Kind of a mixed concert review from someone who likes Gokey and was a bit scandalized by Adam
But they have a photo gallery guys! And that's actually why this is worth posting.
So, basically, this person liked Gokey best, was a bit turned off by the volume and the sex in Adam's set (but admits he's incredibly good), and has kind of mixed to negative things to say about everyone else.
An "American Idols Live! Tour" is usually enjoyable, but there is always a hint of melancholy beneath the glitter. This year's tour was no exception. The reason? Within every top 10, there are a few performers who will likely vanish from the public eye once the tour is done.
For instance, burly Texan Michael Sarver kicked off the show at Jobing.com Arena on Monday. While he seems like a perfectly pleasant guy, nothing about his stage presence or his bland vocals suggest that a recording career is in the works. Same thing with Lil Rounds, who would be great fun at a karaoke bar but seems terribly anonymous on a big stage in front of thousands.
Luckily, most of this season's top 10 had more to offer, making this one of the show's most consistently enjoyable outings. That included the Valley's Scott MacIntyre, who sat at the piano and shined on Keane's "Bend and Break" and Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles." His voice soared on the latter tune, and he projects a comfortable singer-songwriter vibe. He also was quite funny, joking about Ryan Seacrest's attempt at a high-five during the TV season.
Anoop Desai surprised with a lovely and powerful "Always On My Mind" that mined all the hurt out of the song. He commanded the stage with ease, and even handled the new jack swing of Bobby Brown's "My Perogative." The latter may not have been a natural fit, but he was smart enough to inject some self-aware humor into the tune.
Fourth-place finisher Allison Iraheta landed somewhere in the middle, entertainment-wise. Dressed all in black, she stuck to such femme rock standards as "Barracuda" and "Cry Baby." Though she can certainly sing, she did virtually nothing to break out of the rocker-chick stereotype. She also didn't seem particularly comfortable speaking to the crowd, which doesn't bode well for a career as a front woman.
Danny Gokey was perhaps the night's most engaging performer, as he worked the crowd with the fervor of a worship leader (no surprise that he is a church music director). He sings with a gritty Southern gospel flair. Pair that with crowd pleasers like Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" and a show-stopping reading of Rascal Flatts' quasi-inspirational "My Wish," and the guy has the potential to be a great showman.
Of course, second-place finisher Adam Lambert already has the showman thing down pat. The screams in the arena pretty much hit ear-piercing levels when he appeared, dressed liked a character from "The Road Warrior." Lambert is enormously confident on stage, although a suggestive bit involving the microphone stand may have been a bit much for such a family-friendly show.
As a vocalist, his technical skill is astonishing, but he could learn to rein things in a bit - his manic take on Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" started at the nth degree and had nowhere to go. Better was his reading of "Mad World," in which his natural theatricality was used to spooky effect. It was the most memorable thing he did during the TV season, and it was the high point of his time on stage.
Kris Allen seemed to sneak up and claim the grand prize on "Idol" with some smart, understated performances. Perhaps because he followed Lambert on stage during Monday's show, he emerged as decidedly unflashy and low-key. His song choices ("Hey Jude?" Matchbox Twenty?) were also wildly unadventurous, though he did have the good taste to forego "No Boundaries," the dud of a victory song he was saddled with.
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And is this article by Ann Powers old?:Pop artists looking for truth in land of fake. It was just published in the Providence Journal. If it was already published in the LA Times, then I missed it. It's interesting context for Adam's OTT-ness (though I kinda think Ann Powers doesn't go far enough with her ideas). These artists are embracing artifice because it seems more real . . . and . . . "why is that?" might be a good way to follow that up.
So, basically, this person liked Gokey best, was a bit turned off by the volume and the sex in Adam's set (but admits he's incredibly good), and has kind of mixed to negative things to say about everyone else.
An "American Idols Live! Tour" is usually enjoyable, but there is always a hint of melancholy beneath the glitter. This year's tour was no exception. The reason? Within every top 10, there are a few performers who will likely vanish from the public eye once the tour is done.
For instance, burly Texan Michael Sarver kicked off the show at Jobing.com Arena on Monday. While he seems like a perfectly pleasant guy, nothing about his stage presence or his bland vocals suggest that a recording career is in the works. Same thing with Lil Rounds, who would be great fun at a karaoke bar but seems terribly anonymous on a big stage in front of thousands.
Luckily, most of this season's top 10 had more to offer, making this one of the show's most consistently enjoyable outings. That included the Valley's Scott MacIntyre, who sat at the piano and shined on Keane's "Bend and Break" and Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles." His voice soared on the latter tune, and he projects a comfortable singer-songwriter vibe. He also was quite funny, joking about Ryan Seacrest's attempt at a high-five during the TV season.
Anoop Desai surprised with a lovely and powerful "Always On My Mind" that mined all the hurt out of the song. He commanded the stage with ease, and even handled the new jack swing of Bobby Brown's "My Perogative." The latter may not have been a natural fit, but he was smart enough to inject some self-aware humor into the tune.
Fourth-place finisher Allison Iraheta landed somewhere in the middle, entertainment-wise. Dressed all in black, she stuck to such femme rock standards as "Barracuda" and "Cry Baby." Though she can certainly sing, she did virtually nothing to break out of the rocker-chick stereotype. She also didn't seem particularly comfortable speaking to the crowd, which doesn't bode well for a career as a front woman.
Danny Gokey was perhaps the night's most engaging performer, as he worked the crowd with the fervor of a worship leader (no surprise that he is a church music director). He sings with a gritty Southern gospel flair. Pair that with crowd pleasers like Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" and a show-stopping reading of Rascal Flatts' quasi-inspirational "My Wish," and the guy has the potential to be a great showman.
Of course, second-place finisher Adam Lambert already has the showman thing down pat. The screams in the arena pretty much hit ear-piercing levels when he appeared, dressed liked a character from "The Road Warrior." Lambert is enormously confident on stage, although a suggestive bit involving the microphone stand may have been a bit much for such a family-friendly show.
As a vocalist, his technical skill is astonishing, but he could learn to rein things in a bit - his manic take on Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" started at the nth degree and had nowhere to go. Better was his reading of "Mad World," in which his natural theatricality was used to spooky effect. It was the most memorable thing he did during the TV season, and it was the high point of his time on stage.
Kris Allen seemed to sneak up and claim the grand prize on "Idol" with some smart, understated performances. Perhaps because he followed Lambert on stage during Monday's show, he emerged as decidedly unflashy and low-key. His song choices ("Hey Jude?" Matchbox Twenty?) were also wildly unadventurous, though he did have the good taste to forego "No Boundaries," the dud of a victory song he was saddled with.
***********************
And is this article by Ann Powers old?:Pop artists looking for truth in land of fake. It was just published in the Providence Journal. If it was already published in the LA Times, then I missed it. It's interesting context for Adam's OTT-ness (though I kinda think Ann Powers doesn't go far enough with her ideas). These artists are embracing artifice because it seems more real . . . and . . . "why is that?" might be a good way to follow that up.