Here in the Moscow airport. It's 8:15AM - I've had about 45 minutes of sleep, due to severe Adam F. Lambert insomnia - snippets spinning round and round in my head!
While I wait for boarding, I'll have a cold beer (it's gotta be 5PM somewhere) and try to send out a brief recap. I previously mentioned something about the fabulousness of it all, so now I'll try to reign thoughts in and be a little more practical!
Met up with JanuarySnow, Catz and Vecadam for lunch in Red Square (!!). Actually, they all came to my hotel to pick me (and DH) up so we wouldn't get lost! It was my first time meeting everyone, but they felt like old friends from the start. We spent the entire afternoon sharing Adam stories and travel tales - and then returned to our prospective hotels to get ready for the big evening! We traveled to the venue via Moscow Metro. What a speedy way to get around!
Moscow's Olympic Stadium is, well, HUGE. Even with a big crowd, the place did not fill up for the show. We found a tiny table selling CDs and t-shirts, and I got one of the black ones with the concert dates on the back - yay! I think they sold out pretty quick. Funny thing, I wanted to buy a size large, but the salesgirl wouldn't let me!! She absolutely refused to sell me an 'L'; saying it would be too big. Didn't know whether to be flattered or PO'd! As I stepped away from the sales table, I stepped into a bright light, and was suddenly part of a TV interview. They must have heard me speaking English . . . and I have no idea whether it showed on the late news or not. But it was fun! Joyfully confessed I was there from the SF Bay Area to see Adam!
Catz and I searched in vain for a cocktail, a beer, wine, anything . . . . but couldn't find a bar in the entire cavernous place! We all were seated in 'VIP' - which was about 50 yards from the stage. 'VIP' was rows of chairs on an elevated deck, with a conglomeration of cameras and sound equipment in-between. It was pretty far from the stage; especially considering the cost of the tickets. Certainly, far enough away that I never saw the crotch grab or the bare feet! Fan zone was just packed with guys and girls in equal numbers; most looking like 20-somethings. Many girls in stiletto heels. I have no idea how they stood erect through the whole show!
Sound problems continue. Roger's mic wasn't on as he introduced Rufus at the beginning of 'Under Pressure', and Brian's mic didn't work when he began stage banter before introducing the Russian singer. One of Brian's guitar solos was so loud I couldn't hear any individual notes, and - I just have to say it - I think the sound guys are still working on the right mic volume/sound for Adam. Remember when Adam said, regarding Jessica on this year's Idol, that "she needs to be given a mic that can handle the size of her voice" - well, I think they must be on the hunt for one that can handle the sheer enormity of Adam's voice when he lets it fly. I wonder if such a mic exists?? I don't know what occurred during "Dragon", because Adam was sailing around the stage, sounding great and fierce as hell . . . then he pirouetted with the mic stand, waltzed over to Brian, "exited stage left". Both were gone for several minutes while the bass player soloed.
All of these little glitches were left in the dust as the show just soared upward and upward to the encores - which, by the way, was when I was FINALLY ABLE TO STAND UP!!!!! We were not allowed to stand in VIP!!!!!!! I'm pretty sure that if EVERYONE stood at the beginning of the show it would have been okay; but since NOBODY BUT ME in the entire section stood up, I was politely directed to sit by the security guy. Rats!! There were moments I couldn't believe I had to stay glued to my chair! Believe me, I gave chair-dancing a workout - clapped with hands high above my head, and when I stood, briefly, to give Adam a well-deserved howl and standing ovation, I accidentally whacked the woman in front of me. When the encore began, I had enough, and said loudly (in a language most couldn't understand, of course!) "I'm up for the rest, and that's it!!" Before I knew it, the whole section was on its feet. About fucking time!!
Wish I could have understood what everyone said as we left the show. Our little group of Adamtopians was ecstatic; a young Russian man said Adam brought him 'magic'; and a teenage girl & her dad, who I met briefly before the show, thought Adam was 'a fantastic singer'. This same young woman told me, earlier, that "Russians don't like Adam Lambert because he is gay and they don't think Freddie was gay". That's when I told her that maybe she won't like me because my eyes are blue.
After the show, we found a place to visit and laugh and decompress from the awesome sauce. Made it back to our hotel just before the 1AM shutdown of the Metro. Didn't need videos yet, and still don't. They are playing in my head, over and over; I just worry that if I close my eyes and listen I may miss my flight!
There you have it, dear Adamtopians! One of the things we all talked about yesterday was the wonderful, international home we have here. Q3 - everyone - without you I wouldn't have spent yesterday with friends from New Zealand, Russia, South Africa; friends who understand my heart and who delightfully share this rabbit hole!
