On the evening of September 30, 2017, at the Invictus Games closing ceremony in Toronto, a rare and thrilling moment took place: rock icons Bryan Adams and Bruce Springsteen came together on one stage and delivered a jaw-dropping duet.
Although both artists ruled the rock charts during the 1980s and beyond, they’d never shared a live performance—until that night. Interestingly, Bruce had dipped into Bryan’s catalog before: back in 2010 at the Rainforest Fund concert, he covered “Cuts Like a Knife.”
Bryan began with “Cuts Like a Knife,” delivering the verses in his signature voice. Then Springsteen joined, bringing fresh energy as they swapped lines, harmonized, and even shared the mic during the “na-na-na” refrain.
After that, Bryan turned to the audience: “Bruce has done one of mine. Now we’ll do one of his.” And with that, they launched into “Badlands,” each taking lead on alternate parts and weaving their voices together in a powerful rendition.
The performance stretched over roughly eleven minutes—packed with guitar interplay, vocal chemistry, and a palpable sense of camaraderie.
Badlands” is one of Springsteen’s most enduring anthems. It first appeared on Darkness on the Edge of Town in 1978 and became a live staple for the E Street Band. Lyrically, it speaks to frustration with stalled dreams and the fight to break free—an urgency many fans still feel today.
