Saturday 13 February 2010

Catching Up


I know it's been ages so I'm pleased you're still here. I thought I should write a catchup post summarising the past few weeks it as it doesn't look like I'll be able to write about everything I missed in detail before this latest wave of happenings. that'll teach me for going away!

Part of the problem of writing about the Adam world while I was away is that, unlike everything else on this site, I didn't feel the excitement and anticipation in real-time and as a result there's definitely something missing. I didn't go through the process of celebrating confirmed gigs, speculating during the drum-roll over things like songs, appearance and fashion stylings, and didn't get to share the experiences with you all as they happened. I also missed gauging the reactions and reading the positive media responses in the aftermath. That's something I need to keep up the obsession - it's no fun without you. Gorging my solitary self on the mountain of tasties in a short space of time meant that everything got blurred and I wasn't able to associate distinctive emotions or memories to each of the events. It's much better in smaller regular bites and that's why it was probably so easy to get hooked in the first place during AI's regular routine. This obsession is part choice, part addiction. When I came back after having gone cold turkey for so long, I could easily have chosen to be just a regular fan. What makes me a bit of a nutcase is the ethusiasm of the community, which I choose to continue to be a part of.

The highlights for me include the performances and a couple of interviews (Lyndsey Parker porch interview for the detailed chat about the music, Jessi Cruickshank's fun interview and game), though there seemed to be a shitload of them all going over the same old territory like the AMAs, being gay, Lady Gaga, meeting Oprah and meeting Madonna which all got rather tedious. It was annoying to spend such a long time listening to the same things over and over because they were so time-consuming but there were useful bits of info such as the possibility of Adam doing his first tour solo. And let's not forget his fashionista gig at the Grammys which he was a little too kind for and the Canadian TV appearances.

The first of the many Adam Lambert goodies that came along was the music video for Whataya Want From Me? for which I'd already been partially spoiled during the shooting.



The video to me is biographical and seems to represent the time around the AMA fallout but on a more personal level. He's letting us see a side that we don't see or even think about. Conveying the message of the song, Adam is pleading for patience and understanding as he sorts himself out. The colours and spaces we see Adam in are bleak and sombre. Adam is a joyless solitary figure in his cold sparsely furnished home that he hasn't been able to make comfortable, which tells us that his rapid rise to fame hasn't allowed him time to tend to it. The high walls of the garden resemble a fortress, furthering his isolation. He hasn't even had time to even look after himself or his heart, expressing anger, regret and frustration at the observer. When we see that, behind the contrasting performer and pap encounters, we feel sympathy and come to realise that it's not all glitz, glamour and smiles. Who the observer is has been left open to interpretation, but if it is his fans he brings us in closer. The last shot of a hint of a smile on getting into bed with him reassures us that everything will be OK and sums up his optimistic nature.

I would have liked to have seen something a little more abstract and less real, with Adam indulging in some elaborate costumes. I originally had in mind a variety like some of his Halloween ones, maybe a clown, a robot, an alien, a magician, perhaps one in drag. At the start we can't really see who it is and the camera pans to each one in a trippy and slightly frightening manner. It slows as the performances end to differing audience reactions and feelings from our entertainer. Then at each dressing room mirror we slowly see him emerging from under the make-up as the characters in their various guises converge, and so do their moods to reveal Adam at his vulnerable core. Well, I didn't get what I had imagined, but the video as it stands is beautifully shot with plenty of Adam camera time looking his best with a loud and clear message.

Oprah
One of the first things that struck me about Adam's appearance on Oprah was how androgynous his hair and make-up was, making him look particularly pretty. He was charming during the interview. The emphasis was on him during the polished performances where the band were lowered from the stage platform. It was great to see the audience singing along.





Ellen
This was my favourite of all the performances and such a joy to watch. Adam performing Strut aptly seemed very confident, giving off a rockstar vibe, dazzling us with his fun energy, his dancing and astonishing vocals. He commanded the stage like no other.

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