"Adamania"

Reviewed Item: Glam Nation Live DVD, by Adam Lambert
Reviewer: Falsetto Prophet


American Idol has coined a few bankable acts: Kelly (the pop star), Carrie (the country star), Daughtry (the rocker) and Jennifer (the Oscar winner) - but Adam Lambert is the show's first shot at a global rock superstar (right up there with Bowie, Bono, Prince, Steven Tyler). Well, he's there in talent, showmanship, attitude and style. Sales of his debut were respectable (805,000) - but not nearly close to his potential. This release should propel him forward. The vocals are meatier, the guitars are more blistering, the beats more intense. This concert plays like an amped-up greatest hits package (power to just how good For Your Entertainment was). The International Edition's bonus tracks are thrust into the spotlight to kick off the show. Voodoo is see-ductive and Rabbit Hole is even more playful and powerful than the original version (which sadly did not work as well as an acoustic version on his last EP).

The DVD is incredibly shot, on par with my favorites from Prince (Sign O The Times Live) and Talking Heads (Stop Making Sense). It's quite the simple show: four stellar dancers who are never overused like in the typical Britney show; out of the box lasers; a sparingly used projection backdrop. The music and performance take center stage - and wow is it mesmerizing. The colors are spectacular - it lights up the entire room.

I missed the tour when it rolled though town, but thanks to this DVD, I feel like I was a part of it all. And to have a CD-quality sound recording is a total treat. This will get me through the long year until Adam's next album drops.