Proud

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It's been quite a while since my last post as I've been busy with real life but the recent EQCA and PFLAG awards Adam has received along with the Advocate article have inspired me to get creative again. With a new era upon us, the old graphics feel dated so I wanted to make something new to reflect the less glam, less frivolous vibe I get for the upcoming album while still retaining a little humour.

I've been thinking about how Adam has unintentionally ended up gradually adopting a role in sociopolitical activism. At the start of the journey, it seemed to me that he just wanted to have fun and play dress-up while making music. It might sound somewhat superficial but that period was driven by excitement for the new and eagerness to carve out an identity. The album reflected this energy and optimism. Along came the Out interview and the controversial letter of criticism from its editor Aaron Hicklin accusing Adam of de-gaying himself by turning down the cover and doing a hetero Details photoshoot. Adam has since revealed that the AMA performance was in part an angry response to that criticism. It had been a rocky ride for our formerly reluctant poster-boy.

While it's unfair to expect every gay person in the spotlight to automatically take on the responsibility of leading the charge when all they want to do is go about their business like anyone else, Adam has come to the conclusion that it does play a part in his business, and now that he's in a position to make a difference, he's trying to use it in the fight for equality. Though the way Hicklin attacked Adam and his management in that letter was out of order, he effectively laid down a challenge which Adam has quietly stepped up to, with positive repercussions still making their mark. In an unpleasant and roundabout way, Hicklin got the result he wanted, to the benefit of many.

I felt that Adam's performance of ACIGC in LA signalled a shift in his degree of involvement with politics and we've seen this via the Trevor Project through the "It Gets Better" campaign and the Aftermath Remix. Although he still seems uncomfortable getting up on his soap-box to speak up about issues, I think he's in his element when expressing it through music — not on a political level where he isn't yet at ease but on a personal, emotional level as a consequence of those policies — in Outlaws of Love.

There are four designs here, which I created to reflect the role Adam has adopted. I wanted my illustration to parody a political propaganda poster with him as a stoic revolutionary, regal and exuding power. I went for a slightly ironic and humorous take (depending on how you see him), depicting him as the Gay Messiah / poster boy that some people have demanded of him. Who knows, history could well remove the irony.

The first design is of Adam against the backdrop of the rainbow flag with a simple word: "Proud". It could mean many things; Adam being out and proud and gay enough, thankyouverymuch; his support and contribution towards LGBT rights; pride in him for being publicly out and leading by example; pride for his working hard towards a dream inspiring millions along the way; pride for just being uncompromisingly himself. There was also something in the Advocate article about people being reluctant to admit to liking him as he sees himself as uncool:

“I pick up this kind of energy among young people that it might not be the coolest thing to say you like Adam Lambert’s music. People don’t think that I’m cool.”

Well the design is also a response to that. It's a way of showing that you are an out and proud Glambert, proud to be uncool (and therefore post-cool?) if that's what liking him makes you.

I've used a lyric from Strut as the slogan for the other designs, retaining the informal spelling to keep it light-hearted. The second one has a subtle rainbow flag in Adam's hair for those of you who aren't fond of wearing too much colour, and the last two are variations; one with a vertical flag, the other without any rainbows. It could well be that Adam will grow into a revolutionary figure for equal rights but for now, the revolution is closer to home. How many of us have changed, feel braver, stronger, happier within ourselves? In how many of us has Adam effected a personal revolution? I hope these are designs you'd be proud to wear in support of Adam, whether for counter-protests or as a constant reminder from him that the power for change is in each and every one of us.

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Bertwear T-Shirts & Accessories (Formerly One Nation Under Glam)

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Updated 02/06/12 - 'Werk' T-shirt designs added
Updated 27/05/12 - 'Trespassing Beat' and 'Queenbert' designs added
Updated 05/05/12 - 'Pop My Lock', 'Uncuff' and 'Proud' designs added
Updated 21/04/11 - 'Superhero' designs added
Updated 18/11/10 - 'Rabbit Hole' design added
Updated 06/11/10 - 'Paparazzi' and 'Rock God' designs added
Updated 25/10/10 - New design added

It was way back when I did the Glam Nation posters that bluedogs (thanks!) suggested the idea of putting the designs onto a T-shirt. This is where it all started, and while I was away on my break doing outdoorsy activities and far from all things Glam Nation, my mind was still ticking away, nurturing ideas. A little tired of organising playlists on my return, I decided to turn them into something real. I've dabbled in all sorts of new things thanks to Adam, constantly learning new skills and growing so I thought I'd give this a go.

