My Third Date with Adam Lambert was Heavenly

My adoration of Adam Lambert was apparent during our first date.

By our second date, judging by the look in his eyes, my adoration of Adam Lambert is requited.

Our third date nearly killed me, but every single hour of hell before and after was worth it for the sixty minutes of HEAVEN during which Adam Lambert sang and danced for me. And 3,499 of our closest friends. What?

Adam Lambert’s first solo concert took place at Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, California. I will never go back there. Unless Adam Lambert is appearing there again. In which case, I'm buying tickets for Paul Anka. (Yes, he's still alive.) My plan is to go to the Paul Anka concert and hide under the bleachers near the stage listening to Adam Lambert on my iPod and living off granola bars until Adam Lambert's concert begins so I'll have better seats next time. What?

For my loving family, it was a three-hour drive ONE WAY in sometimes pouring rain, which would otherwise have been miserable since I’m a weather wuss. However, I was too sick with a sinus infection, raging sore throat, splitting headache, and onset of stomach flu to care about death by storm, but I still had a faint pulse so no way was I missing the Adam Lambert concert.

Once we arrived I was somewhat surprised to see that the venue was not much better than a high-school gym, albeit a high-school gym that seats 3500. I wasn't kidding about the bleachers, but at least the seats had backs, and every last one of them was filled. The show was scheduled to start at 8 PM, but we had to arrive early because tickets could only be picked up at Will Call. After the opening act, it was another 15 minutes or so before Adam and his band took the stage. My ten-year-old daughter was amazingly patient.

Laura: “Mom, when is Adam Lambert going to sing?”

Me: “Hopefully pretty soon.”

Laura: “How long does it take to put on makeup?”

The sense of anticipation in the crowd was palpable. The chants of “Adam! Adam!” were peppered with the rumbling of feet stomping rhythmically in the bleachers. The people seated around us were chatting amiably as we waited. One of the women in front of us complimented Laura’s outfit, which was all black and included spiked leather bracelets and fishnet gloves. What? My twenty-three-year-old daughter, Courtney, was in town for the weekend and came with us; she remarked about the enthusiastic and motley group of fans. She said, “Mom, I saw a grandma wearing a dress that I considered buying at Forever 21.” I have no idea what would make a woman old enough to be a grandmother dress like that. What?



Adam took the stage looking GLITTERY and announced that he got all "Indio" by wearing feathers. I immediately got up on my feet, as did my theretofore bedraggled family, and we didn’t sit back down until the almost three-hour drive home.

Adam began with “For Your Entertainment,” and moved through other songs from his CD including “Strut,” “Sure Fire Winners,” and “Soaked.” Although Adam’s moves make you think Elvis and Michael Jackson, and his voice makes you think Freddie Mercury, and his style makes you think early Elton and Boy George, he’s all of them and none of them because he’s so clearly . . . Adam Lambert. While he never misses an energetic note with his wide range when he belts out the rock/techno/dance numbers, he is equally captivating when he croons a ballad. “Broken Open” left me (and pretty much everyone) spellbound. Laura was as excited as the rest of the crowd when he did “Mad World.” She danced and sang along to all of his songs; Laura can do Adam Lambert's "For Your Entertainment" scream down to the last warble. (Thus far, Laura won't let me post a video of her scream on YouTube, although I promise you my efforts to bribe her into consent are ongoing.)

Adam always did what the Idol judges advise every contestant to do, he made songs his own including “Whole Lotta Love” back when he performed it during Season 8 on the show. Adam didn’t just sing his own version of “Whole Lotta Love” at this concert, he changed it up again performing an acoustic version that he praised his band for playing since he’d rehearsed it like crazy in his car but they hadn’t. The crowd went wild.

After the slower set, Adam plugged it back in beginning with “Music Again” and later “Sleepwalker.” In a fedora and a vest with peacock-feathered lapels, he pretty much flirted his way through “Fever” and I totally forgot that I had one for real. Adam asked everyone to get up and dance as he ended the concert with “Down the Rabbit Hole.” Where I was sitting, everyone was already up and dancing. In between popping antibiotics and Ibuprofen, I’m still up and dancing to the YouTube videos.

My patient, loving, and totally hot husband, Tom, who is also an ardent rock music snob lover, summed up the evening by describing Adam Lambert's performance as "masterful." I described it as my Favorite Concert Ever.

Adam is a gifted stage entertainer for sure, but he never misses a note with that mad vocal range of his. I'm willing to prove it. I've given an Adam Lambert CD to just about everyone I know for Christmas, birthdays, Valentine's Day, you name it, and Every. Single. Person. tells me how much they love it. So . . . assuming you're not already among the One Billion Served by my previous frenzy of CD gift giving . . .

I'm going to give away an Adam Lambert "For Your Entertainment" CD in a random drawing to one of you!

You're going to love it. I guarantee it. Even those silly doubters and naysayers among you, and you know who you are and so do I because I saved copies of your emails so I could say "I told you so" later, have come back and emailed me to say those magic words, "Cheri, you were right" and those other magic words, "I love Adam Lambert!" Boo-yah. The cover art alone will make you lick the case. What? Don't worry, I won't lick the one I'm giving away because of my sick germs and all.

To have a chance at the CD, just leave a comment and, hmmm, let's see, since I'm blogging about once a month these days, let's say at midnight on March 31, I will use my Random Number Transmogrifier to pick a winner.

Edited to Add: And we have a winner! Congratulations Patti!