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Comments » 141
Vickie writes:
"In my opinion sexual orientation marital status and religion have nothing to do with Lambert or Allen's individual talent or skills."
I wondered that myself when the Rolling Stone article came out.
pmhowden writes:
"In my opinion sexual orientation marital status and religion have nothing to do with Lambert or Allen's individual talent or skills."
I wondered that myself when the Rolling Stone article came out.
Vicki, the Rolling Stone article discussed it because there were already many articles, and a couple segments on Bill O'Reilly raising the question on whether a gay man could win Idol. (Obviously not). It was a subject that had to be addressed. If he didn't address it, the orientation question would be the 900 pound gorilla in the room. Adam also wanted to discuss it on his own terms. Remember he was also being hounded by TMZ and other paps about his orientation. If you don't live in Los Angeles, you may not have known that.
To me, Mr. Blank seems to be back peddling on his original review. To me it looks like he was taking some cheap shots and it backfired on him.
As far as Kris being the rightful winner? Eh, even the Arkansas paper will say it is debateable whether Kris won because he had more fans. That paper even suggests that he may have won because he had fans that voted harder. Just log into The Cabin newspaper and read some of the stories about the stadium voting parties, etc.
I think Kris and Adam are both talented. I wish them both the best.
number8gurl writes:
I'm not at all surprised that the 'fixed voting' 'textgate' issue has resurfaced once the tour crossed the mason-dixon line. How many shows now? 12, 13, 14 and consistently across the board the audience has gone nuts when Mr. Lambert takes the stage and some have even left when Mr. Allen took the stage, across the board the reviews (by putzes like this guy) have consistently heralded Adam the real talent on the tour....I read one reviewer called it the "Adam Lambert show and 9 other people". I voted for Adam from the very beginning. He is far more talented than Kris although I think Kris is an extremely likeable guy.
Adam doesn't 'shriek' he has a multi-octave voice that has been reviewed and reveered by opera experts! But Memphis was 3rd night in a row concert (Tulsa, Little Rock and Memphis back to back) and Adam's voice may show some strain. It happened before in Glendale when they had 3 in a row without a night off. Adam works his voice far more than the others because they simply do not have the kind of voice he has.
Adam all about Adam? My God! I follow all of the Idols on Twitter and several of them are always tweeting about running around the city, eating out, goofing off (riding jetskis in Tampa today), while Adam is in his hotel room drinking tea and trying to rest his voice and his body OR in the studio recording on his album. Why does he sacrifice any personal free time he might could have? To be able to go out there night after night and give people the show they paid their money to see and to create an album that people are going to love. He also goes out and meets his fans before and after the concerts (when he is able to).
I live in the South, born and raised in Alabama 45 years ago. I've lost a couple of anal friends over Adam (no pun intended at all). I hate the way the people in the South act. I wanna move to California now!!!
I can't get enough of Adam and neither can his legions of fans all over the world....
that is why....right now there are 3 former Idols who can sell out arenas: Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry.....there will be a new kid in that elite group here very shortly...and his name is Adam THEROCKGOD Lambert!!!
I just read a list of top 10 all-time Idol rankings....Adam is number 5 behind Fantasia (didn't get that at all), Kelly, Carrie and Daughtry, Kris didn't make the list. Adam will move up on that list too...just mark my words!!!!
Oh I saw where Kris was talking about Elvis breaking rules and pushing boundaries...I TRULY thought he was gonna draw a similarity to Adam...not to himself!!! Geez that was uncomfortable and laughable.
pmhowden writes:
I just posted a comment, but it doesn't appear to be showing up. So I will rewrite it. Adam was being hounded by paps and TMZ about his sexual orientation. There were newspaper and magazine articles and Bill O'Reilly segments asking the question on whether a gay person could win Idol. If Adam had not discussed his sexuality in the Rolling Stone interview, it would have been the 900lb gorilla in the room. I think he also wanted to address it on his own terms.
Lefil001 writes:
It's fine that you don't like Adam's vocal style, but I think you are just wrong about the audience's reaction. Based on the press coverage and reviews I've read, the consensus is that Adam has been getting the biggest reception because he is the one most of the crowd comes to see. After all, he made it to the final 2, you can't say that he doesn't appeal to “American Idol” viewers.
number8gurl writes:
The rules for American Idol are simple: the contestants cannot be currently in a recording contract when they try out for the show. There are no rules about former small bands or other performing gigs they have had in the past. Yes Adam has quite a bit of material out there but he was performing to a very small following, mainly in and around Hollywood. He sang for his supper, literally. But people who recognized his talent recorded him singing and posted the videos on You Tube. Yes, his theater experience also gained him some fans and some valuable experience as far as working a stage and an audience, but most Idol contestants have been involved in musical performing before going on the show. I mean they are all supposedly already trying to make it in the biz right? Don't condemn Adam because he lived in a "city of industry" and was actually already a working artist. Maybe Kris wasn't doing anything, but he WAS from Arkansas.
I love the 'pimping' as you call it! I love the lights, I love the 'over the top behavior' and I especially love the crotch grabs, but I've seen Adam bring a crowd to their feet (and to their knees) just standing there singing a song (Starlight, A Change is Gonna Come, If I Can't Have You, Mad World)....Adam has the 'IT' factor and everyone knows it! He's got the talent, he's got the sexy moves and people are freaking loving it!!! If you're not then you're just a dead prune or something!!! Most importantly, he's got the entire recording industry at his feet! Everybody wants him, everybody wants to work with him. Everybody recognizes his value!
