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Celeb News: Adele delivers uneven concert
Member Since: 11/12/2009
Posts: 13,575
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Adele delivers uneven concert
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Adele is the rare superstar who doesn't try to be anything other than herself onstage.
The British soul-pop vocalist is achingly honest and defiantly mortal in front of a crowd, seemingly bereft of any desire to put up a false front in the name of looking cool.
That's kind of refreshing in a day when so many of her contemporaries, like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga, spend so much time trying to sell larger-than-life images.
But it's also a bit boring.
The long-awaited local stop of the Adele Live Tour on Sunday night at Berkeley's Greek Theatre, postponed by more than two months after the singer was diagnosed with laryngitis, certainly served as further proof that this 23-year-old star is one of the brightest vocal talents in the business.
Yet, it also illustrated that Adele still has a long way to go as a performer. That's disappointing, especially since all the other aspects of her game have improved greatly since she first burst onto the scene with 2008's "19." But in this one important area, she's shown little growth since the first time I saw her sing, back in early 2009 at San Francisco's Warfield.
To be blunt, Adele doesn't really perform -- she just sings. She belts out her tunes while standing near-motionless onstage, or simply croons from a chair. Now, it would be ridiculous to expect her to prance around like Gwen Stefani, but an occasional step toward the crowd might help distinguish her from a mannequin.
Adele's
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reluctance to move about might be credited to the fact that she suffers from severe stage fright. Yet, if she couldn't get over it in Berkeley, where she was greeted by 8,500 of the most unconditionally welcoming fans imaginable, then it might never happen.
What she does -- or, more accurately, doesn't do -- while singing is only part of the problem. An even bigger issue is her between-song banter, which is basically a broken record of detailed description about the relationship that inspired most of the music on "19" and her sophomore effort, "21."
It is, of course, nice to have some insight to what an artist was thinking during the songwriting process, but when the thought process is so one-dimensional, and undeniably personal, a few words certainly would suffice. Instead, we got the whole diary -- and the result felt like a daylong marathon of the "Dr. Phil" show.
The fans, however, would likely take exception with that critique — or, really, any critique whatsoever. It was clear from their exuberant reaction to each and every song sung that this young lady can do no wrong in their eyes.
And that's understandable, given her sensational pipes.
Backed by a seven-piece band -- and performing amid 21 lampshades, a number obviously chosen in honor of the new album's title -- Adele delivered one powerhouse vocal performance after another, beginning with "Hometown Glory" (the first single from "19") and ending approximately 1 hour 30 minutes later with "Rolling in the Deep" (the "21" smash).
She sounded equally good on sad, slow ballads like "Don't You Remember" and with more-uptempo offerings, such as "I'll Be Waiting." Whichever direction she went, Adele managed to make the songs sound cathartic, as if she was cleansing her soul and healing her heart with nearly every line.
Highlights included the originals "Someone Like You" and "Chasing Pavements," as well as cover versions of Bob Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love" and the Cure's "Lovesong," all of which underscored her supreme vocal talent.
Unfortunately, those same songs also helped illustrate that Adele is by no means a must-see live act.
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http://www.mercurynews.com/entertain...es/ci_18683829 
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Member Since: 1/8/2011
Posts: 27,650
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I don't care if she doesn't "perform" as other Pop stars do, There is still something special about her voice that I would pay money to hear her amazing voice.The writer needs to understand just because she doesn't get up and sing and dance with crazy costumes on, doesn't mean she isn't performing. A performance needs a good voice and soul, and she has both of those in all of hers.
& Adele stays un-bothered:
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Member Since: 4/2/2011
Posts: 1,331
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Member Since: 11/16/2010
Posts: 7,213
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That's how Adele's always performed, with her voice. I don't see anything wrong with that. She's unbothered.
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Member Since: 2/16/2010
Posts: 69,775
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LOL horrible review. This man thinks talking about how a song was written isn't genuine?
Only the loudest beats & most complicated choreographies can slay his soul I guess. They're lovely shows too but shouldn't introduce bias into his other reviews.
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Member Since: 11/19/2009
Posts: 1,524
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Quote:
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To be blunt, Adele doesn't really perform -- she just sings.
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Singing is performing. I'm sick of people treating these things as two separate entities. Flop review.
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Member Since: 1/10/2010
Posts: 14,706
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she is not a pop star.... and she does not do concerts to perform. She is a singer. and if u dont know that already after hearing her songs... then u have a problem.
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Member Since: 6/7/2011
Posts: 22,128
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I cannot at this "reviewer" acting like there is anything wrong with Adele not using theatrics in her live show.
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Member Since: 2/11/2008
Posts: 10,964
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Quote:
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She belts out her tunes while standing near-motionless onstage, or simply croons from a chair.
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That's the second best thing she can do.
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Member Since: 3/27/2008
Posts: 4,165
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I completely understand the point this journalist is making. If you look at some of the girls who sing ballads like Beyoncé or even Leona, at least they move around the stage when they're singing. Look at Jessie J, she had a broken leg and has sat on a chair for all of her recent live performances yet somehow she manages to own stage and still posses so much stage presence.
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ATRL Administrator
Member Since: 6/29/2002
Posts: 77,601
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Quote:
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...helped illustrate that Adele is by no means a must-see live act.
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He did not 
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Member Since: 3/30/2009
Posts: 79,408
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And where's the lie? She's not a performer. The only thing she can do is sing.
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Member Since: 4/30/2011
Posts: 3,036
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I agree with the reviewer 100%.
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Member Since: 5/2/2009
Posts: 8,661
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Who ordered the nonsense?
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Member Since: 6/7/2011
Posts: 22,128
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Quote:
Originally posted by Duca
And where's the lie? She's not a performer. The only thing she can do is sing.
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And what`s so wrong with that?
Not every artist has to do these huge, theatric shows. Especially those that are fantastic singers. Being a fantastic singer, it`s completely sensical that Adele would make her live show focus on her voice.
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Member Since: 11/19/2009
Posts: 1,524
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Also, If the reviewer is saying THIS:
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Whichever direction she went, Adele managed to make the songs sound cathartic, as if she was cleansing her soul and healing her heart with nearly every line.
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Why on EARTH would she need to do anything else?
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Member Since: 3/30/2009
Posts: 79,408
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Quote:
Originally posted by KoreanDream
And what`s so wrong with that?
Not every artist has to do these huge, theatric shows. Especially those that are fantastic singers. Being a fantastic singer, it`s completely sensical that Adele would make her live show focus on her voice. |
I never said something was wrong with that. However, as the reviewer has said, it's boring.
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Member Since: 11/12/2009
Posts: 13,575
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Quote:
Originally posted by caerbayn
Also, If the reviewer is saying THIS:
Why on EARTH would she need to do anything else?
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Maybe he just found it boring 
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Member Since: 6/7/2011
Posts: 22,128
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Quote:
Originally posted by Duca
I never said something was wrong with that. However, as the reviewer has said, it's boring.
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But what else would you expect from an Adele concert?
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Member Since: 11/29/2010
Posts: 19,664
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When you have a captivating voice like Adele and Carrie have...there is really no need for some big theatrics.
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