@inscrutable7 Adam Lambert in concert in Paris: We were there!
Carole Bouchard translated from the original French by Satisfied


It’s a phenomenon. There’s no other way to describe Adam Lambert, much less Adam Lambert live. Many came because they were curious. Curious about a man who scandalized and fascinated America for the past year, curious about the first contestant on American Idol to embark on a world tour. Curious about his reputation for being, at 28 years of age, the offspring of Freddy Mercury and Elvis, godchild of David Bowie. Tonight, we’ll count the octaves but also the uninhibited moves. His album is true to what he likes and who he is. He totally masters the classic hits of rock, is a fan of inspirational pop singers Lady Gaga, Christina Aguilera and Madonna, and electro beat. He’s a singer for our time with a real musical culture.

Once the hall is full and the audience impatient, Adam comes on stage. Let’s be clear from the start – the only thing that won’t garner unanimous agreement are his outfits! The first outfit in particular, consists of a top hat and a purple coat which even some hippies wouldn’t have dared to wear. But the eccentricity, although sometimes over the top, is also one of his defining characteristics. All of this is quickly forgotten once the first notes are heard: as they say in English, they are “crystal clear”. The Voodoo/Down the Rabbit Hole/Ring of Fire medley creates a mystical atmosphere. In the time it takes for him to remove his hat and coat, the audience is won over. We follow his large blue eyes, ringed with eyeliner and glitter, as well as his half-open shirts and rock-style pants – the tighter the better. With Adam Lambert, we take him all in as his charisma is undeniable. That night at the Trabendo, we saw mature women transformed into wild groupies, rock fans, people with leather jackets on their backs singing until their lungs exploded, a gay community who came to admire one of their new ambassadors, and young awestruck girls. All ages, all types: the Glamnation Tour, as he calls it, is for everyone.

At the heart of all this is the voice. While we may well know his studio album by heart, it’s a shock to hear him live. People shake their heads in disbelief when he performs Sleepwalker. How can he sing those notes? The emotion he conveys and his incredible vocal prowess give you goosebumps. Shifting from the lower register to the high notes in a matter of seconds, Adam Lambert is simply phenomenal. The song, one of the most rock on the album, is just as much of a hit as the single Whataya Want from Me, performed acoustic style with the audience singing along. Aftermath also defies the laws of vocal gravity. Soaked, a song penned by the band Muse, is also a winner. It is sung almost a cappella and the audience dares not breathe lest the moment be disturbed. This is in fact the only quiet moment since people otherwise sing, dance and jump all over the place, getting into the sexiness of this American singer. Fever, penned by Lady Gaga, is a free-for-all with provocative poses – let’s enjoy for a moment the suppleness of this singer who belts out mind-blowing notes while bending himself in half on the floor – and flirts with his bass player. Things have reached a cult status for the fans who at every concert, wait for the famous “kiss”. They are never disappointed. Lambert has the class to go with his talent and is never vulgar. A smile here, an impish look there – he’s enjoying himself. He is inspired by Paris. “It’s gay Paris here, no?” he asks, before declaring “OK, well now it is!”. Everyone laughs. Like the woman who grabs his leg or the pretty boys he searches out. “I see some very pretty faces tonight… That inspires me!” Although American Idol is not known to be very gay friendly, he knew how to captivate millions of Americans and make them his fans. Adam Lambert is proof that talent, combined with sincerity, is a winning combination.

The last song, If I Had You – a club hit – closes the show. The audience won’t leave and demands more. After 6 months of touring, The Glambert, as he is known, has had a tendency to forego encores or performing 20th Century Boy. His voice is not a machine. Monte Pittman – who played with Madonna – is his guitarist and the following day is his birthday. His fans are holding signs which he says are very touching. He will therefore perform an encore which on Friday already made the news in American media outlets.

He only rehearsed it once for fun but Adam has decided to reprise Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix. The purists are already afraid. Not to worry – this guy’s voice is a match for anything. Not only is the performance successful, the crowd goes wild. The response is mutual – Lambert doesn’t want to leave. “We should do another one!” he tells his band. After some hesitation, he embarks on one of the classics he’s often performed and which helped build his reputation – Whole Lotta Love by Led Zepellin. The new drummer is in a bit of a panic but Adam knows his stuff. It’s a triumph. “Merci beaucoup!” No, thank you, Mister Lambert. Thank you for the demonstration, the breath of fresh air midst a pop/rock market where risks are rare. Thank you for succeeding in raising in one single voice the rock stars as well as modern divas of pop. Although most of Europe is already at his feet, the French market is just starting to get on board this train. It would be a shame to let it go by.

Original source: http://www.evous.fr/musique/Adam-Lambert-en-concert-a-Paris,11428.html

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