Tour Press Reviews Options

[tiffers66]

As requested, here is a list of tour reviews from the press. Member reviews won't be included in this post. If you have a press review that you want added, post the link and quote the article and I'll add it here. Even though the articles are posted in the thread, be sure to go directly to the website where the article is posted whenever possible. This gives the article hits and lets the writers know that we enjoyed the concerts.

Portland, Oregon

USA Today
American Idols Live Wrap Up
Oregon Live

Tacoma, Washington

Tacoma Rock City
The Seattle Times

Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada

Vancouver Sun
The Globe And Mail
Rockstar Weekly

Sacramento, California

Sacramento Bee

Oakland, California

Mercury News
San Francisco Chronicle

West Valley City, Utah

Salt Lake City Tribune
Deseret News

Los Angeles, California

MTV
Los Angeles Times
Examiner
MTV
Yahoo! Music
OC Register

San Diego, California

North County Times
San Diego News Network
Green Valley News
Sign On San Diego

Ontario, California

Press Enterprises

Glendale, Arizona

AZ Central

Dallas, Texas

Dallas News

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Tulsa World

Little Rock, AK...wait...AR...I never knew Kris was from Alaska

^That's a twitter joke for anyone that doesn't get it.

FiascoSauce

Memphis, Tennessee

http://www.examiner.com/x-16175-Memphis-Po...ontest]Examiner

Tampa Bay, Florida

Tampa Bay Online
St Petersburg Times

This post has been edited by tiffers66: Jul 29th 2009, 2:03 PM

[tiffers66]

USA Today

http://blogs.usatoday.com/idolchatter/

Number Two: Adam Lambert
Adam Lambert finished second? You couldn't tell it from this crowd, which greets the explosive sounds and strobing lights with shrieks. Adam kicks off his set with Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love, and the stage fills with smoke. He's wearing a blue-and-black metallic-looking studded jacket that comes down to his knees, along with a sleeveless black T-shirt and black pants. The crowd may have been dancing for Allison and Danny -- for Adam, they're screaming. Suddenly we've gone from the world of AC pop into a real rock show.

Second song is Muse's Starlight, and the six disco balls hanging above the stage turns the Rose Garden into a planetarium. It's Adam's typically impressive song choice -- for the arrangement, imagine Erasure's Andy Bell fronting the Sisters of Mercy -- and he sings it flawlessly, beautifully, slipping in and out of falsetto. (I wonder if this begins to approach what his album will sound like -- you wouldn't hear me complaining if it did.) Matt's version of Hard to Handle was pretty cool, but this is the first of the new numbers I'd lay down cash money to hear again.

Low-level fog creeps in, as Adam takes a seat on a stool to sing the Tears for Fears/Gary Jules song Mad World. The crowd is still on its feet, and they've brought out their cameras -- you could practically read in here, the flashes are so steady. Some people are singing along; most of them just look entranced.

The guitarist cranks out the opening chords to Slow Ride start, and the audience knows what's coming -- or, rather, who. Allison Iraheta walks on stage, and the place goes ballistic.

Now, he's doing the David Bowie medley he promised, which starts with Life on Mars (and the big red planet is behind him on the video screen). As he slides into Fame, the crowd shrieks again, but it's not for the song: Adam has shed his jacket, revealing the sleeveless T underneath. He's obviously been working with JaQuel Knight on choreography, too; he's moving lithely across the stage in a way Idol viewers never saw. The third number, Let's Dance, assumes a pulsing, throbbing club rhythm under his command, barely resembling the pseudo-horn-band arrangement of Bowie's original.

He finishes, then descends on the center-stage lift.

[tiffers66]

American Idols Live Wrap Up

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/conf...opening_ni.html

"American Idols Live" opening night: the wrapup

Posted by Bob Payne


In the end, I think most people at the Rose Arena in Portland on Sunday night went home happy. The Top 10 finalists in Season 8 of "American Idol" were excited to play before such a large and adoring crowd, and for the most part they delivered.

