It's a bit late but I couldn't leave you on Adam's favourite holiday without a seasonal little treat: my edit of Voodoo from New Orleans, the place I consider to be the spiritual home of Glam Nation. I have to admit I cheated a little with this one and used Glam Nation Live to bulk up the sound a bit as we didn't get any good quality audio. Luckily for me, this is possible as Voodoo uses a backing track and doesn't vary as much as the other songs. Enjoy!
The opening chords of Voodoo often come entwined with a spinetingling moment as the dramatic silhouette of Adam against a full moon heralds the beginning of an excitedly anticipated set. This one is my favourite from Glam Nation for going that extra mile through the costume additions. Not only does he have the voodoo staff but the creepy troupe hide mysteriously behind their elaborate masks. Much attention to detail is paid through the snaky Brooke, creeping Sasha, marionette Taylor and undead Terrance choreography. The way that witch doctor Adam uses his voice at times is quite ghostly, seducing you into a trance at your pleasure and peril.
For more seasonal treats, visit the quotes and gallery of Adam's Halloween costumes through the years and Adam's Party City set, sung as a vampire with fangs in and all. And if you fancy a cute spooky T-shirt inspired by his Glam Nation Voodoo visuals, click the pic.
One other thing I want to write about is my belated flail which is fitting to mention at this time of year:
When Adam's tweet appeared in my feed during a twitter party, I had to do a double, triple, quadruple take to make sure it really was a reply to my tweet. I still find that I have to look at it occasionally to believe it happened. That tweet was just wonderful because he gave me much more than a simple answer. He fucking winked at me! He also complimented my choice of avatar (I guess it's also a compliment to himself) which is Adam in my favourite costume of his that I've cropped to focus on his commanding stare. I love that he looks so alien in it, like a Glamazonian ice queen. I really want to see him go all-out with his beautiful Halloween creations again. I guess it's not really surprising that he's a friendly drunk, all the more reason why he's someone I'd want to go out on the lash with and see what zany shenanigans would ensue. Sometimes I think he divulged a little more about that Halloween than initially suggested. With that random capitalisation, I do think that perhaps he didn't just have a good one, but an Ebeneezer Goode one, if you know what I mean. Anyway, I'm thrilled that my avatar reminds him of crazy fun times. If I'm not too late, have yourselves a crazy fun Halloween!
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.
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-confrontingfugly 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 TVspecials, 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.
It's a welcome trip down memory lane today with all the excitement, nervousness, anticipation and speculation preceding an Adam performance on AI. Without the pressure of competition we can all relax and enjoy, the result of Adam's season a distant memory because of his success in the aftermath. This week is a celebration of the song with the debut of the remix yesterday for the Trevor Project, and a return to AI with a planned acoustic performance today to promote the remix and Glam Nation DVD.
It feels like this could be the final step in Adam's 'rehabilitation' following the aftermath of the AMAs, which, surprisingly is still a topic of conversation during interviews. This could be the perfect opportunity to exorcise any remaining ghosts with a new water-cooler moment. We know it's not going to be an 'ordinary' acoustic performance like we saw on the tour. It seems important for Adam to keep pleasing his existing fans with little surprises and Monte has certainly hinted at it. So how's he going to change it up? Well it looks like Monte will be there on guitar, but with rumours of The Blonds providing the outfit, we could be in for quite a visual spectacle. I'm wondering if the arrangement will only partly be acoustic with a dramatic costume change during the performance. He could literally shed his armour and come out even glitterier. I know that Adam won't be able to resist taking full advantage of the visual as well as audio medium. The excitement is building with only hours to go now...
While we wait with sweaty palms, here is my contribution to Aftermath week. It's my latest video edit of one of my favourite acoustic Aftermaths of the tour at LA's Club Nokia, the final stop.
I love this version because he radiates joy and positivity from the very start when he carries a stool from the stage and sings about it. We see him smiling and bouncing about on the steps during the song and the vocals are beautifully sweet with some powerful belts. We know that the song comes from a personal place as he feels every word he sings so I tried to make an edit that reflects this. Hope you enjoy it.
