2012-03 Promo Interviews and Performances

Here finally the translation that I promised earlier. Had a challenge to hear Adam through the German translation running in the foreground and sometimes I just could not make out the original. In that case, I opted to rather give you a translation of the German text, because in the end it is more important what info the German's get to hear, as none of this is news and each of these sentences have been said by Adam gazillion times already. If anybody can make out more of the original, just let me know.

In general, the translation was very close to the original, wherever I could make it out, so it is not a big issue.

A bit more concerning is that the "gay" discussion ends up being dominant, even though the coverage is even-minded and rational. But still, it dominates too much as a topic. Could have used a few other questions beyond that.

Here now the translation (my own comment in italics)

www.sueddeutsche.de/panorama/adam-lambert-die-zweite-1.1302218

Adam Lambert – The second (album)

AL became instantly famous after first reaching second place on US-Casting show AI and then entering the charts with the hit WWFM.

But from early on, the 30-year old talent show star saw himself often as an outsider. In the general system of the music industry, I certainly seem to be perceived as different from the typical pop artist, I’m an outsider that way. And as a person, I also always saw myself as a bit different. I was a strange kid in school, kind of odd, I did not feel that I belonged of fit in, until my parents enrolled me in a theater group. There for the first time I found more friends, we accepted each other, no matter how weird we happend to be. It was celebrated instead of being judged.

Note: in the video you can see some of the Germany video hack job that was so much discussed here. The scenes that are plonked into the BTIKM video are from that German comedy flick “Tuerkisch fuer Anfaenger”. (the film trailer indicates to me that this film is absolutely terrible, btw...sexist, racist, primitive, dumb, vulgar ...there is no end to the level of SHE I feel even talking about having seen those movie trailers. No Glambert deserves the punishment to endure this garbage, just to somewhere hear BTIKM. What a crime to even make such a film! Even more to use a perfect video like BTIKM in it.

Female commentator:

Perhaps this being different is also one of the secrets to his success. He also is one of the very few mainstream singers in the US, who openly proclaim their homosexuality from the onset. In the US this still seams to be a stigma.

Adam: In America its just, its just one area that in the music industry there hasn’t been that many out artists, if any. And even a few legendary artists who have come out as gay have came out as gay after the fact. It definitely is a bit of a challenge. People jump to conclusions and are a bit narrow minded when it comes to sexuality, especially the men. And so it is difficult in commercial pop music to get somebody to listen to your song, when they know that you are gay, they say maybe: “I don’t like this person, he is gay”. So sometimes it is difficult to get them to listen to the song, to like it just for the song. To see that the emotion of the song is an universal emotion, something everybody goes through.

Commentator: With his second album, Trespassing Lambert wants to now show even more of his personality. On many tracks he could bring himself into the song and co-write. Whether it will be a chart success like the first album, will have to be seen. Fact is, Adam Lambert has a special purpose or mission.


Adam: And on T, one of the things that I was really focused on, was creating music that was very autobiographical. Songs, which are about real moments in my life, real things that I have encountered, but that hopefully everybody can relate to. The very deep emotional topics and motives of each songs are quite wide, therefore I hope that in the end it does not matter that I am gay. The songs are ultimately about the human condition. Perhaps there are people who can look past my sexual orientation and connect to my heart…and to my head, you know.

Oh, where to start? I am so discombobulated I don’t know if I can string 2 coherent sentences together but I have to otherwise I’ll get tonight’s event mixed up with the lunch event. So here goes . . . .

Misha and I met for coffee at a pastry shop around the corner from Buckhead Theatre. We were both very nervous with anticipation and needed each other to calm down . . .. not sure if it worked.

There was only one other person when we arrived at the theatre. She won tickets but did not bring anyone with her. That’s a shame when so many wanted to go or she should have at least dragged anyone, the mailman, the drycleaner, her dental hygienist …..LOL.

They brought in pizza but after 2 bites I could not eat anymore. Who needs food when Adam feeds my soul, nourishes my heart and enriches my life?