You know I think that a lot of people who voted for Kris and were so ecstatic that he won, have since had to face the reality of the situation and therefore they are grasping at straws and splitting hairs trying to somehow justify Kris' win. IT DOESN'T MATTER PEOPLE!!! It's done. The albums will tell the tale and my money is on Adam 100%!!!
Jessi writes:
I'm going to have to go with the majority here and disagree with your opinion of Adam Lambert. If you have paid any attention to the tour whatsoever, then you would know that the majority of the "masses" at the concerts have been Adam Lambert fans. With the exception of Arkansas, Adam gets the loudest crowd reaction at EVERY venue. He is obviously doing something right.
Yes, Kris won American Idol because he is wholesome and fits the perfect American Idol persona. But how much success has that really earned people? With the exception of Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, Idol winners have not seen long-term success after leaving the show. Why? Because the "wholesome, cookie-cutter, American Idol sweetheart or heartthrob" types win votes on the show, but they don't have any longevity about them for the most part. They are forgettable, and they don't draw the same fans who voted for them to their concerts. It is the artists who take risks, who put themselves outside of the box, who REALLY see success in the industry. What does Elvis, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Freddie Mercury, Aerosmith, Billy Idol, and Britney Spears have in common? They all reached superstardom by taking risks, pushing boundaries, and not being afraid to be different and edgy. That is what Adam Lambert is, and that is why we are going to see much more of him in the future. Not only can the man sing better than most people could ever dream of, but he's a great showman and entertainer as well. That is a killer combination and a combination that will earn him tons of opportunities in the future.
DianaG writes:
Of course you know the RS article was done expressly to put the 'gay issue' behind him since Adam is very likely to become an extremely successful entertainer in the US and globally and wanted to end the media 'speculation' and restore the focus where it rightfully belonged - on his talent and music.
I am an Adam fan - think he has insane talent and insane potential. I expect/hope he will become an iconic, creative original in his music and his performances. He's not there, yet, but we see the promise.
I am not quite as much a fan of WLL on the Tour - a bit too frenetic. His AI performance of that cover was the best. Also, the Tour of WLL 4-6 nights a week is far too demanding vocally the way Adam is singing it now, even though he changes it with every performance.
Adam's voice of late has been showing the strain of these performances, so Mr. Blank did not hear him at his best. Adam has, in effect, created his own monster and will have to find a way to 'kill it' so to speak, in my humble opinion. There are 37(?) concerts left. Something needs to change in WLL, because over time that performance will negatively impact the others vocally. And Starlight and Mad World are all about the vocals.
I disagree with Mr. Blank's review in that he might have chosen better analogies - but, extending the benefit of the doubt, perhaps as he implied in his comment, it is written from disappointment. As an aside, Adam's WLL is a whole lot less sexually suggestive than when the Tour began, so Mr. Blank should be thankful he saw the dialed back version.
irinadowns writes:
Mr. Blank,
I don't think you were necessarily being homophobic--I just don't understand what you were hearing. If you didn't like Adam on the show or just didn't go for his vocal style, that would be completely understandable. But you claim to like him, but to think that he didn't perform well vocally last night? I'm a trained singer, and my husband who was with me is as well, I was at the show (about 12 rows back), and Adam was basically pitch-perfect--certainly the most out of the 10. I'm not sure what you were hearing, maybe the sound system was just off where you were? Kris was fantastic as well--probably the two most vocally secure sets of the night. But among reviewers, even those who dislike Adam's voice or style (which is totally fine) have said that he has perfect control over his voice--no pitch problems or anything, and I didn't hear anything new last night, so I'm just confused about where you're coming from.
The screaming thing is really a mater of personal taste, but if you generally like Adam's vocal style, I'm not sure what would bother you about his performance. I loved how Adam played off the melodies of the songs and thought that he used his range to tremendous vocal and emotional effect on Starlight, WLL, and the Bowie Medley--not screaming at all. Were you more into his Mad World style performances than his WLL style performances on the show? That might explain it. I mean, obviously even the best singers have off-nights, but I was there, and this wasn't an off-night, although I could tell that he wasn't going for as many high notes as normal in order to preserve his voice after a number of concerts in a row.
Anyway, I suppose two people can watch the same performance and come away with vastly different impressions, and maybe it depended on what aspects of Adam's voice appeal to you in the first place.
Darcey writes:
As a marketing executive I have seen statistical demographics on the Idols and there is no doubt that Adam Lambert should have won American Idol.His popularity was over 50% so any Danny vote would not have mattered. Every bit of data reinforces the fact that Arkansas threw the vote for Kris. Now at every venue Adam is proving the data is correct. He is the most popular and sells the most merchandise by far. It is not Adam's fans who are bitter, we are seeing Adam on his way to enormous success as a singer and as a movie actor as well. It is Kris's fans who will not admit that they elevated Kris beyond is ordinary talent, even having him thinking he is the next Elvis that are the real bitter fans. They are bitter because no matter how they promote Kris he will never compare to Adam. On Adam's worst day he is far better then Kris on his best day.
DianaG writes:
Oh, and one more thing. America didn't chose Kris. Arkansas did. As has been proven stop, after stop, after stop.
Darcey writes:
By the way, when it comes to flashy outfits, why didn't Elvis comes to mind? As a matter of fact the tall, black haired, blue eyed, swiveled hip King of Rock and Roll looks a lot more Adam. Adam has the Elvis pelvis moves as well.
wfatstein57#683061 writes:
This is the guy with Crew One,i know what i saw last night backstage,Adam has an aura about him,you can feel his presence,he is one of a kind,i know, i am a drummer,and i have been around some of the best in the business.You can tell,he will not fail,get ready to witness a huge following behind him.
peaches writes:
C'mon.........are you from Arkansas?
