(all photos and words: Chun-Wei)

A 19-year old with a bunch of songs about love and its fallout is hit or miss. But authentic words with a confident megaphone is another thing. Adele’s album,19, is an infectious and soulful debut. Released in January 2008 and she’s already topping international charts and selling out shows around the world.

DC was no exception this Tuesday. With a red knit hat topping “a bad hair day,” she instantaneously held any stray eyes asking “Where’s Waldo?”

A diverse standing-room only Sixth and I Synagogue was prepped by the sounds of Laura Burhenn. One half of DC’s indie pop/rock group, Georgie James, her solo performance was raw and evocative. Her capable voice was where it should be – usually gruff and strong, but flighty and angelic when needed. She brought with her Winston Yu on the violin & mandolin and Tom Hnatow on the slide guitar.

It was their first time ever performing together and though it showed at times, their sum was elegant and richly layered. But the set list was a bit sedentary and in turn, a bit of a wristslasher, making Adele’s performance all the more inviting.

She took the pulpit (technically, the reader’s platform) and sang the gospel. Not of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, but definitely of at least four dudes.

Love and dating is a ready topic for most teens and this just-turned-20 London native has stories to tell.

If you’re single, you’ll relate. If you’ve got one, you’ll appreciate the struggles she spotlights. And if that one is a bisexual ex-boyfriend, you’ll know exactly what she’s preaching. Her opener, “Daydreamer,” was inspired by just that and started what became a long line of crowd-pleasers.

With titles like “First Love,” “Cold Shoulder,” and “Crazy For You,” expectations of annoying, teeny-bopper OMG dramas are ghost once she opens her mouth. Her voice booms, stabs, and flirts her clever wordplay, making it quite like Burger King: have it your way. Choose to dissect the words or cool out and just take in the vibe, either way, those who showed up were happy.

With only one album out and “simply because I’m running out of songs,” she turned out respectful and respectable covers. While surrounded by stained glass and angelic reverb created by the balcony and vaulted dome, her Sam Cooke selection (“That’s It, I Quit, I’m Moving On”) drew easy parallels with his own gospel beginnings. And when she smoothed it out with her Bob Dylan cover (“Make You Feel My Love”), her rising popularity and hopefully long career was encapsulated when she hit the line, “you ain’t see nothing like me yet.”

But right now, she’s a youngin’ figuring out life. And as transparent as any other teenager with MySpace and Facebook, she tipped the crowd off that her first single, “Hometown Glory,” would be her fake last song before she re-upped for the encore. After she delivered her ode to London that put her on the map, the crowd took no chances.

Three cheers. Hip hip hooray. Clapping and stomping. Hooting and hollering.
Some folks even reprised the “hoo hoo hoo” of Arsenio Hall days. Yes, the corresponding circular fist pump was there, too.

Humble and unentitled, she retook the stage and didn’t disappoint with three more gifts. She giddily shared that she’ll be meeting Etta James, a major influence of hers, this July when she opens up for Jill Scott at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. With that, she did her pin-up proud and broke out her interpretation of “Fool That I Am.” Backed by just an acoustic guitar, her playful rendition gave a hint of hope, even if the “this is goodbye” lyrics make it quite clear it’s over.

Continuing the “it’s over” theme, she followed up with a song about an ex-best friend of hers that “went a little bitchy.”

The actual last song (“Chasing Pavements”) was something she sang the day before on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” After meeting the man (“I had no idea who he was”), she partied it up and was able to “cry, laugh, and passout.” Her second single held believers and skeptics alike in awe - another song about another boyfriend closed out a great show.

Any missteps were in one ear and out the other for the crowd hungry for anything Adele. Forgotten words and faulty breathing were giggled and waved off, quickly forgiven by the crowd as if they were her surrogate parents, especially when she talked of being homesick, reading trashy magazines, and made shadow puppets with the stage lights. But unlike good parents, the crowd took delight in her life’s drama and mini-catatrophes.

Personable and cute, Adele gave DC a great show. She’s having a brilliant start to a career that will only get better with more love and heartbreak. She’s only 20. Let’s hope she dates more dudes.

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