Bias Alert!!!!! I am Glambert #977. I jumped on the Adam mania bus right after he burned me with ‘The Ring of Fire’ and I haven’t gotten off since. I am sorry in advance if this is a little long, but I hope it is amusing.
A little background’ ¦. I have watched American Idol since the top 10 of Season 1. I have even actually voted for Kellie, Clay, and David, but I had never seen anyone on AI that knocked my socks off and took my breath away like Adam. He’s audacious, fun and wrapped in sexy. Talk about bringing sexy back, plus’ ¦ he is supremely talented. IMHO, he’s the best performer/singer EVER on Idol.
Since I have an overwhelming fascination/obsession with Adam coupled with a house full of males (a 46 year old husband, a 20 year son occasionally back from college and my snarky, Mom’s always wrong 17 yr. old) that are bewildered and bemused about my Adamiction, the only creatures I was able to share my fandom with were the Adam fans on the AI site and my female dog. I soon did things I didn’t think I would ever do like buy an IPod and download all of Adam’s songs and actually post on the AI website. I am a dispassionate lurker most of the time, but I have learned that I am anything but dispassionate about Adam.
My bemused husband decided if he couldn’t ignore my obsession then he could at least use it to his advantage so he bought AI concert tickets for Madison as a joint birthday/anniversary present. My husband knows me very well and divided the day into anniversary dinner/ birthday concert/ with more anniversary celebrating afterward. We’re from Iowa and had never been to Madison, Wisconsin before. So far I loved it and dinner before the show was magical with incredible views of Lake Monona.
Fortunately more magic occurred during the concert. We got there early because my husband promised me whatever souvenir I wanted. He kept pushing an Adam shirt, but they put Adam on a dark grey shirt and gave him white eyes. Since I couldn’t see the shirt well I asked if Adam has blue eyes on the shirt. The woman calmly asked, ‘Oh, does he have blue eyes?’ I’m thinking, ‘WHAT! How can someone selling AI stuff know so little about what she is selling!!!! I promptly corrected her and declined the shirt even when my husband insisted. Adam has BLUE eyes, not white! I did pick up a program though and that made me happy.
When we got to our seats, the only other person in our row was a woman right next to us. After returning from the bathroom, I casually asked her who she was here for. She shyly said she was an Adam fan that had seen him in Minneapolis and had to see him perform again. Finally, I had a real person to get all fangirly with! I promptly ignored my husband as I Adam-bonded with this lady. (I never did get her name). She was as knowledgeable as I about all things Adam. We talked about websites and internet groups we belong to and after awhile she felt we were akin enough to pull out ‘the’ picture she was going to try to get Adam to sign after the concert. I had seen the picture on the internet and I was taken by it then, but she had enlarged the image on professional grade paper and OMG ADAM was so HOT! I was sucked into Lambertland by the intensity of his come hither gaze and almost lost the ability to breathe! I momentarily believed that he wanted me and boy if I could have crawled into that picture I was his! I almost compulsively took the picture, but I reluctantly gave it back. I couldn’t really keep a picture like that anywhere near me at home. I would never leave Lambertland and my husband would become a widow. I couldn’t bear to leave my near grown children motherless so I shook my head clear, took some deep breaths and returned to the Alliant Center. It’s a good thing, too, since the concert was about to begin.
Since this was Wisconsin, I was surrounded by Danny fans, but that was ok, even though the guy behind me asked me if I was one of ‘those’ . I assumed he was talking about being an Adamaniac so I just had to flash him my shirt with a huge peace sign made of zippers with my glambert number proudly displayed. (Aw’ ¦memories of zipper pants!) I didn’t mind being an adam island with my new friend and my impartial husband.
When the concert started, I thought Michael Sarver came out and did a great job. He has the hard job of coming out and pumping up the audience and I think he did that with his easy-going good naturedness. He at least got most of us on our feet and sounded better than I expected.
Unfortunately, Megan couldn’t sustain the excitement. She did ok for the first song, but the second song she seemed a lot more tentative and unsure. As her confidence ebbed, so did the energy in the audience and most of us sat down.
I thought Scott did a good job and had a smooth, mellow voice. Up until that point, he seemed the most natural on stage and my husband really appreciated his humor even though his British accent was ‘terrible’ .
Lil’s voice quality was good, but I kept looking around at the people around me during her set. She just wasn’t holding my attention. I did notice the guy in front of me putting his arms around his date/wife and slyly stroking her lady lumps. That was definitely interesting, but slightly voyeuristic so I returned to Lil. I still wasn’t feeling it, but when she said she was choreographed on Single Ladies, I kept looking for the cool dance moves. I didn’t see any. On top of that, her vocals were muddy. The best thing about the last song was the words on the screen behind her. It kept me distracted from the performance and at least partially interested me in seeking out how Beyonce made this song a hit.
Anoooop came on next. Anoop really can sing, it’s just I wasn’t connecting emotionally with him. ‘You Were Always On My Mind’ was beautiful, but I found myself comparing it to Willie Nelson’s poignant version and found it wanting. For that song I needed to feel it, but I wasn’t connected. Anoop did redeem himself for ‘My Perogative’ It rocked and he got the stadium back on their feet. The energy returned.
The energy only intensified when Matt came on. His ‘Hard to Handle’ was hot! He was by far the best vocally and most entertaining so far in the concert. Not only can he play, but he was playful and that helped enhance the positive energy of the concert. It’s sad that he hasn’t been signed yet. He’s a good pianist, good vocalist, good performer, a funny friend and has Adam’s approval. What’s not to like?
