“Merry Christmas! Happy Birthday! I bought the tickets!” my mom said over FaceTime.
“No you didn’t. We’re going to Adele?” I asked in a whisper in the back of the library.
“We’re going to see Adele!”
My countdown to Adele started in November. I listened to all of her songs on loop to make sure I knew every single lyric, backup vocal, and beat.
Adele is my favorite singer of all time. I’ve been an Adele fan for nearly a decade and I confidently call myself a superfan. I mean, I start singing the next song on the 30 album before it even starts. I played the 25 album on my CD player as a kid and the 30 album is the only CD I allow in my car.
After many failed attempts at getting tickets to see Adele, I got a presale code to the third and final round of Weekends With Adele. Over President’s Day Weekend, I flew from Boston to Las Vegas to experience Weekend 39.
In 2022, I went to Las Vegas to celebrate my brother’s 21st birthday. I bought the Adele hoodie and t-shirt while I was there, knowing that was as close as I’d get to the concert. Man, I am so happy I was so wrong!
Tip: Go to the Adele Boutique outside of the Casear’s Palace Colosseum in advance to avoid the insane lines at the merch tables at the show.
My tickets were for the Saturday night show. The Casear’s Palace Colosseum is a smaller theater, holding about 4,500 guests. The intimate size means that every seat in the house is a good seat. I was on the top balcony and could see her so clearly. And all my pictures were clear, too.
In true Adele fashion, I wore a black and white vintage dress to the show paired with vintage Ann Taylor leather heels. The dress code is definitely black–no tie needed. Adele wore a beautiful black gown accented with black flowers and paired with matching floral earrings. And like the icon she is, she wore black tights, no shoes.
Tip: Find your way to the Colosseum before the concert so you know how to get there or give yourself extra time before the show to account for the walk through the casino. Casear’s Palace is a maze.
With the opening keys of “To Be Loved”, the crowd erupted with screams and applause. Adele took the stage with “Hello” – the perfect way for her to open. The show was two hours long and she played 20 songs. I refused to look at the setlist before the show, but if you’re curious, you can find it here. In my soul, I wished Adele sang “Wild Wild West,” the bonus track on 30, or “I Miss You”, but I knew it wouldn’t happen.
All of Adele’s songs are piano ballads, but her show is not a sitting show. She encouraged the audience to stand up and dance, especially to her more upbeat songs: “Water Under the Bridge,” “Send My Love to Your New Lover”, and “Oh My God.”
The floor to ceiling screens played her music videos and dynamic graphics for almost every song. With the crack of thunder and a cool breeze, the stage opened back up with rain pouring down for “Set Fire to the Rain.” Flames shot out of the ground and spread across Adele’s white piano.
My favorite performance of hers was “Love in the Dark.” The screens shut off, the lights dimmed, Adele sat down and just sang. It was the most beautiful and present moment of the entire show.
Rumor has it she’s married to Rich Paul, an NBA agent. Before singing “When We Were Young,” Adele shared a memory of attending an NBA all stars game and referred to herself as a wife. The pair started dating in 2021 and this isn’t the first time she’s suggested she’s married during her Las Vegas residency. From Weekend 39 and Instagram photos, it seems she almost always wears a ring on her left ring finger. I wonder if her next album will feature more love songs than breakup anthems.
During “Hold On,” lanterns fell from the ceiling to signify holding onto hope during the tough times. The screens showed the audience members in all three balconies during “Someone Like You.” Adele got teary eyed when she asked the audience to sing the chorus for her.
Adele finished the show with “Rolling in the Deep” and “Love is a Game.” At the end of the show, confetti hearts with Adele’s song names rained down on the audience. After Adele left the stage, the screen showed the words “The Beginning”– Adele’s way of indicating everyone’s story is just starting in some way.
Truly, Adele is one of the few artists that sings better live. Her vocals were amazing. And she’s funny. She loves to talk to the audience and we hear all about her acid reflux, her son, and her hectic life.
Every show, Adele randomly chooses one person sitting on the top balcony to the front of the stage and they get to bring one person with them. Sadly, I was not the person selected. She also launches t-shirts with a personal note and $50 into the crowd with her t-shirt gun. I also did not get one of those, but I’m plenty happy with the merch I bought.
After the next ten weekends in Vegas, Adele is headed to Germany for more performances this summer. Adele promised to tour one day, when she feels ready, as a thank you to all the fans that traveled to Las Vegas to see her perform. Her concert is a must see. Be sure to try to get tickets when she’s in your area. I’m back to listening to her songs on Spotify and on the CD in my car while I hold on until she finally goes on tour.