This Whataya Want From Me? edit of mine was meant to coincide with the celebrations for Adam's Grammy win for best male pop vocal. I can't help but wonder if his chances would have been better if the record production did more justice to his voice. After listening to so many renditions of the song and even though the sound quality is lower, I'd take a live version every time. The vocals have the edge with the extra dynamism that's not flattened by meddlesome production, and a raw vitality that comes from the buzz of singing to a live audience.
I've watched about 95% of all concerts from start to finish and this acoustic WWFM from the final stop at Club Nokia is my favourite. Why? Aptly, it's because of the vocals. Before we get to those though, there's banter at the start, where Adam's charm is at work and he gives us a glimpse as to what he would be like as an evil villain with his sadistic little laugh. I noticed that he started singing a little lop-sidedly with a wonky mouth at times towards the end of the tour, but nevertheless it's impossible not to fall for his gritty belts and soaring improvisations at the end. Amazing.
I've got the results of some crude polls taken by you. The one on the left was taken soon after the album was released and the one on the right taken soon after the end of the tour (where were you all for this one?!). I've only taken the songs included in both. The complete album poll included a total of 16 songs and the Glam Nation poll included a total of 20 songs including some classics, which may explain why overall percentages have generally declined. Users were allowed to select multiple answers.
It's not the most scientific study (especially as participation was fairly low on 2nd poll), but if we compare the percentages, I think it's an indicator of a number of things:
Song's ability to stand the test of time
Difference between album production and live experience
Comparison of different arrangements
Results
Contrary to my opinion above, WWFM, the song whose sound Adam wants to base his second album around, has suffered a significant drop between polls. It could be that the acoustic arrangement performed on the tour is less popular than the original (I'm doubtful of this because of the popularity of acoustic Aftermath), but I'm inclined to believe that fans have become tired of hearing the song. I don't think it bodes well if he decides to continue down this route.
The biggest loss has been from Music Again, which has continued with the same arrangement. I think it has suffered from its change in order too, from being the album opener to one near the end of the set. Performance-wise, it had a lot of energy but there was little that stood out or made us keep tuning in to see what Adam would do differently each time. Without any tricks, the popularity of this OTT song has fallen so I think the decision to include "Less rhinestones, more leather" is a good call on Adam's part.
FYE and Broken Open have also suffered considerable drops and I think their results were partially due to their scarcity. FYE had a different arrangement which I feel was lacking in melody and punch, and was also buried within a medley which didn't help. Broken Open came in two different varieties during Glam Nation. In its initial form at the start of the tour it seemed too long and sleepy, sucking the life out of the set. It later re-appeared with an acoustic arrangement. There are too many differing factors to conclusively explain why they fell in popularity.
DTRH has held steady, but SFW and Strut with the same arrangements have fallen a little in popularity. As well as the dilution effect of more songs in the second poll, I think this is due to their attention-lull position in the set after a long interlude. They tended to go by in a blur, maybe because they're not the strongest of songs.
On the positive side, the biggest gain has been from Aftermath, which was our least favourite on the album (and I reckon one of Adam's too, who describes it as "Heartland, adult contemporary rock" and admits to always having heard it as a dance-pop anthem), but its debut on the tour through an acoustic re-arrangement has become one of the highlights. I think the acoustic version is better placed to showcase his vocals and sheds the outdated feel of the original. It'll be interesting to see how its message will be received after being re-packaged as dance-pop.
And now we come to arguably the most important part for deciding future direction - the songs that have scored consistently high. For a song to achieve lasting success, it needs to be well-written to stand the test of time, and Adam needs to be able to perform it well live. I think the latter contributed to FYE not taking off - the key is too low for him.
Fever was on top by some margin in both polls. I'm sure the kissing antics made a significant contribution to the Glam Nation poll but nevertheless, it's a superb disco-dance-pop song. Catchy but evidently not annoying because we still love this arrangement, it has an addictive bassline hook and oozes sass. And we know Adam does wonders with it live. It's just a shame it hasn't been released as a single.
IIHY has had an appreciable increase after already scoring well on the album. The live performances were less dance-pop, and being the last song incorporated the band and dancer introductions to keep up interest. The audiences were also very familiar with it, generating a lively atmosphere. Its success is down to both the quality of the song and the interactive live performances.
