Bryan Adams brings intimacy to Pompeii with Neumann sound

Bryan Adams recently performed a series of Bare Bones concerts across unique venues, including the historic amphitheatre at Pompeii, using Neumann microphones as the foundation of his live sound.

The Pompeii concert saw Adams on stage with just his acoustic guitar, a piano, and his voice, against the aged stone of the ancient site, aiming for both simplicity and intimacy in performance. There was no band, no effects, no in-ear monitoring, and minimal technology, reflecting a desire to deliver his music in its purest form.

Front of House Engineer Stefan Holtz, who has been working with Adams since 2023 on both the Bare Bones and full band tours, handled the sound mix from a locally sourced digital console, eschewing boutique analogue gear and elaborate processing. According to Holtz, the guiding philosophy was clear: "It all starts at the source."

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

The Bare Bones tour comprised a select handful of performances during 2025, including engagements in Rome, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Scotland, and culminating at Pompeii in July. The focus of each show was on stripping back to show Adams' songs as they are created-just voice, guitar, and at times, piano. "This is how he writes," Holtz explained. "He wants to share that raw and intimate creative moment with the audience."

For these concerts, the touring party travelled light, relying heavily on local production. "We bring almost nothing besides the microphones and two guitars," Holtz noted. Grand pianos, consoles, and PA systems were provided at each venue. Despite potential risks from such an approach, Holtz was unconcerned: "Get the source right, and you can make any desk work."

The microphones, exclusively Neumann models, have been a constant throughout Adams' career. Speaking on the evolution of their vocal microphone setup, Holtz said, "We tried it, and Bryan, monitors, and FOH all agreed immediately: this is a real step forward. The windscreen's more effective, we get fewer pops, and its voicing fits Bryan's voice perfectly."

Holtz described how Bryan Adams' relationship with Neumann microphones has developed: in the studio, he relied on the M 49 until 1993 and then the U 87. On stage, Adams initially used a KMS 140, later moving to a custom-modified KMS 104 and, as of early 2025, the KMS 104 Plus.

Bryan is one with this mic. He knows the cardioid pattern by heart, instinctively knows how far to pull back, when to turn his head. It's truly become his instrument.

This choice became crucial during the Bare Bones shows, as Adams opted for wedge monitors over in-ears to foster greater intimacy, despite the technical difficulties posed by acoustically reflective venues. "It's not always easy in these acoustically precious venues that equally respond to the wedges," Holtz admitted. Despite its simple cardioid pattern, the KMS 104 Plus was effective at managing feedback: "Bryan's got serious volume, that's our advantage. I wouldn't want to try this with a delicate voice," he added.

For the grand piano used in the performance, Holtz employed four Neumann MCM 114 microphones: an ORTF pair near the hammers for detailed articulation and brightness, as well as two near the sound holes for more body and warmth. The MCM system's modular construction and mounting flexibility were highlighted as practical advantages. "You're genuinely fast with MCM. But what really gets me is the modular construction with four separate parts I can swap out independently. If a capsule gets wet, just replace the capsule. If a cable fails, swap the cable. There's no need for a whole new mic."

The Neumann KM 185 microphone captured Adams' acoustic guitar, chosen for its hypercardioid pattern that rejects sound from the stage wedges and, used in combination with the guitar's pickup, provided a balance of immediacy and natural timbre.

Ahead of the concert, Holtz made it clear that capturing the event was a priority. "Playing Pompeii and not recording it should be illegal," he joked. The event was recorded with the same care as the live mix, utilising pairs of Neumann KMR 81 and KM 185s as ambience microphones: "They're a notch more neutral than other options," Holtz explained. "Applause sounds like applause, not like frying onions." A KU 100 dummy head was used to record a binaural experience, providing Adams with an accurate listener's perspective for later review. "On larger shows with in-ears, Adams' team also feeds this signal into the monitor mix, but it serves another purpose too: for Adams, it's an invaluable reference that allows him later to hear the concert from a listener's seat."

Where possible, Holtz also relied on Neumann loudspeakers for stage monitoring. Before London's Royal Albert Hall performances in 2024, Adams' team used Neumann's KH system. "With the big KH 420s and KH 870 subwoofer combo, you get remarkably close to the live experience while maintaining incredible resolution."

Having used Neumann microphones and solutions for his work with other artists including Die Toten Hosen, Westernhagen, and Die Ärzte, Holtz placed trust in the equipment's consistency and reliability. "It removes so much stress because I can trust my sources, no matter which console turns up or how the PA is configured - all the variables I can't always control."

We'd do it exactly the same way again!

Holtz's approach of focusing on quality at the source defined the sound of Bryan Adams' Bare Bones concerts, with the longstanding partnership with Neumann microphones central to capturing both the intimacy and the authenticity of the performance.