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Post by rihannsu on Aug 3, 2014 17:54:24 GMT -5
I've seen people talking about Adam's Tina Turner inspired moves but to me I see a good bit of James Brown coming out in his STL performances. On thing is certain, he's definitely "gettin' ugly on it" as they say. One of my pipe dreams has always been an awards show or charity performance with Aretha, or Patti LaBelle or maybe even Fantasia. He's the one male singer I can think of who could really go toe to toe with those ladies.
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Post by red panda on Aug 4, 2014 4:47:45 GMT -5
This is from BrianMaycom, got to it from ( this website) so I'm wondering if it is from the official Queen recordings? *still hoping for a DVD with footage from all those cameramen we saw in the videos* STL QAL 7/20/14 Merriweather Freddie Mercury STL vocals only Queen STL vocals only |
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Post by toramenor on Aug 5, 2014 6:43:46 GMT -5
Somebody to Love is my favourite Queen+Adam song (along with TSMGO). I love every version that Adam has performed, and I've already raved about it, but I'll try to give some structure to my raving here. First up was Chicago, and even though it was the first show, which meant no call-response or big Q-screen showing Adam's expressions (and only 1 twirl), it was still a fabulous performance! It set the tone for the Chicago show, it set the benchmark for the later STL performances as STBO(=something to build on), and even then you could hear the audiences responding to every inflection of voice, to every word and phrase that Adam sang beautifully. Plus, in the video below, I live for Brian's expressions during Adam's solo: Chicago www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp0aJN8jGOI#t=16In Toronto, he blew us all away with that 15-16 sec Looord, and in Montreal he showed off his flawless breathing technique in creating that pulse on Tooo. Toronto www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQAuooJ3V6c Montreal www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOl4Iym8j1cIn New Jersey, he really took us to Glam Rock Church, he was dancey, churchy, flirtey (I know that's not a word lol); I love how he acted during 'I keep losing my beat' and his expressions during the entire performance New Jersey www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GYZi8tOiOY |
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Post by red panda on Aug 5, 2014 11:28:40 GMT -5
Thanks all, for posting videos and comments. Have to say, I watch them all. And am amazed how, when we are concentrating on one song, how easy it is to see his creativity, his keeping it fresh. There actually is a lot of variance in the way he sings this song from venue to venue. Fun to see the breadth of his versatility and experience. And his just loving the whole thing. Joy boy, you are so present.
And also? That fringe? Those heels? I know I would have instantly found a way to wrap the fringe around the heels and pull my feet out from under myself. He is amazing how he gracefully he manages all that. And twirls! And stairs!
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Post by butterknife on Aug 5, 2014 11:53:48 GMT -5
【moving my post】 Somebody to Love @ the Palace, Detroit. www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQLYrJu5iF8#t=315"I got myself a snuggie. I felt good about myself." LOL I've always liked the part from 6:48 to 6:54. He sang it in a semi-classical way with such a huge support. When the notes slide from G#4 to A#4, such a treat to my ears. From 7:10, he sang" I got no common sense I got nobody left to believe" in one breath and immediately hit a powerful D#5 (I think). Damn. Then, from 8:13 to 8:24, he sustained the note for 11 seconds. Gradually added more vibratos. Damn. Starts at 9:14, his bluesy riffs kick in. I did not expect him to do what he did between 9:17 and 9:22. Oh, he finished with a F#5 (?), which was probably one of the most often hitting high notes at the ending by him on this tour. He really made this song Adam signature on the tour. Adding such complicated stuff to the vocals, and channeling Aretha Franklin a bit. Soooooo interesting and impressive. Actually it's kinda not fair to only pick one version of the song, cuz there are other good versions. This one along with the Forum and Mohegan I stand out to me: The Forum www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2mhpddByCY#t=74Actually the last line was also 12 seconds! Mohegan I www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiKzUR1Zz_I#t=274I like the change at 6:50. 7:14 - 7:25 He started out by singing G#4 and then the last 5 seconds he dropped to one octave down in a bluesy way! Then what about the one from 8:46 - 8:55 ! (My hearing might not be accurate. Sorry for any mistakes.) ---------------------------------------------------- The 16 seconds "Looooooooooooooooord" camp: ---------------------------------------------------- Toronto I Montreal Mohegan II Izod ---------------------------- ---------------------------------------- (My) Top 10 STL performances of his: ---------------------------------------- Mohegan I linkMohegan II linkIzod link
Atlantic City linkThe Forum linkDetroit linkMontreal linkWinnipeg linkToronto I link ? ---------------------------- |
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Post by cassie on Aug 6, 2014 20:50:06 GMT -5
Butterknife: What a great analysis of STL with multiple examples. Very in-depth and detailed. We are impressed with some of the same vocal acrobatics and interpretations, too.
