Adele's Vegas residency: A journey from postponement to unforgettable performances

In January 2022, Adele left thousands of fans disappointed when she tearfully announced the postponement of her highly anticipated Las Vegas residency just hours before its debut. Like many others, I was already in Vegas, ticket in hand, fuming at the inconvenience. The delay seemed unforgivable at the time. But nearly two years later, Adele has not only redeemed herself—she’s cemented her legacy with the most spectacular residency since Celine Dion. The Anticipation and the Payoff By November 2022, Adele finally took the stage at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, and from her first note, it was clear: she had arrived to conquer. Dressed in a figure-hugging gown paired cheekily with black ankle socks, Adele was as relatable as she was radiant. Her vocals? A mix of raw emotion and unmatched precision—a “cream-coated locomotive,” as I described in my review. From the opening renditions of Hello and Easy on Me to the emotional powerhouse of Someone Like You , her performances struck a perfect balance of intimacy and grandeur. Her humor added an extra layer of charm. Whether joking with fans or sharing anecdotes, Adele’s unfiltered personality turned every show into a communal experience. A Legacy in Vegas Adele’s residency, Weekends with Adele Weekends with Adele , wraps on Nov. 23, 2024, with her 100th performance. Her two-year stint at The Colosseum has drawn comparisons to Celine Dion, the queen of Vegas residencies, whose influence is palpable in the venue itself. Fans could always count on breathtaking highlights: the dramatic unveiling of a 24-piece string section during Skyfall , the triumphant singalong to Rolling in the Deep , and the poignant crowd-wandering segment during When We Were Young . And then there were the moments that lit up social media: Her VIP box was often graced by luminaries, including Paul McCartney and, fittingly, Celine Dion, who was moved to tears when she visited in 2023. The Show Everyone Wanted to See Demand for Adele’s residency tickets reached a fever pitch. With the theater’s intimate 4,100-seat capacity, her shows became the hottest ticket in town, rivaled only by artists like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. For her final performance, resale prices soared into the thousands. Unlike many megastars, Adele opted for a limited schedule, performing exclusively on weekends. This created an aura of exclusivity, and each show became a coveted event. An Emotional Farewell As Adele prepares to take her final bow, she seems content to disappear from the spotlight for a while, with no immediate plans to return to the stage. Those lucky enough to attend her residency—or secure a ticket to the finale—have witnessed a masterclass in artistry and emotion. Her closing song, Love is a Game , ends with Adele standing beneath a cascade of pink glitter, vanishing in a puff of fuchsia smoke—a fitting metaphor for her time in Vegas. Adele’s residency was more than a concert series; it was an experience, a moment of magic in a city built on illusion. For those who were there, it was unforgettable. For the rest of us, it’s a reminder of the power of live music to connect, uplift, and transform.