DianaG writes:
Thank you, wfatstein57. You betcha' Adam has an aura. Knocked me right off my chair when he did WLL on AI. People who've met him, like you, don't forget it. It's something about the eyes. The boy is SPECIAL.
lcmc writes:
WOW - throw a little Liberace reference in there - and presto! A stereotypical homophobic reference. Then of course, there is the self-indulgent reference which also points to homophobia. I realize this is a southern paper - it's time to get out of the 1950's.
WSOPfan writes:
Jacksonian said: "...I don't see Kris' fans bashing Adam. I do see Adam fans bashing Kris. I see on every video on youtube of Kris' performance bitterberts posting hateful comments. Not to mention every time Kris receives a positive review, the journalist is attacked."
You used the word 'bitter' or 'bitterberts' at least three times in this post, and multiple times in others, and imo that usage clearly contradicts your assertion that Kris fans don't bash Adam or his fans. Your argument implies that the 90-95% of those who responded above who are pro-Adam (and therefore disagree with the reviewer) are somehow all in cahoots and that this is a concerted effort to ride rough-shod over the AI winner, Kris Allen.
There's another scenario you fail to consider: That each of the individuals stated their opinion, and that the fact that 90-95% of them held the same or similar opinions means that indeed Adam has both a large and a diverse fanbase, and think the reviewer has an agenda since his perspective is so out of alignment with their own.
The truth is that everyone sees things through their own world view glasses, but statistics bear out in the long run. This reviewer did, imo, make assessments that appear to have little to no relation to the reality that I see.
I watched AI from the final 36 on down (I never watch the earlier shows because I hate how they use them to simply make fun of the bad singers and performers). Adam appeared first and foremost to be an amazing talent - one that I hadn't seen in probably 2-3 decades. He also seemed to be an amazingly well-grounded human being who was unfailingly courteous, polite and kind. I started watching everything this kid did, both on the show, and through a google alert, and am now convinced that my early assessment is indeed the correct one.
I really like the man Kris is, but there's just no comparison in terms of talent and ability, though of course there's no accounting for taste, and that plays a part. But at least admit that that's what you're talking about - your preference - rather than try to denigrate Adam by either dismissing his crazy-mad vocal talent by calling it screetching (if you don't know the difference, you shouldn't be a music critic) or insulting his performance style by simply implying it's OOT and flamboyant - i.e. gay. We all know a straw-man argument, even those not versed in debate protocol recognize when someone's trying to pull the wool over their eyes by distraction.
I want to emphasize again that you can try to diminish Adam's fanbase by calling them all 'fanatics' (and fan is derived from this word, of course) or you can accept that he just is that good and has that many fans who are wildly crazy about his skills. Calling those fans 'bitter' or 'bitterberts' says more about your own fanaticism than theirs.
Oh, and whoever did the Pat Boone/Elvis mock review - kudos!
Bege writes:
I attended the Memphis show last night and am wondering if you were really there. I wonder because the show I attended had an out of this world vocalist named Adam Lambert, that sang rings around everyone, especially Kris Allen. As a matter of fact, Kris was out sang by most of the other idols, especially Matt and Danny.
I'm so tired of Kris fans such as yourself, making up lies about Adam in order to prop up Kris. Say what you want about Adam, but the crowd's response to him last night says it all. I'm sure you were disappointed in the response to Adam, but people know what they like and they LOVED Adam. He received the loudest, most enthusiastic response of all the performers hands down. The crowd knew for whom Adam was performing, and thanked him in kind by their roaring cheers, and staying on their feet throughout his set.
By the way, you Kris fans are the biggest bunch of sore winners. Your guy got the title, yet you continue to whine and cry. You can't enjoy Kris for worrying about Adam. You're jealous of the attention Adam receives from the fans and media. AT&T helped Arkansas secure the win for Kris. So yeah, through cheating, maybe he received the most votes, but this tour is proving handily who has the most fans.
bignliddle writes:
Its about time there was an article praising Kris. Adam fans - just quit complaining! Let Kris have this ONE. There are thousands of other articles praising your man!
Kiki1985 writes:
Your entire review reeks of parochialism, ignorance, and bigotry. Let's be honest: you did not reference Liberace as a compliment, but to dismiss Mr. Lambert with an old-school effeminate satin-wearing joke. Only a deeply-biased 'critic' could watch Lambert's alpha male Whole Lotta Love and see anything remotely resembling Liberace. And self-indulgent shrieking? The rock wail - that Mr. Lambert does to such excellence that Led Zep gave him and only him permission to perform this song on the show AND the tour -- is not a shriek. Now, it may not be to your taste, but that does not mean that he is doing it wrong.
I also resent your definition of a "true' American idol fan in such narrow terms. In some ways, the most ridiculous part of your parochialism and condescension in defining a 'true' American idol demographic by Mr. Allen's background is that you have totally overlooked the fact that Mr. Allen only conforms to your definition on the surface. IOW -- his status as your "True" American Idol is more apparent than real. Mr. Allen's remarkable choices in making himself into a truly open-minded and open-hearted human being who is, also, Mr. Lambert's biggest fan would disqualify him as YOUR "true" American Idol. Mr. Allen waxes rhapsodic about his friend, Mr. Lambert, on every possible occasion; his approval of Mr. Lambert's reprise of Satisfaction during the Top 36 result show was so energetic he looked as though he might be having a fit; he describes Mr. Lambert's performances as mind-blowing; and mpnths later, the nighty looks on his face as Mr. Lambert hits those high notes you so despise show someone who is enthralled by Mr. Lambert's musical ability. (Just as Mr. Lambert is obviously proud of his friend as well.)