Sleepwalker still has the same arrangement so seems to have stood the test of time as a well-written song. It's atmospheric and engaging but it's Adam's voice that really makes this. The live performances have been electrifying, leaving audiences in awe.
Soaked is another song which puts the focus on the voice. Both the aggressive original and the gentler tour instrumentals take a back seat for a timelessly rousing experience.
So how do the results of these opinions fit in with what we know about the second album so far?
The results show no predilection towards songs that Adam was involved in writing but that shouldn't discourage him, especially as two of the top performers are songs that had been written by established artists some time ago and had already made it to the demo stage. I think there was a lot of promise shown on the album and with more time in which to perfect the songs, the results could be impressive.
"Personal and honest" immediately translates as self-absorbed and serious, even soppy to me, so it rings a few alarm bells. I hope Adam avoids extolling the virtues of love or getting emotionally over-indulgent with the dark. At times during the tour, the way he worked backwards to fit the set neatly into an unnecessary box labelled "Love" made me cringe a bit. It's like he tried too hard to create a flowing theme out of the material so the result felt rather crude and inelegant. When he was explaining it to the audience, it seemed like he was also trying to convince himself at the same time. It's probably a result of having followed everything too closely but I'm afraid to say that for me, it missed the mark and felt contrived. But that is a niggle over how he tried to find a common theme to link the set, not his songwriting, which I believe won't follow that style. I'm not a fan of the direct and overt like Aftermath and WWFM when it comes to emotional songs. I prefer something a bit more oblique, leaving the listeners with something to interpret.
To know that the production will do more justice to Adam's voice must be music to our ears. Since I prefer the live recordings, I hope they'll leave it well alone this time round.
With the the decline of MA, it looks like time's up for glam rock, but should we really be swapping rhinestones for leather? I'd say the top songs are a mix of clubwear and leather. We can group them into two categories. One is dance-pop with a strong melody, a driving bassline and a rock edge, the other is big vocally-driven dramatic power-ballads. Adam seems to counter-intuitively be wanting to back away from camp favourite Fever. Could it be the wrong decision to ignore the former to focus on the latter? Let's not forget that the poll was taken by fans and one of the aims is to win over new ones. My guess is this second album is geared towards the US market where WWFM did better than IIHY and Fever was deemed unsuitable for release as a single.
So what's the point of this post? Well I've learned recently that Adam is more easily influenced by fans than I expected, from an interview where he said he kept kissing Tommy because he thought it was what we wanted, to the social media summit where he said he has used ideas from fans. It's evident from his recent blog post that he's interested in our opinions and we know he lurks a lot around this fandom, so I thought it might be useful to do a bit of market research for him using stats. Also, maybe now is a good time to express our opinions when the second album is still in its embryonic stages. Please help out by completing and sharing these simple polls:
What type of music do you think Adam should record for his second album?
If achieving commercial success were not an issue, would your choice be different? If so, ideally what type of music would you like to hear from him?
WHAT DO I WANT?
I prefer the bonus tracks on the last album so wasn't keen when Adam said he'd be basing the next album on the safe pop-rock sound of WWFM. I'm hoping to see him push things, be more adventurous, experiment a little, but I also understand the need to turn in a profit so he's better placed to do this in future. There has always and will always be this balancing act between artistic integrity and commercial success. He's managed it quite well so far and I expect it to continue.
If I could decide what to have on the second album I'd have a funk-rock core, especially after having been teased by a few licks from Monte during the tour. I'd put some soulful vocals on top of it, and to add variety but keep it cohesive, there'd be elements of acid jazz, electrofunk and disco thrown in. The lyrics would be witty and have a little humour in them. The voice would take centre stage and there'd be a stripped-down jazz/blues track or two just to kill a few people. And there'd be a crazy-as-fuck bonus track that I don't even have the imagination to describe.
