The odds of Adele's Las Vegas residency getting off to an exciting first night aren't really a gamble. The audience wasn't the only one crying as the 15-time Grammy winner belted out tear-jerking songs like "Someone Like You" and "When We Were Young" at his concert at Caesars Palace on Friday, Nov. 18 people. The first of 32 scheduled “weekend” concerts with Adele” hit many high notes, making the entire experience an emotional roller coaster for all involved.
Just the day before her first performance, Adele admitted on Instagram that, yes, even she gets nervous before a show. "I have mixed emotions as I write this. I'm very emotional, very nervous but can't sit still because I'm so excited," she wrote in behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage from Nov. 17 . "I always get scared before a show and I think that's because it's a good sign because it means I care and it means I just want to do a good job. ... It's safe to say that in my career , I have never been so nervous before a show, but at the same time I hope today is tomorrow! I can’t wait to see you there.”
Elsewhere in the caption, Adele admitted to feeling "a million miles away from home," adding, "I can't stop thinking about seeing Tom Jones in Mars Attacks as a kid and oh my god, how did he go from Wales to Las Vegas?”
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When Adele finally arrived in Sin City after pushing back her original January 2022 start date, the crowd was clearly going easy on the singer. "Thank you so much for coming back to me. ... You look great and you look exactly how I [imagined] you would look. It's perfect, thank you," she told the audience, earning a standing ovation applaud. "I'm scared and nervous, but I'm happy. I don't know what the hell I was thinking, putting the piano ballad at the beginning of the album; hopefully over time, my nerves will go away."
"Only legends can walk through these doors," Adele added, according to The Sun. She also joked about her makeup being ruined, noting that she felt like "her favorite" Celine Dionne, her residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace made her want to perform there. "I'm honored," Adele continued. "I don't know what I've been doing for five months, but I can't wait. I'm going to remember this night for the rest of my fucking life. Better late than never."
Since what happens in Vegas apparently doesn't always stay in Vegas, it didn't take long for more concert coverage to appear on Twitter. Adele's 10-year-old son Angelo was among those attending the November 18 launch of the residency; the residency will last until March 25, 2023. her boyfriend Rich Paul; and British rapper Stormzy. Multiple Twitter accounts shared that Adele entered the audience multiple times and even kissed Paul and Angelo during a performance of 2015's "When We Were Young." Other highlights for concertgoers? Adele played "Set Fire to the Rain" and her piano "literally caught fire" before disappearing in a shower of confetti.
It seems Adele wasn't as nervous as she first thought.