The official merchandise may be pretty to look at, but I don't find the clothing very wearable so my aim was to do something that is. I wanted to create designs that are instantly recognisable by fans as having a connection with Adam while retaining a subtlety that doesn't require them being plastered with his name and face. All the images here are made from scratch so as not to breach any copyrights. It's been a steep learning curve, and at times very frustrating figuring out how to do vector graphics for the first time. Here are my first ever T-shirt designs, I hope you like them.

The first design took forever and is based on the image of Adam's fist which I think is really powerful, but I think it needed to represent something that Adam believes in, so I added the text as a call for unity, especially after Adam's latest twitter rant. I decided to go for a retro propaganda style. Not very glittery, but we are a varied lot and it's almost a street style that works on T-shirts for either gender, hence wearability.

The second is a parody of the Rolling Stones logo. I seem to remember Adam wearing a stripy T-shirt with the logo on at some point, and the birth of this fandom for many will always be associated with the Rolling Stones cover, 'Satisfaction'. This was the performance in which we first saw that famously long tongue snake out during those glory notes.

The third is simply a design inspired by Glam Nation. It was meant to be the top of a Voodoo staff like a mini Adam but in the end, I decided not to include the rest of the stick. I don't think the feel of the Glam Nation Voodoo is very dark, more kooky and for some reason, I find kooky things like Tim Burton's work quite cute so that's what I went for.

I have more designs to come in various styles so I'll post them when they're done. If you'd like to have them on a T-shirt or acessories, I've set up a shop for you at http://lambosessed.spreadshirt.com so please take a look. If you can't see the design or colours on the exact item you want, feel free to request from this list of clothing. They even have dog T-shirts! I'll place a link in the sidebar for easy access in future. I'm new to this so I'd appreciate any feedback you have. Let me know if you decide to buy anything, I'll be curious as to how they turn out. Thank you!

This is my latest T-shirt design and it's an illustration of Adam's silhouette mid-belt. I've always thought that the pose he strikes while he sings is a powerfully iconic one. When he goes for those huge notes, he turns his head to the side, usually to his right, and as the note becomes bigger and more powerful, he tilts his head back, palms the air with his heft hand and moves the mic further away from his mouth and his tongue reaches out. Anyway, I just wanted to capture this in a single image. I've designed it so that it works in a single colour so you can get really sparkly glitter prints on the T-shirts.

Here's my latest design, which is a little on the snarky side. It's an illustration of Adam in his 'tacky lifeguard hat' giving the finger with a smile. The hat is infamous, still accessorising many fans' twitter avatars as a show of support and was a cause for much hilarity and piss-taking. He wore it while relaxing on a beach only to be hounded by the paps and ended up in a minor scuffle.

The quote used is from a separate occasion during SFW at the Washington DC concert where he wanted security to get out of the way to allow fans to take pictures. I think it fits quite well with the illustration even though his wishes during either event couldn't be more different. When he's performing, he wants to be photographed and wants us to get as much out of him as possible. But when he's on his own personal time, it's a different story. The design is meant to show support for Adam when he's doing battle against both paps and overly-demanding entitled fans. I wonder if Neil would see the funny side if someone were to wear it to a VIP greet...

Here's one more design and it's an illustration of Adam in one of my favourite poses, epitomising his electric performances which leave us buzzing for long afterwards. I call it a rock god pose. We've seen this back-bending pose during Glam Nation, most notably at Hampton. It's when he's at the height of his performance, completely immersed, wild, uninhibited, and at his most powerful. It happens when we've gone way past listening and watching him perform and we feel it. We feel the energy emanating from him via the rushing, the tingling, and the goosebumps. Every time I watch it, I'm in awe over his superhuman ability to hold and control his amazing high note perfectly as he leans all the way back. And also at how far he can lean back!

My latest design is inspired by my favourite song on the album and it also has a certain significance for me because going 'Down the Rabbit Hole' were the exact words I used in my review of the AI performance that tipped me over the edge all that time ago. I decided on an illustration that was cute but slightly trippy so it features a rabbit in Adam's Willy Wonka/ringmaster hat with a knowing expression and a half-smile, pointing with an ear and beckoning you to follow it down the rabbit hole. I gave it a mini voodoo staff, which you'll recognise as one of my other designs, to make it clear who's in charge. I initially wanted to make the design much more psychedelic with a warped burrow and tripping spirals for eyes, but I'm restricted by the printing methods. I settled with a slightly kaleidoscopic entrance to the dark unknown rabbit hole and star-shaped pupils in the eyes. Hope you like it!