When they finally let us in, Misha and I sat right in front of Adam and Kevin. I laid the banner right at his feet. When he saw it, he said, “Cool. I may put a mustache on it” but then said he would sign it. YEAH! (The lady from the station told me earlier when I asked if I could borrow a sharpie since I forgot to bring one, “Adam will not be signing, so no sharpies” ).

He had barely any make-up on. No visible eyeliner. He is without any doubt, the most gorgeous man I have ever met. Just breathtaking. He wore a black leather jacket, can’t remember the details on the T-shirt, grey pants and boots. I am sure there will be pictures and Gelly can identify every piece of clothing. There was an official videographer and photographer. We were told to put our cameras away. All the pictures will be posted on their website tomorrow and I did not hear it but I am sure also the video.

Cindy, the lady DJ, got ill so she could not be there. Her sidekick, Ray and the producer, Casey, were there and they did a great job. Can’t remember all they said because they were on the side and my eyes were solely focused on Adam. Mentioned briefly the Finnish fracas but Adam as usual handled it very well with aplomb.

Then they asked the audience to ask questions (they asked us questions before we started and I did put in the Charity Water question about tweeting to remind people but my question was not asked). Again, the questions were a blur so I am glad there is a video to relive the event.

He sang BTIKM and WWFM. As many times as I have listened to these acoustic versions, they still give me goosebumps. Just so beautiful. When he closes his eyes in some parts, I felt his emotions and also felt like he was letting me into his heart – yes, trespassing so to speak.

Then we had our pictures in groups of two. Misha and I were second. I told him about the banner and the listening party and he was impressed that so many are coming. Also told him about Sonisphere and he said, “I’ll look for you”. I mentioned the VIP lounge at Knebworth House and invited him to come if he had the time.

While he was taking pictures with the rest (there were about 50 people there; Misha counted about a dozen men not including station personnel), I spoke to the DJ and the producer. The DJ told me how impressed he was with Adam’s voice – so effortless and so clear. I told him that on top of his talent, Adam is a great guy and I mentioned again all his charity work. I invited both of them to the Listening Party. Casey, the producer was very interested and told me to email him the details and gave me his business card. Oh, this guy Casey is a terrible saxophone player and there is a segment in their morning program called “Bring Saxxy Back” – he plays a few notes and listeners guess the song. Well, he played one of Adam’s songs which I could barely recognize but Adam guessed it – IIHY.

After all pictures were taken, Misha and I talked to Adam again and he signed the banner – YAY – so glad I took everyone’s advice. Misha and I did not mention that we will be seeing him again tonight so let’s see if he will remember us. Of course, we will be dressed more formally but knowing how he is with remembering people, I think he will, that is, if there will be an opportunity to mingle with him. Not sure if they will head to Nashville right away. I hope they do stay a little bit and praying we also get an opportunity to talk to the band members.
I am hoping tonight’s performance will have more songs and we will hear Trespassing and would it be too much to ask, Cuckoo also? Keeping my fingers and toes crossed.

Ok, Misha, please fill in the blanks. I am sure I forgot many details.

Next recap – hopefully before midnight.

Thanks guys for the reassurance! Appreciate the info about the camera, adamfanem.

I'd hoped Star 94 would have posted videos by now. And I hope they will post the entire session rather than compilation videos that I've seen they sometimes provide. My memory of the exact details of the Q&A is fading. It was a good, friendly group of Adam fans. We were able to hear Adam's soundcheck while eating pizza. Before pizza came, one woman and the youngish guy with her--dressed kind of in Adam glam style--started playing on her camera some in-studio video she'd taken from Adam's early morning interview at Q100. I think she had some connection to the Adam Bomb show. We saw her, that guy, and a few other people from the morning's meet and greet at the Jezebel party later that night. I can't recall if she had a video camera with her then, but she was watching from center stage.

