12.12.13 Adam to perform @ LA Family Equality Council Awards

Here is a video of Adam at the Fontainbleau I had not seen posted.

youtu.be/nFrpsvf5rPU


I think "tour" may be too big a word for what they are likely to do.

Perhaps -- they are going to decide where and when to perform live again.

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I want to see Adam will Queen a few more times but I would not like Adam to tour with Queen. That will not help him achieve his goals of getting Top 40 radio airplay for HIS music. When he mentioned how thrilled he was to perform at iHeartRadio, I think that was as much about the audience (Clear Channel execs, PDs/MDs where everywhere) as it was about a high-profile performance with Queen.

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My dream is for Adam, Brian and Rodger to record something together.

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I am intrigued by this tweet question...

Dr. Brian May @drbrianmay
QUEEN meeting for us tomorrow. Some nice decisions to make. What does it mean to BE Queen ? Bri

Queen was as much about Brian and the band (how I saw them as a fan in the 70's) as it was about Freddie. It was like there were two forces that met and often created something new and brilliant. To me, it was that collision of theatricality and innovation (Freddie) and metal musicality (Brian) that made Queen.

I am not saying Adam is Freddie -- he is not -- but he does bring something new, theatrical and electric to the stage which was not there since Freddie died. And that newness is really interesting.

I listened to a lot of old Queen music over the past week -- and the two resonant elements were Freddie (his being, creativity, voice) and Brian's guitar.

So what does it mean to BE Queen? Brian, nailed it. It is a question fans have been debating since Freddie got ill.

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On a related matter, I listened to all of the Idol performances and to the iHeartRadio performance yesterday. The contrast was striking. See for yourself -- listen to Adam with Kiss (the part with the band) and then listen to Adam with Queen in Las Vegas on the rock numbers. He is learning how to modify his classical vocal style -- without losing it. And he has dropped the high, uncontrolled wail (those long high notes -- usually with the tongue out -- you know when he seemed like karaoke Liza Minellie -- mostly vanished during the Idol tour.)

It made me realize that the question of Adam vs. Freddie was actually a discussion about two different vocal styles -- classical vs. pop/rock. [WWTLF via Adam is classical, WWRY is rock]  Adam moved between the two styles at iHR Las Vegas, back on Idol (2009) he really stayed with classical techniques almost all the time. He was great then, he is better now.

There are many articles about the difference. [www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jul/28/can-opera-singers-sing-pop for example] but I found them unenlightening. I found some blogs more informative -- and this one I thought really got to difficulty of what rock vocalists do -- and how it is different.

This blog entry covers several singers, this part is about Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden on “The Number of the Beast” (1982)

The bolded, underlined part is what has not been in Adam's vocals. That freedom, intentional lack of control is what defined the metail rock vocal style. It has nothing to do with range or power or clarity. It is being total relaxed and surrendering to the performance, then taking control of the audience.

So while WWTLF delights Adam fans and people who love classical music, it is not something that would be of great interest to a classic metal fan (like the old-school Queen fans circa 70's). And yes, some people like me appreciate both.

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Note, let's not repeat the Adam vs. Freddie discussion -- that was already discussed to death. But I do have a question -- what is different about Adam live?

He was different in Pittsburgh and Delmar. He was more different in Miami.

All the video I have seen/heard from Miami was recorded close to the stage and is distorted -- but listen to Music Adam (around 15:00) and Purple Haze on this video (the last song) and can you hear it? He is vocally lose -- and he sounds different. (Ignore the distortion.)

youtu.be/6r_D_2LjsNs

I am still hopeful that someone have decent audio of this concert.

For comparison, here is Music Again from GNT -- totally theatrical, glam and the vocal style/technique is different.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxffgLmt4lE

BTW for anyone wanting an example of Tommy's weakness on guitar, listen to his guitar solo at 15:25. He is playing the notes in a very studied, percise way -- no emotion, no voice. Totally forgettable.  Then listen to Monte from GNT (around 2:22) while he is not my fav guitarist, the difference between the two is evident. Then listen to Adam and Brian May (on of the best rock guitarists ever). Then dream of Adam doing a duet with Eric Clapton. Now that would be something for the ages.

I was captivated by Adam almost 5 years ago.  I am awed at how much better he is now. I cannot imagine where he will be in 4 or 5 more years!

PS Adam did not break Idol, having just relistened to all the Adam parts including the judging from his season, they broke Idol when they did not resign Paula. She was the heart of that show. They were too stupid to see it. (And see loved Adam from day 1. )