Ever since hearing that first preview snippet of Sleepwalker, I have always associated it with a powerful visual cinematic element. The staging from Glam Nation is consistent with that and I think he built upon what we saw for the top two performance of MW. For Sleepwalker, he cuts a solitary world-weary figure, wearing an outfit that's part Matrix, part Final Fantasy or anime. The lonely tortured fantasy comic book superhero. That is what I wanted to capture with this design — Adam represented as a character who is regrettably too familiar with sacrifice but stays strong and resiliently optimistic in the face of adversity, continuing to fight. The results aren't quite as stylised or dynamic as I would have liked but I couldn't carry on tweaking forever!

I usually do these T-shirt designs with a maximum three colours so they can use the most durable printing method, giving the most vibrant colours. But it was impossible to create the effect I wanted so as a result, these 'Superhero' designs use a different printing method which give it a slightly vintage feel. Unfortunately it isn't quite as durable, so please take care when washing!


I have used this same 'Superhero' illustration on a charity Japan design that I would like to dedicate to my Japanese friends. $5 (£3) from each shirt sold featuring this red design will go to the Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Tsunami appeal. Alternatively, you can donate directly to the UK Red Cross or US Red Cross sites. I decided to make this version because that's where the inspiration behind the style originated. I feel that my description of the character could also represent the qualities shown by the Japanese people in light of recent events. With the blossoms and warmer colours I hoped it would have an uplifting and positive feel.

The two new lock designs below are based on Adam's recent key tattoo and the type of lock that I think it would open, inviting him to place his key in and unlock it (I see your dirty minds at work). I tried to keep it in the same style by using elements from the tattoo. The lock is heart-shaped to complement the curves of the skull and to represent the effect Adam that has had on us. I believe he has unlocked something in us all, not necessarily our hearts but the ability to feel passionate and alive again. Click on the image to see all the T-Shirts using that design:

I created the single colour design so it can be printed using special glitter material. Unfortunately it doesn't display accurately in the shop illustrations but you can see an example of how the material looks here. If you like it, look out for 'Glitter' in the titles. The 3D-look design isn't available in the glitter material but I have used shiny metallic gold or silver. If you don't see the exact colour combo you'd like, please let me know and I'll set it up for you.

There's a lot of symbolism that can be attached to keys. Where the previous design of the heart lock was meant to represent the emotional side of the Adam Lambert Effect, the handcuffs aren't just something a bit kinky but represent the physical side. How many of us have cast aside our shackles of convention and felt free to try something we'd never dreamed of because of Adam? How many of us have travelled, embraced random strangers, found that extra bit of bravery and enriched our lives with new experiences? How many of us have unleashed our creativity and have gone on to make something, to learn new skills, to share something and in turn, unlock something in others? I think you get the picture. If any of you get an offer from Adam to stick his key in while wearing these designs, I will die happy. Click the pic! The print I've chosen for the T-shirts uses shiny metallic material.

The next set of designs are based around Adam's growing role in sociopolitical activism. After realising he's in a position to make a difference, he's trying to use it in the fight for equality. We've seen this via the Trevor Project through the "It Gets Better" campaign and the Aftermath Remix. Although he still seems uncomfortable getting up on his soap-box to speak up about issues, I think he's in his element when expressing it through music — not on a political level where he isn't yet at ease but on a personal, emotional level as a consequence of those policies — in Outlaws of Love. For the full article, please visit the original post.

There are four designs here, which I created to reflect the role Adam has adopted. I wanted my illustration to parody a political propaganda poster with him as a stoic revolutionary, regal and exuding power. I went for a slightly ironic and humorous take (depending on how you see him), depicting him as the Gay Messiah / poster boy that some people have demanded of him. Who knows, history could well remove the irony.

The first design is of Adam against the backdrop of the rainbow flag with a simple word: "Proud". It could mean many things; Adam being out and proud and gay enough, thankyouverymuch; his support and contribution towards LGBT rights; pride in him for being publicly out and leading by example; pride for his working hard towards a dream inspiring millions along the way; pride for just being uncompromisingly himself. There was also something in the Advocate article about people being reluctant to admit to liking him as he sees himself as uncool:

“I pick up this kind of energy among young people that it might not be the coolest thing to say you like Adam Lambert’s music. People don’t think that I’m cool.”

Well the design is also a response to that. It's a way of showing that you are an out and proud Glambert, proud to be uncool (and therefore post-cool?) if that's what liking him makes you.

