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'Mika fits the Freddie Mercury prototype like a glove'-an article about Adam Lambert

robertina

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robertina

robertina

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Last man standing?

 

Posted on 02 Sep 2010 at 7:06pm

As Adam Lambert rises the pop ranks, he joins a long line of musical frontmen who can really show out

RICH LOPEZ | Staff Writer lopez@dallasvoice.com

 

 

TAKE IT EASY | Lambert will prove if he’s a worthy performer when he comes to Dallas on Tuesday.

ADAM LAMBERT

Palladium Ballroom,

1135 S. Lamar Road.

Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. $39.

 

Recently, Adam Lambert sang the praises of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. Much of Lambert’s stylings and persona are reminiscent of the late bisexual singer, but when he asked NPR recently where are today’s flamboyant showmen, I was perplexed. If by flamboyant, he means gay, well, then perhaps I can see that. But pop and rock music today is not lacking for outrageousness in male personalities.

 

Lambert doesn’t have to look too far to see that the musical landscape is filled with exciting onstage personas that can equal Lady Gaga or Katy Perry. Lest he thinks he’s the only one on the radar doing up an extravaganza show, he’d be sorely mistaken. I picked out a few worthwhile singers and performers that should answer Lambert’s question.

 

Mika — I’m sorry to tell Lambert that Brit pop singer Mika fits the Freddie Mercury prototype like a glove, much more than Lambert does. With bouncy pop that’s also smart, Mika is exciting to watch as he rules his stage and flutters with some crazy vocal gymnastics. To add to that, he can throw down big time on a piano. He can wear the audience out even when he’s doing all the work.

 

Kele Okereke — The Bloc Party gay frontman woos his audience like a lover. He has that magic that is both hypnotic and thrilling. Okereke drips sex appeal the way Lenny Kravitz used to, only he keeps it approachable enough to not make him look like a douche. Others usually miss that mark.

 

Brandon Flowers — When Flowers takes the mike during his band’s show, he not only sings, he leads like a conductor. The Killers pop rock drives forward with heavy guitars and drums, but Flowers owns the stage with the slightly off-kilter-ness of Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter but makes up for it with squeaky clean good looks and guy-liner.

 

Justin Timberlake — It’s hard to believe I live in a world where Justin T. is a music veteran. Not only that, he’s become a respectable musician and artist. But first, he was the breakout guy from N*Sync. You could see his potential then that he was going to be big, but when he matured into pop music hotness, he proved that outrageousness and flamboyance isn’t all that’ s needed to be a great showmen. J.T.’s got the moves, the looks and also works his sex appeal to no end.

 

There are countless others, but Lambert can’t rule out these contemporaries just because he’ll kiss a guy onstage or wear outlandish costumes. Flamboyant showmanship is of varying degree. Glam rock hasn’t yet made its comeback, but Lambert is at least spearheading the movement and in a few years, he’ll be the next veteran that up and comers will cite as an influence.

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AnnaMariaPetra

AnnaMariaPetra

Posted
Posted
Last man standing?

 

Posted on 02 Sep 2010 at 7:06pm

As Adam Lambert rises the pop ranks, he joins a long line of musical frontmen who can really show out

RICH LOPEZ | Staff Writer lopez@dallasvoice.com

 

 

TAKE IT EASY | Lambert will prove if he’s a worthy performer when he comes to Dallas on Tuesday.

ADAM LAMBERT

Palladium Ballroom,

1135 S. Lamar Road.

Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. $39.

 

Recently, Adam Lambert sang the praises of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. Much of Lambert’s stylings and persona are reminiscent of the late bisexual singer, but when he asked NPR recently where are today’s flamboyant showmen, I was perplexed. If by flamboyant, he means gay, well, then perhaps I can see that. But pop and rock music today is not lacking for outrageousness in male personalities.

 

Lambert doesn’t have to look too far to see that the musical landscape is filled with exciting onstage personas that can equal Lady Gaga or Katy Perry. Lest he thinks he’s the only one on the radar doing up an extravaganza show, he’d be sorely mistaken. I picked out a few worthwhile singers and performers that should answer Lambert’s question.

 

Mika — I’m sorry to tell Lambert that Brit pop singer Mika fits the Freddie Mercury prototype like a glove, much more than Lambert does. With bouncy pop that’s also smart, Mika is exciting to watch as he rules his stage and flutters with some crazy vocal gymnastics. To add to that, he can throw down big time on a piano. He can wear the audience out even when he’s doing all the work.

