14 DAY TRIAL // When he hit New York City with his Glam Nation Tour, Adam Lambert was so warmly welcomed that fans actually lined up outside the venue with as much as 24 hours in advance, despite the scorching heat and having no place to sleep. The other night, Adam performed at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and, though rather short (a little over an hour), his gig showed that, above anything else, he is a genuine, consummate artist, USA Today writes in a superb review of the concert.
Of course, such words of high praise can’t possibly come as a surprise for Adam’s fans, since they must know just what this artist is capable of. And this is precisely what Adam is – and he more than proves it on stage: an artist that can get away, both musically and visually, with things few others could, a performer that strives to achieve perfection and, in most cases, delivers it. His stops in the Glam Nation Tour may still have a few glitches but it’s nothing experience can’t solve, the same review says.
“In a summer that has seen concerts and entire tours fall by the wayside, Adam Lambert has put together something impressive: A sold-out tour of large clubs and small theaters playing to a thoroughly devoted audience that comes not for the big single but to bask in the presence of the artist. Most concerts these days feel like a luxury; to his fans, an Adam Lambert concert feels like a necessity. Wednesday night, Adam brought the Glam Nation Tour to Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, a former church tabernacle and the longtime (and, with the recent flood damage done to the Grand Ole Opry House, the current) home of the Grand Ole Opry (you remember, the place Adam told Randy Travis he had ‘no plans’ to play). Fellow American Idol alumnus Allison Iraheta and Australian guitar whiz Orianthi opened. The sold-out crowd of nearly 2,400 included Sleepwalker co-writer Aimee Mayo, former Idols Kellie Pickler and Chris Sligh, and Big Machine Records head Scott Borchetta,” USA Today says.
The show lasts a little over an hour, including the encore, and is divided into three parts, making for a very theatrical construction. First, there is mystery and intrigue (“Voodoo,” “Down the Rabbit Hole” and “Fever”). Then, comes the acoustic part, which is filled with tension and questions (“Whataya Want from Me,” “Soaked,” “Aftermath”). The third part is all about the glam and a very distinct feeling of celebration (“Strut,” “Sure Fire Winners,” “Music Again” and “If I Had You”). What’s even better is that none of the tracks Adam performs sounds even remotely similar to how they sound on his debut album “For Your Entertainment,” which makes it easy for fans to forget about how short the set actually is.
“The few weak spots will work themselves out with experience. The transitions during Adam’s costume changes could be smoother. […] And then there’s the length of Adam’s set, which many reviews have noted. Bluntly put, it’s short - more than an hour, including the encore. But don’t think the audience felt short-changed. Here’s the thing: the show’s not just short, it’s quick. The entire concert lasted about three hours, but it seemed like half that. Allison’s six-song set flew by, and Adam’s hour felt like about 15 minutes. Just like Adam’s team understands how to create demand for tickets, Adam gets one of the basic show-biz rules: Always leave ‘em wanting more,” the review concludes by saying.
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