I had several things I wanted to do this summer, and, on Aug. 31, I got to check the final one off my list - I saw Adam Lambert live.
Performing at Clowes Hall at Butler, Adam packed the auditorium with such a variety of people, I found myself trying to sort the audience into groups and just couldn't do it cleanly. There was, of course, the rainbow-wearing contengency, enthusiastically dancing to all of the recorded club tracks by MJ, Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Buckcherry, and Ke$ha (to name a few) played before Adam even took the stage. There were the cougars that seem to chase Adam wherever he goes. There were the tweens. But there was also the guy in the plaid shirt with the John Deere cap and big silver belt buckle. There were elderly couples. There were boyfriends with girlfriends and husbands with wives. Say what you want about him, he draws a VERY diverse crowd.
Here, though, is what I want to say about him: THE MAN CAN SING. He opened the show with a song I didn't know - "Voodoo." Theatrically staged, it was a great opener. He kept up the pace with "Fever" and definitely had me hot and bothered by the end of it. (Yes, everyone, I know he's gay. But he's also gorgeous!!)
It wasn't long into the show before he slowed things down, and this is where he really tore me up, and where his vocals absolutely soared. He strung together "Whataya Want from Me," "Time for Miracles," and "Aftermath" with a narrative about love being the most important thing we have to share. I've been going through a rough time in my personal life, and hearing him sing those songs live, in that pure, vibrant voice really touched me. I'll never forget it.
After the ballads, Adam revved us back up with songs I'd been dying to hear from him: "Strut," "Sure Fire Winners," "Sleepwalker," and, thank God, "If I Had You," which was his encore.
There was about an hour between Allison Iraheta's opening show (which was quite good) and Adam's performance - that's a lot of downtime between acts, and I have to admit I was getting a little perturbed. But once he hit the stage, all was forgiven, and I just wanted more. Adam's the real deal, a unique, quality performer, and I can't wait to revisit his Glamnation.
