Adam Lambert brings Mechanics Hall audience to 'Fever' pitch
WORCESTER - An Idol came to town Thursday night, coming off "The Original High," and eager to bust moves designed to keep Mechanics Hall shakin'.
Adam Lambert packed a four-piece band behind him for XLO's "Almost" Acoustic Xmas show, along with two backing vocalists. The high-energy singer with the gilded pipes had the adoring, full house on its feet throughout his 10-song, 45-minute set - with nary a reference to the holiday season, musically, or otherwise.
Instead, it was all about the boogie rhythms performed with blistering intensity. Opening with audience clap-along "Evil in the Night" from "Original High," Lambert would weight more than half of Thursday's performance with selections from that album, his third, released in June.
"Let's keep this dance party movin!'" the charismatic crooner exulted, and the audience complied with brio, whether standing atop chairs or videotaping the performance.
"Ghost Town" featured a tom-tom beat and siren-like special effects. For a performer known for his vocal prowess, Lambert's instrumental cohorts provided stellar accompaniment, including a guitarist, keyboardist, drummer and bass player.
"The Original High," from its namesake album, was a percussive, up-tempo juggernaut carried by a propulsive dance beat. Taking off his jacket to reveal a sweat-soaked shirt, the svelte, pompadoured Lambert drew howls of appreciation as he announced "Let's get funky!" while launching into "Fever." He knee-knocked dance steps across the stage before allowing a backup vocalist to take a creditable solo.
"You guys are crazy here tonight!" the expansive, ebullient star enthused, then announced his new single, "Another Lonely Night." Unfortunately, this tune was likely the nadir of the performance. As fuchsia lights bathed the stage, the piece was delivered in too frothy a musical mélange, transforming Lambert's singing into a harsh, barely discernable caterwaul.
"Whataya Want From Me," however, was perhaps the night's best-rendered composition. Lambert sat down astride a stool, the backing vocalists left the stage, and the pell-mell tumult marking the set segued into a melodic groove.
"Who got to see me on stage with Queen last year?" Lambert inquired of his public, and by the show of hands, it appeared as if a slew of those present had done so. Noting that Queen guitarist Brian May appears on his new album, Lambert introduced the song "Lucy," which on Thursday featured a searing guitar solo. Accented by the singer's soaring vocal, Lambert layered dynamic tension over the musicians' interlock.
"If I Had You," from Lambert's first album, was delivered in a bouncy, almost reggae-ish fashion, with a calliopesque flavoring.
The infectious encore "Trespassing" featured superb melding of rap and dance stylings, driven by a locomotive bass line. The chorus alternated with Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" lyrics, providing a fitting tribute to Lambert's collaboration with rock royalty.
It wouldn't be a party without appetizers, and the three served up prior to the XLO headliner did much to whet the auditory appetite.
The Rua, which apparently means "the red" or "red-haired" in Gaelic, is a youthful, three-sibling group composed of Alanna (keyboards), Roseanna (guitar) and Jonathan (fiddle) Brown, with roots in Ireland and residency in Britain. The bell-like clarity of Roseanna's vocals, accompanied by the precision musicianship of her brother and sister, make for a compelling, masterful trio that has drawn references to The Cranberries, The Corrs and even Fleetwood Mac. But toward the rear of Mechanics Hall, their lyrics were virtually indecipherable, and if catchy hooks are the bellwether of pop stardom, it might be a chink in their armor.
Buffalo, N.Y., native and Nashville, Tenn., resident Marc Scibilia is a little bit country, and a little bit pop. His offerings included "Times Like This" and "Wide Open Arms," performed on acoustic guitar with keyboard accompaniment. He, too, seems to be slipping off his pony, just as he reaches for the perfect pop lick. Although his vocal delivery on the stately ballad "Jericho" was mindful of Jackson Browne.
South African singer-songwriter Connell Cruise is possessed of an operatic vocal range and an engaging stage presence. Performing on keyboards, he rendered "I Am Your Man" in prayerful, heartfelt fashion, informing potential suitors beforehand, "Gentlemen, this song has a 100 percent success rate."