Mr. Allen has proven himself over and over and over to not only be willing to become the best of friends with someone who on the surfacae is quite different from himself, but to even revel in that diversity, to be the initiator of much physical affection, and to enjoy teasing Mr. Lambert over their relationship. In other words, Mr. Allen is not only completely comfortable with Mr. Lambert's apparent differences from himself, but even enjoys them.
So if you want to limit "true" American Idoldom to your parochial narrow view, YOU are the one who picked the wrong Idol because Mr. Allen simply does not conform to your stereotypes -- any more than Mr. Lambert conforms to your vastly out-of-date notions about gay performers.
Finally the responses to your column are not merely fans defending Mr. Lambert, but in some of our cases, a rising impatience and disgust with bigotry in ANY disguise, even that of a music critic.
Islasands writes:
Hey Mr Blank, good on you for expanding on your original review. Far better reading, as it was more a review of what you heard than what you saw(and isn't that what a music review should be about?).
The "who really won Idol" question is as irrelevant and time wasting as the "gay" debate is. I'm glad you talked about Allen and Lambert's performances on the night, as well as speculating on what they might achieve with their albums.
I wasn't there, but I do know that even on an "off" night Lambert can sing his face off. His set is vocally demanding (far more so than any of the other singers), and is also demanding in terms of showmanship. Whole Lotta Love is what it is - a hot sexy rock romp, and cannot be performed otherwise. Starlight is vocally challenging as it depends so much on control of textural dynamics. Mad World is no easy delivery either if you listen closely. The Bowie Medley, in the context of being just that - musical snapshots of Bowie magic, depends on mastery of performance theatrics and crowd interaction. What makes Lambert so unique both on stage and in his studio performances is his refusal to be genre packaged. That's a very liminal place to occupy in the music industry, let alone on a concert stage. I think he's a brave as well as hugely talented performer, whose aim is to entertain - to give audiences a "piece of me" (to quote Lambert).
It sounds to me as though he managed to do that for the Memphis crowd. Perfect vocals? I don't know, I wasn't there. But the crowd response indicates that he certainly strove to meet his own high expectations to authentically and wholeheartedly entertain.
Like you, I look forward to his album.
Isla
Maia writes:
It does not bother me that you dont like Adam's clothes or style. However, two things in your review bothered me because they differ from every other single review we have seem until now: the reaction of the crowd and Adam's voice.
When I read this article I had already read many review from fans, as well as tweets, reporting that Adam got the most cheers, as happened in all the concerts except Arkansas. So, what do you mean with "masses"? Kris got the votes, Adam got the cheers at concerts and press love. Isn't it true? Or are the other thousand reports wrong?
As for Adam's voices, this was also a first. I had never read any report on him having bad vocals. I was not there and you were, but a lot of people also were and they usually beg to differ. Whatever. I am still under the impression that you dont like his style and are mixing it up with a straight vocal analysis.
As for Kris, the thing that always prevented me from having him as a favorite (besides not enjoying vanilla earnes very much) was exactly what you said about his set being conservative. It is not only stylistically conservative, it is also vocally limited. Kris knows his voice and chooses wisely, so the results are fine. But it is impossible to compare to Adam's set, which has always been extremely hard to sing. I have always found this a bit unfair. How can you compare them without taking it into account? It is like managing not falling apart in a very simple gymnastics routine, compared to having minimum flaws in an extremely complex one.
Of course, they should know what to choose, but this are the only a 5 songs set concert they will have. They have a career to build and the ability to do different things will mean a big advantadge at some point.
hannahgr writes:
Um, sorry CAROLINA but you are wrong! I live in LOS ANGELES (I've never even been to Arkansas) and went to the concerts at Staples Center and in Ontario. There were thousands of Kris fans there -- probably very few, if any of them, from Arkansas. Adam got the biggest crowd responses at those venues, but Kris was right behind him in terms of that. It's been the same way at every tour stop so ar -- those are the two that get the biggest crowd response every night.
Kris has tons and tons of fans all over the country and I'm tired of people acting like no one outside of the state of Arkansas could possibly like him, or have voted for him or prefers his music to that of Adam Lambert. If that were the case, Kris would have been voted off the show long before the finale.
That is ignorant and demeaning. Kris Allen has done nothing to you or anyone else to deserve continually being put down just because he won a stupid t.v. reality show. You don't like him or his music -- that's fine. Don't buy his CD or go to his concert. But STFU already with the hatred -- it's ugly, ignorant and Adam REALLY wouldn't appreciate you hating on one of his best friends.
TheLambertLover writes:
Vickie,
It was everyone else who kept bothering Adam about his sexual orientation. If no one bothered him about it, he would not even mentioned it. He set the record straight in Rolling Stone and now wants to move on. I see him irritated in interviews whenever the question still keeps being brought up.
C_Blank, are you a musician? Because I continually see musicians (see maggie_l's post above) saying the Kris is mediocre musician. My husband is a pianist and he says Kris is a beginner pianist. Kris's voice is also mediocre (no character) and his range very limited.
mitchellvii writes:
I went to the trouble of registering just so I could tell this reviewer that he is a complete idiot.
"But at some point, his shrieking becomes self-indulgent and irritating. Adam Lambert is all about Adam Lambert."
