I had the pleasure of seeing Adam Lambert at The Warfield in San Francisco last week. Though I became a true believer late last year, going to the concert was sort of a spur-of-the-moment thing, nothing I’d circled the date on my calendar for months ago.

But having now seen Lambert do his thing live, I’ve got a better and much more personal understanding of why the American Idol studio audience was so responsive whenever he took the stage during Season 8. I remember watching from my couch and commenting at the time that something must be getting lost in the transmission from CBS Television City, because I just didn’t get it. No longer.

Lambert brought it in spades last Thursday, the ringmaster of a leather-and-lasers spectacle that seemed bigger than the sum of its parts would have suggested. He’s definitely got the goods, a confident performer in command of the stage and your attention, with the talent to draw you into his world even if you’re at all hesitant to embrace such glitter-strewn camp.

Months had passed since I’d last listened to For Your Entertainment, but hearing much of the album performed live, I’d wondered why I’d deprived myself of the pleasure. That message came through especially loud during the evening’s pre-encore closer, “If I Had You,” whose hook remained ringing in my ears a good two days later.

There’s good reason for such stickiness. Like Lambert’s previous single, “Whataya Want From Me,” which reached #10 in May, “If I Had You” is co-written by Max Martin, the Swedish pop master who’s like the Martha Stewart of crafting catchy tunes. To name just two big hits he’s had a hand in shaping, try Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” and Katy Perry’s #1 summer smash, “California Gurls.” With Martin’s track record and Lambert’s natural charisma, you (y-y-y-y-you) and I are practically powerless to resist the charms of “If I Had You”:

Lambert finds himself in the #69 position on this week’s Billboard Hot 100 as “If I Had You” climbs its way up. Did you spot his Glam Nation tourmate (and fellow Idol Season 8-er) Alison Iraheta among the painted tree people raving in the video? She put on a great show too (if lamentably short), and also deserves to receive a little chart love.

Purchase Adam Lambert – “If I Had You” via iTunes, Amazon MP3.