I don't post very often, but feel that I should share my wonderful Detroit experiences with all of you.
I have so enjoyed all of the recaps, observations, artwork, pictures, music education etc on this site, that I also want to say thank you to all of our regular posters too.
For some background, I have been an Adam fan since "mama." I love his voice. Love his character. Love his look. Love his journey. Love his causes. Love his collaboration with Queen. Love, love, love his voice. (All begins and ends with his incredible voice.)
I have been to 3 GNT concerts as well as Fantasy Springs and his show in Oklahoma on New Years Eve 2013. Each have been special, but last night was the best experience yet. I flew to Detroit and met up with my sister and Aunt. They are more casual Adam fans and less so Queen fans. We always have fun together and last night we had a blast.
While waiting for our ride to the Palace, we met a physician on staff at Ohio State. He was definitely a Queen fan, having been to a Queen workshop (?) in England in the 80's. He has been following the tour and was also looking forward to seeing Adam + Queen together. I hope to get his reaction to the show soon.
Most of the fans I saw were there for Queen. For some reason, my sister and Aunt were expecting more of an eccentric crowd and commented on how normal we all looked. (?) Most were adults, with some teens present. There were a lot of vintage Queen concert t-shirts worn.
We had great seats on the side (section 114.) The couple next to me were probably in their 60s and the wife was an Adam fan, having seen him 3 times before. She was also not physically well and her husband was clearly with her to help her physically and emotionally. She was very happy during the concert, and with her husband's help, stood and clapped a few times. It was clearly a special event for her and it was also clear that Adam and Queen delivered.
Down the row from us was what I will describe as a Queen fan rocker dude-40ish, longer hair, head banging, fist pumping, hand clapping, singing, cheering, probably a musician kind of guy. When he was not doing all of the above, he was rocking against his chair, moving all of the seats in our row with him. He was a lot of fun to share a concert with and was obviously loving the whole show.
As has been described by many, nothing comes close to reproducing hearing Adam's voice live. What an experience! I feel so fortunate to have heard him sing all of the song in the set, but especially Who Wants to Live Forever and The Show Must Go On. What a gift that man has!
Other observations, Brian May was omnipresent. Only briefly was he not on stage playing. His playing was sublime and I enjoyed every moment of it. ( My Aunt, on the other hand thought the solo was way too long.) He was clearly moved by the standing O during his solo piece and I was so proud to be a part of the cheering crowd at that moment.
Adam was clearly having more fun and is more confident on stage. His banter is closer to his heart and feels more genuine. He can make fun of himself and seems more relaxed. It draws you in more and is more comfortable and fun to watch.
The crowd's response seemed more subdued and I wonder if was because the show was so loud that the crowd noise seemed soft in comparison. Maybe it was the venue, or maybe it was just my aging hearing playing tricks on me again. (I'm 50, so not too old, I hope.)
The love the band has for each other is so great to see. They we were having so much fun performing together and were clearly appreciating and savoring the experience. Often at concerts, the lead singer will say how much they appreciate the fans, but rarely (if ever, in my experience) does the whole band emote so much joy and appreciation. This, the talent on display and the song are what catapults this concert way above all others in my book. I consider myself very fortunate.
Afterwards, all that we talked to said what a great concert it was. I still get the impression that many are still shy or reluctant to admit that they loved Adam. Oh well. His voice and all that is Adam will continue to shine and make converts out of all of us all eventually.
