Adam Lambert – “Never Close Our Eyes” Acoustic Performance (Recap)

By On 03/26/2012 · 121 Comments · In Adam Lambert, American Idol

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Montavilla was lucky enough to score tickets to the Adam Lambert show at the 95.5  Bing Lounge in Portland OR. Here’s her recap, and listen to an acoustic version of a new song, “Never Close Our Eyes”, written by Bruno Mars

Adam Lambert at the Bing Lounge

My mother and I arrived outside the Bing Lounge to find the line going around the corner. It wasn’t a huge crowd, because it’s a small space. But it was very cold and windy, and we were almost at the end of the line. We entertained ourselves by window-shopping and watching a very short Occupy Portland march that passed by.

About 15 minutes before the lounge was supposed to open (but about half an hour before it actually did), a couple of radio station people came to check our names and give us tickets. The people in front of us, and those right behind us got seats, but we got standing room tickets. When I asked the guy with the seats how he got them, he replied vaguely that he “knew someone.”

We, who knew no one, ended up in the back of the room, standing behind very tall people. We couldn’t actually see anything but the video screens and the backs of people’s heads. But it didn’t matter, because I got to hear Adam live. He sounded wonderful — very powerful. The first song he sang was “Better Than I Know Myself.” The sound was beautiful. Then he answered some questions from the audience. I had submitted one from CWM, but it wasn’t one of the ones picked.

One question I do remember was from a girl who had been crying with excitement throughout the show. She asked if his house was on fire, what three things he would save. Adam answered that he’d save his boyfriend, Sauli, and then his laptop (where the music is), and then… he hesitated over the third thing. Someone in the audience yelled out, “Your mascara.” He laughed and said, “It’s $3.99 at Rite Aid, why would I bother?” He finally decided that he’d save his python boots.

He also mentioned that he got to do some shopping “at the mall” in Portland, and went to see The Hunger Games last night. He liked the book better, but he did like the movie. He said it was well-casted, and had a clean narrative line. He admitted that his food vice was eating dark chocolate, and that said he needed to attend DCA (Dark Chocolate Anonymous) meetings.

Then he sang “Never Close Our Eyes” for the first time for an audience! Cool! I finally got to hear the bridge and the end of the song. For the third song, he asked if we’d rather hear “Cuckoo” or “Trespassing.” But, just like RCA, we couldn’t decide, and so we heard “Whataya Want From Me,” instead.

Afterwards, the radio lackeys lined people up for photographs. They urged us all to twitter and post our videos and photos on facebook (“just be sure to say ‘in the Bing Lounge’”). Mom and I stayed for a little while, even though we weren’t interested in getting photos. It’s just that we wanted to actually see Adam. So we watched him hug and chat and smile into the camera for about ten minutes before we left. He looked gorgeous, wearing the blue Alexander McQueen shirt, with black vest and black skinny jeans, and the precious python boots.

Mom commented that he seemed softer, gentler, and nicer than she would have thought from seeing him on American Idol. She said she’s met a few people in her life who just have greatness in them, and she sees that in Adam.

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  • http://twitter.com/weeeeezle weezle

    I think it is pretty cool that Adam can pull off both…getting a taste of both worlds Pop and Rock is a dream come true for fans of both genres.  Between the new album and the Queen gig….wow..we get it all!!!

  • Axxxel

    About the  choice of non-dance songs because the crowd was subdued (maybe “frozen” ? ).

    This reminds me of encore of an Adam Lambert concert (in a festival-like event) I went to… I adore WLL as an encore and not really “Mad World”…
    However,  when Adam eventually closed the concert with  ”Mad World” that night, I was happy  because it was 00.30 hours and I was too tired to handle a powerful WLL.

  • Anonymous

     Well, it’s been 3 years and Adam has been doing pop pretty much all this time so I still don’t get why any one would still be expecting rock from Adam.  He is not interested. He is trying to forge his own pop/funk/vocal heavy brand. If there are people still wanting rock they have not been paying attention. Who cares what he did on Idol at this point. Adam has accumulated a growing international fanbase on his pop music. What he did on Idol is irrelevant IMO.

  • Anonymous

    Well this NCOE acoustic and studio are freaking addictive. I can see why Bruno gave Adam this song, it is perfect for him. It has that great dance beat but allows him to show off his voice. This song is now vying for my attention as much as the other three when initially it was at the bottom. All four of these songs are so good I hope they throw all 4 out as singles at some point and maybe sandwich in Chokehold somewhere. Damn, this album is going to be good! And Queen as the icing on the cake!

  • Anonymous

    Your totally, the album is going to be great and the performances with Queen are going to be a dream come true for Adam and his fans. Adam seems like he’s excited about it and is up to the challenge. Who wouldn’t want to actually sing with their heroes. The fact that they asked him above any one else has to be the greatest compliment another artist has paid him. I’m still waiting to see an Sir Elton/Adam performance, those two would be phenomenal together. 

  • Anonymous

    Hi Everyone!

    Thanks Mateja and others. You touched on some very valuable points.

    In my view many singing reality shows is like casting for a part in a film/play.When you are cast you are it-God help you!. You only deviate minimally i.e. Tracks of Tears, Play that Funky music etc.

    The show is designed to create in the subconscious mind of the listener what the artist should be.This sometimes creates a fantasy or risky persona. All Adam wants to do is to break free! How can we forget when Adam chose to perform beautifully during the auditions Cher’s ‘Believe’ which is an electronic pop song or during the show ’Ring of Fire’. That was significant to tell us the kind of artist Adam is and not the whole picture!
     
