2009-09-15 Verizon Wireless Cent. (Manchester, NH)

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2009-09-15 Verizon Wireless Cent. (Manchester, NH)

#18

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'Harlow' date='Aug 5th 2009, 10:35 AM'

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'mindchnger' date='Aug 5th 2009, 8:25 PM'

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...d=moreheadlines

At Verizon Center 'Idol' Concert, Adam Lambert Steals the Show

By Ruth McCann
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 5, 2009 2:00 PM

"He's the new age Elvis!" gushed the 20-something Marie Burgess of Bowie, after she and her mother saw the gyrating, lip-curling Adam Lambert perform Tuesday night when the American Idol Live tour made a stop at the Verizon Center.

Sure, Lambert lost the "Idol" title to the clean-cut Kris Allen, but that hardly deterred the tweens, moms, daughters and everyone else who shrieked with dog-whistle-pitched delight when Lambert emerged onstage. In a ruffly, studded, knee-length blue tail-coat (later cast off to reveal a rhinestone-studded vest over a bare chest), Lambert looked for all the world like the spiky-haired, black-nail-polished love child of Eddie Izzard and Prince.

After eight of Idol's top 10 finalists had done their thing on the Verizon Center's stage, Lambert appeared (cue shrieks) to open his admittedly mesmerizing set with Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," an ace-in-the-hole, given that the crowd was liberally peppered with Adam Lambert T-shirts and signs that declared: "Adam is my winner," "I <3 Adam Lambert," etc. So a song in which Lambert promises, "I'm gonna give you my love," was unsurprisingly successful.

"He said in an interview that he likes men," said Burgess, "but I could be that 'lucky girl'! I am married, though." Burgess's mother smiled, still clutching her own homemade Lambert sign. (Their tickets, incidentally, were a wedding present from Burgess's husband).

Apparently Lambert's female fans aren't frustrated by their slim chances. In the Gallery Place Metro station after the concert, it was impossible to miss sighting fan upon beaming fan, with glossy Lambert headshots in hand.

But if one isn't in the audience simply to bask in Lambert's admittedly electric stage presence, what does the "American Idol Live" tour have to offer?

Well, at least it's better than TV.

Although filled to about 80 percent capacity Tuesday night, the Verizon Center seemed a wee bit dead, at least for the first hour or so of this Lord-of-the-Rings-length performance. Maybe the fans are just accustomed to watching these "Idols" on TV -- it was a sitting-down audience, an audience of quiet contemplation that ignored 10th-place Idol Michael Sarver's attempts to get people clapping along. Or maybe fans in the building were just mopey after hearing rumors (later confirmed) that Paula Abdul won't be judging the upcoming ninth "Idol" season.

Starting from 10th place and working their way up to winner Kris Allen, the Idols each had some individual stage-time; the first few performers were allotted two songs, while the later Idols were allowed to belt out four tunes. Each had the benefit of a full band and two back-up singers, who also chimed in on some ensemble numbers.

But by the time fourth-place Idol Allison Iraheta took the stage, the audience was a bit more receptive. And Iraheta certainly earned the response, as she hopped around the stage, her bright-red hair trailing behind her. Though only 17, she was prodigiously confident and restless, tearing through impassioned renditions of Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart" and Pink's "Rockstar."

The stick-to-the-script-ness feel made the overall concert a bit blah, but Scott MacIntyre (the show's first blind contestant) and former lounge singer Matt Giraud ramped things up when they appeared, seated at back-to-back upright pianos, on a platform that ascended from below the stage, and launched into a spirited duet.

When winner Kris Allen finally arrive to wrap things up with a few understated ditties, the audience happily chimed in on "Hey, Jude" and cheered for Allen's Obama shout-out (Tuesday was the president's birthday). The iconic Beatles song was followed by a house-pleasing rendition of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," for which all Idols were on deck.

Of course, American Idol Live (Washington was the 21st show on the 52-stop tour) is much like the TV formula: nonconfrontational persons sing nonconfrontational songs that were written and made famous by other people. They wear clothes other people chose, and (it seems) repeat pre-approved choreography and patter. Plus there are lots of corporate spots (the massive screens surrounding the stage broadcast an extended car commercial pre-performance, featuring footage of all 10 finalists). Ugh.

But at least the Idols sound much better in person than they do on TV. If you've ever shaken your fist at the Idol screen and promised you could do better, the Live tour might at least assuage your hissy fits. And some of the Idols managed to break through into a semblance of live-ness, including Iraheta, Lambert, and Giraud, who mercifully indulged in some chatty patter.

Pre-concert, five of the Idols gathered backstage to spend some time with the press and dish. The Idols have been traveling all together in a single bus since the tour began July 5 (its final stop is Sept. 15 in New Hampshire). What with sleeping in the bus and in hotels, the Idols are a bit tired, though they had the day off yesterday. Lambert (who's rushing to release an album in November) got a facial and went shopping, donning a trucker hat and glasses (his incognito look). Giraud went to the Museum of Natural History, where, he says, he hummed the Night in the Museum theme song and "geeked out for hours." Joy, Rounds and Iraheta all went shopping with their hairdresser.

None of the idols who spoke to the press were aware that Abdul's absence from the upcoming ninth season had been confirmed.

"I haven't heard that" said Giraud. "I gotta call her!"

"I think that's awful," said second runner-up Danny Gokey, 29, before cautiously adding that it probably wasn't any of his business. But, he added, Paula was the judge who cared most about the contestants themselves.

"Paula," Gokey says, "brought heart to the show."
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2009-09-15 Verizon Wireless Cent. (Manchester, NH)

#19

Post by infinite »

'Harlow' date='Aug 5th 2009, 9:10 PM'

yep i put all the adam pics on photobucket

http://s932.photobucket.com/albums/ad170/MattGFan/
:flowers:
'mindchnger' date='Aug 5th 2009, 9:18 PM'

Photos from SplashNews from when the Idols arrived in DC:

http://www.celebrity-gossip.net/celebritie...gton-dc-216429/

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2009-09-15 Verizon Wireless Cent. (Manchester, NH)

#20

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'mindchnger' date='Aug 5th 2009, 9:50 PM'

:devil:

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