Are you KIDDING me? "Shrieking"? No, what Danny Gokey did in that Aerospmith song was "shrieking". Adam does a rock wail that is absolutely pitch perfect and something few humans can achieve.
Or maybe you didn't notice that EVERYONE in the audience (except you of no taste) was in complete orgtasm for his entire set?
Worst review EVER! Calling yourself a music critic is an insult to music critics everywhere.
sammy001 writes:
Mr. Blank;
I was at the concert last night and wanted to say that I disagree with your assessement of Adam. However, I do not discount your opinion outright because everyone knows that music is subject and what one person finds enjoyable and brilliant another finds to be ear splittingly horrid. I can't stand opera but I have friends who quite enjoy it so you not liking Adam's singing doesn't even phase me.
What bothered me about your "review" is your veiled remarks regarding his sexuality. It is clear that your main problem with Adam is not his singing voice but rather his homosexuality. Your characterization of Kris as "wholesome" is your calling card for your homophobic attitude. What makes Kris more wholesome than Adam other than the fact that he's straight? Both come from solid, hard working famiies. Both seem to excel in their craft. Both certainly seem like humble, well spoken, thoughtful men.
You like Kris more and that's a valid opinion. Kris is talented. Kris is a low key performer who connects quite well with his music however, your attempt to diminish Adam's talent by using phrases like "screech" or "flaunt" in your rebuttal tell me that you're not secure in Kris' win and in fact have been reading the reviews from other shows that have clearly favored Adam throughout this tour. You seem to be attempting to "right" a "wrong" as you see it. Kris is the winner so in your mind he should be receiving the bulk of the praise and certainly the bulk of the audience reaction but he isn't and that galls you.
In the end you only made yourself look petty and childish in not acknowledging that Adam, vocally, is incredible even if he's not necessarily your cup of tea. To somehow think that anyone will believe you when you say that Adam was anything less than astounding vocally is naive on your part. We all watched him on Idol. We only need look as far as youtube to see how he's performing on this tour.
You sir, have failed to give your readers what they truly deserve, which is an honest and upstanding review of the Idol concert. Instead they got your slanted and clearly biased agenda laden diatribe.
In the end a review is one person's opinion. Based on the responses in this column and the responses from around this tour you are in the minority when judging Adam's voice and his talent.
mitchellvii writes:
"There were times his voice sounded like someone playing a Theremin. Only during "Mad World" did he stop flaunting that much-beloved range of his to display the tender, controlled, dramatic side of his voice. Often, he careened around the melodies ("Whole Lotta Love," whole lotta screaming!), even when the lyrics didn't call for it. And no, he wasn't consistently pitch perfect either. Sorry, he wasn't. Great performer, yes. Great vocal performance, no."
I'm sorry, but again the reviewer proves himself to be an idiot. Don't mean to flame, but 'idiot' is the most appropriate word I can think of.
I've just watched the YouTube vids of Adam in memphis and his pitch is PERFECT as always. You must be tone deaf. And you say he is SCREAMING on WLL? My god man, are you INSANE?
Adam Lambert has one of the most beautiful and moving rock wails ever.
No, I'm sorry, but this reviewer has disqualified himself from EVER having ANYTHING to say about music again the rest of his pathetic life.
Horrible review.
maggie_l writes:
TheLambertLover: you mentioned my post about my husband's comments. What I left out was his impression of Kris' guitar skills. My hubbie is a guitarist and when he saw Kris play he said that he thought Kris learned how to play the guitar just for the show. I told him no, I think he's always played. And hubbie said it was really beginner strumming stuff that he was doing and nothing at all difficult. He also thought all the songs were sung the same with the same limited range of voice.
Darcey writes:
What you are calling "thousands" of Kris fans in LA are mostly Adam's fans that are supportive of Kris because Kris is Adam's friend.They split votes for him on Idol as well. No one is saying that Kris only has fans in Arkansas, merely that Adam has more fans around the country then Kris does. No one talks about it much but the gambling before the final favored an Adam win by far. There method of gathering information is much the same as marketing. Adam shows some of his highest numbers in the North East, If you do not believe me follow the fan action there. The writer of this article must fail to realize that we have recordings of Adam's performance in Memphis and I fail to hear anything that would deserve criticism. Kris on the other hand has never sang a clean set. They are enhancing his vocals but that does not correct the notes he sings off key,or his poor timing and phrasing. Not to mention his poor interaction with the audience. As far as being hateful, there is nothing more hateful then for Arkansas to have stolen the win from the man who deserved it because of his superior talent and performances. It is hateful for anyone to continue to glorify Kris when he probably stole Danny's place in the final and knocked Allison into third place and should have finished after Matt. I will not "get over" Adam's loss as long as there are writers like this that need to be corrected.
freya writes:
Look, I like Kris Allen, I voted for him, I'm not from freakin' Arkansas, and nobody is going to make me change my opinion. There are millions just like me, and we resent being told what to think, so stop trying.
I'm not going to defend Kris, I don't need to, he won American Idol, he's very popular, he will continue to be very popular. Too bad, huh? :D
sammy001 writes:
maggie, this is something that I thought as well in watching Kris play. It struck me that he really is barely a passable player on the guitar. He's better on piano but not really impressive on that either, especially when compared to actual piano players like Matt and Scott.
freya writes:
Darcey, I suggest you look at the DialIdol site. They predict the land line votes (not text votes)of AI voters based on busy signals. Kris was ahead of Adam all night on the final night of voting, and was ahead when the voting ended.
No one is enhancing Kris's vocals. Stop spreading ridiculous lies.