I'm not going to get into an in-depth of each individual's performances -- I'm leaving that for Times arts critic Misha Berson, who will be attending Tuesday night's show in Tacoma and have a complete review online the next morning. Instead, here's a hit list of that things that left the strongest impression with me:

• Mark my words: Adam Lambert was greeted with a deafening roar. Whether you love or hate the guy's vocal technique, there's simply no denying his flair for showmanship. The guy OWNS the stage, with charisma that you can't turn away from.

• It's tough to be No. 1: I've heard some rumblings of discontent over Kris Allen's stage presence last night. I have to give him a pass for two reasons: 1) He's saddled with the horrible coronation song, "No Boundaries"; and 2) because he plays the guitar, it's tougher for him to move around the stage and be as dynamic as some of the other singers. So he mostly just stood at the microphone. (And for those of you slamming me for only shooting video for that one song from Kris, if I had to do it over again, I would have shot a different song. But I only had memory for one more song, at that was the one that presented itself. With twittering and twitpic-ing, I was scrambling to get *any* videos shot. But yes, I'm sorry about that choice.)

• Surprises of the night: Probably Scott MacIntrye and Michael Sarver. Both showed personality and improved performances from their show appearances.

• No suprise here: Allison RAWKS: The 17-year-old from Los Angeles was like a red-maned hurricane. It's about time we had a new generation of women in rock. Well now they have a leader.

• The not-so-great stuff: I actually saw some grimaces in the crowd at the sound of Megan Joy's opening notes. Ouch. And I thought Lil Rounds' takes on contemporary R&B just seemed a little forced and uncomfortable.

If you're going to Tacoma, enjoy the show.

[tiffers66]

Oregon Live

http://www.oregonlive.com/music/index.ssf/...s_portland.html

Review: 'American Idol' tour hits Portland -- and we're still with Adam
by Scott D. Lewis, Special to The Oregonian
Monday July 06, 2009, 9:55 AM

Ray Mickshaw/Fox
The top 10 contestants from Season 8 of "American Idol" hit Portland Sunday night.
Adam so should have won.

How you react to that claim may say a lot about you -- at least whether or not you follow "American Idol."

With Portland selected as the first of 50 stops on the American Idols Live! Tour -- featuring the top 10 contestants from the eighth season of the country's number-one television show -- some 12,000 Idolaters of all ages piled into the Rose Garden Arena Sunday night to cheer on their favorite entrants in what could be considered the largest karaoke match in history.

And from the cries as the Idols flashed across projection screens, it was clear who the winner would be.

Michael Sarver couldn't hide his glee, but also couldn't stir the crowd with his awkward two-song fusion of country and R&B. Megan Joy, appearing as Call Girl Barbie, didn't command the stage, and her attempts to mine the soul of "Tears Dry on Their Own" just turned shrill.

Proving that some Idols (it's creepy how they are referred to as such) can do more than sing, Scott MacIntyre's two songs, including a rousing take on "A Thousand Miles," went over well and were amply aided by the five-member backing band.

Lil Rounds, filled out and with long hair, really got the crowd pumped, belting out a trio of tunes from the splashiest ladies in hip-hop. But how did so much vocal sound come from only two backup singers? Never mind, just enjoy the show.

The odd charmer was Anoop Desai. Gangly and geeky, he delivered a power ballad version of "Always On My Mind" that would have made poor Willie hit the hookah hard. Desai's set was, in a word, histrionic, but somehow you just wanted to throw personal clothing at him.

Matt Giraud got fans to their feet with a balance of rock, schlock and fun during "Hard to Handle" and showed he's a showman to be reckoned with, despite the questionable "live" delivery of "You Found Me."

After a top six medley that had all the spontaneity of a parade, and an intermission, it was time for the fans' favorite four.

Allison Iraheta was an absolute rock star, complete with fan-blown rainbow hair and an electric guitar for her confident take on "So What," and she whipped up a witchy wail for a stunning version of "Barracuda" that would have made Ann Wilson drop her fork.

It might have been too early for Danny Gokey to do a Michael Jackson song ("P.Y.T."), but his two Rascal Flatts tunes had the crowd happily waving their $5 glow sticks.

Then it was time for the real show, and it belonged to Adam Lambert.

The slightly androgynous gothy singing sensation absolutely tore up "Whole Lotta Love" and, with help from Iraheta, transformed the classic rock dude anthem "Slow Ride" into something sly and fun.