I've used a lyric from Strut as the slogan for the other designs, retaining the informal spelling to keep it light-hearted. The second one has a subtle rainbow flag in Adam's hair for those of you who aren't fond of wearing too much colour, and the last two are variations; one with a vertical flag, the other without any rainbows. It could well be that Adam will grow into a revolutionary figure for equal rights but for now, the revolution is closer to home. How many of us have changed, feel braver, stronger, happier within ourselves? In how many of us has Adam effected a personal revolution? I hope these are designs you'd be proud to wear in support of Adam, whether for counter-protests or as a constant reminder from him that the power for change is in each and every one of us.

This design is 'Trespassing Beat'. It uses the Trespassing tape that's become synonymous with this era as a base. I've included silhouettes of Adam clapping, so along with the time axis (t for Trespassing as well) at the bottom, it's like a diagram to show the clapping rhythm of Trespassing. The size of the spaces between the claps is directly proportional to the amount of time between them. The pedants amongst you may point out that the first clap isn't actually a clap but more of a stamp. I decided to include it not just for aesthetic purposes but I think I'd personally want to clap on the big beat at the start of the bar. I hope you find it to be a fun, wearable and possibly geeky design for this era.

The second design Queenbert 2012 is a commemorative one for the special concerts Adam has lined up with Queen. I went for a classic design using a modified typeface similar to that of their logo. I designed the crown to incorporate elements linked with both Adam and Queen, wanting to keep it elegant and queen-like. When you look at it I hope it just says Queenbert to you. I included two infinity signs from Adam's tattoo to symbolise not only the energy exchange between performer and audience that Adam has talked about, but the beauty of the full-circle moments that made these events come together. Adam's first song with which he got introduced to the world on AI was a Bohemian Rhapsody. His final performance on AI was with Queen. The first full circle. Then we had the EMAs and now this with the full circles going round again. I included diamond shapes as a reference to Freddie Mercury's infamous harlequin outfit, five points in the crown to represent the members of Queen and Adam, and the letters A and Q. Finally, I thought I should include the year, seeing as these are special concerts that may become the stuff of legend in years to come. The designs come in either silver or gold glitter, or silver and gold metallic print. Hope you find it a classy one you'd be happy to wear.

Here are a couple more designs for you on the theme of "Werk", a word found in the lyrics and a word to describe the response to the album's funk side:

The first one here is "Werk Bitch!". I thought about using the Trespassing stripes but decided against it because I have feeling we're going to be sick of it before long. To keep with the Trespassing visual theme, I used a danger sign as a base with a "High Voltage" warning symbol because I relate it to Adam's electrifying performances, plus I like the way it looks. It also points downwards, like it's an order for you to get down and shake your booty. Those with dirty minds can find another meaning as it points crotchwards. I modified a loose heavy typeface to give it an informal look that has movement and attitude, and you have the option to choose neon colours as well as the standard yellow.

There's another "Werk" design for those who aren't comfortable with wearing the word "bitch". It's just "Werk" against a "High Voltage" symbol background. I decided to dispense with the exclamation mark here because I think the full stop gives lends a cool, laid back angle as a definitive statement. The print is available in neon colours as well as the standard yellow and shiny metallic gold.

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Two Years

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Can you believe it? This blog is now celebrating its second year which I think makes it one of the elder statesmen of Adam fan sites! Thank you all for being a part of this! Please also take a peek at my post from this time last year for a summary of everything up to then and my story of The Point of No Return.

It wouldn't be a celebration without presents now, would it? So without further ado here is my latest gift to you all, my edit of Sleepwalker from the penultimate Glam Nation concert at LA's Music Box. I had to sweat that extra bit harder, pulling out all the stops to make something worthwhile, especially since now I'll have to prise you away from the DVD.



Sleepwalker to me is about sadness, it's that pain that hollows you out and renders you numb to everything except that intense feeling of loss. It's what makes you feel that detachment from reality, a floating onlooker onto your own life. Nothing is quite real or comprehensible or possible or tangible in the way that had previously been so familiar and natural. The whole universe and everything in it has shifted and you don't want to be trapped this strange and frightening new reality but instead hope to wake up from it. That is what Sleepwalking in this song means is to me.

If I'm in despair, I'd be too weak to channel any anger and if I felt anger, it would be directed, which would keep reality in focus enough to be fully awake. This makes me curious about Adam's angry interpretation which I find it hard to reconcile with my own. He draws upon something to give us that emotion through clenched teeth, making “always there to haunt me” my favourite part of this intense performance.