Adam thought that on his first album he tried too hard to stamp his identity, but could it be that on this second album he'll try too hard to please the masses? Something that one of the AI mentors said comes to mind and that is the aim shouldn't be to make music that's popular, but to make music that you like and work on it so that it becomes popular. Even though this whole post has been about what we want, ultimately I don't want Adam to over-think things and pander to what he thinks other people want, but to follow his musical instincts. The advice I'd give to him comes from his own mouth and is the reason why he has won over so many of us in such a big way. That is to stick to his promise of surprising us and to stay ahead of the curve, giving us what we didn't know we wanted.
We've been waiting for this for what seems like the beginning of time. Even before the start of the tour we all wanted a DVD with professional quality sound and video. Now we finally get to see the previews on Adam's Vevo channel. So far we have Fever and WWFM from the concert in Indianapolis:
I'm thrilled to be getting a clean audio recording, but after having spent so long tarting up videos to try to see Adam better, I can help but feel left wanting. I guess I have to blame Adam, for not realising how compelling he is to watch and how a hardcore fan such as myself wants to do it without such impediments as obstructing objects, shaky camerawork, frustratingly epileptic editing and wide-angle shots where he looks miniscule. I'll concede that the wide-angle shots suit some of the Fever choreography but I'm a bit disappointed with the lack of close-ups for WWFM where I want to see his facial expressions emoting the lyrics. On the plus side, I love the performers' view shots from the back of the stage which give me butterflies. Not to mention the surreal feeling of needing to pinch oneself walking out on stage in Adam's boots, performing in front of full house after full house on his sell-out maiden tour. What do you think of it? I guess I won't be retiring from editing videos quite yet.
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.
For the penultimate stop of Glam Nation, Adam returns home, sporting a massive glittery cockatoo hairdo. I'd been quite excited about this homecoming gig surrounded by all his friends. Here are my picks:
At the start of Fever there's a bit of tit-for-tat sparring with Tommy before the kiss. There's a little extra banter at the start of WWFM as a toy is thrown onto the stage. Adam likens it to the Flintstones' Bambam and with a raised eyebrow, tells us how he already put a bone in Tommy's hair. It's the electric version which has Adam walking around the stage, giving it a different energy. I'm grateful that the LA audience has discovered the advantages of shutting up for Soaked. I'd guessed that Alisan might be joining Adam for Aftermath and she looks tiny next to him. She sings mainly backing harmonies and from what I can tell from the recording, it works most of the time. It's interesting to see how similar their gestures are when they sing, mirroring each others' body language. They both have fun with it and that glory note gives me goosebumps.
Adam returns for SFW wearing a shirt under his jumpsuit. The random moment of the night sees a very leggy blonde drag queen "Raja" (Sutan) bring on Adam's coat and cane for Strut. At the start of IIHY, Adam explains the full-circle moment of having performed at this venue and met Monte exactly 6 years ago to the day. The hug they share is heartwarming. A showering of confetti adds a little magic to the performance. Adam seems to wait for a long time for Tommy to get out of the way so he can ascend the steps for the encore. There is a speech sprinkled with expletives as explains how ACIGC was Monte's suggestion. To the sound of a Citizen Vein "Circle" riff, he explains that this is the second lap of the full circle, the first one being the AI final. He talks about the political significance of the song and about getting knocked back along his journey then beams with pride about the success of his tour and his Grammy nomination. He gives a superb and moving rendition. There is a bonus TCB encore where he dresses Tommy in a boa and gets down. Those floor notes! How can he make those sounds in such a position? They are a marvel beyond belief and there is no better way to finish off a brilliant concert.
Monte had been teasing us with those Enter Sandman riffs during the band intros for a long time so we finally got to see the full version on the special occasion of Tommy's birthday. It hasn't been repeated since. I'm afraid the quality of the source videos aren't great and the strobe lights played havoc with the cameras but I did the best I could. Here's my latest edit:
Adam with a wayward tuft of hair explains that it's one of Tommy's favourite songs and admits to not knowing all the lyrics. We get the cutest giggle just after he says it's going to be karaoke and asks us not to judge him. He performs the verses on his knees while reading the lyrics off pieces of paper stuck to the floor. Getting very frisky with the mic, he probably kills off all the fans in his firing line. Tommy gets a special birthday smooch, long and sloppy which he no doubt enjoys as he leans in, leg rising up to stop himself from getting swept off his feet. The thing that I love most about this performance is we get to hear a different side of Adam's voice that's more in line with his old Citizen Vein material with a much harder and heavier sound. His voice has added grit like a cutting Axl Rose wail and it's effortlessly powerful. In contrast to the Metallica growl, it's also surprisingly mellifluous and bright like a beacon, carrying a seemingly impossible amount of melody.
