This was to be one of a number of LGBT events that Adam was to perform in. There were a few rumours (wishful thinking) about that stemmed from Adam's tweet that A Deeper Love might be a new inclusion in his set. Thinking back to Sydney's Mardi Gras I did wonder whether he was going to really let loose and perform in the true spirit of the event, codpiece and all. In one of most ridiculously loud outfits you'll ever see him wear, with gladiator-type sandals, (I'm guessing it was his personal take on Miami Vice fashion) he was honoured with the key to the city of Miami. How the fuck he managed to pull that outfit off is anyone's guess but against all logic, he's never looked more fabulous, and positively glowed. Here's my playlist of his set:
After the earlier suit I'm ever so slightly disappointed that his outfit for the performance is comparatively conservative. I mean, if there's a time and place to get all creative with Zodiac-style OTT bare-chest with spray-on-leggings and said codpiece then this is surely it? He's opted for a leopard print T-shirt under a sleeveless leather top and black combats with glittery blue belt. He's without a live band and although he's joined on the tiny stage by dancers Johnny and Terrance, it does affect the energy somewhat. When there's a backing track that can't be adjusted around him during the performance, the freedom to ad-lib is limited.
A remix of NCOE is played after Adam's introduction so I do wonder whether he missed his cue and was originally meant to perform it. He starts with Trespassing and from the off, he's fierce and crotch-grabby. There are variations in the melody as he opts to go for some lower notes but the ringing glory note belt is magnificent. Naked Love is next and I can't quite tell from the sound quality whether the backing track has been remixed into something less pop and more beat-driven dance. Terrance and Johnny bring on a couple of topless guys to gyrate around, making this altogether a lot saucier than usual and Adam mischievously gives one of them a nipple-tweak. It looks like Johnny has more fun with his than Terrance though. A very celebratory and joyful performance. Next up is Pop That Lock sung with attitude and Adam proves he has the moves. The big notes are fantastic once again. I find WWFM a rather surprising choice with which to end the set. The energy of this one is a step down from the others and Adam is on his own. He comes up with yet another lovely new way to sing "I need a second to breathe, Just keep coming around". Timely fireworks come in just at the crescendo as he wails his way to the finish.
Do not adjust your screens, this really is my first post in absolutely ages. I did intend to summarise every concert but the backlog is now massive and Bert time is scarce. So I've been chugging along doing the bare minimum on the Performances site which should come in handy when that write-up time arrives. Not sure when that or the next post will be though.
Shady is by far my favourite Trespassing song for the groove, the mood and the lyrics so when I heard that Adam would finally get to perform it with collaborators Nile Rodgers and Sam Sparro I got all waggly-tailed, to put it politely. But I didn't manage to follow it live as the Earth has the audacity to be so rude as to separate me from the gig by units of time zone rather than inches. Damn you planetary physics and space-time! *Shakes fist*
Watching the videos was a blast though, especially with fresh senses not having first endured a Mermish assault. Here's my playlist:
Adam receives a special We Are Family Foundation Unity award for being his fabulously badass self. Presented to him by Sam Sparro (now where have we seen that before?), he gives a slightly awkward-sounding speech, having a gentle dig the atmosphere probably because the crowd talked all through Sam's presentation.
Zips and leather aplenty, Adam rocks up for the opening number all in black understated chic (but couldn't resist a sparkly electric blue belt). He's joined on stage by Sam, Nile and his band, which includes some original members of Chic and the drummer for Let's Dance. After 50+ versions from the AI tour, I love hearing this arrangement that's so close to the original. This full band version sounds much better than the hollow light-rock AI ones, or the funkless electronic VH1 version. Sam appears to have trouble with his mic, which seems to be on near-silent mode for much of the time. There's only one natural showman though, even with his back to the crowd doing dorky dance moves, such as using an invisible towel to scrub his rear. When Adam comes in for the solos, his voice surprises me by its softness and it's very very sweet. Makes me realise how shouty the early versions were in comparison. It lends extra impact to the sparingly-used big high notes, making them even more goosebump-inducing.