I was a little more liberal than usual with the effects in this edit, primarily intending to make it into a haunting dreamscape where things aren't quite as they should be. I wanted the result to be beautiful and something you'd want to watch more than once. It's the edit which has the highest work-to-length ratio so I hope it was worth it!

Ever since hearing that first preview snippet of Sleepwalker, I have always associated it with a powerful visual cinematic element. The staging from Glam Nation is consistent with that and I think he built upon what we saw for the top two performance of MW. For Sleepwalker, he cuts a solitary world-weary figure, wearing an outfit that's part Matrix, part Final Fantasy or anime. The lonely tortured fantasy comic book superhero. That is what I wanted to capture with my attempt at artwork — Adam represented as a character who is regrettably too familiar with sacrifice but stays strong and resiliently optimistic in the face of adversity, continuing to fight. The results aren't quite as stylised or dynamic as I would have liked but I've already spent much longer than I'd care to admit on it as I'm not an artist and am new to this kind of illustration so it's another first for me.

I have made two pieces using my illustration of Adam, both available as T-shirt designs (links to T-shirts at bottom of page). One is the original dark moody version with a backdrop of turbulent clouds, the other is a charity Japan version that I would like to dedicate to my Japanese friends. $5 (£3) from each shirt featuring this red design will go to the Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Tsunami appeal. Alternatively, you can donate directly to the UK Red Cross or US Red Cross sites. I decided to make this version because that's where the inspiration behind the style originated. I feel that my description of the character could also represent the qualities shown by the Japanese people in light of recent events. With the blossoms and warmer colours, I hoped it would have an uplifting and positive feel. Click to view the bigger versions. I'm afraid I've had to add a watermark as my other artwork has ended up on various pieces of tat on eBay.

UPDATE: Thank you all for your support through the purchases. As promised, I have donated £3 for each item sold bearing the design towards the Japan Tsunami Appeal and will continue to do so until it ends. After that, the donations will go to the Red Cross's most pressing appeal.



This past year we have seen Adam being received by enthusiastic audiences all around the world on TV and radio promoting his album. This is where I got to see him perform live for the first time. Then came the fantastic news that he was to headline for his first ever solo tour, initially starting off as around 50 dates in the US but extending into a worldwide sell-out tour of well over 100 concerts. We were truly entertained as we followed Adam and the Glam Troupe on a virtual tour around the world, self-imposing jet-lag by getting up at or staying up until ridiculous hours. We invested in better equipment and got more tech-savvy, video quality became sharp and clear, and fandom got organised so wherever we were, we too could experience concerts in real-time with real friends through the virtual world. We were thrilled as Adam got up close and personal with Tommy and then with some lucky fans. We looked forward to all the surprises and performances of new songs, waiting with bated breath so see what the encore would bring. Some clutched pearls as he got more risqué with an on-stage spliff, others were begging for him to get even wilder.

With your help, I won one half of a pair of crystal gloves, the other half of which is in Adam's possession. I tried to get a campaign going to reunite the gloves but unfortuntely this didn't happen when I went to my second Adam concert. The year has has its fair share of controversy with AI snub-gate, pap-confronting fugly hat-gate, teen mom-gate and Gaga-gate. Almost everything he tweeted ended up trending. There was some gentle wrist-slapping whenever his followers got a bit out of hand and we enjoyed some classic rumour control tweets and twitter rants. Adam seemed to gradually gain confidence to step up to the challenge of discussing political issues, but still wanted to champion them in his own way.

We partied along with Adam to IIHY and its music video and were overjoyed at news of an acoustic EP. After such a long wait, we were relieved to finally be able to get our hands on a live CD/DVD from Glam Nation, sales of which have exceeded expectations. We got a remix of Aftermath supporting the Trevor Project, one of a number of charities supported by Adam. Well over half a million dollars has been raised for DonorsChoose.org and $320,000 for his Charity Water birthday campaign. We celebrated TV specials, news of Adam's Grammy nomination and his appearance at their social media summit.

The summary wouldn't be complete without a commentary on Adam's chameleonic looks, where shaving a side of his head hit the headlines. There was the long hair with and without goatee and let's not forget the fashion choices, the memorable ones being the Glammer trousers, glittery zebra and lace-up trousers amongst others. The year ended neatly with a return to AI as Adam works on the second album and we are left speculating over the intriguing collaborations and eager to to hear anything new.

Another year on and the Adam Lambert Effect is still very much thriving as he continues to inspire us in many ways. The contents of this post sum up where it's taken me, which is to be creative, strive for perfection and to give something back. Thank you all for being a part of this, and thank you Adam.