A little background of music theory: The song, like ITLOTG, is in 3/4 time, like a waltz. It gives it that signature rolling beat. The song is written in Ab major. (Or, if you prefer, G# major, as butterknife refers to it. Both are correct. Ab and G# refer to the same note. To get more complicated is just for serious theory geeks.) Ab major is a perfect key for Adam's voice. In STL, the lowest note is Ab3, which is at the low end of Adam's tessitura, or the range of notes where his voice is most comfortable. He can, and does sing lower than that, but has less power and ring on those very low notes. Most of the song tops out at an Ab4 (the note he sustains for 16 seconds), which is at the top of his tessitura, or where a guy of his voice type would normally switch to head voice or even falsetto. I say "normally" because Adam is NOT normal in terms of range, tessitura and register. He can sing in full voice, combining the power of the chest voice with the purity and ring of the head voice way up to a G5 and even A5. But for comfort and ease, the Ab4 is naturally where his voice would break. This means he can easily sing the melody in this key.
Several places during the song he does sing higher, to be sure. He powers out several strong, full-voiced Eb5s (like when he sings "anybody find me YEAH!!!!") and of course, lands that heavenly pure, strong, ringing Eb5 head voice note for "somebody TOOOOOOOOOO". On the last riff, he often goes up to a Gb5 for one note. In all fairness, I have to say that on the last few nights, he didn't hit that note cleanly, but cracked on it a bit, meaning he IS human after all, and he may have been just a little tired vocally after over twenty shows in one month.
If you listen to the full-voiced Eb5s and compare them to the head voice Eb5, you will hear that he is incorporating a lot of head voice with the chest voice, and the notes sound very similar in power. The full-voiced just have a bit more guts or grit to them. But the head voice has amazing strength to it and doesn't sound at all like male falsetto, which is light and wimpy. Butterknife pointed out the performance where he oscillated the Eb5, pulsing it with breath support. A singer cannot do that in falsetto. It is tough in head voice. Very impressive.
Butterknife also mentioned a section that I particularly love, too. It is during the second verse, when Adam is praying on his knees on the staircase. When he sings "LOVE" he starts with a straight tone Ab, no vibrato at all, then gradually glides to a Bb while adding vibrato for warmth and power. It is rather operatic, and very effective. (For those who say Adam has no vibrato or too much vibrato or goat vibrato or no control over his vibrato, refer them to this section of this song.) It is also an example of Adam's strong technique and accompanying consistency. He sings that note the same every time. It is carefully planned for effect. If you compare performances, night to night, you will note that much of his delivery on this and every song is remarkably consistent in terms of vocal production. He knows how he wants to sing a note or a phrase, how he wants to shape it, and he is able to carry it out every night.
Adam throws so many theatrical flourishes into this song, and he cracks me up with them. That looooooooooong note? What a show off. And if the length wasn't enough to impress you, he adds a vocal flip to the end of it that requires extra breath, just to show you he has not run out of breath even after 16 seconds; he still has some to spare. After his gorgeous head voice glory note, several nights he paused, looked at the audience and gestured them to applaud his feat. "Aren't you impressed? Then, show me some love!" I broke out in laughter when, after that in Montreal and Toronto, he actually took time to plant himself into the classical stance of an opera singer assaying a difficult bravura phrase. No, it was not technically necessary. It was wonderful comedy. Bravo, Adam!
One other thing that made me smile: when he sings "I just keep losing my beat" he snaps his fingers like trying to keep the beat but unable. Except that he DOES snap them on the beat. For someone of his musical sensibility it is actually very difficult to clap or snap fingers deliberately out of time with the beat.
All in all, STL is my second favorite number in the show. Brilliantly staged and sung! What do you think?
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Post by DancyGeorgia on Aug 7, 2014 0:20:31 GMT -5
Butterknife: What a great analysis of STL with multiple examples. Very in-depth and detailed. We are impressed with some of the same vocal acrobatics and interpretations, too. A little background of music theory: The song, like ITLOTG, is in 3/4 time, like a waltz. It gives it that signature rolling beat. The song is written in Ab major. (Or, if you prefer, G# major, as butterknife refers to it. Both are correct. Ab and G# refer to the same note. To get more complicated is just for serious theory geeks.) Ab major is a perfect key for Adam's voice. In STL, the lowest note is Ab3, which is at the low end of Adam's tessitura, or the range of notes where his voice is most comfortable. He can, and does sing lower than that, but has less power and ring on those very low notes. Most of the song tops out at an Ab4 (the note he sustains for 16 seconds), which is at the top of his tessitura, or where a guy of his voice type would normally switch to head voice or even falsetto. I say "normally" because Adam is NOT normal in terms of range, tessitura and register. He can sing in full voice, combining the power of the chest voice with the purity and ring of the head voice way up to a G5 and even A5. But for comfort and ease, the Ab4 is naturally where his voice would break. This means he can easily sing the melody in this key. ... I LOVE all of the discussion about STL - such great insights!!! To me, STL feels like it is in 6/8 time rather than 3/4 time. In a google search, I get some results saying 6/8 and some saying 3/4. But then the sheet music at the web link below gives the beginning as being in 4/4 time and then switching to 12/8 time. www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0064098&ref=googleIt may seem like splitting hairs since they are all multiples of 3/4. But to a dancer there is a big difference in the "feel" of the song. Generally, a waltz in 3/4 time will have the same level of accent on the first note of every triplet (every 3 beats) while a waltz in 6/8 time will have a heavier accent on the first note of the first triplet and a lighter accent of the first note of the second triplet. STL has a very noticeably lighter, or maybe higher pitched, accent on the even triplets than on the odd triplets. If STL were to be slowed down to a danceable tempo, I would not dance a regular waltz (a.k.a. "Slow Waltz") to it because a Slow Waltz really needs the accents of a 3/4 timing. However, I would dance a Viennese Waltz to STL (at a slower tempo) because Viennese Waltz (danced at a high technical level) has a decidedly different technique on the odd and even triplets. |
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Post by cassie on Aug 7, 2014 0:39:04 GMT -5
I stand corrected. I was thinking too simply. After listening and looking at the sheet music, I can definitely go with 12/8, or 6/8 if you prefer. It definitely has the feeling of a 4/4 rhythm of triplets. It would make a difference when dancing it.