A Glam Nation virgin up until then, this was the concert that exploded my cherry. Before I start, I'd like to send a huge shout out to Legers and Zyrogoth, whose kindness and generosity made it possible. Thank you.
I managed to rush back after a hectic weekend, but on the morning of the concert, I woke up with a sore throat, loaded nose, congested head and the shivers. I debated whether I should risk making myself feel like death by waiting outside in horrid sub-zero temperatures, the coldest spell in years, but you can guess which voice won that debate in record time. I'd never done much queueing for gigs nor been to any alone, so in making the conscious decision to brave the arctic conditions for six hours, I was shocked by what a rabid fucking cray I'd become. But as soon as I reached the venue with my crystal glove (just in case), small queues of even more rabid fucking crays gave me plenty of reassurance regarding my sanity. Hooray for rabid fucking crays! (I can't believe I just wrote that.)
The majority of fans were female of various ages. Some who I thought must've been northerners wore very little and shivered in the name of glam, others resigned to standing in the most un-glam of black bin liners to try to stay warm. I'm not sure Adam would've approved. There were four different queues in total, where fans exchanged tales of how we fell for Adam, our encounters, concerts, favourite performances and songs, counting the hours down together, even bursting into song. There was a familiarity in the way that we eased into discussions, freely gushing. The affinity between complete strangers with a shared passion was very apparent, the warmth of kindness and chatter taking the edge off the icy weather.
It wasn't all rainbows though, as the cynic in me felt there were ulterior motives too. Little cliques formed, making it easier to keep track of people moving where they shouldn't and tugging on their consciences. I sensed an underlying steely determination and when it boiled down to it, everyone was for themselves. The cold was unbearable and unfortunately it brought out the worst in some. I got further from the front as people had been saving places for others who turned up last-minute, and others who just pushed in. I couldn't summon my inner Bitchy McBastard to complain because getting into an argument would've left a bad feeling hanging over me. Queue-jumpers, you know who you are and you should hang your ugly heads in shame. I'll remind you that for every queue placed jumped, a kitten gets throttled.
I'd taken a gamble to try to get up close as I'd already watched my last concert from the back of the room. When I finally got in, my heart sank because I realised I got shafted by the extra O2 priority queue and the extra Paris VIPs. Even after a six hour wait, I only managed to get into something like the tenth row, sardines squashed against me from all sides and too many heads in front. Faint and you'd still be standing. The result was not worth the endurance test. You had to hope you didn't drop anything as the chance of retrieving it without simulating oral sex with your neighbouring sardine was precisely zero. There was also no point spending time on my appearance as everything turned into a mess after the eye-watering cold. In fact it was so cold I kept most of my layers on. Not that anyone would've been able to see what I was wearing anyway. It's the only time wished I were a yeti with hygiene issues. A brick shithouse build, hairy coat and no one wanting to be within a metre of me would've been ideal.
The warm-up act were very enthusiastic and tried to get the crowd going but they weren't really my cup of tea. In the gap between bands, people shared glitter and glowsticks. The projector guy discovered that when a picture of Adam was shown, the crowd would scream so he started fucking with us by flashing the pictures, amused by the textbook Pavlovian response each time. As the time drew nearer, people started stamping their feet and chanting his name in eager anticipation.
When Adam came on, necks elongated, arms flung into the air and the temperature suddenly rose. I wish that on low stages, Adam would stay close to the front so the angle allows more visibility. I was frustrated by the lack of lighting, and the peacock feathers, arms and cameras obstructed my view. Since I couldn't beat them, I decided to join them with my camera doubling up as a periscope. I couldn't even hear the start of Voodoo through the screaming so missed the first few seconds.
