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American Idol

American Idols Live tour recap in Atlanta at Gwinnett Arena

12:23 am August 1, 2009, by Rodney Ho

In past years, the pre-show audience would be tortured by incessant advertising, especially by the likes of Pop Tarts.

But Pop Tarts has finally dropped its sponsorship. And reflective of the economy, they were replaced by… nothing. As a result, the pre-show consisted of more than 90 minutes of “Idol” videos by the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Kellie Pickler, David Cook and Carrie Underwood, underscoring how many hits the “Idols” have generated the past seven years. The only ads were for T-shirt merchandise and an iTunes pass for Kris Allen. Plus, they replayed a few of the Ford ads from the show. Any image of Adam elicited cheers far greater than that of Kris, like some weird concert referendum. ‘

The stage, for the first time in ages, has almost no steps, possibly to keep things simple for Scott McIntyre. There is a little trap door that allowed Scott and Anoop to rise up as their intros (and used later for Kris and Adam). That idea has been used before as well. The videos are far slicker than they’ve ever been to intro the contestants and the screen behind them is monstrous. I approve.

The sound? Clean from the 23rd row, where I was sitting.

Now here’s my rundown of each contestant, with photos I took:

Michael Sarver: The guy still looks nothing like a star. But he has decent vocals and does a respectable job with both Gavin DeGraw and surprisingly, Ne-Yo. He also wins “best corporate shill” by giving our hometown Coca Cola an explicit shout out. Smart move!

Megan Joy Corkrey: “She’s weird!” said the gal next to me. Yes, women don’t seem to like Megan much but guys, we find her charming. And despite the curly bird’s nest on her head, she’s adorable as always and does a fine job with Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Put Your Record On” and Amy Winehouse’s “Tears Dry on Their Own.” She even ends her two-song set with a “Caw! Caw!” Awww… our Megan.

Scott McIntyre: The piano man purposely picked two songs featuring keyboards: Keane’s soaring “Bend and Break” and Vanessa Carlton’s ironic “A Thousand Miles” (with the lyrics, “If I could just see you…”). He made the same joke he’s repeated throughout the tour about the high-five heard ’round the world when Ryan Seacrest tried to do so and forgot Scott can’t really see him.

Lil Rounds: I still can’t quite figure out if she can stand as her own artist. She sang songs by three singers she reminds me of: Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys and Beyonce. But is she better than any of them? No.

Anoop Desai: He’s also somebody I can’t 100% figure out. He still does an amazing job with ballads. I absolutely love his “Georgia on My Mind.” But the energy level dropped around me when he went for Ne Yo (”Mad”). He got everyone back on their feet for yet another version of “My Prerogative,” but it’s a bit of been there, done that, for me.

Matt Giraud: Best performance of the night so far was his version of Atlanta-based Black Crowes’ “Hard to Handle.” He showed versatility by hitting the piano partway through and showed verve and vocal dexterity. He then went for another Georgia song, being “Georgia On My Mind.” Not quite as good but still effective. Then he finished up with the Fray’s “You Found Me,” a great sop for the teen girls. Overall, I was impressed that not a single time he reminded me of Justin Timberlake!

Allison Iraheta: After the break, Allison came on with a song she said she didn’t choose but the producers felt could be a preview of what her first album might be: “So What” by Pink. She did it in that bratty, snotty way but not aping Pink at all. That’s what makes her a great artist. She is totally unique – even while doing Janis Joplin and Heart. She is a rising star for sure. I’d pay to see her in concert for sure.

Danny Gokey: If you loved him on the show, he’s no different live. He brings plenty of goofy energy into his dancing when he’s working some Latin movies in “Maria Maria” or bopping around to “P.Y.T.” Then he did a double shot of Rascal Flatts, the second song, “My Wish,” one of the strongest emotional points of the concert. He explained how it evokes how he overcame the tragedy of his wife’s death to fulfill his dream of a music career. At the end, he looked like he teared up. There’s no doubt he will have a career if he takes it in the proper direction.

Adam Lambert: The rock show is… ON! Adam is at the top of his game, getting down an dirty with some Led Zeppelin, keeps the crowd pepped up with a relatively obscure song by Muse, then embraces the highlight of his “Idol” appearances with “Mad World.” After a reprise of another “Idol” favorite, the duet between him and Allison on “Slow Ride,” he takes on his idol David Bowie in an honorable medley. He opens with “Life on Mars,” addresses “Fame” (”Makes a man take things over”) and then grinds up “Let’s Dance.” Even some of his foes enjoyed the show, appreciating the fact he kept the “scream” to a minimum.

Kris Allen: The winner is incredibly unassuming but engaging on stage. He brings back his key song “Heartless,” then skips “No Boundaries” in favor of a great Killers tune that keeps the crowd going. An emotive “Ain’t No Sunshine” leads into the sing-a-long Beatles fav “Hey Jude.”