There is a vocal coach with an online site, masterclasslady.com, who critiqued the AI season. She had great things to say about both Adam's and Kris's voices and vocal techniques. I suggest you take a look at that site, too.
Costner writes:
I'm glad there are other people around other than the delusional bitterberts that are able to understand that Adam Lambert is not the be all end all of music. I respect your opinion for telling it as you saw and heard it, without showing any overt disrespect to any of the contestants unlike some of the vile vitriolic abuse that was spewed toward a particular contestant that was supposedly written in a professional review.
The irony that it was these same set of Lambtards that seemed to not only condone these personal attacks but encourage them that when someone says something negative about their messiah they come in droves like lambs to the slaughter to defend their god. Double standards much?'
I respect Adam as an artist and a performer but it's sad that his neurotic fans cannot seem to take a leaf out of their idol's book. Adam has said that he often goes online to read news about himself and the other idols and I'm sad to see that what he will see is that his fans are a bunch of arrogant and narrow minded people. Adam has also said that he accepts that not everyone will like his music and that's fine, but apparently not for the tards lol.
It's really a mad mad world.
Marissa writes:
here we go again... Adam's internet action squad is back and more bitter than ever??
Shame on the author for writing an opinion that doesn't match yours... How dare he! Let's flood the comment board and show him!?
I mean seriously... is there no thick skin among you guys??
Many Idol fans wanted to go see their favorite Idol in concert, but they don't want to be surrounded by a bunch of Adam fanatics like the ones posting on this board with their hate and their venom... They'd rather wait for a solo tour of their favorite Idol, so they don't have to be surrounded by that...
cazana writes:
It's your opinion about Adam's singing- he's not for everyone and he's certainly not trying to be. But to say he's self indulgent is to ignore the thousands of screaming fans around you, not to mention the 1200 others at home listening to Adam's every concert on an online cellphone cast. Coincidence that your two criticisms are verbatim to Simon's only two criticisms? I think that swayed you going into the show.
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You should not have written that response. I'm sure you'll regret it. The Judas Preist-Liberace comment was just lazy and you should've just apologized. There is nothing bondage or Liberace about Adam's outfit. Every rocker wears leather. Having a little spike studs doesn't on its own merit a Halford reference, and piano tails doesn't on its own suggest Liberace. Adam being gay and them being gay is the only connection and you should have just apologized.
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And you miss again when saying Adam's outfit suggest sexual ambiguity. Every rocker grabs themselves and exudes sex on stage. Adam didn't invent microphone stroking. But Adam is beautiful. His makeup, his gestures, just the guy alone is beautiful. THAT'S what's so ambiguous and intriguing. Your Bowie reference was right on. But there is nothing new to analyze about sexual ambiguity driving America wild. Bowie did it a decade before Adam was born. The hair bands were extremely ambiguous and those days weren't that long ago. There is no legitimate difference to analyze between then and what Adam is doing now. Adam's personal life has no effect on what he does on stage nor should it have any effect on how you interpret it. He is a performer, not a gay performer, and his personal life should never be analyzed. Luckily, everyone besides you gets it. His sexual orientation is insignificant. You, however, cannot get over Adam being gay. That is why you're being bombarded right now. Your ignorance of your own hang ups is embarrassing.
WSOPfan writes:
Hannahgr: "'Um, sorry CAROLINA but you are wrong! I live in LOS ANGELES (I've never even been to Arkansas) and went to the concerts at Staples Center and in Ontario. There were thousands of Kris fans there -- probably very few, if any of them, from Arkansas. Adam got the biggest crowd responses at those venues, but Kris was right behind him in terms of that."
The argument put forward isn't that Kris has fans only in Arkansas, but that elsewhere Adam has the larger margin of fans, which you seem to agree with in the above comment.
The point is that just because the show is called 'American Idol' doesn't mean that 'America' as a whole declared a winner. Those that voted did, and they were indeed Americans, but AI has always had a skewed viewership to the conservative south. So Kris definitely got more votes, but since 19E devised the show so that individuals can vote multiple times, there's no way to tell who had the most individual fans except by anecdotal evidence post-show (cheers at tour stops) and then later on, by more statistically accurate methods, by keeping track of CD/single sales when their CDs drop.
It's not a question of what Adam or Kris would and wouldn't like or want from their fans (and I do agree that they're great friends). The question you're addressing is why has there been so much controversy over the results of the AI show?
The answer to me seems to be rooted in 19E's power-voting strategy, the AR vote, and the extreme response to Adam in terms of cheers, merchandise, commercial interest, and industry credentials - all before his first CD has even been finished.
Those things didn't come out of nowhere - they're directly related to what everyone saw on the show. They are, however, a bit difficult to understand in light of the AI voting result, and this is the discussion under way. You can wave it off, but the cheers and interest and no doubt sales to come, will not go away, and imo, that's just going to make Kris fans crazy with frustration, which they will in turn direct toward Adam's fans.
There's not much to be done about it because it is what it is. For what it's worth, I hope Kris has a great career because I like him a lot as a person. Adam, OTOH, I *know* is going to have a great career. Talent and the IT factor like he has only comes around once ever couple of generations and he is definitely IT.
FoxVegas writes:
Adam takes incredibly good care of his voice, his instrument, if you like. From copious Throat Ease every day to his ritualistic multiple bottles of water, from minimal talking on his performance days to vocal warm-ups in the bathroom for the echo effect which tells him how his voice is sounding...this man is a performer's performer.