    For me there is this push and pull between Adam, fans ,non-fans, x-contestants, judges and media the like. Most of us have an image of how we want to perceive him, forgeting that Adam is a very versatile artist. I get a sense that Adam left 19 management or otherwise because of this very reason. Also it could be one of the reasons why his friendship with Monte suffered because he might have seen him in this light too. It was also telling when Adam on the ‘Major and Minor’ reality show in conversation with the kids he told them not to allow anyone to ’box’ you into something they think you should be.

     The other Barrier is nostagia. Believe it or not some fans/nonfans want to live out their past and find it in many reality contestants. Adam is no exception. Some people argue that it is because of the age demographic which is one of the largest in reality singing shows. I am not so sure! But there is a correlation between age and nostalgia!

    Wow Wow singing ‘Never close our eyes’ Beautiful, moving, impeccable. In my eyes he is a genius. This is my point the Adam I adore will never be put in a box. His versalility speaks for itself-AMEN 

     Thanks
     Regards
    B-Babie x

     

  • Tess

    Adele isn’t anti-pop…she is pop as in “popular” which is what pop music is.  It isn’t a genre or a style of music.  At one time disco, rock, soul, mo-town, ballads, rap, hip-hop, grunge, new-age and even some knock off classical have constituted pop music (along with a lot of other types of music), even some country now and again, see: Campbell, Glenn or Denver, John or Twain or Parton.

    Any artist in any genre can garner the top spot in pop music…they and their song just need to connect with the listening audience and Top 40 will spin it. As for Adam, sure he likes electronica or dance music but he surrounds himself with a guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard which is very much a “rock” type of band for his live performances.  I just don’t think you can “box” Adam in…he can absolutely wail with the best of them and I think his solo tour (when it comes about) will demonstrate that.

    Besides…rock itself has so many damn factions and illiterations.  When I think of the psychedelic rock bands of the late 60s they don’t sound at all like the glam rock of the 70s or the metal rock of the 80s and none of that sounds like jive rock or ballad rock…you probably get the picture.

  • Anonymous

     Adam and Elton would be genius!!! For me this would be surreal, as Elton is the only other artist I have followed and loved as I do Adam. Only without the benefit of the internet with Elton, lol.

  • Anonymous

     B-Babie- I love your posts! Don’t ever go away, haha.

  • sdmama

    1. Bruno Mars is an amazing song writer. 
    2. These are the prettiest pair on pop scene.  
    3. Adam has the purest voice. This song makes the most of it.

    This song, I love.  If Adam delayed the album for it, I say it was totally worth it. 
     
    Tommy looks like a 15 years old in our kids’ high school. It is a compliment; better than looking like 40 years old.

  • Anonymous

    IMO, Adele’s album is a Pop album.  But it’s not a dance, club album.  But neither will all of Adam’s songs be club songs.  I’m looking forward to a good mix :) 

  • YankeeFan08

    RCAPromo
    @AdamLambert premiered an acoustic version of his brand new song “Never Close Our Eyes” this Sunday. Check it out! http://bit.ly/GPp86e

    Next single?

  • Anonymous

    Elton is one of the legends I would love for Adam to do a collaboration with. 

  • cwm

    Some new goodies from Adam’s time in Portland have been posted.

    This is the Z100 Portland interview with Brett Andrews. Great interview:
    on station website: http://www.z100portland.com/pages/brett_andrews.html
    on n youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBAEf7WxhTI&feature=player_embedded#!

    This is the performances and Q&A at Z100. Great performance of Trespassing here!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiyWmM-mEDM&feature=player_embedded

    And, from his appearance at 105.1 the Buzz, this is an absolutely fantastic performance of Cuckoo. Love this!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDtNL_qVsc&feature=youtu.be&a

    I love how he did all 3 new songs in Portland: NCOE at 95.5, Trespassing at Z100, and Cuckoo at 105.1. And all 3 of them fantastic performances. They just keep getting better and better.

  • iani

    The song is growing on me, the chorus reminds me of France’s song for this year Eurovision and one of the most appreciated songs from all 42 entries.by many youtube watchers, hopefully it would be a successful song overseas if it would be chosen as the next single. I also hope RCA gets another single soon and not waiting till the radio stations would stop  adding BTIKM(he has 2 adds by now for this week).
    Finally RCA has gotten a new single for Gavin Degraw after almost 1 year, maybe because of DWTS and everything, so he might get another “successful” single in a year or two, lol. I would not like something like this for Adam, as a new artist he needs more than a lingering moderate-successful  single, he needs more “snap it and  move on”, try the next one and not to loose the album’s “fever”-promotions (JMO).

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ashetalia-Staatz/100001792695528 Ashetalia Staatz

    Yes, rock is not where music is right now, which is why I’m relieved Trespassing is safely pop. Also, I love pop, so I have no complaints at all.

    I was just trying to say that fye and gnt probably did more to associate him with rock than idol. Also, the hippie, ’60s throwback Adam with his wolf spirit animal and fascination with astrology and mythology is still around, might always be around, as (imo) that’s an essential part of him.

    Meanwhile, I love ncoe. He kills it live. That’s one amazing performance up there :D

  • Anonymous

    Wow!  This song is fantastic!  I think I like it better acoustically!

    I love any song that Bruno touches.

  • Axxxel

    I was only saying that Adele is anti- pop DANCE.. maybe I did not write it correctly…I should have written that Adele is anti dance-pop.

  • Axxxel

    Adam and Elton ? I would rather see an Adam and David Bowie duet.

  • Axxxel

    Maybe I wrote my comments wrongly … I did write that Adele was  anti pop dance. I should have written that Adele was anti dance pop.

  • Axxxel

    Sigh, I will wait for the album on 15 May and after that I will only check out all those youtube video’s of his accoustic performances.

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