DOWNLOAD Sleepwalker mp3 - 10.03MB
DOWNLOAD Sleepwalker iPod compatible mp4 - 29.96MB
DOWNLOAD Sleepwalker HD mp4 - 116.83MB

A Whole Lotta Dutch Purple Haze

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Wishing you all a happy festive season! And for the cynics, a joyous celebration of rampant consumerism! I hope you all have an enjoyable time no matter what you do. As a little something to say thank you for your continued support, I have present for you all. This edit had been sitting around for a while, half-finished because Terra had beaten me to it with her excellent version. I've managed to claim back some time to finish it after the end of Glam Nation and used some different angles to Terra. With countless videos of the event to watch through, it's the most time-consuming edit, and with 111 clippings, it's also the most complicated to date. I added a few effects to try to capture the mood of the music. Enjoy!



Paradiso is one of the most beautiful venues Glam Nation has graced so far, and I think it adds a sprinkling of magic to the proceedings. A converted church, coloured light glimmers in through the imposing gothic stained-glass windows behind the stage, illuminating the venue in a mysterious glow and bestowing a feeling of awesome gravitas.

The encore starts with Purple Haze and a kiss followed by some crotch grabbing. Sasha comes onto the stage handing Adam a spliff, 'Purple Haze, motherfuckers!', Taylor does the same for Tommy. After taking a few tokes, Adam continues to sing as clear and powerful as ever with soaring high notes. He has a bit more reefer as Monte lets rip for his solo, then blows smoke onto Monte's guitar and attempts a blowback.

It's to be a double encore and Adam requests that it has to be (in a low booming voice) 'Real sexy'. As the band prepares, he does an excellent job of simulating the opening guitar licks of Voodoo Child. Watch out for Tommy grabbing Adam's cheeks just after he changes guitar. It's a slow burner of a start, with sparse instrumentals, funk guitar and the ebb and flow of cymbals. The lag of the bass reminds me of Art 4 Life Crazy. It's quite hypnotic and could be the perfect trippy soundtrack to a den of debauchery. With Isaac breaking into a huge grin, there's some obscene mic action as Adam gives us a sneak peek of his fellatio technique. From the balcony where the glitter confetti fell during the band intros, Adam catches a feather boa. The pace gradually rises and falls in waves, the vibe slightly Eastern and recalling aspects of FS WLL. He ends up atop the steps, turning it into a primal mating call, creeping up to Tommy and giving him a slow, hot kiss. Tommy's bass playing freezes for a few moments as his hands go limp and Adam runs his hand up and down his fret board. The kiss gives an adrenaline shot to the performance and he throws himself with such vigour that he busts out of his waistcoat, buttons flying apart. A huge leap leaves Adam on his knees in backbend before he crawls and slides around the stage, feral but so natural. Tommy attempts to straddle him but it seems at that moment he is somewhere else. He comes to with a shrug of the shoulders and feigning of innocence. Spotting the minor wardrobe malfunction, he swiftly does the buttons back up. The last section is a mindblowingly climactic one, fierce, thrusty and orally fixated with staggering vocals. Sexy indeed. At the end, we can see him ease out of the performer persona to modestly thank the audience and bow.

Looking back to the earlier Glam Nation performances, we were going nuts over a bit of writhing on the stairs but we've come such a long way since then. The backdrop here lends extra power to performance and I wonder if it's the religious association that inspires Adam to want to push it that little bit further. The stairs are the altar upon which Adam sums up what he stands for - love and freedom of expression. For that, I'm a regular worshipper joining the congregation at the Temple of Glam.

Here's a little bonus for you. The acoustic EP cover was released just before this performance and this idea came to me instantly. The parody was begging to be done so I'm a little surprised that no one else beat me to it. If you obsessively watch the video, you might spot this image flashing subliminally within it for a split-second:

If you're missing Glam Nation, then please be sure to check out my Glam Nation compendium.