As someone who has a son in the industry, I can tell you that agents, managers and audiences love a guy like Adam, because he's reliable to the nth degree. His theatre training taught him so well how to sing through a cold, how to go to work when he feels like crap with the flu and how to work with the rest of the cast as a partner, not as a diva-star.
Here is something that I know personally.
Adam is so much not all about Adam.
Far from it.
It's obvious that you don't know him at all, if this is your opinion.
Which contestant on this season's Idol consistently thanked the band and the musical arrangers for their help and gave them their share of the credit for the compliments that he received about his performances on the show?
Which contestant continuously helped the other contestants with their song choice, their vocal styling...even thought they were his competitors?
Why, it was Adam!
Surprise, surprise!
Far from being all about himself, he's totally kind and funny, loving and caring and as humble and awww-shucks as can be when he's off stage.
His on-stage persona and his real self couldn't be farther apart. Adam says that the guy who runs around the stage growling is not him. It's just a character, a persona that that pleases his fans. He has the chops to move from tender and gentle to tough and raunchy in a heartbeat...that's what makes him a great performer.
We forget that it is really all about how they make us feel, and after sitting in Rickey's cellcast online for several crackly cellphone broadcasts of the concerts (rather than a complimentary front and center or skybox suite seat at a single live concert) I can tell you that Adam's performances make me feel...really, really good!
ravengirl writes:
To the aptly named C_Blank. I already responded to your failed review but after having read your response at 6:43 I simply have to say that you are more ignorant than I first suspected. I gave you the benefit of the doubt, believing you were simply a homophobic curmudgeon. Now I see you are simply an idiot. I am ashamed that you work for Scripps, as I did for many year. Worse, that you work in a musically adroit town such as Memphis.
MeganS writes:
Mr Blank - don't let these old hags from mjsbigblog get to you. They're middle age women fantasizing about a gay boy that they can't have and bash all the other Idols, especially Kris and Danny.
LauraLee writes:
I respect your opinion. Adam is my favorite by a mile, and I was at the Memphis show and agree with you about his voice. It was not quite as great as it usually is. HOWEVER, he was definitely showing signs of vocal strain, so the fact that he was "all over the place", as you put, was not his fault. Couple that with the poor sound system, and you have a less-than-desirable performance.
I have been singing since the age of three and perform musical theater and opera, and I can honestly tell you that Adam has one of the most powerful voices there are. Very few people in the world can sing the amount of octaves that Adam can. To put it simply, his range is UNBELIEVABLE. Given all that, I am actually surprised that he hasn't shown signs of vocal strain before now. The poor kid performs his absolute best almost EVERY night to please his fans while juggling recording in the studio on his off days. His vocal chords are not getting enough rest, and it's starting to show. And don't try to use the argument that Kris does the same thing. Kris does not put the same strain on his voice that Adam does. His range is much smaller and easier to control than Adam's.
Allison and Danny were also showing signs of vocal strain as well, by the way. So give the poor kids a break, will you? They are physically and vocally exhausted, and they are still giving it 110% every night. They are only human and their voices can only handle so much. Especially Adam's, given the amount and range of high notes he hits. It is EXTREMELY difficult and very tough on the vocal chords.
carlyNYC writes:
i take issue with your rebuttal claiming to have watched AI all season and to have been an adam lambert fan. regardless of how his vocals may have seemed in memphis (strained, perhaps, from all those miraculous notes he hits, while simultaneously recording his first album, a sound track for a movie, etc), -- if u truly knew and followed him as a performer it would have been impossible to describe him as a self-indulgent screamer. his vocals r usually perfection, his tone so poignant at times it can bring one to tears. his range in terms of the kinds of genres he is willing to tackle (broadway to zeppelin to almost preturnatural sounds) is truly just astounding. self-indulgent might be one way to describe his willingness to go OTT to entertain his audience -- which he is always willing to do; but surely not his singing! -- but even more important, the american idol demographic. . . what exactly is this middle american stereotype u r claiming validates and vindicates the win for kris allen? forget how talented kris is or is not. forget how dominant adam was throughout the AI season -- too dominant for his own good. the stereotype of middle america is no longer synonymous with what real america is! we r far more heterogeneous than that; and i find it insulting and a bit ignorant to suggest that allen's ability to give America something for everybody (as opposed to adam's) is at all consonant with the society in which we live today (or, more importantly, in which we aspire to live). while the AI voting audience may certainly be on the conservative side, this is not something as a music critic u should be trumpeting as some sort of standard of excellence in your reviews.
TheLambertLover writes:
Thanks, maggie_l. Yeah, it bothers me whenever people say Kris is a great musician as if that makes him more worthy of the win over Adam. My husband also thought Kris was mediocre at guitar (but since my husband is not a guitarist, I didn't want to comment), but was even worse on piano, like he had just learned for the show also. Nice to hear a real guitarist's opinion. Both my husband and I have now attended two concerts and feel Kris's songs in his set all sounded alike, and not something you need to pay to see live (especially Hey Jude). So Kris has a limited range of voice, no stage presence, and is a mediocre musician - so how did he win?
Netmeg99 writes:
OMG... I highly doubt that you even went to the concert with this review!!! Get your facts straight. Adam is not self indulgent Adam loves and appreciates his fans, American Idol , Reporters and other Stars giving him advise. He gives us all his true self and from what I see he is a very intelligent and humble being. And the most talented I have seen in years. He deserves everything that he is getting right now and more. If you think Adam shrieks then God help you his voice is the kind that touches your soul and I am sorry you don't get it cause you are missing out on the journey of a music icon. Glamberts love Adam!!!!!