Finally, the huge hall was full of energy.

And then some guy named Kris Allen came onstage and did a few dull songs, including, oddly, "Hey Jude" to end his winner-but-losing set.

Of course there were the show-closing group numbers, complete with choreographed moves and 10 pumping fists.

But really, Adam won.

-- Scott D. Lewis; jonezinmzk@aol.com

[tiffers66]

Tacoma Rock City

http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ej/2009/07...ican_idols_live

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
Scenes from American Idols Live
Posted by Ernest Jasmin @ 12:48:32 am

Kris Allen and Adam Lambert, a.k.a. American Idols No. 1 and 2, Tuesday night at the Tacoma Dome.
ERNEST JASMIN

A point of disclosure: I’m not the biggest “American Idol” fan. Just don’t get it, actually. It’s kind of like televised karaoke, minus the sloppy drunks singing hideously off-key versions of Crue tunes before hitting the parking lot for a quick chunder. (For the record: Always entertaining.) So over the course of eight seasons, I’ve tuned in only about as much as my nine to five required; that is to say, I mainly just followed local boys Sanjaya, Blake Lewis and A.J. Gil (remember him? Season one?) and ignored most of the rest.

But I must confess that, as jaded as I am, I may have caught just a smidge of Lambert mania Tuesday night.

[More:]

The top 10 idols were on site for the second stop of the American Idols Live 2009 tour, and Adam Lambert was there in all his eye-linered splendor in the No. 2 (but should have been No. 1) slot.

I was sequestered by the T-Dome's security office with the other photogs during the early part of Lambert's set, and could just make out a muffled cover of Tears for Fears' “Mad World.” Then the tour publicist lead us out into the arena just in time to catch the charismatic crooner downshifting from a a fiery rendition of Foghat's “Slow Ride” into an medley of Bowie classics that went from operatic (the always awesome “Life on Mars?”) to slinky and funky. Fans screamed louder than they had all night as Lambert shed his jacket and gyrated his way through a Minneapolis funk-infused version of “Let’s Dance,” before sinking back into the stage.

Very impressive range, Mssr. Lambert. You are, indeed, a rock star. I’m actually looking forward to hearing what you come up with on that album you said you’re cutting later this year. All that Bowie suggest you'll follow through on the promise to go glammy you gave during your recent Rolling Stone interview.

Lambert was the night’s biggest star (I'd argue bigger than winner Kris Allen) but the rest of the “Idol” gang had their moments, too. Tall, leggy Megan Joy tried her hand at Corinne Bailey Rae and Amy Winehouse hits, with just minor pitch problems (if I may pull a Simon Cowell.) Scott McIntyre mocked that infamous high five with "Idol's" Ryan Seacrest between piano ballads. Anoop Desai was the first to get fans on their feet with Bobby Brown’s “My Prerogative.” (Huh? That’s hot again?) But the night’s most diva-like performer (aside from Lambert) was Lil Rounds, confident as he strutted her way through a short set of Mary J. Blige and Beyonce hits.

Armed with piano and acoustic guitar, “Idol” winner Kris Allen capped things off with more of a singer-songwriter oriented set, which was decent if a little bland next to Lambert’s. The rest of his “Idol” homies returned for a two-song finale, which consisted of the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” and (speaking of drunken karaoke) Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

[tiffers66]

The Seattle Times

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/musi...icanidol09.html

Concert review | "Idol" Top 10 give fans a fun, fresh show
Concert review: The American Idols Live Tour came to the Tacoma Dome in its second stop on July 7.

By Misha Berson

Seattle Times arts critic

If the number of earsplitting screams and shrieks erupting from every mention of his name or glimpse of his face on the JumboTron was any indication, glam rocker Adam Lambert was the superstar of the "American Idols Live!" 2009 summer tour's concert Tuesday night at the Tacoma Dome.

But the rapturous response to Lambert, runner-up in this year's version of the guilty-pleasure TV talent marathon "American Idol," did not convey the whole story of a show that's better paced, better designed, better backed up and, overall, better sung than last year's Idol blowout in Tacoma.

Kris Allen, the winner of the 2009 "Idol" crown, also got plenty of well-deserved love from the crowd of roughly 10,000 — which brought folks from every age group.