Shady is the one I've been waiting so long for, and my expectations were that this would be a special one. After a number of close calls of being in the same place but different day last year, Adam, Nile and Sam would finally be united on stage for a performance. There's an endearing familiarity between them on stage, the banter beforehand like that between old friends. I can only imagine how enjoyable it must have been to create this together. I love the sound of the dirtier bass and Nile's funk guitar. The tempo is much faster and it really bounces along. Aside from Sam's sound issues, the vocals are perfect, backing harmonies great and that panting part is delicious enough to tip anyone over the edge. I spot the return of the flaily-arm woman (of Glam Nation DVD infamy) right at the front of the stage doing her thang but thankfully the arms aren't overly obstructive. The brass section adds some light jazzy pizazzy fun, with the instrumental section inducing stank faces and impelling hips to get a groove on. In keeping with Adam's penchant for mixing songs (Naked Love + 100% Pure Love, Pop That Lock + Smooth Criminal) there's an inclusion of En Vogue's Free Your Mind in the mix too. There's so much more energy and vigour on stage than previous renditions, but at the same time there's an ease and a natural chemistry as talented musicians just having a jam.
WWFM is next in the set and Adam is honoured that Nile is accompanying on guitar. It's a fast and very full-sounding version with more backing vocal layers than normal, a funk edge and more instruments. Even brass makes an appearance. It's been quite some time since the last studio-like arrangement and it's a joy to see them both swaying together in synch to the music.
The set concludes with a fast-paced Trespassing that follows closely along the lines of the album version including the electro elements. I don't think Adam's quite ready when the band starts up but he makes it on cue. I love Nile's contribution to this version with and can't help feeling that this is how it ought to sound. Adam ends up singing some of the harmonies and nails the vocals including a magnificent ringing glory note.
I feel that what we have here is a level above what's gone before and I'm a huge fan of the bassist as well as Nile on guitar. I like the mixture of male and female backing vocals and the double drum kit. The brass adds an extra dimension as well as providing depth and variety. The short set provides a glimpse of what could be achieved in a live performance with a different set-up and direction. I hope it gives Adam some food for thought regarding options with the band to experiment with, aiming for more adventurous and free-spirited performances. I get the feeling that jamming on stage is where the magic really happens for Adam. I think he's at his best when spontaneous; venturing, reacting and flowing through a performance, continually probing, testing and adjusting rather sticking to a rigid plan. Propelled by quality musicianship and feeding off the audience energy to push himself that bit further, Fantasy Springs is the epitome of this for me. The stage here is made up of a mish-mash of very different individuals but they just click, producing something so cohesive. From the costumes to the movements and presentation, I don't feel there's anything contrived and I think it's because he's with musicians who share an understanding and have the style and talent to flourish when given the freedom to express themselves. Because of this, I often wish Adam would lean more towards jazz and funk stylings, especially as he has so much soul. I think the flexibility suits him more than the structure of electronic or rock. I'd be happy if he could infuse more of those dynamic elements into his music both in the studio and on stage.
Just as I was beginning to write this review, I unusually managed to tune in to one of Adam's twitter parties and threw a few speculative questions his way. I had to check several times to make sure my second ever reply was real:
@lambosessed that movie "THE PAPERBOY" was shocking. And really sexy.
— Adam Lambert (@adamlambert) February 3, 2013
I have yet to meet him so tweets are the only contact I've had. And I'm fucking thrilled! Not only about getting a reply but I getting "sexy" in it. I got a wink and extra info volunteered in my first ever reply so I'm privileged.
The second of Adam's UK TV promo performances of NCOE, this one's for a children's music programme from the Beeb. It makes a very refreshing change to see such a young audience all bopping along to him with much enthusiasm.
It seems like this sunny daytime radio concert happened such a long time ago. Adam was without Isaac, his usual drummer, but the rest of the band and backing singers were there. The visual presentation - Adam's cool daytime rocker look with mirrored sunglasses and the staging - is very reminiscent of his Moscow concert.
The set commences with a sassy and energetic Trespassing followed by Kickin' In, which I'm still finding a but repetitive. There are a few close-ups of Adam's sunglasses which are great for seeing the reflection of the crowd. The shades come off at the end of Shady to a loud cheer, I guess because we need to see his eyes to make that all-important connection, especially for the next song, a stirring WWFM.
