9.20.13 iHeart Radio QAL Concert Thread

Freddie purists are softening? Awesome! Even they can't resist...

Re future collaborations: I am thinking that Adam would have to be very careful balancing his "Adam Lambert solo" and "QAL" image... overdoing the latter might be counterproductive to some extent... But we know he is on top of his image, so no worries here...

shoshanna stone ‏@shoshannastone 

“@lyndseyparker: Heyyyyyyy lookie who I saw at #iheartradio #nobigdeal Instagram.com/p/ejkoPQls4G/ ”

This is probably a dead thread so I will post this recap here but also in the news thread.  Sorry for the repetition.

Hi Guys

Well it’s time for my recap

Arrived Thursday late and Dancygeorgia was out at the “O” show and waltzed in around 1 AM. We slept in late which we both needed and headed over to the dinner at MGM with our fab Atop crew. I don’t think I would ever get tired of watching momtomany talk. I couldn’t hear her as the restaurant was so noisy but I didn’t need to. Her face is so expressive, open and loving that I got the gist of everything she said.

I headed to the nose bleed section but knew in advance that one of my very dear friend’s mom was an usher and it turned out she was working my section! No way?? Way! After about an hour, she turned up at my seat waving a ticket for a MUCH better location.

I didn’t know anyone around me so I was able to be lost in my own thoughts waiting for Adam. As you may know, BA (before Adam) I had stopped listening to any popular music (rock, pop, rap etc etc) for years. Why? First date with my husband was for an opera and it was classical music for him (and me) all the way. Too long to tell you why I turned on AI that fateful night but I did and here I am in Las Vegas at I Heart Radio. NO ONE that knows me well would have ever predicted this.

Tried to have an open mind and actually enjoyed a few of the acts - Elton John and Muse especially. I have warm thoughts about Katy since she is so supportive of Adam though the cotton candy gets to me. I have to say that Las Vegas knows how to get this stuff done. They were spot on in their timing and with one exception, their techie stuff.

I also want to say in reference to some of what created the furor on the list that more than one singer corrected their language when a swear word started to slip out. It was VERY clear that they had instructions to rein in it. It wasn’t wild child night at all - at least not until the next night when Miley showed up. But then she is a she and the double standard applies.

As the time for QAL approached, like several others, I found myself fluttery from excitement but also nerves. Somehow it felt the stakes were very high. I totally knew the level of Adam’s professionalism and Queen’s so there was no reason to feel that way but yet .....Diva’s......AMA.... something about those live broadcasts that are scary.

I couldn’t believe Queen opened with BoRap. Q3 said in all her years of listening to them, they NEVER started a performance with BoRap but it was a brilliant move. I spent half my flight over wondering what the hell they were going to open with. The medley from last summer was not going to be appropriate, WWRY - not an opener, not TSMGO like EMA’s - not familiar enough or upbeat enough for a starter on this occasion . I was racking my brains but the wily Brian and Roger had just the ticket. It brought the whole audience right in to the heart of the iconic sound of Queen.

Then I realized that it was going to be a snippet and so too the other songs. I don’t like snippets. They don’t give the opportunity to unfold the fullness of Queen’s textures. However, they pulled off the snippet thing admirably through the genius of the force of nature that is Adam Lambert - his voice, presence, charisma, movement, class - on and on. He was Queen - seamlessly integrated into the band. It felt very different than last summer. It was his rightful place - not an invitation to do a series of concerts. He was not so much “our boy Adam” but more like “you are the man”. Yet, he is still the individuated Adam Lambert - his own man, distinct and independent. Quite a feat to achieve.

NO ONE ELSE’S voice filled that arena with anything even approaching the richness, phrasing, breath support, velvet continuity of the musical line. It was like night and day. And it wasn’t just the voice. It was the whole enchilada. To say he was a class act was a complete understatement.

My breath stopped when WWTLF started. My mind went to Cassie and I heard her explain when and under what circumstances Adam will take that high note - how he has to know in his body in the moment that it is truly there. And I prayed! Very odd thing to do sitting in a Las Vegas concert but I did because I knew he was going to go for that note - the moment demanded it - the need for him to establish who he really is in these United State demanded it. And then there it was - absolutely perfect. I totally teared up.

To me, it was completely natural that he would leave the stage after that song. He did it for each of the six shows last summer and I found myself wondering whether in fact, he needed a short break - whether it was actually, I won’t say necessary, but better for him to have that little respite. That is a very demanding song - body, soul, emotions, vocals. Can’t really imagine him just bopping into another song right after. It felt right to have the guest come on just then. And he was a guest. That distinction was so clear. And Brian was so happy to promote another young artist. He loves that and Nate was so bouncy and adorable.

After I heard that Fun had tried to have Queen come to their Grammy performance, I actually was happy they did this instead. The selfish me, the grasping for Adam advantage me, didn’t want that to go to someone else. Of course I would rather see Adam on the Grammy stage doing his own music but if that is out of the question for another year, than I would like the door open for another route be it Nile or Queen and if Queen was on last year that would null them out. So for me, this was a small price to pay.

When Adam came back on for FBG, the distinction between “the man” and the guest was even sharper. I honestly couldn’t get over how natural Adam was in his front man role. Don’t get me wrong - he was unbelievable last summer. This is more a qualitative than quantitative difference. The aura was different. And it went on like that until the glorious end.

I too hung out to hear comments. I wound up in a conversation with a man of around 50 maybe who was FURIOUS. He came to hear Queen not knowing whether he would ever hear them live again and he was livid that they did get more time and had to cut their songs up so much. He also was livid that STL was not sung by Adam (not a Glambert by the way but someone who loves Queen and their music) He felt that song deserved Adam’s voice and style.

On the way out I saw radio crews interviewing concert goers and stopped and listened to a few of the interviews. When asked what was their favorite act, the four I heard all said Adam and Queen! One group had come over from London only to hear QAL. That impressed the radio crews!

The evening ended flailing with Atoppers, eating ice cream with Dancy and heading back late to our room. I had to get up for an early flight and I chucked when I realized as I was getting up at 5:30, Dancy was just rolling off the computer into bed having pulled an all nighter mesmerized by the list comments, pictures and reviews or totally involved in doing her audio magic for all of us to enjoy. She is a treasure and so generous in sharing her expert results.

As I winged home, my eyes were closed the whole time (very red and tired) but the head set was on and the glorious voice of Adam filled my heart and soul. I am forever a slave.

Nice review! Quick nitpick info for you Bo Rap also opened the infamous Live Aid for another snippet performance. Also there was a time when a taped opera section opened the show into the hard rocking section done live.

WWRY also has been used as well...Most of the times it's the fast version but there were times it started slow and then went into the fast version to open the show!

Finally snippets are never loved by fans but generally it's the best way to do these kind of general audience shows. Hit the hard, hit them quickly and bowl them over!