I'd been used to seeing Adam in two dimensions, so seeing him in three was enthralling. His strong other-worldly presence left me awestruck and I felt more than ever that he inhabited a different plane of existence. Everything about him was amplified and much more accentuated. He was bigger, taller, brighter, glitterier, more radiant, more animated and more dramatic than any video can convey. I remember looking on in fascination at his mouth, how big it became and how thick his tongue was as he wailed through RoF. I was a little surprised by how long his hair had grown. It didn't look too healthy and his makeup seemed to be excessive, leaning towards drag but I appreciated its benefit to those at the back of the room who received that heart-stopping moment of eye contact as he scanned the audience. His movements were huge but graceful and sharp. Sometimes it was too much for me and I wanted him to stand still so I could take my time to look at and study his appearance. I wanted to touch him to see if he was real but he was out of my reach in every sense.
Fever started with toreador Adam squaring up to Tommy before going in for the kill. I couldn't hear his voice very clearly during much of the song but it was more than compensated for by those bonus riffs and stratospheric high notes. It turned out that every time he hit one, I gasped and felt a rush rise up and the crowd responded by screaming. I was thrilled that his voice was on top form and as so often happens on the last night of consecutive gigs, he went for it. The surprise ending was magnificent and my fellow sardines, equally amazed, turned to each other as if needing confirmation of what just happened.
I couldn't see much of the dancers during the interlude, I just remember Terrance who I'd describe as beautifully big and round, moving very fluidly. There was an extended intro to Sleepwalker which sounded great. We were all very excited, wondering if it was intentional and whether any surprises awaited. The images of the stone angel and lightning stayed up for a while before Adam came on but without drifting down the steps and without the long sweeping overcoat. I think the coat adds quite a lot to the performance, completing the image of the tortured lone comic-book hero so I missed it. He explained about the sound difficulties and when he spoke there was a strange effect. He sounded really high, lacking in depth and richness. Something wasn't quite right with the sound but it was eventually corrected.
He was very relaxed and uninhibited when it came to the banter at the start of WWFM, potty-mouthed and swearing freely as he spoke about the sound issues and how he considered this to be the last show of the tour. We sang along but it was over so quickly. Sometimes I think it's better that we don't know the lyrics off by heart so we don't sing over Adam. I felt this especially during Soaked, a spine-tingling version where the crowd was mercifully quiet for much of it but unfortunately a whistle opened the floodgates. I appreciated the effort Adam made in using Brit English when he talked about being "pissed drunk". My reflex was he was saying it wrong by following it with "drunk" but later realised he was clarifying it for large number of non-Brits present.
I didn't see Aftermath. He was too far back from the front of the stage and there weren't enough gaps between heads, so to watch it I had to follow the many camera-periscopes. The videos were the first I saw of it. The whole venue was once again united in song and I was surprised at preferring the sweeter tone of his voice here to that of the powerful Soaked. Much of SFW was done away from the front of the stage so I watched the lasers, jumping and fist-pumping with the rest of the room. Adam shouted something in a high voice loaded with impatience which I assumed was aimed at the sound engineer. His voice was a little drowned out during Strut but I loved the stompy bassline so just danced (i.e. shuffled on the spot because that was the only thing possible). The ending was unusual because he missed out all the "Strut for me..." but it was another stellar vocal. As I couldn't see much, I decided to film MA as it's one that's often missing. The crowd went wild when he used Tommy as his plaything. The ear-piercing screams got louder as the night progressed. IIHY was one of the most enjoyable performances as I gave up trying to see, just enjoyed the buzz, jumping about and singing with abandon. There was a massive note just before the dancer intros that we all went crazy for and I was grateful he stood on top of the plinths for some of the time. He really went for it at the end so I was entertaining thoughts of a bonus encore.
I was happy after hearing the opening chords of TCB that we didn't get MW. It was an electrifying performance which involved some titillating tongue-tickling with Tommy. I tried my best to tiptoe that little bit higher to see Floorbert but my frostbitten legs still hadn't completely thawed out. My joy fell by a few notches when it struck me that the concert was finished as the band relinquished their instruments to leave. Damn my fucking sore throat which stopped me making enough noise to help us get a double encore! I thought during the course of the evening that we might as it was the last one, Adam was cheekily unfiltered and the atmosphere was awesome. I was dearly hoping for WLL but perhaps the sound issues had already ruled it out. Time had whizzed by and the end seemed so abrupt. The crowd scarpered to the barricades but by the time I got there it was already about six deep. The reunification of gloves would not be happening this time.