Naked love brings the tempo back up with a singalong, which I thing should be topped off by a grand finish instead of petering out, but I guess I'm starting to sound like a broken record. IIHY follows and I'm guessing Adam has problems finding his pitch as he doesn't actually start singing until quite a way into the song. The set gets a bit emo with Broken English and some impressive vocals, though I think there are parts of the guitar solo that sound a bit off. Chokehold is beautifully dramatic.
There's a little bit of banter before another change in mood, where Adam uses jetlag as an euphemism for feeling the effects of the weed wafting in from the crowd. A fun smiley NCOE gives way to a tribute to Donna Summer with a performance of Hot Stuff. It's a wonderful and unusual treat for us all to hear a new song, a classic with the twist being Adam's fantastic vocals over it. It leads straight into Cuckoo with band intros where Adam gets all potty-mouthed with his mo-fos. It ends on a high with an almighty note plus trademark run.
It was always one of my wishes to have Adam slay the UK with his charmicide on Graham Norton so I was very happy when this was announced. I did try to get tickets but failed so just had to watch on TV like everyone else. But my, it was great to see him on TV rather than a substandard stream for once.
Adam's hair is high and fabulous, and his face is a bit of a curious hue under those lights but look at what he's wearing! It's like a sprayed patchwork white and grey suit that someone has taken a bite out of. It's also like one of those games where you have to slide everything into position to give you the correct sequence but there's just that final Tetris block out of place that I want to slide over. It's not as flattering as his usual tailoring with quite a long modest cut so there's no satisfaction for the crotch-gazers, and those trousers are way too loose for that anyway! I don't like the clunkiness of those shoes but I prefer them to his blue ones.
I think Adam starts off a bit nervously by the way he flicks his head. His tone isn't very rich but it is steady with lots of lovely rasp to follow. The editor decided to letterbox the performance giving it a cinematic feel, homing in on Adam's expressions and twinkly eyes. It's disappointing for me that this is a shortened version that leaves out all the "Oooh, yeah..." bits and when he lets rip with those vocal acrobatics. I assume it was edited out rather than a version with a different song structure. As far as his performance goes though, it's a strong one where he doesn't put a foot wrong and the band sounds tight. I'm left wanting more though as Adam doesn't get any banter time or manage to fit a word in edgeways on that couch afterwards. I get the feeling he's a bit cautious and eager to please but I'd really like him to relax, let his cheeky side out to play and be bold.
Apologies for the long delay, I've been suffering from massive computer fail as well as various other failures!
Adam's first gig in the UK was at G-A-Y so it's only apt that he would kick off his Trespassing era with a return. Plus I'm sure this is probably one of his favourite venues for obvious reasons. He must love performing for this audience. Here's my playlist:
Adam's in his trusty starred leopardskin T-shirt with suit jacket and tight bikery leather trousers. Trespassing opens the set where he's brilliant in voice, followed by a stompy, booty-shaking Kickin' In that has less of a rock vibe with the electronic elements coming through, which I think works better. Shady is damn fierce and it's quite interesting to hear a different shade of his voice for the bridge part that's sung by Sam on the album.
Adam does his utmost to get the audience to strip for Naked Love, removing a layer himself. This is where he really works the crowd, getting his potty mouth in on the act. He gets his banter on before Cuckoo and I just have to laugh at him pulling his trousers up as his arse is moving for the crowd. He gets the echo effects that he asks for and more. Never Close Our Eyes concludes the set and it's a joy to see him so relaxed with his swearing while plugging his album.
This was to be one of a number of LGBT events that Adam was to perform in. There were a few rumours (wishful thinking) about that stemmed from Adam's tweet that A Deeper Love might be a new inclusion in his set. Thinking back to Sydney's Mardi Gras I did wonder whether he was going to really let loose and perform in the true spirit of the event, codpiece and all. In one of most ridiculously loud outfits you'll ever see him wear, with gladiator-type sandals, (I'm guessing it was his personal take on Miami Vice fashion) he was honoured with the key to the city of Miami. How the fuck he managed to pull that outfit off is anyone's guess but against all logic, he's never looked more fabulous, and positively glowed. Here's my playlist of his set:
