Concert Review: Adele - Royal Oak Music Theatre, Royal Oak, Michigan, 5/23/11

There are standard concerts and then there are "Events". Adele at the Royal Oak Music Theatre qualified as an "Event". After all, it is not often you get to see someone riding the wave of millions of record sales, the Number One album in the country and rising super-stardom in such an intimate setting. I was lucky enough to purchase tickets as soon as they went on sale for this show, before Adele's new "21" really took the world by storm, and it is a good thing I did. Ticket brokers were asking between $200-400 PER TICKET for this long sold-out show. It felt awesome standing in the long line to get in knowing we were amongst the "lucky ones", as the demand for this show was incredible.

The only downside of the night was being told in line that no cameras would be allowed "at the request of the artist", as well as per venue policy. Although I should have known better having attended the George Clinton show here earlier this year, I took the threats of cameras being confiscated to heart and dropped ours off in the car. Of course, as soon as the show started there were cameras as far as the eye can see. I've learned my lesson for the next time I see a show here. I want to give a HUGE thanks to Matthew Johnson for allowing me to use some of the pictures he took at the show. I always like to include some shots from the concerts I attend in my recaps, so thank you so much Matt for sharing.

Opening for Adele was British singer/rapper Ben Drew, who records under the name Plan B. The early part of his set focused on material from his 2010 release "The Defamation Of Strickland Banks", a throwback soul album. Although his band was tight, I couldn't help thinking I have heard this throwback genre done to death lately, and better at that. It seemed an appropriate opener for Adele stylistically but then Drew threw in some of his harder material, with occasional raps thrown in, and the whole thing seemed to wear out its welcome. The crowd around me was getting restless as Plan B's set seemed to go on and on. Especially funny to me was him bitching how radio won't play him, considering his album debuted at Number One in the UK, I had just seen him recently with a prime U.S. TV performance on Conan O'Brien's show and he is opening for one of the hottest acts in the world right now. I understand he has met with some record company resistance for wanting to return to his hip-hop roots, but he's hardly a struggling artist.

So that brings us to Adele's set. By the time she was ready to go, we were packed on the main floor like sardines.  There was very little room to move but you could feel the excitement and an incredible vibe in the room. Everyone knew what they were about to witness. The show started with the piano notes from my favorite song off of her 2008 debut "19", "Hometown Glory". The stage set-up was just the piano, a stool and a microphone in front of a curtain and Adele started to sing from backstage, appearing as the song reached its first chorus to an unbelievable roar from the audience. The performance was exquisite, by the first song all the proof we were in the presence of a REAL singer, not a studio creation, was there.

Attention was quickly turned to her smash album "21" with the next song, "I'll Be Waiting" which saw the curtain drop to unveil her full backing band and singers. In fact, with the exception of "He Won't Go", every song off "21" was played. Things slowed down for "Don't You Remember" and the achingly beautiful "Turning Tables", with Adele belting the song out while sitting on the stool. I can't emphasize enough how wonderful it was to be in the presence of a truly great singer in this day and age of auto-tuned bullshit and record label creations.

Besides her gifts as a songwriter and vocalist, Adele also has the gift of a warm, bubbly stage personality. Most songs were introduced with little anecdotes about their origins or inspirations, and her frequent cursing only added to the charm. Introducing "Set Fire To The Rain", one of the many high points on "21", she said the idea for this song came from attempts to light her cigarette of all things. The performance then set fire to the stage, that soaring chorus gets me every time. A cover of The SteelDrivers song "If It Hadn't Been For Love", which was released as the B-Side to the UK single for "Rolling In The Deep", was next before she returned to "19" for "My Same".  

The set alternated between the more stripped down songs and full band performances. Sometimes Adele was accompanied just by piano or played her acoustic guitar for songs. "Take It All" was as sparse as it is on record but it was followed by the stomping "Rumour Has It" for example. The closing of the main set was heavy with the more popular tracks off "19" starting with the soulful "Right As Rain". She did return to the new album for another of my favorites, "One And Only", followed by her sensual interpretation of The Cure's "Lovesong". The set closed with the song that first broke her in the States, "Chasing Pavements", with most of the audience belting it out with Adele, and her cover of Bob Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love." Adele introduced the latter as the "last song of the night...wink wink", leaving no doubt she would be back.

As I had hoped, the encore started with the song I absolutely had to hear at this show, the show-stopping, emotional bomb shell that is "Someone Like You". I've seen Adele fight tears numerous times in early performances of this song, it is that much of a heart breaker. She started it with just that voice and her acoustic guitar, performing the entire first verse solo before the standard piano intro of the studio version kicked in and the song was performed as it is on record. It sounded as amazing live as I had hoped, she even let the crowd sing the chorus a few times, perhaps making it easier for her to get through. 

Not surprisingly, Adele closed the night out with her smash hit "Rolling In The Deep", which had the crowd singing along for one last time. I've been to concerts where it gets annoying hearing every woman around you try to perform the entire show along with the artist. The Imogen Heap show I saw at this venue a few years back comes to mind. But there was so much genuine love being directed at the stage from those singing along, somehow it seemed fitting. And Adele certainly basked in the adoration being thrown her way, cracking jokes, cackling at herself and sending genuine appreciation and love back at the sold out audience.

Although Adele has gone on record that she does not wish to perform at arenas and festivals, as she feels her intimate, emotional music would not translate, I highly doubt we'll see her at a venue like the Royal Oak Music Theatre again anytime soon. At this stage of her career, with "21" flying high, I am sure she could sell out the Fox Theatre in downtown Detroit. That just added to this memorable night, much like when I saw Coldplay play the then State Theatre on their first U.S. Tour. You just knew you'd never see this rising star again in this type of setting. I'm grateful I was there to see it. Adele brought the house down. Do not miss this tour.

SETLIST:

1. "Hometown Glory"
2. "I'll Be Waiting"
3. "Don't You Remember"
4. "Turning Tables"
5. "Set Fire To The Rain"
6. "If It Hadn't Been For Love"
7. "My Same"
8. "Take It All"
9. "Rumour Has It"
10. "Right As Rain"
11. "One And Only"
12. "Lovesong"
13. "Chasing Pavements"
14. "Make You Feel My Love"
15. "Someone Like You"
16. "Rolling In The Deep"

Again, major thanks to Matthew Johnson for allowing me to use his photos.