No matter how much the crowd loved them, there's no way of knowing at this point where Allen, Lambert or any of these ebullient young singers will end up after time discos on, and the next crew of "Idol" finalists take their places. Yet despite the sabotage of a terribly sludgy sound mix (ranging from the abysmal to the semi-tolerable), the show was a lot of fun.

Fortunately, in this second stop on the nationwide tour (which opened Sunday night in Portland), the excited performers made up in puppyish enthusiasm and smart, often contemporary song choices what they lost in sonic coherence. They also confirmed that the highly partisan "Idol" voters largely got the Top 10 ranking right.

As per usual, the individual sets (with several group numbers spliced in) unfolded in the order of who got booted off the TV contest first.

Likable No. 10 contestant Michael Sarver opened with passable renditions of Gavin DeGraw's hit, "I Just Want a Girl" and (somewhat surprisingly) Ne-Yo's "Closer." And the former Jasper, Texas, working stiff set two precedents carried on by his cohorts. He yelled out "Whazzup, Tacoma?" And he seemed amazed and thrilled to be playing for 10,000 cheering people in a stadium.

Next up was Megan Joy, whose on-screen quirkiness has been glammed up for the stage via lots of makeup, cascading blond tresses a la Jessica Simpson and a tight fuchsia mini-dress. Sex-kitten look aside, she worked the stage awkwardly in matching high-heel boots, with forgettable copycat versions of Corinne Bailey Rae and Amy Winehouse tunes.

A poised, good-natured Scott MacIntyre nudged the energy up a half-notch with some rollicking piano on Keane's "Bend and Break," a sincere take on Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles," and some wry jokes about, well, his blindness.

But it took a shot of dynamism from dolled-up Lil Rounds and a bit of heartthrob swoonery from Anoop Desai to get the joint jumpin'.

Rounds' raw, belting vocal talent comes through much more in her live renditions of neo-soul hits by Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige than her pinched TV turns. And her future may well lie in such infectious dance anthems as Beyoncé's "Single Ladies," which she dispatched with gusto as the words flashed karaoke-style behind her.



That set the table for preppy crooner Desai. In a double-breasted, velvet-collared blazer and jeans, he made hearts throb with Willie Nelson's "You Were Always On My Mind," sustaining notes and delivering the heartfelt lyric like a seasoned pro. And props to anyone who can make Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative" sound both racy and wholesome.

Then, one of the nicest surprises: piano man Matt Giraud's set. Opening with a brave, sizzling cover of Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle," Giraud came on like a young, jazzier Jerry Lee Lewis, then followed up with a "Georgia" rich in bluesy keyboard stylings — and devoid of the pitchiness and vocal overkill of Giraud's TV turns. All that singing obviously paid off for the guy, who exhibited an ease onstage few of his comrades matched.

Still finding her sea legs in that respect is Allison Iraheta, No. 4 in the competition, and the first up after intermission. Put your bet on this blazing 17-year-old rock wunderkind as one of the most likely to succeed in the group. Garbed in black leather and spandex, her copper-toned hair flying, Iraheta worked her brass lungs and blues chops to ace Janis Joplin's "Cry"; she had the sass for Pink's "So What"; and she ripped right into Heart's "Barracuda." With the right material of her own, Iraheta could be the Joan Jett or Chrissy Hynde of her generation.

Danny Gokey, the husky-voiced second runner-up who's inspired both ardor and disdain among "Idol" watchers, kept people on their feet and dancing. Sporting yet another pair of cool designer specs, he paid worthy homage to Michael Jackson with a blazing version of "PYT (Pretty Young Thing)." And he showed off his salsa flair on Santana's "Maria, Maria" and his soul-country credentials on Rascal Flatt's "What Hurts the Most."

Ah, if only Gokey had left it there instead of ending the set with a "follow your dreams" sermon and the saccharin power-ballad, "My Wish." It's Soul Man Gokey versus Preacher Gokey.

The much-anticipated Lambert set began with the aptly titled "Whole Lotta Love" and moved on to Muse's "Starlight," then the haunting Tears for Fears ballad "Mad World" and a David Bowie medley that drove the Adam-worshippers to even louder screams of passion.