During lunch, a woman who worked at the station canvassed the crowd for questions to ask Adam. She said they would have to be approved first by Adam's management. I asked about the name of the next single, but figured that question wouldn't get answered. My heart stopped when we walked into the performance area and saw how close we'd be sitting to Adam. I noticed in the station photos that I look like a lovesick schoolgirl gazing at Adam, and that's pretty close to how I felt! LOL. Once, on reflex, I looked away from him toward the person asking him a question and mentally slapped myself to return my focus to Adam because I knew it would all be over in a flash and I didn't want to miss his reactions, or a single expression that crossed his face./crazy

He is truly beautiful. His mouth was obscured by the microphone most of the time but amazing eyes and nose (like you don't know this already). But, seriously, beautifully sculpted. And such strong charisma.

Most of the questions led to some version of answers we've already heard before. He was asked about Peyton Manning (I think? or some football player) and he joked about how he doesn't even know who that is, and asked if they really expected him to watch sports. A Star 94 producer apparently has a running bit as a bad saxophone player. He played one of Adam's songs and asked him to guess which one it was. I recognized IIHY before Adam did, but I refrained from shouting out the answer! In the thread the other day, someone said that it looked in the photos like he was talking to mayumi or me. But he was having a dialogue about Halloween costumes with the woman seated to the right of me. She got in two or three followup questions before radio people intervened. At the end, she was excited, and couldn't believe she had a conversation with Adam. I was like, "I know, you go!" Adam sang BTIKM and WWFM and sounded incredible. Fans watching outside the window, on the street, screamed for him after it was all over.

Mayumi and I were the second pair to go up for photos and she had a good conversation with him. They gave us a signed photo after we took the picture and told us we could exit out a certain door, but we went back to sit down and watch Adam take photos with the other fans, and also to wait to see if he would sign mayumi's great banner, as he said he wanted to do. He shook hands first with some people--mostly the men--then hugged them afterward, and hugged others once they were standing near him, depending on how he read their desire (I guess he could tell I wanted a hug!). But I noticed at a certain point, not sure when it happened, that Adam just started opening his arms for a hug as people walked up, before they got close, before they could ask. So sweet!

He spoke at length to a few groups who came up for photos. One was the Adam Bomb lady (heard him mention "Adam Bomb," too). Another was a guy with long hair, and it seemed they had mutual friends. They spoke for a really long time, getting kinda animated, until finally the guy with the autographed photos walked up to give them the signed pictures to indicate that they should move along. Adam signed the banner before he left and I got another chance to say something scintillating like "thank you" and grin at him all starry-eyed. Adam left the room, then came back out again to head to his car, and that long-haired guy asked Adam to record something into his video camera. I heard Adam taping a message and singing happy birthday to someone. He was so cute.

Then we watched him leave and wave at the fans on the street and get in the car. Mayumi exchanged some info with radio station peeps, and with a lady she met who's also going to Sonisphere. Then a station guy who tapes promos asked a small group of us still there if we'd record station messages. Doing the cold reads reminded me of Adam doing sound bites at the radio stations.

The whole day was awesome. I feel like I won the lottery. I'm really happy for everyone here who's won a meet and greet! I'm looking forward to catching up on videos and recaps this weekend and reading the upcoming reports.

I wrote a recap at the end of yesterday's thread, but I forgot to mention the location of the event. It wasn't held at the station but at the Buckhead Theatre, a concert venue here in Atlanta. Star 94 announced the location of the Buckhead Theatre from the very beginning in their online promo and on the radio. But a couple of days before the event, I heard a DJ say once on air that the meet and greet would be held in a "secret location" (maybe because they'd received such an overwhelming response and wanted with this fakeout to discourage people from just showing up). But they went back to announcing the location as the Buckhead Theatre because I guess, well, the cat had already been out of the bag for a long time.

Star 94 did a really good job hosting the event. Even though the meet and greet wasn't held at the station, shortly before it started there was an influx of people (maybe five or six) who didn't seem to be contest winners, but employees who wanted to see Adam.

We had lunch in the concert room at the theater, and then moved into the lobby area for Adam's performance and Q&A. There was a big window behind us and anyone standing outside would be able to look directly in at Adam. The station photos only show two women peeking in through the window, but when we entered the room I seem to remember a larger crowd, and there were definitely screams for Adam from more than two people outside at the end of the event.