I even have a favorite 1D kid now
Remember when I said I was going to live blog the Up All Night DVD? Well, I waited until I could actually tell them apart to do so, and then just went for it with no regard to actual academic value. So, this is more… subjective than I was planning.
- The Playboy centerfold [likes and dislikes with pretty pictures] roll call. Why? Because there’s usually a roll call of sorts, but it’s done in videos or teen magazines.
- The primary feeling I get from 1D is hesitance, and this is probably because they’re Build-A-Boyband in real time. The lack of years of boy band camp followed by German obscurity is obvious. And the lack of dancing bothers me.
- What was that Titanic waist-holding shot?
- Wow, they are not sparkly at all. Other than Harry, they’re all bro’d out.
- nice lyrics, dudes
- who’s the heartthrob? It should be Liam (or maybe he’s like JC and they’ll start to shift focus from him as time goes on)
- Zayn sounds like he’s straining (MOAR BOYBAND BOOTCAMP NEEDED. Also, quit smoking, dude, it ruined my voice permanently.)
- Niall’s way more attractive in action
- lol, synchronized walking
- Louis sounds like he’s twelve
- I can’t tell who’s playing what role even though, by rights, Zayn should be the bad boy and Niall or Harry should be the baby heartthrob
- I’m suddenly reminded of my friends’ high school a cappella group: “we’re going to stand here and emote. Musically. Can you feel it?”
- There’s not that much variation in vocal range. They harmonize really well, but there’s not the fullness of sound you’d get from NSYNC or 98 Degrees. This isn’t surprising, considering both NKOTB’s lack of breadth musically, and people like Big Time Rush, who were picked for camera-readiness and not sound
- Why so much Zayn, seriously? His vocals are not delivering on the promise of his face
- Nice crying audience shot
- Okay, Zayn’s a little better when they have him sing in his range
- Oh, they brought out the guitar, it’s on now. Ultimate boy band “Take me seriously” weapon.
- Louis, you are a tiny lesbian. But really, “Valerie”?
- OMG, “Torn”! Can Liam sing everything ever? And maybe Harry. I want the Liam&Harry Project
- Not to be all about Liam, but the rest of them don’t have strong enough voices to carry solo careers.
- This show needs some aerial tricks and fireballs. The slow motion shifting of bodies is kind of lackluster.
- They’re hella young and inexperienced. Like, I can’t wait to see them live in 2013, because I bet their learning curve is going to be amazing.
- Oh, gratuitous near-nudity in the backstage quick-change
- They are super-desexualized in their act and yet clearly not that way in real life. I’m like, wait, didn’t one of you barely legally date a 32yo lady? (Highest of fives for the both of them.) (ETA: Also, that up close moment Harry has with the girl in WMYB video? I was all, “Why do you look so awkward with that chick? You dated a 32-year-old lady.”)
- Speaking of which, this audience is skewing far more heavily towards the mid-teens that I was expecting, just based on general boy band audience demographics and who I know that likes One Direction (my sample audience is my 12yo old nieces [who hate them] and people they know)
- British boy bands stay together longer than US ones, but I’m still wondering who will have the solo career. Obvious answer is Liam, because he could vocally sustain it, but I’ll also lay money on Harry, with Zayn getting bad acting gigs and Louis doing a Lance Bass-“famous for once being famous” media personality career. I expect Niall to spend his 30s spending his money and playing the guitar when he feels like it.
- Dear Niall and Louis: vocal coaches. Sing through your diaphragm and your head, not your throat.
- That’s a really purposefully enclosed and cozy set. It’s like, protective of them.
- Twitter interlude → we live in the future, y’all, seriously.
- Olivia Mitchell in the upper tier is ‘bout to die
- They’re super-charming talking to the crowd. It’s like they forget for a moment that they were supposed to be entertaining a crowd and were more entertaining because of it.
- Essentially, this is like watching one of those early European Nsync or BSB concerts, but in high-definition
- They’re just bros, singing for a crowd. Something about the older boy bands, except 98 Degrees, always seemed really bigger than life. Like, of course BSB had videos with mechas and Nsync were living dolls: they were popstars, they weren’t just dudes singing
- 1D needs at least a year or two before they have that “fill the stage” aura, and I’m kind of afraid they won’t get the time to develop it. I kind of want to give them instruments or choreography to cover with.
[Minor Interlude to pick up children from school. I now have an unimpressed audience with me.]
- But that could just be my American boy band bias showing. Like, I want big, showy boy band antics. They’re singing live and interacting w/ each other and the audience, and I still want explosions.
- It’s really bubbblegummy. Like, repeated words and simple lyrics. The only thing that showed complexity was the Ed Sheeran song.
- Competence in singing in descending order: Liam, Harry, Zayn, Louis, Niall
- What’s up with the seasonal theme? Why are they telling a story?
- Niece C says Louis looks like an animated character
- Liam’s the JC and Harry’s the Justin, so who does that make Zayn and Louis? Niall’s the Chris. Maybe the Joey.
- Liam’s just a regular guy, while Niall’s a dudebro
- Why is Harry always dapper?
- Is someone in the audience wearing a Larry Stylinson shirt?
- As soon as they started roll calling their names on the screen with Harry, I knew it would go Liam, Niall, Louis, Zayn. This means something, but I don’t know what.
What we have learned from this: I have a favorite, and that is Liam. And I have a bunch of disjointed thoughts on boy band roles and whether they have to be instantly recognizable. Also, ongoing Boy Band Bootcamp combined with laboring in obscurity: good for your budding popstars.