It's not overstating the case to suggest that Lambert really does have the makings of a revivalist, glam-metal rock avatar. The whisper-to-a-scream voice, the pouty sexiness, the elaborate makeup and Lizard King costuming, the androgynous sex appeal — it's all there, just like on the tube, but with wildly pulsating video and more smoke.

By the end of his set, though, Lambert's shtick felt a bit too predictable in its conscious excessiveness. And though no entertainer in their right mind would want to follow his act, the casually attired (plaid shirt, jeans) Allen did so with amazing grace.

Even in a venue that might easily dwarf his more intimate musical approach, Allen rocked the hall with his passionate, "Idol"-winning take on Kanye West's "Heartless," wisely expanded live to include the show's excellent backup band. (Special props to Tim Stewart, a guitarist who can sound like Jimmy Page one minute, Santana the next.)

Yes, he had to perform that tuneless "No Boundaries" ode — another icky "Idol" coronation number.

But he survived that. And he demonstrated a musical creativity and versatility unique among his "Idol" peers, by singing a magnetic "Ain't No Sunshine" at the piano, strapping on an electric guitar for a lively romp through Matchbox Twenty's "Bright Lights," and closing with a brilliant singalong choice: "Hey Jude."

It was followed by the best of the show's ensemble numbers, Journey's "Don't Stop Believin,' " in a finale that left an exhausted but cheering crowd satisfied.

[tiffers66]

Vancouver Sun

http://www.vancouversun.com/Entertainment/...2222/story.html

Tweens go wild for American Idols at GM Place


By Graeme McRanor, Vancouver SunJuly 8, 2009Comments (6)
StoryPhotos ( 5 )

More Images » American Idol winner Kris Allen at GM Place Wednesday night, July 8, 2009 in Vancouver, B.C.Photograph by: Steve Bosch, Vancouver SunAmerican Idols Live! Tour 2009

GM Place

Wednesday night



Here's a tip: Exclamation marks should always be used sparingly, and should not be used to describe a concert tour.

Oh, sure, you could place one informally, say, at the end of "That sucked!" or "A marvelous evening of music!" as you leave the venue.

But in the name itself? Never.

Especially when said tour is called American Idols Live! and features a veritable who's who of the televised version's top 10 from Season 8.

Seriously, who are these people?

Okay, there's Kris Allen, the winner.

And Adam Lambert, who conspiracy theorists claim should have won. (He's gay, in case you didn't hear!)

Then, like the original theme from Gilligan's Island, there's the rest: Allison Iraheta, Anoop Desai, Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, Matt Giraud, Megan Joy, Michael Sarver and Scott MacIntyre, arguably the most famous blind man in North America and unwitting recipient of Ryan Seacrest's ill-advised and unannounced high-five, probably the most awkward skin slip in television history.

Of course, as Lambert told me earlier in the day, the tour is more musical showcase than concert. Still, it's kind of like watching Stars on Ice, minus the stars.

Harsh? Well, as Simon (Cowell) says, it's a tough business.

Touring on television ratings is like signing a book deal because you're Joe the Plummer: Opportunistic.

While there's talent (and various record deals) in this bunch, there's little original material in the vaults so it's unrealistic to fill GM Place after a gazillion people watched them all perform covers ad nauseam on television.

Right? Well, kind of.

At 3 p.m., four hours before the concert's slated start time, at least a hundred female tweens armed with signs and flanked by moms percolated behind barriers outside of GM Place, hoping for a glimpse of an Idol or, better yet, an autograph.

And while I still firmly believe that placing on a popular talent show doesn't necessarily give you credentials to tour North America, clearly, on this day in Vancouver, I was in the minority.

This fact became magnified inside the stadium, where this late-30-something reporter was seated on the floor (row 10, to be precise) amidst a sea of enthusiastic tweens and teens. (Sing it with me: "One of these things is not like the other/one of these things just doesn't belong.")

As the lights dimmed, the countdown began and the band launched into a live rendition of American Idol's theme song (branding people!), the upperbowl of GM Place remained empty (though to be fair to the Idols, Oasis couldn't populate that either).

Former oil roughneck Michael Sarver got things going with a couple of soulful covers before a cute-but-disturbingly-uncoordinated Megan Joy took the reins (no So You Think You Can Dance for her).