For you non-music theorists, these are variations on the ONE two three ONE two three beat. 12/8 is ONE two three FOUR five six SEVEN eight nine TEN eleven twelve. 6/8 is ONE two three FOUR five six. Clear as mud? Still a very rolling up and down rhythm. And I love the use of the tympani drums to emphasize that rhythm on the sing along part.
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Post by toramenor on Aug 7, 2014 1:18:21 GMT -5
Adam throws so many theatrical flourishes into this song, and he cracks me up with them. That looooooooooong note? What a show off. And if the length wasn't enough to impress you, he adds a vocal flip to the end of it that requires extra breath, just to show you he has not run out of breath even after 16 seconds; he still has some to spare. After his gorgeous head voice glory note, several nights he paused, looked at the audience and gestured them to applaud his feat. "Aren't you impressed? Then, show me some love!" I broke out in laughter when, after that in Montreal and Toronto, he actually took time to plant himself into the classical stance of an opera singer assaying a difficult bravura phrase. No, it was not technically necessary. It was wonderful comedy. Bravo, Adam!One other thing that made me smile: when he sings "I just keep losing my beat" he snaps his fingers like trying to keep the beat but unable. Except that he DOES snap them on the beat. For someone of his musical sensibility it is actually very difficult to clap or snap fingers deliberately out of time with the beat. All in all, STL is my second favorite number in the show. Brilliantly staged and sung! What do you think? Oh, yes! I caught that too - it's so funny! P.S. What is your 1st favorite number? |
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Post by DancyGeorgia on Aug 7, 2014 1:38:13 GMT -5
I stand corrected. I was thinking too simply. After listening and looking at the sheet music, I can definitely go with 12/8, or 6/8 if you prefer. It definitely has the feeling of a 4/4 rhythm of triplets. It would make a difference when dancing it. For you non-music theorists, these are variations on the ONE two three ONE two three beat. 12/8 is ONE two three FOUR five six SEVEN eight nine TEN eleven twelve. 6/8 is ONE two three FOUR five six. Clear as mud? Still a very rolling up and down rhythm. And I love the use of the tympani drums to emphasize that rhythm on the sing along part. And that 4/4 rhythm of triplets is why when I first read your post proceeding mine, I said "wait, STL is a WALTZ?" I had to go listen to it to realize that it is a waltz because somewhere in my mind I was classifying it as a swing. By "swing" I mean the music genre rather than the dance genre, although the best music for swing dance is generally swing music. I can even dance a slow West Coast Swing (slower than East Coast Swing or Jitterbug) to STL. And STL would be a good song for teaching the "rolling triplet" footwork technique used by many West Coast Swing dance pros. Now, I have heard many a DISCUSSION among swing dancers and musicians about whether swing music uses a rolling eighth note triplet rhythm or straight eighth notes rhythm; and the difference between swing music and rock 'n roll music, both of which are usually in 4/4 timing (although swing music can be in 12/8 timing). You can read a few essays about it, written by my former hustle dance partner who is a musician (keyboards & bass) as well as a mathematician and computer wiz (and has curly hair like Brian May's  ), here: www.eijkhout.net/ftb/text_files/Swing.htmlwww.eijkhout.net/lead_follow/music_and_timing.htmlwww.eijkhout.net/rad/data/swing_essays.htmlHere's a good quote from the 2nd link: So, while most Queen songs would be classified as Rock and Roll, Someone To Love is basically a swinging waltz or waltzing swing. I was going to say "waltzy" swing, but then I looked up "waltzy" on google and found the Urban Dictionary meaning: adv. When one is feeling both sleepy and horny at the same time. (Adam has made me so aware of the Urban Dictionary!)  So, if I had to dance to STL, what would I do? Well, it is way too fast for a Viennese Waltz and it is not too slow (counting in 4/4 where each triplet gets 1) for a slow West Coast Swing. (It is actually a perfect tempo for teaching West Coast Swing to beginners.) And because of the tempo, my mind hears it more prominently as rolling triplets in 4/4 than as a Viennese Waltz in 6/8. So, even though STL has a stronger waltz feel than a typical swing song, I would dance a West Coast Swing to STL. Well Cassie, have I completely turned your thinking upside down?  |
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