Review: KansasCity.com Loves Adam and Allison
DIDN'T SEE THIS POSTED. HE GIVES LOVE TO ADAM AND ALLISON AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT. JUST A WARNING.
Review | No. 2 Adam Lambert is No. 1 at Sprint Center
By BILL BROWNLEE
Adam Lambert rocked the Sprint Center when the “American Idol” tour stopped in Kansas City Sunday night.
It’s not about music.
The “American Idol” tour that stopped at the Sprint Center Sunday is about many things - dreams, drama and hormonal hysteria among them - but its music component is merely an afterthought. The event is a celebration of celebrity and pop culture. It’s crass, but it’s also a lot of fun.
The Top 10 contestants from the eighth season of one of television’s most popular programs performed. One was startlingly exceptional. Another was very good. The others ranged from competent to atrocious.
Not only was Adam Lambert the clear crowd favorite, he was easily the night’s most substantial artist. He isn’t merely good by the often dubious standards of “American Idol.” Lambert’s imaginative interpretations of unlikely material were brilliant. His powerful voice seemed to shake the rafters during Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love.” He also deftly covered songs by Muse, Tears for Fears and David Bowie.
Kris Allen’s numbingly innocuous set paled in comparison. After Allen, the winner of last season’s competition, opened with his mildly interesting rendition of Kanye West’s “Heartless,” a steady stream of fans headed toward the exits. They didn’t miss much. As Allen’s ostensible victory lap ended with a few predicable choruses of “Hey Jude,” the complete cast closed the show with a deliriously dopey rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” (FUCK YOU, BILL BROWNLIEE. FUCK YOU STRAIGHT TO HELL.)
One voice besides Lambert’s stood out on that Journey anthem. The hellacious screech of impish Allison Iraheta, 17, can also envelope an arena. Her bluesy duet with Lambert on Foghat’s “Slow Ride” was excellent. Iraheta’s vicious readings of Pink’s “So What,” the Janis Joplin version of “Cry Baby” and Heart’s “Barracuda” were also entirely convincing. Just as important, she brought a carefree sense of fun that was otherwise largely absent Sunday.
The appearance by Danny Gokey, who took bronze in the competition, was typical. He’s personally ingratiating but musically dull. A brief motivational speech was touching and helped explain the audience’s undeniably strong emotional bond with the singer.
Of the holders of the remaining six slots, only Lil Rounds and Anoop Desai made more than momentary impressions. Desai’s silky soul approach was oddly effective on a syrupy rendition of “Always on My Mind.” The audience adored Rounds’ straightforward cover of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).”
Four others - Matt Giraud, Scott MacIntyre, Megan Joy and Michael Sarver - didn’t fare as well. MacIntyre did an impression of the notoriously snide “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell.
“It was absolutely horrible,” MacIntyre satirically huffed.
Alas, Cowell’s harsh assessment remains accurate. Even so, shaky performances such as MacIntyre’s were made tolerable by nifty video graphics and bright sound from the sharp backing band. Not including an intermission, the show lasted about 2 1/2 hours. It wasn’t always good, but it was almost always entertaining.
When the ninth season of “American Idol” commences in January, most of the cast of Sunday’s show will be rendered irrelevant. Only a handful of former “American Idol” contestants have fashioned commercially viable careers. Perhaps one or two members of the current tour will join that elite group. Or maybe not.
Either way, all 10, along with their fans in the Kansas City area, will always have Sunday.
SOURCE
Review | No. 2 Adam Lambert is No. 1 at Sprint Center
By BILL BROWNLEE
Adam Lambert rocked the Sprint Center when the “American Idol” tour stopped in Kansas City Sunday night.
It’s not about music.
The “American Idol” tour that stopped at the Sprint Center Sunday is about many things - dreams, drama and hormonal hysteria among them - but its music component is merely an afterthought. The event is a celebration of celebrity and pop culture. It’s crass, but it’s also a lot of fun.
The Top 10 contestants from the eighth season of one of television’s most popular programs performed. One was startlingly exceptional. Another was very good. The others ranged from competent to atrocious.
Not only was Adam Lambert the clear crowd favorite, he was easily the night’s most substantial artist. He isn’t merely good by the often dubious standards of “American Idol.” Lambert’s imaginative interpretations of unlikely material were brilliant. His powerful voice seemed to shake the rafters during Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love.” He also deftly covered songs by Muse, Tears for Fears and David Bowie.
Kris Allen’s numbingly innocuous set paled in comparison. After Allen, the winner of last season’s competition, opened with his mildly interesting rendition of Kanye West’s “Heartless,” a steady stream of fans headed toward the exits. They didn’t miss much. As Allen’s ostensible victory lap ended with a few predicable choruses of “Hey Jude,” the complete cast closed the show with a deliriously dopey rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” (FUCK YOU, BILL BROWNLIEE. FUCK YOU STRAIGHT TO HELL.)
One voice besides Lambert’s stood out on that Journey anthem. The hellacious screech of impish Allison Iraheta, 17, can also envelope an arena. Her bluesy duet with Lambert on Foghat’s “Slow Ride” was excellent. Iraheta’s vicious readings of Pink’s “So What,” the Janis Joplin version of “Cry Baby” and Heart’s “Barracuda” were also entirely convincing. Just as important, she brought a carefree sense of fun that was otherwise largely absent Sunday.
The appearance by Danny Gokey, who took bronze in the competition, was typical. He’s personally ingratiating but musically dull. A brief motivational speech was touching and helped explain the audience’s undeniably strong emotional bond with the singer.
Of the holders of the remaining six slots, only Lil Rounds and Anoop Desai made more than momentary impressions. Desai’s silky soul approach was oddly effective on a syrupy rendition of “Always on My Mind.” The audience adored Rounds’ straightforward cover of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).”
Four others - Matt Giraud, Scott MacIntyre, Megan Joy and Michael Sarver - didn’t fare as well. MacIntyre did an impression of the notoriously snide “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell.
“It was absolutely horrible,” MacIntyre satirically huffed.
Alas, Cowell’s harsh assessment remains accurate. Even so, shaky performances such as MacIntyre’s were made tolerable by nifty video graphics and bright sound from the sharp backing band. Not including an intermission, the show lasted about 2 1/2 hours. It wasn’t always good, but it was almost always entertaining.
When the ninth season of “American Idol” commences in January, most of the cast of Sunday’s show will be rendered irrelevant. Only a handful of former “American Idol” contestants have fashioned commercially viable careers. Perhaps one or two members of the current tour will join that elite group. Or maybe not.
Either way, all 10, along with their fans in the Kansas City area, will always have Sunday.
SOURCE