Then it was MacIntyre's turn.

Playing the piano, he actually turned in a solid Keane cover before making a joke about Seacrest's flagrant, five-fingered foul.

"The high-five heard around the world," he said. "That kind of stuff''s been happening my whole life."

By the time Lil Rounds came on (and if you haven't figured it out yet, they're performing in order of elimination), one got the sense that the somewhat muted audience was just politely waiting for Allen and Lambert (mostly Lambert) to take the stage.

Predictable? Yes!

Anoop Desai came next, performing a decent rendition of Always on Your Mind, a song originally recorded by Brenda Lee but made famous by Elvis.

He also performed Bobby Brown's My Prerogative, which really shouldn't be covered by any artist, ever again.

Matt Giraud's got a good voice, but by this time I couldn't help but think that, record deal or not, time will forget most of these performers, and they'll take their place in obscurity, just above cynical music writers.

After a spirited and wind machine-aided performance by the young Allison Iraheta — including an impressive cover of Heart's Barracuda — it was time for the top three.

With Danny Gokey came an increase in female decibels, even though his rendition of Santana's Maria, Maria kind of made him look like a substitute teacher doing karaoke (although he would totally win the prize money in the film, Duets).

Lambert alert! If anyone's a rock star in the making, it's this guy.

Sure, his rendition of Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love sounded a bit showy (think Sebastian Bach rather than Robert Plant), but this kid's got a serious set of pipes. (Although, for some reason, I kept thinking I was the evildoer in a Andrew Lloyd Weber goth musical.)

Still, maybe the legions of Lambert fans have it right: By the time Idol winner Allen took the stage, it kind of felt like the digestif.

Solid singer, but none of Lambert's chrisma, presence or guy-liner.

Bottom line: As talented as every one of these performers is, this "showcase" felt too much like an extension of the televised version.

Like a talent show, without the train wrecks we've come to know and love.

Without the exclamation marks.

[tiffers66]

Bump

[josielord]

Thank you for doing this!

[Naira]

Thank you for this thread. It's awesome to be able to read all the tour reviews in one place. It'll be interesting to see how they evolve over the summer.

[sahabo]

wow tiffers! thanks!!

[camilafm]

Great reviews!!
Thanks for posting

[chensuu]

Not sure if this has been posted yet!!!


The Globe and Mail


American Idols Live

At GM Place

by FIONA MORROW

From Saturday's Globe and Mail

More than once during the three hour-long American Idols set in Vancouver on Wednesday, I was sorely tempted to climb onto my seat and scream: "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more"

Something needed to puncture the sheer inertia of the audience of mostly families - sometimes three generations together - who sat, arms folded, staring lifelessly for the majority of the show. They weren't so much watching a pop concert as revisiting the television show: tolerating the Idols they didn't vote for in order to catch a real glimpse of the reality star they favoured. Unsurprisingly, given the countdown nature of both the show and the concert, that meant the fun wasn't going to start until near the night's climax.

Performing in reverse order, the Top 10 Idols were each given a short set of two to four songs to show us what they were really made of. (Not much, mostly.) It was hard to even muster the energy to wonder on what possible planet doughy, awkward Michael Sarver (scraping in at No. 10) would qualify as a pop star. Still he didn't deserve to place lower than Megan Joy, who not only can't sing (her version of Amy Winehouse's Tears Dry on Their Own was pure torture), or dance, but, in her shiny pink tube dress and four-inch heels, looked like Barbie, too.

Much better was Lil Rounds, who sang in tune, could boast some stage presence and presented a good pick of pop tracks from Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys and Beyoncé (Single Girls, the first song of the night to get a few brave souls up on their feet and shaking their booty). That she hadn't polled higher than the likes of Matt Giraud (surely headed back to the hotel-lobby circuit from whence he came) and Danny "Hokey" Gokey is a real puzzler.

Even the geeky, angular Anoop Desai managed to show some natural performance ability despite turning the Willie Nelson/Elvis hit Always on My Mind into a Barry Manilow-esque, cruise-ship affair, white jeans included.

