I'm going to be away until February for a much-needed break with little access to the internet so I'm afraid there won't be any blog updates or videos for a while. To keep you entertained until then though, here's a playlist of some of my best edits:
It's going to be tough but at least this break is at a quiet time. I'm afraid I'll be missing Adam's birthday yet again, so please make sure you celebrate extra loudly, party extra hard and sparkle extra dazzlingly for me in my absence! Catch you in a few weeks' time. Thanks for all your support!
Here's my latest edit of one my favourite performances of Fever from the tour. I did actually end up with a fever after this concert as I'm sure did many others after braving the freak arctic conditions in London! It makes a welcome change to do a short edit after all the epic length encores.
Fever tends not to be one of the first videos I watch straight away after a concert. I think it's so dominated by the kissing that the rest of the singing and choreography unfortunately take a back seat. A lot of work has gone into all the performance aspects so it's a bit of a shame if people tune in only for the kissing. I feel it has become a touch contrived, lacking the fire of authenticity but I guess that's my own fault for watching a gazillion concert videos!
It starts off with Adam locking horns with Tommy before gripping his bass and going in for the kill. Those hip movements as he starts dancing are big and he's so playful and still so fierce. With a mischievous glint, he's tempting and daring us to be really naughty. Sound issues are evident as Adam taps his ear and mic but it doesn't impede the fun and he carries on smiling. I think he tends to compensate when there are sound issues by making sure he pushes his voice that little bit further. That first ringing high note in a bonus riff is a startling addition and it made me gasp, gave me a rush and made the crowd scream in approval. The climax of the song is equally impressive and he gets a bit jiggy with the mic. The surprise ending with the stratospheric high is amazing, so much so that we had to turn to each other as if needing confirmation of what had just happened. To the thrill of the audience, his voice was on top form and as so often happens on the last night of consecutive gigs, he went for it.
Seeing this live as opposed to a video was a whole different kettle of fish as Adam was magnificent. His movements were more amplified, much fuller and graceful yet sharp. It's also very different seeing his facial expressions in person. On the videos he looks super dramatic, doll-like even, but in person those expressions are very believeable. There were lots of smiles and here he was having fun being very cheeky and flirtatious, nudging and winking his way deeper into our affections.
Happy new year to you all! We've come such a long way since last year's Gridlock and I decided it was about time to do a sentimental post. You can listen to and watch my latest improved edit of Adam's LA Music Box performance of A Change Is Gonna Come and reflect on the journey of Adam and this song, and also our personal journeys that have run in parallel. It's an assured performance although not quite flawless towards the end. I think the serene look of accomplishment as he surveys the crowd after he finishes the song captures the mood perfectly.
Adam references both his earlier performances in his speech at the start, the angry Zodiac one spurred on after having been on the receiving end of homophobia, and the one performed during the AI finale. It could be said that they are all seminal moments in Adam's life, one paving the way for the next. I see that first one as giving him the fire and drive to unapologetically be himself and perform as he chooses and it's those bold, out-of-the-box choices that got us gripped in time for the second, completing the first full circle. I still wonder whether Simon Fuller's choice was influenced by that Zodiac performance. At the time, it was the biggest audience Adam had ever performed to on the most important night of his life. It was the platform that gave him the exposure required to build enough of a following to complete a sell-out international tour of 100+ dates, at the end of which came this second full-circle moment in the place where the circle started.
It's easy to see that it's a proud moment for Adam. A feeling of celebration and fulfilment pervades the performance in the way that it was felt when Adam got up on stage for his performance of Beth. Returning home after touring for months I think it only just hit him how far he has come. Unusually for him, Adam's speech touches on the political whereas he's shied away from it in the past. With increased confidence he's more comfortable talking about it and I think he realises he has made a difference, feeling the change as he connects it back to the other ACIGCs. I believe he's now accepted he'll inevitably be looked upon as a political figure and is perhaps on his way to stepping up to the challenge, knowing he can make a difference for the better. It's bittersweet having to say farewell to Glam Nation but I'm looking forward to the next phase and the excitement of not knowing what changes are gonna come.