DOWNLOAD mp3 - 14.0MB
DOWNLOAD iPod compatible mp4 - 82.6MB
DOWNLOAD HD mp4 - 277.6MB

Note that there may be a deceptive advert parading as a download button. Please make sure you use the real link below the dashboard as illustrated here:

Celebrating Glam Nation

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30/10/10 - Updated calendar and dates posters
15/07/10 - Updated tour dates posters and schedule
16/07/10 - Added 'Ornate' themed set and updated schedule
17/06/10 - Updated schedule and posters
11/06/10 - Added new 'Trip' and 'Fire' themed sets of wallpapers
06/06/10 - Added a couple more wallpapers with Adam on left

I wasn't keen on getting spoilers for the tour but it came as very welcome news that Adam plans to recreate the mysterious witchy voodoo vibe that he had going on at Indio, kicking off the set with Voodoo. We've seen plenty of variations of rocker and glam aristocrat so I'm excited for the change. In the same way that the summer tour last year served to present Adam as a fierce retro space-glam alien, I think this will be a very exciting re-invention to the more earthy and primal, but still magical and enigmatic. I feel that we're in for some spectacular visuals, including steampunk to a New Orleans / Voodoo / Day of the Dead feel.

The recent Frontiers cover shot by Lee Cherry has a little bit of that voodoo vibe, maybe because those iridescent feathers remind me of a witch doctor's staff. I love the photo, which was why I ended up spending hours removing all the copy and extrapolating what was obscured, just for that little extra enjoyment. Click on the photo to get the huge version:

Adam's atmospheric descriptions also inspired me to create some of my own visuals of what I imagine the concerts to feel like, so I've spent time putting together some artwork. The last time I did a set of artwork for this blog, I was surprised to see how similar AO ended up to it, so I wonder how close I'll be with the voodoo theme. This is the first time I've specifically made wallpapers, and it's something that I quite enjoy. I went with two different themes, of voodoo (left) for Glam Nation and space (right), for the current album. Click on the thumbnails for the huge versions and feel free to share. Hope you like them!

I've now added the themes of trip, fire and ornate for when you get bored and want a change. These were inspired by various elements of the set.


1920x1200 (8:5) Poster/wallpaper also suitable for 1280x800, 1440x900, 1680x1050 resolutions

1920x1200 (8:5) As above with Adam on left for those with Macs

1920x1200 (8:5) Poster with tour dates, wallpaper for huge screens

 

 

1600x1200 (4:3) Wallpaper also suitable for 1024x768 resolutions

1280x1024 (5:4) Wallpaper

Latest additions: colour-tweaked and glammed-up versions

One more thing left to do before I tune into tonight's show is to list all the concert dates as they stand at the moment. Looking forward to celebrating all the Glam Nation goodies with you!

