2.29.16 Reviews of TOH Tour - Billboard AC, Moser Sands BEC
Feb 29, 2016 0:51:49 GMT -5
Post by Q3 on Feb 29, 2016 0:51:49 GMT -5
REVIEW: Adam Lambert at Sands Event Center shows he's changed -- for the better -- since "American Idol"
Adam Lambert at Sands Bethlehem Event Center on Sunday
Adam Lambert at Sands Bethlehem Event Center on Sunday (JOHN J. MOSER/The Morning Call)
John J. MoserJohn J. MoserContact Reporter
REVIEW: Adam Lambert at Sands Event Center shows he's changed -- for the better -- since "American Idol"
Near the end of his concert Sunday at Sands Bethlehem Event Center, singer Adam Lambert addressed the sold-out crowd of about 2,700.
“Don’t let anybody tell you what you can be,” Lambert said. “Tell you can’t do this, can’t do that.”
And yet, the reason Lambert’s concert was successful was precisely because he has changed – no longer the performer who emerged from his stint as runner-up on “American Idol” in 2009.
His singing was much more nuanced and controlled, his performance focused and intentional and his song choices coherent and almost uniformly good.
Much of that can be attributed to his new album, “The Original High,” released last June. Its songs are far more serious in subject and tone and its presentation consistent.
And Lambert performed eight of the disc’s 11 tracks, plus two bonus tracks that were among the best of the night (more about that later) in a 75-minute set that included 19 full or partial songs.
Adam Lambert at Sands Bethlehem Event Center on Sunday
Adam Lambert at Sands Bethlehem Event Center on Sunday (JOHN J. MOSER/The Morning Call)
He opened with a run of those songs, starting with one of the lesser offerings, “Evil in the Night,” before the slower, nuanced and echo-y, and very good “Ghost Town”; the boiling and churn-y “Underground” with his voice rising like steam; and the slower and intense “Rumors.”
The run was broken only by the title track from his 2009 debut disc “For Your Entertainment,” which he sang in a lower register, far more restrained than the provocateur who scorched the 2009 American Music Awards or even the flamboyant performer who headlined Bethlehem’s Musikfest that year in his last area appearance.
Adam Lambert at Sands Bethlehem Event Center on Sunday (JOHN J. MOSER/The Morning Call)
Even when he sang Tears For Fears’ “Mad World,” the tune that turned the tide for him on “Idol,” it was softened, and an even better performance because of it – though he hit a high note at the end.
That’s not to say Lambert didn’t put on a show. He came out in a black-and-gold space suit, his hair blown back and frosted again, and was dancing free-form as early as the third song.
He changed outfits twice – to a light suit before “After Hours,” one of those bonus tracks and one of the night’s best, as he simmered slower and more controlled – then to a wildly colored jacket and shorts, with high black boots, for the end of the show.
He did choreographed dancing on the theatrical medley of the new disc’s “The Light” and title track and “Never Close Our Eyes” from his 2012 sophomore disc “Trespassing,” though the disco-beat songs were less engaging.
He even repeatedly thrust his pelvis and grabbed his crotch – to huge screams – as he hit high notes during “Fever” late in the show.
But on those occasions when he went to the mat – such as his singing to a wildly gyrating female dancer on the new “Lucy” -- it was a natural part of the presentation, fitting the song, and his four-man band and two backup singers were always with him. No more screams or shock for shock’s sake.
And the slower, more intense moments were easily as good: a strongly sung and played version of his biggest hit, “Whataya Want From Me,” offered surprisingly early in the show, or just him at the mic on a dark stage singing “Another Lonely Night” as laser lights shone around him.
He closed with a run of David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” – nowhere near the gravity of Bowie’s, but an earnest tribute – and the new bonus track “These Boys,” which was nice, warm dance pop that worked well and even fittingly let him go over the top as he danced, seemingly having fun.
The main set ended with an energetic “If I Had You,” before an encore of the title track from “Trespassing,” which segued into and out of “Another One Bites the Dust” – a tribute to his touring with Queen in a move that had not only boosted his career, but in many ways redefined it.
“Seven years – can you believe it?” Lambert said at one point, referring to the time since “American Idol.”
“Sometimes it feels like yesterday, sometimes it feels like a lifetime ago.”
For the 35-year-old Lambert, the maturation since then has made him a better performer.
Copyright © 2016, The Morning Call
Link: www.trbimg.com/img-56d44f63/turbine/mc-20160229-002/400/400x225
Adam Lambert's Original High Tour: A 'Glambert Utopia' for Fans of the 'American Idol' Alum
2/28/2016 by Michele Amabile Angermiller
Adam Lambert performs at House of Blues Boston on Feb. 24, 2016.
Natasha Moustache/Getty Images
"This ain't 'American Idol,' bitches," the singer announced to fans in Atlantic City.