 

Is this reporter a member of MFC? :mf_lustslow::mf_lustslow::thumb_yello:

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Marilyn Mastin

Marilyn Mastin

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:blink:Maybe a stupid question, but WHO is Adam Lambert? Never heard of him!:boxed:

Adam Lambert came 2nd in American Idol. He gained a huge fan base. He's actually a good singer, but it's always got on my nerves that he gets his records played in America, when Mika doesn't, but he had the American Idol platform to launch is career.

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Jojotje

Jojotje

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this made my day. thanks :mf_rosetinted:

 

You're very welcome! But I realy don't know! But to be hounest, I've found him on Youtube, but am not impressed! Sorry! FREDDY MERCURY? How dare he!

 

But the text about Mika couldn't be more right!

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robertina

robertina

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You're very welcome! But I realy don't know! But to be hounest, I've found him on Youtube, but am not impressed! Sorry! FREDDY MERCURY? How dare he!

 

yes...and the US taste is so different from ours here in europe.

adam lambert yes - mika no :blink:

wtf?

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Christine

Christine

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:blink:Maybe a stupid question, but WHO is Adam Lambert? Never heard of him!:boxed:

 

:teehee:

 

yes...and the US taste is so different from ours here in europe.

adam lambert yes - mika no :blink:

wtf?

 

I saw him a couple of weeks ago and he's very good. The one thing that struck me immediately is that he comes across like a proper '80s rock star. But I would liken him to Steven Tyler from Aerosmith or even Boy George rather than Freddie Mercury. I think he's one to talk about Freddie because he has had the chance to perform with Queen and did such a good job that there were rumors flying around for weeks that Queen had asked him to be their lead singer and tour with them.

 

The difference with Mika is that he writes his own material. But you are right that American tastes are very different so Adam Lambert is going to get more radio play with a song written by Pink than Mika will with a song written by Mika.

 

But all is not lost. It says here that Adam Lambert is performing in the same venue I saw Mika in just last year :wink2: Given that LA is hometown territory for Lambert and Mika cannot get radio play in the US I think it speaks volumes for Mika's reputation as a live performer, even among American audiences.

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toy_girl_mika96

toy_girl_mika96

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yes...and the US taste is so different from ours here in europe.

adam lambert yes - mika no :blink:

wtf?

Most of the people here don't really care about music anyway, to be honest. It's mostly rap and trashy stuff and where I live weird country stuff.

 

I like a few of Adam Lambert's songs, BUT I wouldn't consider myself a fan. :naughty: I also don't get why they play Adam Lambert here but can't play Mika, the excuse from my radio station that I've gotten are that:

1) Mika isn't in the top 40

My reply: How do you expect him to get into the top 40 if you NEVER play his songs?

I've also heard in other places that they didn't play Mika because he might be gay, it's really aggravating and then they can play Adam Lambert so easily.. :blink:

 

I think we're getting there a bit, Muse, La Roux, Florence + the Machine and some other artists that were once only known in Europe are starting to build a larger fanbase here, maybe this will happen to Mika on his 3rd album.. :dunno:

 

Anyway, nice article, T4P :flowers2:

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Mika's boo

Mika's boo

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YOU GO REPORTER! TELL HIM LIKE IT IS! :teehee:

 

Adam Lambert....hmm....Ive never been a fan. at all. I think he tries way too hard with his image. Flamboyant? yes. but not an effortless flamboyance as Mika possesses.

 

Mika's time will come here in the US, and believe me when it does its going to be HUGE. He does have a following here, I tend to hang out a lot in Soho and other "posh" areas of NYC, and he is definitely well known in that scene (which is awesome but sadly that scene doesn't amount to the whole US)

 

Mika is surely a ticking time bomb here in the US, and beware once he explodes :thumb_yello:

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suzie

suzie

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:blink:Maybe a stupid question, but WHO is Adam Lambert? Never heard of him!:boxed:

 

this made my day. thanks :mf_rosetinted:

 

:roftl:

 

However strange it might sound, Adam Lambert is almost completely unknown in several countries, just like Mika is. Hungary was a fine example of that, although his appearance at Sziget fesztival has changed that a bit.

 

 

Re. the article, it is not only Mika's way of performing and singing that can remind you of Freddie Mercury. His way of approaching music and art and his whole personality evokes Freddie Mercury - in me, anyway. It is not as strong as in the old days as I can fully think of only Mika when I listen to him and his songs, but when I compare I can still see the similarity in many ways.

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