One might have expected the second half to kick things up a notch, and pint-sized rock chick Allison Iraheta, flame-coloured hair extensions billowing, did that nicely. Watching the 17-year-old with gravelly pipes belt out a version of Janis Joplin's Cry Baby was one of the few true bright points of the night.

Then Gokey took the spotlight. I admit, I cannot fathom how this whiney-voiced, unhip being was ever a serious contender. Kicking off his set with Michael Jackson's P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) only delivered more evidence of his nose for easy exploitation.

That paled, however, when he related the tale of his wife's death (Sophie Gokey died during heart surgery just four weeks before the American Idol auditions): "And tomorrow," he shared, "is the one-year anniversary of her going to heaven." Segue into Rascal Flatts's My Wish, as the giant video screen on stage became a shot of the sky with a beam of sunlight breaking through the treetops.

Religion was the major player in the final weeks of the show - "bad boy," a.k.a. "gay boy" Adam Lambert, the meat in an evangelical Christian sandwich of Gokey and winner Kris Allen.

Thank God indeed, then, for Lambert. The man the entire crowd had shown up to see, he had them screaming in the aisles - and tossing their undies. Upping the temperature along with the tempo, Lambert was rude, pouty and completely over the top, just as a pop star should be. With a mostly successful set that included Led Zeppelin, Tears for Fears and a very apropos Bowie medley, he offered this panting crowd the possibility of something exciting, dangerous even.

But poor Kris Allen: Never has winning looked more like losing. With hiscringe-worthy performance (ending, miserably, with the terminally drippy Hey Jude), he sucked the air out of the room in seconds. And here we were, back where we began, playing it poorly and safe, making sure everyone drinks their cocoa before bedtime.

[michelleN]

Religion was the major player in the final weeks of the show - "bad boy," a.k.a. "gay boy" Adam Lambert, the meat in an evangelical Christian sandwich of Gokey and winner Kris Allen.

Thank God indeed, then, for Lambert. The man the entire crowd had shown up to see, he had them screaming in the aisles - and tossing their undies. Upping the temperature along with the tempo, Lambert was rude, pouty and completely over the top, just as a pop star should be. With a mostly successful set that included Led Zeppelin, Tears for Fears and a very apropos Bowie medley, he offered this panting crowd the possibility of something exciting, dangerous even.

But poor Kris Allen: Never has winning looked more like losing. With hiscringe-worthy performance (ending, miserably, with the terminally drippy Hey Jude), he sucked the air out of the room in seconds. And here we were, back where we began, playing it poorly and safe, making sure everyone drinks their cocoa before bedtime.

Bring on the snark baby! I like! Wonder what'd happen when Kris fans see this one. They went all BSC on that Tacoma reviewer and even his review is not as snarky. LOL

Thanks for posting

[Mala]

But poor Kris Allen: Never has winning looked more like losing. With hiscringe-worthy performance (ending, miserably, with the terminally drippy Hey Jude), he sucked the air out of the room in seconds. And here we were, back where we began, playing it poorly and safe, making sure everyone drinks their cocoa before bedtime.

A bit harsh but mostly true

[takema]

Not sure if this has been posted yet!!!
The Globe and Mail
American Idols Live

At GM Place

by FIONA MORROW

From Saturday's Globe and Mail

More than once during the three hour-long American Idols set in Vancouver on Wednesday, I was sorely tempted to climb onto my seat and scream: "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more"

Something needed to puncture the sheer inertia of the audience of mostly families - sometimes three generations together - who sat, arms folded, staring lifelessly for the majority of the show. They weren't so much watching a pop concert as revisiting the television show: tolerating the Idols they didn't vote for in order to catch a real glimpse of the reality star they favoured. Unsurprisingly, given the countdown nature of both the show and the concert, that meant the fun wasn't going to start until near the night's climax.

Performing in reverse order, the Top 10 Idols were each given a short set of two to four songs to show us what they were really made of. (Not much, mostly.) It was hard to even muster the energy to wonder on what possible planet doughy, awkward Michael Sarver (scraping in at No. 10) would qualify as a pop star. Still he didn't deserve to place lower than Megan Joy, who not only can't sing (her version of Amy Winehouse's Tears Dry on Their Own was pure torture), or dance, but, in her shiny pink tube dress and four-inch heels, looked like Barbie, too.