Glambert 1437
Jazmine writes:
Well Mr. Blank, in that Memphis concert, happened to be a lot of people that understand music and from the music industry that night. A musician and classical trained vocalist was in the building that night and her opinion was "Adam wasn’t pitchy, he was perfectly on key the whole time - that is a technical evaluation. Also his articulation was incredible — even in an arena"
What's your musical background Mr. Blank? Do you know anything about vocal and range? Are you a vocal coach? Ever heard Master Class Lady? Ever read all the classical/opera expert opinions of Adam? What's your credential to give opinion on Adam vocal's ability? If your credential in that area as good as mine - well I could say I'm better that you're coz I can hear that he's not shrieking nor he's screaming. Yes for untrained ears like yours and most people, you guys think he's shrieking/screaming. Sorry to be the one to advice you that on that part you should leave it to THE EXPERT.
You said "Often, he careened around the melodies ("Whole Lotta Love," whole lotta screaming!), even when the lyrics didn't call for it"
Ever heard IMPROVISATION? Yeah only some singers/artists can do improvisation and do it right. You're from Memphis - lot of Jazz/blues singers/musicians do improvisation even though the lyrics don’t call for it... that's where the art is. That's the real artists are they improvise based on their audiences, make it more attractive, they don't stick to the original/studio versions. The won't sing the song exactly the same in concerts, if they sing the song exactly the same in every concert might as well play the tape - BOOORRRINNGGGG..
Netmeg99 writes:
Response to jacksoniam Your post about the biterberts has prompted this response to you. Adam's fans are not worse than Clay's fans how dare you put us in that catagory. Yes Adam's fans are fiercely loyal and yes protective but it comes from the fact that all other fan bases continually attack Adam believe me on AI Forum we couldn't even enjoy Adam from all the hate from yes Kris and Gokey fans and others so we have a United front for Adam we have fought back verbally but that is our right when Adam is attacked and lied about. I have been a Glambert from the very beginning and I also love Kris and there are alot of Adam fans who love Kris so don't lump us all together in one bitterbert group. Adam will face much of this on his journey but he will make it and the World will have a new ICON...
MJohanssen writes:
Interesting Mr. Blank, that Adam has received the best critique of any of the finalists from the first 13 tour concert shows so far (he was not mentioned at all after the Arkansas show). Your critique of Adam is worse than any other nine have received after the first 15 Idol concerts. So, the conclusion drawn from that is Adam should not have even made it as a finalist (meaning top ten). Hmmmm, such a disparity between you and the rest of the reviewers and even during the season predicted to win the whole competition.
Oh, and comparisons? Many, many have compared Adam to Elvis in appearance and style (not musically). But then again, Elvis is straight isn't he?.
Lefil001 writes:
Kris won because he got most votes. Plain and simple. Adam knows that Kris won outright. I'm a Adam fan and I know being a sore loser is lame. And not winning obviously didn't hurt Adam. Just let it go, Adam will still have a great career and I'm sure he doesn't want his fans to keep whining about Kris's winning.
TheLambertLover writes:
I was being sarcastic. Sore loser is when someone loses fair and square but this was not fair and square. Kris got the most votes because of the power texts of Arkansas. 38 million votes for a state of 3 million. As I and others mentioned in a previous post, Adam has way more fans, as evident on his official site, the second largest Sony has in the world. He has way more in google trends, his twitter followers, etc. Most of the concert reviews say that it is the Adam Lambert show and concessioners say that his concert T-shirts sell more than all the other idols combined. Adam wanted to win and he deserved to win. American Idol has lost all its credibility when the most talented person in its history loses to someone that most people (including professionals in the music business) feel is mediocre.
Phoebe writes:
I wish people who are still trying to deny (if only to themselves) that the Arkansas vote was responsible for Kris' win would get real. What before or since has indicated that Kris was popular enough across the country to win? Those people really need to get to a show and see the situation that poor Kris is in for themselves. Muted responses compared to Adam's (even quieter than for Danny and Allison), even less Kris banners in the audience than at the TV shows, poor sales of his merchandise. Only the Arkansas show has bucked these trends. I could go on but it's embarrassing for the poor guy. Also the Google searches that continue as they were before (far higher for Adam), the numbers and activity on Adam's sites, the media, industry and general interest in the more valuable commodity.
I don't know where this reviewer and some other people (more so than not Kris fans again trying to make themselves feel better) get the impression that Kris appeals to the wider audience. Don't make me laugh.
The one thing I will give this reviewer is that Adam did did screech a lot in Memphis. He was really struggling with his voice and it was cracking by the end. I won't even give the reviewer the comment about Whole Lotta Love because due to his sore throat, Adam performed the lowest register and most held back version of this he has so far.
I won't even deign the Liberace/Judas Priest comment with my thoughts.
HannaB writes:
Did the author of this article actually attend the concert in Memphis? I doubt that he did. Adam doesn't shriek; he reaches those high notes in perfect pitch. However, during the Memphis concert, since it was the the last of 4 concerts in a row, Adam did not reach for those high notes. Nothing he sang in Memphis could be misconstrued as a shriek, even by the most musically clueless critic.
We listened to the concert via cell cast & videos. The audience reaction to Adam was phenomenal, as all reactions have been. They appreciated that Adam puts his entire heart, soul and body into his performances every single night, to ensure that the crowd gets what they paid for...a fantastic, entertaining show!
Perhaps you should attend the shows you review, Mr Blank, so you will have some credibility. And keep in mind that you don't have to criticize Adam in order to make your favorite Kris look or sound better. They are both talented in their own right, and each of them will be able to have success along with the other.
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