Adam Lambert

Well this was an unexpected but wonderful way to start my week: a ticket to see none other than Adam Lambert at The Bowery Ballroom.  His sexy glam-infused single Superpower (from the Velvet: Side A EP) made it to number 7 on my top 10 songs of 2019 list.  In that post I highlighted some of Adam's achievements this year, inter alia releasing three singles at the beginning of the year, appearing on the cover of Billboard magazine, touring with Queen and opening the Oscars with the band, voicing the character of Emperor Maximus in Playmobil: The Movie as well as singing the theme song, appearing briefly in the movie Bohemian Rhapsody, releasing the Velvet: Side A EP, headlining the Global Citizen's Festival with Queen in Central Park and releasing a stunning version of Cher's Believe (which had her in tears when he first performed it at the 41st Kennedy Center Honors in December 2018).

Prior to seeing him at Bowery I had seen him perform as part of Cyndi Lauper's Home for the Holidays show to benefit LGBTQ youth, in which he and Cyndi did an incredible duet of Mad World as well as his hit Whataya Want From Me.  Then he raised the roof at MSG as the front man for Queen on their Rhapsody Tour.  His vocal range and power are phenomenal and I was thrilled at the prospect of experiencing his voice in a smaller venue.  Needless to say my expectations were exceeded.

He strutted onto stage in pair of glamorous silver boots and a faux leather trench coat, which he removed after the opening song to reveal a shimmering emerald shirt and pants suit, framed by a twinkling backdrop reminiscent of a mirror ball.  He looked and sounded completely relaxed throughout the performance.  As such it felt as though he were performing for a group of close friends, an impression enhanced by the intimate space.  He worked his way through all the songs on his Velvet EP and also performed some funky versions of his early hits including For Your Entertainment and Whataya Want From Me as well as a pseudo-reggae version of If I Had You, his stripped down version of Believe (a standout moment which thrilled the audience) and Lay Me Down, his collaboration with Avicii.  He concluded the evening with a disco version of Ghost Town, a personal favourite, even adding the line "and now I know my heart is a disco".  His newly-released Christmas song, Please Come Home for Christmas, was a surprising but nevertheless fitting choice for an encore.