- The Playboy centerfold [likes and dislikes with pretty pictures] roll call. Why? Because there’s usually a roll call of sorts, but it’s done in videos or teen magazines.
- The primary feeling I get from 1D is hesitance, and this is probably because they’re Build-A-Boyband in real time. The lack of years of boy band camp followed by German obscurity is obvious. And the lack of dancing bothers me.
- What was that Titanic waist-holding shot?
- Wow, they are not sparkly at all. Other than Harry, they’re all bro’d out.
- nice lyrics, dudes
- who’s the heartthrob? It should be Liam (or maybe he’s like JC and they’ll start to shift focus from him as time goes on)
- Zayn sounds like he’s straining (MOAR BOYBAND BOOTCAMP NEEDED. Also, quit smoking, dude, it ruined my voice permanently.)
- Niall’s way more attractive in action
- lol, synchronized walking
- Louis sounds like he’s twelve
- I can’t tell who’s playing what role even though, by rights, Zayn should be the bad boy and Niall or Harry should be the baby heartthrob
- I’m suddenly reminded of my friends’ high school a cappella group: “we’re going to stand here and emote. Musically. Can you feel it?”
- There’s not that much variation in vocal range. They harmonize really well, but there’s not the fullness of sound you’d get from NSYNC or 98 Degrees. This isn’t surprising, considering both NKOTB’s lack of breadth musically, and people like Big Time Rush, who were picked for camera-readiness and not sound
- Why so much Zayn, seriously? His vocals are not delivering on the promise of his face
- Nice crying audience shot
- Okay, Zayn’s a little better when they have him sing in his range
- Oh, they brought out the guitar, it’s on now. Ultimate boy band “Take me seriously” weapon.
- Louis, you are a tiny lesbian. But really, “Valerie”?
- OMG, “Torn”! Can Liam sing everything ever? And maybe Harry. I want the Liam&Harry Project
- Not to be all about Liam, but the rest of them don’t have strong enough voices to carry solo careers.
- This show needs some aerial tricks and fireballs. The slow motion shifting of bodies is kind of lackluster.
- They’re hella young and inexperienced. Like, I can’t wait to see them live in 2013, because I bet their learning curve is going to be amazing.
- Oh, gratuitous near-nudity in the backstage quick-change
- They are super-desexualized in their act and yet clearly not that way in real life. I’m like, wait, didn’t one of you barely legally date a 32yo lady? (Highest of fives for the both of them.) (ETA: Also, that up close moment Harry has with the girl in WMYB video? I was all, “Why do you look so awkward with that chick? You dated a 32-year-old lady.”)
- Speaking of which, this audience is skewing far more heavily towards the mid-teens that I was expecting, just based on general boy band audience demographics and who I know that likes One Direction (my sample audience is my 12yo old nieces [who hate them] and people they know)
- British boy bands stay together longer than US ones, but I’m still wondering who will have the solo career. Obvious answer is Liam, because he could vocally sustain it, but I’ll also lay money on Harry, with Zayn getting bad acting gigs and Louis doing a Lance Bass-“famous for once being famous” media personality career. I expect Niall to spend his 30s spending his money and playing the guitar when he feels like it.
- Dear Niall and Louis: vocal coaches. Sing through your diaphragm and your head, not your throat.
- That’s a really purposefully enclosed and cozy set. It’s like, protective of them.
- Twitter interlude → we live in the future, y’all, seriously.
- Olivia Mitchell in the upper tier is ‘bout to die
- They’re super-charming talking to the crowd. It’s like they forget for a moment that they were supposed to be entertaining a crowd and were more entertaining because of it.
- Essentially, this is like watching one of those early European Nsync or BSB concerts, but in high-definition
- They’re just bros, singing for a crowd. Something about the older boy bands, except 98 Degrees, always seemed really bigger than life. Like, of course BSB had videos with mechas and Nsync were living dolls: they were popstars, they weren’t just dudes singing
- 1D needs at least a year or two before they have that “fill the stage” aura, and I’m kind of afraid they won’t get the time to develop it. I kind of want to give them instruments or choreography to cover with.
[Minor Interlude to pick up children from school. I now have an unimpressed audience with me.]
- But that could just be my American boy band bias showing. Like, I want big, showy boy band antics. They’re singing live and interacting w/ each other and the audience, and I still want explosions.
- It’s really bubbblegummy. Like, repeated words and simple lyrics. The only thing that showed complexity was the Ed Sheeran song.
- Competence in singing in descending order: Liam, Harry, Zayn, Louis, Niall
- What’s up with the seasonal theme? Why are they telling a story?
- Niece C says Louis looks like an animated character
- Liam’s the JC and Harry’s the Justin, so who does that make Zayn and Louis? Niall’s the Chris. Maybe the Joey.
- Liam’s just a regular guy, while Niall’s a dudebro
- Why is Harry always dapper?
- Is someone in the audience wearing a Larry Stylinson shirt?
- As soon as they started roll calling their names on the screen with Harry, I knew it would go Liam, Niall, Louis, Zayn. This means something, but I don’t know what.
What we have learned from this: I have a favorite, and that is Liam. And I have a bunch of disjointed thoughts on boy band roles and whether they have to be instantly recognizable. Also, ongoing Boy Band Bootcamp combined with laboring in obscurity: good for your budding popstars.