I was looking forward to Scott and Matt’s dueling piano song, but I missed most of it! When Lil and Megan began caterwauling during their duet, I covered my ears and went to the bathroom to at least reduce the din. Unfortunately with my pants around my ankles I heard the beginnings of Billy Joel. I got back just in time to see them retreat into the floor. Crap! Michael came out and did karaoke Elvis. He sounded ok, but again I’m old enough to have actually seen Elvis perform this song live and he is no Elvis. The last group number was good, but I was having a hard time waiting for the second half so I was again a little distracted.
The best things about intermission were that I avoided the long lines in the bathroom and I got to get all fangirly with my new friend again. We giggled and talked all things Adam and AI. My poor husband! I didn’t feel too guilty, though, because I knew I’d be paying him anniversary attention after the concert even forgoing the meet and greet at the busses. Plus, for the first time ever I had a female afflicted with the same Adam mania as I. Of course, I had to use my limited time wisely and talk to her!
When Allison came on I was disappointed with ‘So What’ . I am a huge Pink fan and she only sang on the emphasized words during the second half of the song. I couldn’t understand why I could only hear her sing the words ‘Rock Star’ and ‘So What’ . I thought she wasn’t enunciating and the words were muddy, but when I looked at the concert again, she clearly wasn’t singing all the words. Was she just out of breath? I don’t know, but I think it clouded my opinion of the next song. Although in retrospect, ‘Cry Baby’ sounded great and I loved ‘Barracuda’ . She definitely will be a rock goddess some day. She has the talent, now she just needs to focus and gain some stamina.
When Danny arrived, he was flabbergasted by the rousing response and cheering. He was very good and I think he will do pretty well as a country artist. He has the earnest, aw shucks sincerity down pat and that translated well on the country songs. Unfortunately, I didn’t think he was convincing on the Latin based, ‘Maria, Maria’ , so I went to the bathroom upsetting the Gokey fan behind me. My logic was sound. I needed to go to the bathroom BEFORE Adam, and Kris, and I didn’t know how long it would take to get back to the hotel with all the traffic around the center. When I came back, Danny was awkwardly trying to dance and straddle the mike stand like Adam. He should work his strengths and not try to do the dance moves of others until he has a LOT more practice. It wasn’t right. He just doesn’t seem confident in his own talent and that is too bad. He’s not Adam and shouldn’t try to be. He has his own strengths. I just wish he would work those and respect his assets. While I know he was a song leader for his church, he should try to keep the inspiration to his singing. I had read that his inspirational speech was brief, but it sure didn’t feel brief. His speechlet went on and on and on and on…
Someone mentioned the blackout between artists severing the singer from his audience and none were hurt more by it than Danny. He was in his home state of Wisconsin and it didn’t seem that he got to draw any appreciation from his many fans before the stage blacked out and anticipation for Adam grew. Even my husband thought the applause was less for Danny than a response to excitement that was building for Adam. I appreciate all that anticipation for Adam like every other hot-blooded, swivel-hipped loving minion, but I think there needs to be time for every performer to hear his own applause and all the screaming and applause that should have acknowledged Danny’s performance was instead refocused on Adam.
Of course as a number wearing Glambert, it was a small thought shoved aside by my impending date with DESTINY!! The countdown began and the anticipation swelled and he burst onstage like a strike of lightening. He sounded as divine as he performed at least when I rewatched the video. Maybe it was my hearing getting blown out by all the screaming, but Adam sounded like he had inhaled helium at the beginning of ‘Starlight’ . ‘Whole Lotta Love’ was hot sex and that man can move! No wonder we didn’t get to see Adam below the waist when he performed on American Idol. I was screaming so loud that my husband swears that Adam looked straight at me. If so I missed it because somehow I was transported into Lambertland and became transfixed during ‘Whole Lotta Love’ . I fuzzily remember being mesmerized by ‘Starlight’ and entering Adam’s Mad World. I started swirling faster and faster into the Adam vortex by his rendition of ‘Change’ . By the time he wrapped up with ‘Let’s Dance’ , I was so enamored and enraptured that it was a jolt to pop back to earth. It was an amazing performance full of light and joy and that is saying something since I am blessed to be old enough to have seen both Elvis and Michael Jackson in concert. His performance really did live up to my lofty expectation. He truly is a star, brightly outshining all the other idol planets orbiting his greatness.
If Adam’s talent and showmanship is otherworldly, then the balance was righted with the earthly delights of Kris Allen. In many ways, I think this year has been more about the duo than the single winner. Kris seems to be yin to Adam’s yang. I wrote before that Adam is the most talented singer and performer American Idol has ever seen, but I also think Kris is American Idol’s best all-around musician. Again, the two balance each other. Kris Allen tethers Adam’s otherworldly performance and provides a worthy contrast. ‘Heartless’ was brilliant and so was the rest of his set. While it seems that I, like Icarus, prefer flying too close to the sun, there was relief in the intense musicianship of the cool, laid-back Kris Allen. The energy built up to a frenzy with Adam’s performance was released when Kris started. Like a young child bombarded by the constant excitement of Disney World, I was lulled back into comfort by the warmth and quality of Kris’s performance. It was different from Adam’s performance not worse. It allowed me to quietly land back on Earth and gave me time to admire Kris’s skill.
While I did not gush appreciation for every finalist, the concert was fun and unforgettable. I got to see my Yin/Yang Idols perform live setting the stage for brilliant careers. It was a perfect night, made even better by a remarkably quick, traffic-free trip back to the hotel. Thank You to all the performers who made the magic happen especially Adam and Kris. WoW!! Your futures’ are so bright, you gotta wear shades!
