“I’m a freak, but thanks for loving me / ’Cause you’re doing it perfectly,” Adam Lambert crooned, to a roar of approval. You could feel the love long before this glam-rocking 2009 “American Idol” runner-up even set foot in the spotlight Friday night at PlayhouseSquare’s Allen Theatre in Cleveland. The packed house (dominated by women of all ages) went nuts during the set change, when a huge image of Lambert appeared above the stage. A few minutes later, when smoke machines started belching theatrical fog, fans cheered all the more loudly. And when the lights finally went down just before 10 p.m., it was time to kiss your eardrums goodbye.

With a four-piece band and four dancers in tow, Lambert announced his arrival with “Voodoo,” a cyber-disco number found on his new “Remixes” EP. He wore an oversize top hat with a sparkling “A” on it and a long coat with furry trim and fringes, conjuring a spooky yet playful vibe that suggested Marilyn Manson week on “Glee.”

Following elaborate song-and-dance routines to the tune of “Down the Rabbit Hole” and a snake-charming update of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” Lambert turned his attention to “For Your Entertainment,” his debut album, starting with a spirited take on the Lady Gaga-penned “Fever.”

Lambert, 28, was almost halfway through his set before he got around to small talk.“Hey, Cleveland – what’s going on?” he said. “You having fun? Me, too.”

He sang with power and passion throughout the evening, effortlessly slipping in and out of a stratospheric falsetto during the sparse ballad “Aftermath.”

Another highlight, “Soaked,” was a rock-operatic aria worthy of Meat Loaf.

Lambert’s most entertaining songs, including “Sure Fire Winners” and his latest single, the pounding “If I Had You,” transformed the venue into a giant dance club, complete with multi-colored lasers crisscrossing above the audience.

Lambert obviously put some thought into the sequencing of the show, which flowed like a mini-musical about obsession and redemption. The production was highly choreographed, minus any moves as eyebrow-raising as Lambert’s S&M-flavored stunts at the American Music Awards in November.

Too bad he chose to recast his biggest hit to date, the Top 10 smash “Whataya Want from Me,” as a stripped-down ditty for just voice and guitar — a curious decision that robbed the song of some punch. This is only Lambert’s first headlining tour, so it’s a bit early in the game to be overhauling arrangements.

The only other drawback was the hourlong concert’s brevity. Lambert left ’em clamoring for more, bowing out too soon with a cover of the Tears for Fears oldie “Mad World.”

What do we want from him? A few more songs would’ve been nice.

SET LIST:
Voodoo
Down the Rabbit Hole
Ring of Fire
Fever
Sleepwalker
Whataya Want from Me
Soaked
Aftermath
Sure Fire Winners
Strut
Music Again
If I Had You

ENCORE:
Mad World

ARTICLE BY: John Soeder
SOURCE: www.cleveland.com
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