What can you say about a concert that gets some of the biggest applause of the evening when the artist isn't even performing?

 

 That's what happened last night before 12,000 people at Maple Leaf Gardens as Canadian rock hero Bryan Adams wound down his two-hour show by picking a ragtag group of fans out of the crowd to perform a hilarious version of his 1985 classic Summer of '69.

 

 Surrounded by six other "volunteers" -- on piano, drums, bass, guitar and tambourines -- "Jeff from Toronto" did his best Adams holler while the amused-looking singer-guitarist (suffering from a head cold) sat on the drum kit riser sipping what appeared to be tea.

 

 Anyone who went to see Adams at Molson Amphitheatre in August knows he pulled the same stunt there, along with having a group of about 80 contest winners up on a two-tier catwalk behind him on stage and an Elvis impersonator planted in the crowd just in time for the B-side Hey Elvis.

 

 Certainly there were no huge suprises last night with the exception of import musician Davy Spillane, who Irish uillean pipes were a welcome addition (once his sound level was adjusted, after Adams stopped the show and complained repeatedly) to the new song When You Love Someone and the nicely ressurected blast from the past, I'm Ready.

 

 "It looks like a bong to me," joked Adams of Spillane's instrument. (The pot theme would continue later when Adams began Steve Miller's The Joker -- "I'm a joker, I'm a smoker, I'm a midnight toker," -- in honor of "the Canadian Olympic athletes.")

 

 Adams, who periodically coughed and blew his nose with tissues provided by audience members, launched last night's proceedings with The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You, which included a procession of boa-adorned models (who couldn't have been the real thing since they were smiling).

 

 Better moments included the undeniably catchy Back To You, Adams' big hit from his latest Unplugged album, which finally got large numbers of people out of their seats and down to the front of the stage.

 

 Older rock anthems like This Time, Can't Stop This Thing We Started, Touch The Hand, Cuts Like A Knife, Run To You and Somebody, not to mention the world's biggest ballad (Everything I Do) I Do It For You and the romantically-inclined Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman -- which Adams called "Have You Ever Really Loved An Ontario Girl" -- also went over well.

 

 Just in case you didn't get enough of Adams last night, he will return to Toronto to perform an Intimate and Interactive on MuchMusic on Tuesday night at 8 p.m.

JAM! Rating: 3 out of 5