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.
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:
For anyone feeling bereft of Glam Nation now that the tour is over, I've been working on the mother of all Glam Nation withdrawal elixirs. For the quiet days and nights to come, you can indulge in and even try ODing on what I believe to be a compilation of the best sources of all things Glam Nation (top sheet) and other tour events (bottom sheet). Go ahead and click the pic to open up the spreadsheet, you know you want to!
Short link for this page: http://bit.ly/GNlinks
Short link for spreadsheet: http://bit.ly/GNmedia
The sources I've included are: Adam Lambert Obsession - Summaries and highlights. I had to include it for all the work I put in! My YouTube Playlists - Best video per song, many hours of watching, comparing, whittling and updating! Hoopla Magnet - Comprehensive and organised collection of media. Videos, photos, articles and reviews. On The Roof Seeking Proof - Video downloads and photo album links. Kaetsa's Playlists - Playlists contain all videos for each concert. Terra's Wiki - Wiki with set lists, playlists and highlights. IDF Forum - Collection of media. Tweets, photos, videos and reviews.
Thanks to everyone who worked hard to organise and sort through everything that came out of Glam Nation! If there's anything you think I've missed which will add value to this collection or if you'd like to add links, please let me know.
Disclaimer: This blogger accepts no responsibility for the days or even weeks lost as a result of clicking.
Sigh. The last Glam Nation concert. Although I'm feeling rather sentimental and will miss the regular performances, I'm ready to take a break and look forward to new material, new spins on old material and new costumes. There's also the DVD to look forward to, along with the Grammys and hopefully some promo appearances on TV. This concert has Adam as what I think is his most relaxed and playful self. Here are my picks:
Adam's makeup incorporates a teardrop and he has turquoise in his hair. He is extremely glittery. There is a carpet of smoke as the smoke machine seems to go into overdrive for the opening medley. Adam plays it up during Fever so watch out for the very camp 'Yeah yeah yeah' in the build-up to the climax. Sleepwalker once again features stunning vocals. There is extended banter at start of WWFM where he tells us that glam is a state of mind. He is both funny and charming. Make sure you catch his villainous and sadistic little laugh. It's back to acoustic for this rendition and I think it's my favourite yet from his gritty belts and soaring improvisations at the end. Amazing. Soaked is beautiful but marred slightly by the audience's inability to zip it. We realise that it's not going to be an Aftermath duet as Adam helps to remove the stools from the stage singing about stools. He explains that it's a little ditty from 'Waiting For Guffman' as he realises it flies over most people's heads.
Adam goes all-out with his singing for SFW and I think he may have pushed it a little too far at the end of Strut which I find a little shouty. MA is fun and we can see Adam and Tommy headbanging in unison during Monte's solo. You have to laugh at his grabby claw and his super-theatrical voice as he heads towards Monte. Adam gets a baseball hat with 'Warning: I fuck back' thrown onto the stage which cracks him up. During the band intros he goes up to Cam's platform and grinds up against her then makes a joke about the plastic screen around Isaac. Tupperware party! After Tommy's basswanking solo, he tells us that Tommy shoots glitter. The dancers get extended intros as Adam reveals a little more about each. There is a huge roar at the end of IIHY as the fireworks light up the room. Adam finally gets some pyro! Monte plays the opening chords of Voodoo Child to pave the way for Purple Haze as the encore. It's a slower version than what we've heard before and Adam still has the lyrics on pieces of paper just in case. There's a Tommy tongue tickle, and after some crazy vocals and Monte's blistering solo, Adam is spent on the floor. We see him twitching, rejuvenated by the start of a fast-paced electric WLL. It has a long psychedelic instrumental break before it fully rocks out. It looks like he's about to fuck the guitar but he fondles the mic instead and belts out some unbelieveable notes. The tour couldn't have ended on a better high! I'll miss Glam Nation and all the fun we've shared along the way.
