”

Technical Setup

For the performance, Holtz used a Neumann KM 185 microphone on Adams’ acoustic guitar, combining it with the guitar’s built-in pickup to achieve a natural and immediate tone. Vocals were captured using a custom-modified KMS 104 Plus.

“We tried it, and Bryan, monitors, and FOH all agreed immediately: this is a real step forward,” said Holtz.

Author’s Summary

Bryan Adams’ acoustic concert in Pompeii blended musical purity with minimalist technology, capturing raw emotion amid one of history’s most remarkable settings.

Mixonline — 2025-11-05