Even before Adam Lambert took the stage at Caesars Circus Maximus Theater in Atlantic City, Glam Nation was treated to a thumping remix of the star’s single “Better Than I Know Myself.” The excitement in the room amped up as a swirling light show of graphics spelling out his first name beckoned the arrival of Lambert -- dressed to the nines in a chic black ensemble paired with sparkly boots -- as he welcomed fans to his Original High tour.
“This ain't American Idol, bitches,” he declared with a smile. “This is my show.”
Since competing on the Fox show's eighth season, Lambert has had a career that many aspire to emulate -- Grammy nominations, No. 1 albums, sold-out tours, radio hits, a gig touring the world as the frontman for Queen, topping the Forbes list of top earning Idols, guest spots on Glee and Pretty Little Liars, and the list goes on and on (coming up: the role of Eddie in the TV production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show) -- and on Saturday night, he was living the dream in full Technicolor. Welcome to "Glambert Utopia," as he described it to an audience of all ages coming to celebrate his music and message of inclusion. “Being an idealist in the music industry is a little hard,” he told the crowd.
Opening in dramatic fashion with “Evil in the Night,” Lambert framed his arrival with the thumping artistry of “For Your Entertainment,” with special emphasis on the lyrics, “Do you like what you see?” This gave way nicely to an early inclusion of the hit “Ghost Town” before red lighting enveloped him for a mashup of “Underground” and “Rumors.”
Worth noting: a medley of songs that included “Chokehold” was not included in the set, nor was the Avicii EDM collab “Lay Me Down.” Whether Lambert is tightening up the show, or working with a casino curfew, was not clear.
Still, Lambert delivered nicely on his first radio smash “Whaddya Want From Me” and the rocker "Lucy," a major highlight of the set, which featured Queen guitarist Brian May on the album. Lambert delivers the song as if he's narrating a play -- beautifully orchestrated with a backup dancer portraying the character in the song. His chops as an actor and interpreter were clearly defined during that part of the show, which also featured a scorching solo by Adam Ross. No doubt it will get more epic as the tour progresses.
After a brief interlude, Lambert returned in a tapered white suit for a throwback to his Idol days: a pensive and brooding rendition of Tears for Fears’ “Mad World.”
For “Another Lonely Night,” the second single off of The Original High, Lambert was pierced in silver lighting, providing an almost angelic experience for the faithful. He followed it up with a medley of “The Light” and the album's title track.
In a show of appreciation to the late David Bowie, Lambert reprised a number he performed on Valentine's Day at the Clive Davis Pre-Grammy gala in Beverly Hills: the Nile Rodgers-produced “Let’s Dance.” Demonstrating his vocal range and showing off his own dance skills, it was another in a night-long run of triumphant moments.
For a finale, Lambert mashed the Lady Gaga-penned “Fever” with a joyous “These Boys” and kept the crowd on its feet for closer “Trespassing,” which he interspersed with Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust.” It was a fitting conclusion, seeing as the 34-year-old has melded his career to a beat of his choosing.
Link: www.billboard.com/articles/news/6890525/american-idol-adam-lambert-original-high-tour-glambert-utopia
The Original High Tour – North America
Tue, Mar 1, 8:00 PM, New Brunswick, NJ, State Theatre
Thu, Mar 3 7:00 PM New York, NY, Terminal 5
Sat, Mar 5 7:00 PM Washington, DC, Lincoln Theater
Sun, Mar 6 8:00 PM Charlotte, NC, Fillmore Charlotte
Tue, Mar 8 8:00 PM Atlanta, GA, Tabernacle
Thu, Mar 10 7:30 PM Nashville, TN, Ryman Auditorium
Sat, Mar 12 8:00 PM Hollywood, FL, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Sun, Mar 13 7:00 PM Orlando, FL, Universal Orlando Resort
Mon, Mar 14 8:00 PM Clearwater, FL, Ruth Eckerd Hall
Tue, Mar 22 7:00 PM Milwaukee, WI, The Pabst Theater
Wed, Mar 23 7:00 PM Chicago, IL, The Vic
Fri, Mar 25 7:00 PM Detroit, MI, The Fillmore Detroit
Sat, Mar 26 7:00 PM Mount Pleasant, MI, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort
Mon, Mar 28 7:00 PM Wichita, KS, The Cotillion
Wed, Mar 30 7:00 PM Denver, CO, Paramount Theatre
Fri, Apr 1 7:30 PM Las Vegas, NV, The Foundry at SLS
Sat, Apr 2 8:00 PM Los Angeles, CA, The Orpheum Theatre
Sun, Apr 3 8:00 PM Los Angeles, CA The Orpheum Theatre
Wed, Apr 13 the European leg of the tour begins.
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