Much better was Lil Rounds, who sang in tune, could boast some stage presence and presented a good pick of pop tracks from Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys and Beyoncé (Single Girls, the first song of the night to get a few brave souls up on their feet and shaking their booty). That she hadn't polled higher than the likes of Matt Giraud (surely headed back to the hotel-lobby circuit from whence he came) and Danny "Hokey" Gokey is a real puzzler.

Even the geeky, angular Anoop Desai managed to show some natural performance ability despite turning the Willie Nelson/Elvis hit Always on My Mind into a Barry Manilow-esque, cruise-ship affair, white jeans included.

One might have expected the second half to kick things up a notch, and pint-sized rock chick Allison Iraheta, flame-coloured hair extensions billowing, did that nicely. Watching the 17-year-old with gravelly pipes belt out a version of Janis Joplin's Cry Baby was one of the few true bright points of the night.

Then Gokey took the spotlight. I admit, I cannot fathom how this whiney-voiced, unhip being was ever a serious contender. Kicking off his set with Michael Jackson's P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) only delivered more evidence of his nose for easy exploitation.

That paled, however, when he related the tale of his wife's death (Sophie Gokey died during heart surgery just four weeks before the American Idol auditions): "And tomorrow," he shared, "is the one-year anniversary of her going to heaven." Segue into Rascal Flatts's My Wish, as the giant video screen on stage became a shot of the sky with a beam of sunlight breaking through the treetops.

Religion was the major player in the final weeks of the show - "bad boy," a.k.a. "gay boy" Adam Lambert, the meat in an evangelical Christian sandwich of Gokey and winner Kris Allen.

Thank God indeed, then, for Lambert. The man the entire crowd had shown up to see, he had them screaming in the aisles - and tossing their undies. Upping the temperature along with the tempo, Lambert was rude, pouty and completely over the top, just as a pop star should be. With a mostly successful set that included Led Zeppelin, Tears for Fears and a very apropos Bowie medley, he offered this panting crowd the possibility of something exciting, dangerous even.

But poor Kris Allen: Never has winning looked more like losing. With hiscringe-worthy performance (ending, miserably, with the terminally drippy Hey Jude), he sucked the air out of the room in seconds. And here we were, back where we began, playing it poorly and safe, making sure everyone drinks their cocoa before bedtime.

Yikes to everyone but Adam and Allison (and Lil to a lesser degree), they were all pretty much skewered. This writer didn't pull any punches.

[genie22]

Not sure if this has been posted yet!!!
The Globe and Mail

"Bowie never did those songs better." Some Adam fan wrote this in the comments section and it makes me embarrassed I love Adam but some of his fans really need to stop being so delusional.

[jewels]

"Bowie never did those songs better." Some Adam fan wrote this in the comments section and it makes me embarrassed I love Adam but some of his fans really need to stop being so delusional.

I think you need to head over here:

http://idolforums.com/index.php?showtopic=619333

Get the point?

TBH, OTT praise embarrasses me as well, but being 'delusional' as you so politely put it is not something that is limited to Adam fans. OTT praise is just part of being a fan.

Looking forward to your 'delusional Kris fans' comments in the thread I linked

This post has been edited by jewels: Jul 11th 2009, 10:01 AM

[Mala]

Thanks for that laugh Jewels


Back to Adam...yes some fans just make me cringe with secondhand embaressment, and then just plain embaressment because they are a part of the fanbase. Comments like that dont help Adams cause one bit. The mean well but end up sounding like massive tools.

This post has been edited by Mala: Jul 11th 2009, 10:05 AM

[michelleN]

yes some fans just make me cringe with secondhand embaressment, and then just plain embaressment because they are a part of the fanbase. Comments like that dont help Adams cause one bit. The mean well but end up sounding like massive tools.

See, this is when i apply Adam's mentality, "Clay Aiken's gay, and I'm gay, and we can't be more different. Does the fact that we both like dick means we're the same people?" Say No to labels & stereotypes!

Seriously though, there will always be the crazies. You associate with whom you want to. Thankfully the bulk of Adam fans i know are intelligent, open-minded and kind. "Delusional" seems more appropriate on certain other fanbases from what i've seen online. Again, personal opinion