For me, the highlight of the concert was that extraordinary marvel of a voice, so in that respect, it was the best I'd heard in a long time. Fever — usually one for visuals — showcased it to staggering effect. Whenever a superhuman high note was hit, mouths were agape in astonishment. But it wasn't all about the glory notes as I really came to appreciate the stunning soft timbre of the more subtle performances, soothing and caressing. I feel thankful to have experienced Glam Nation as I know that the scramble to see Adam in future will only get more challenging. I wrongly thought there'd be a fair chance of seeing Adam up close if I got there six hours early. It was the closest I'd been but the effort was wasted as I would've had a better view from the back of the room. A week later I'm still ill so unless guaranteed a place in the first couple of rows, I'll never put myself through queueing that long again. But the things we do for Adam never stop surprising us. Feel free to taunt me with that statement the next time Adam returns for a concert.
Aftermath is a particularly pretty one and the quality of the recording is excellent. The shuffle dance at the start of Strut is well worth watching and the set finishes with a MW encore. Here are my picks:
Adam gives a mischievous look out to the audience before hungrily going for Tommy during Fever. At the start of Aftermath, he teases the audience by pretending to strip, telling them he'll do it later in the show because "This is the fucking sensitive part". SFW is an explosion of energy with some of the most impressive vocals yet and the highest "Where did all the pretty boys go?" you're ever likely to hear. He licks his cane at the start of Strut and continues in a very playful manner throughout MA. Don't miss the banter at the start of the band intro as he tells us there are loads of "Cute fucking boys" and enquires about which team they bat for. Maybe that's the reason he's so excitable. He gives a nod to all the straight guys in the audience and the ladies too before introducing the band and pretending to spit and lubricate Tommy's bass. So naughty! The Brooke dance is a cute one as he calls her a snake charmer and does a funny little jig. The encore is TCB finishing with a stripper-move and some floor love.
It's now time to play catch-up after my time away so here's my selection of the best videos from the opening concert in the UK. Adam plays around with the vocal during an impressive Fever and Broken Open still hasn't returned to the set list. It's a tiny venue devoid of any steps which is particularly noticeable during Aftermath. The encore is MW.
This is a bit of a strange concert where Adam doesn't change into his jumpsuit after the acoustic section, nor does he sing MA. The encore is an orally and a crotchularly fixated TCB. Here are my picks:
I'm afraid that this is only going to be a video dump as I'm still plagued with internet problems preventing me from watching them. The encore is MW which makes its return after what seems like a very long time. One thing I notice here is Adam's make-up which is a little too thick, giving him Groucho Marx eyebrows. Here are my picks:
Just so I can try to keep on top of the tour, here are my video picks for Vienna. I haven't watched all the videos yet, but Adam has a moment of lyric fail and forgets them at the start of Fever as he's about to kiss Tommy. The encore is TCB. I wonder how the audience feels about this after the heady heights of recent encores. Maybe we're all still recovering.
I'm afraid my internet has prevented me from watching all of this concert so the only performance I've managed to watch is the encore. FUCKING HELL! We had Paris and thought that was incredible, we had Cologne which was unbelievably better and now this. How he manages to keep upping it is beyond comprehension and with each concert, there's a new video edit that's jumped to the top of my 'To do' list. Here are my picks:
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. 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 hypotic and could be the perfect trippy soundtrack to a den of debauchery. 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 blaying 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.
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 makes Adam 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.
The opening chords of Voodoo often come entwined with a spinetingling moment as the dramatic silhouette of Adam against a full moon heralds the beginning of an excitedly anticipated set. This one is my favourite from Glam Nation for going that extra mile through the costume additions. Not only does he have the voodoo staff but the creepy troupe hide mysteriously behind their elaborate masks. Much attention to detail is paid through the snaky Brooke, creeping Sasha, marionette Taylor and undead Terrance choreography. The way that witch doctor Adam uses his voice at times is quite ghostly, seducing you into a trance at your pleasure and peril.