04.06.10 Wilkes-Barre, PA, F.M. Kirby Center for Performing Arts
05.06.10 Sayreville, NJ, Starland Ballroom
06.06.10 Wappinger Falls, NY, Dutchess Stadium (KFEST 2010)
08.06.10 Toledo, OH, Omni
10.06.10 Council Bluffs, IA, Harrah's Ballroom
11.06.10 Mahnomen, MN, Shooting Star Casino
12.06.10 Prior Lake, MN, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel
14.06.10 Columbus, OH, LC Pavilion
15.06.10 Milwaukee, WI, Riverside Theater
17.06.10 Hammond, IN, The Venue at Horseshoe Casino
18.06.10 Royal Oak, MI, Royal Oak Theater
19.06.10 Toronto, ON, Molson Amphitheatre (KISS FM Wham Bam)
22.06.10 New York, NY, Nokia Theater
23.06.10 New York, NY, Nokia Theater
24.06.10 Mashantucket, CT, MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods
26.06.10 Atlantic City, NJ, Borgata Spa & Resort / Event Center
27.06.10 Baltimore, MD, Rams Head
28.06.10 Washington, DC, 9:30 Club
30.06.10 Norfolk, VA, The Norva
02.07.10 Charlotte, NC, The Fillmore
03.07.10 Myrtle Beach, SC, House of Blues
06.07.10 Knoxville, TN, Tennessee Theatre
07.07.10 Nashville, TN, Ryman Auditorium
09.07.10 Cleveland, OH, Allen Theater
10.07.10 Louisville, KY, Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts
12.07.10 Chesaning, MI (Chesaning Showboat Music Festival)
13.07.10 Lansing, MI (Common Ground Music Festival)
15.07.10 Kansas City, MO, Midland Theatre
16.07.10 Witchita, KS, The Cotillion
17.07.10 Denver, CO, Paramount
19.07.10 Boise, ID, Morrison Center
20.07.10 Seattle, WA, Showbox SoDo
21.07.10 Portland, OR, Crystal Ballroom
23.07.10 San Francisco, CA, The Warfield
24.07.10 Lincoln, CA, Thunder Valley Casino
25.07.10 San Francisco, CA, The Warfield
27.07.10 Costa Mesa, CA, OC Fair - Pacific Ampitheatre
28.07.10 Costa Mesa, CA, OC Fair - Pacific Ampitheatre
30.07.10 San Diego, CA, Symphony Hall
31.07.10 Las Vegas, NV, The Beach at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
01.08.10 Tempe, AZ, The Marquee
03.08.10 Albuquerque, NM, Sunshine Theatre
04.08.10 Lubbock, TX, The Pavilion
06.08.10 Oklahoma City, OK, Bricktown Events Center
07.08.10 Springfield, MO, Juanita K. Hammons Hall
08.08.10 St. Louis, MO, The Pageant
10.08.10 Erie, PA, Warner Theatre
12.08.10 Upper Darby, PA, Tower Theatre
13.08.10 Bethlehem, PA (Musikfest)
14.08.10 St. Jean, QC (St. Jean Balloon Festival)
16.08.10 Concord, NH, Capitol Center for the Arts
17.08.10 Providence, RI, Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
19.08.10 Hyannis, MA, Cape Cod Melody Tent
20.08.10 Cohasset, MA, South Shore Music Circus
21.08.10 Hampton, NH, Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
23.08.10 Albany, NY, Palace Theatre
24.08.10 Staten Island, NY, St. George Theatre
26.08.10 Roanoke, VA, Roanoke Performing Arts Theatre
27.08.10 Richmond, VA, The National
28.08.10 Raleigh, NC, Memorial Auditorium
30.08.10 Covington, KY, Madison Theatre
31.08.10 Indianapolis, IN, Clowes Hall
01.09.10 Evansville, IN, Victory Theater
03.09.10 Des Moines, IA, Simon Estes Amphitheatre
04.09.10 Rockford, IL, On The Waterfront
05.09.10 Peoria, IL, Peoria Civic Center Theater
07.09.10 Dallas, TX, Palladium Ballroom
08.09.10 Houston, TX, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
10.09.10 Thackerville, OK, WinStar World Casino
11.09.10 Tunica Resorts, MS, Harrah's Tunica - Event Center
12.09.10 New Orleans, LA, Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts
14.09.10 Atlanta, GA, Symphony Hall / Woodruff Arts Center
15.09.10 Atlanta, GA, The Tabernacle
17.09.10 Melbourne, FL, King Center for the Performing Arts
18.09.10 St. Petersburg, FL, Tropicana Field
19.09.10 Hollywood, FL, Hard Rock Live: Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
21.09.10 Puyallup, WA, Western Washington Fair
25.09.10 Singapore, Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix
26.09.10 Singapore, Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix
03.10.10 Nagoya, Japan, Diamond Hall
04.10.10 Osaka, Japan, Namba Hatch
06.10.10 Tokyo, Japan, JBC Hall
07.10.10 Tokyo, Japan, JBC Hall
08.10.10 Tokyo, Japan, JBC Hall
10.10.10 Manila, Philippines, Mall of Asia Concert Grounds
12.10.10 Hong Kong, Star Hall - HITEC
14.10.10 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Putra Indoor Stadium, Bukit Jalil
17.10.10 Auckland, New Zealand, Trusts Stadium
19.10.10 Melbourne, Australia, Palais Theatre
20.10.10 Sydney, Australia, Enmore Theatre
22.10.10 Brisbane, Australia, Tivoli
25.10.10 Honolulu, HI, Blaisdell Concert Hall Theatre
26.10.10 Honolulu, HI, Blaisdell Concert Hall Theatre
06.11.10 Helsinki, Finland, Cable Factory
08.11.10 Oslo, Norway, Sentrum Scene
09.11.10 Stockholm, Sweden, Debaser Medis
10.11.10 Copenhagen, Denmark, Vega
12.11.10 Munich, Germany, Theaterfabrik
14.11.10 Hamburg, Germany, Grunspan
15.11.10 Berlin, Germany, Postbahnhof
16.11.10 Stuttgart, Germany, Zapata
18.11.10 Paris, France, Trabendo
19.11.10 Cologne, Germany, Gloria
20.11.10 Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Paradiso
22.11.10 Vienna, Austria, WuK
23.11.10 Zurich, Switzerland, Xtra Club
24.11.10 Milan, Italy, Magazzini Generali
26.11.10 Birmingham, UK, Academy 2
27.11.10 Manchester, UK, Academy 2
28.11.10 Glasgow, UK, ABC
29.11.10 London, UK, Shepherds Bush
15.12.10 Los Angeles, CA, The Music Box
16.12.10 Los Angeles, CA, Club Nokia