The show ended with “Don’t Stop Believin’” and a brief “Na na na na, hey, hey, hey, goodbye.” Everyone seemed happy and honestly, this concert proved how deep the top 10 really was — even without Alexis Grace. I realliy thought it was the most consistent, if not the most entertaining of the eight “Idols Live” concerts I’ve been to. Solid production values, song choices and talent across the board.

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207 comments Add your comment

Barker

August 1st, 2009
12:30 am

Rodney between Ain’t No Sunshine and Hey Jude, Kris performed MatchBox Twenty’s “Bright Lights.” Thanks for the review.

Barker

August 1st, 2009
12:34 am

Forgot to add, this is probably the most talented group in the last eight seasons, maybe only last year’s group could match it. I think if these ten worked hard enough, each one could find a place in the industry. They all won’t have superstardom success, but so what. They are all talented. And overall they all seem like the nicest group of people, and like they are all having a blast. I can’t wait to see what Kris, Adam and Allison’s albums sound like, and I’ll be waiting on something from Anoop and Matt.

Maggie

August 1st, 2009
12:39 am

Wow! Amazing photos! Were those from the 23rd row too???? No way. What camera do you use?

linny@home

August 1st, 2009
12:47 am

Rodney! thanks for the great review of the show and the incredible pics!!!! Once again I thought Megan was going for the “old school” look, a touch of the Marilyn era, perhaps… i know you don’t like her singing, but i do, LOL, i think she should do a jazzy bluesy thing with that voice…

I’m glad that Allison made a good impression, that girl is going places, i do believe.

And your pics of Adam … gay or not, the lad is eye candy! thanks ***grin***

And Kudos to Kris for being able to follow Adam with apparent applomb and grace and to keep the audience happy. He’s definitely “understated” in style, but i think he’s destined to go a long way, quietly climbing, with his attitude and all.

All in all, sounded like the most fun a tour concert has been.

And you, my friend, did a GREAT job!!! as usual, of course!

linny@home

August 1st, 2009
12:49 am

what i’d love to see is a “reunion” tour with the likes of Bo, Daughtry, Cook, Carrie, Kelly, Kellie, Allison, Adam, Kris, Bucky, and a about 10 others, doing a lot of “jamming” with each other not just solos…

Kay

August 1st, 2009
12:52 am

Thanks for the great review!! Everyone seems to agree that Matt Giraud is the standout performer of the first half of the concert, I wonder when news of his signing to a major label with come out??

Truthiness

August 1st, 2009
1:02 am

You said of Anoop: “He’s also somebody I can’t 100% figure out. He still does an amazing job with ballads. I absolutely love his “Georgia on My Mind.” ” Anoop doesn’t sing “Georgia on My Mind,” he sings “Always on My Mind.” Matt, as you do correctly point out, sings “Georgia on My Mind.”

Ana

August 1st, 2009
1:09 am

I agree with your assessment of Matty G, Rodney, except that I LOVED his take on Georgia on my Mind too.
I think Matt really is the standout performer of the first half! Ever since the tour started the buzz around him has been non stop. I hope he gets signed soon. IMO he is ready to record and tour solo. I am also wondering… when will his deal be announced? There must be already bunch of people interested in him.
The dude has tons of potential IMO he is the younger generation of Billy Joel.
Incredible singer and incredible piano player. Go Matt!

JTesla

August 1st, 2009
1:13 am

Great info Rodney, and PICTURES! It looks and sounds like it was a great show.

Claire

August 1st, 2009
1:28 am

I’m a woman (20 years old) and I really like Megan! She’s gorgeous, funny, and seems very nice. When I saw these guys live, I really liked her first song but not her second. With vocal coaching she has a lot of potential.

Adam’s my favorite–he really is just astonishingly powerful as a singer and performer, so beautiful and emotional–followed by Allison, then Kris. All excellent, and hopefully all will have successful careers.

Claire

August 1st, 2009
1:34 am

Mr. Ho: Just out of curiosity, do you also think of Adam and/or Kris that either or both are rising stars? I completely agree about Allison, by the way. I know that Adam’s not your style exactly, but I’d be interested to know your thoughts.

Jun

August 1st, 2009
2:45 am

Adam’s my favorite performer, and I was disappointed in your review of his performance. It was little more than a list of his set which I could have gotten elsewhere. There was no mention of his stellar vocals except your comment, “Even some of his foes enjoyed the show, appreciating the fact he kept the “scream” to a minimum.” If you read it, you’ll see that not much is really said except saying he’s at the top of his game.. whatever that might mean. Your reviews of some of the others had more of your personal take on the performance and performer, which seemed curiously lacking here, but this is just my opinion.

Highlander

August 1st, 2009
3:03 am

RH, excellent work on the review and the photos! Did you get a chance to meet up with any of the ‘gang of ten’ backstage? Get any post-concert interviews? (Or pre-concert, for that matter!)

Thanks for always keeping us informed! We may not say it enough, but you do a great job!

dina

August 1st, 2009
3:05 am

Great review! I love Adam, Allison and Matt! They all did great!

dina

August 1st, 2009
3:08 am

Great review! But if I may ask, did Adam come out to sign? Because he hadn’t for the last two shows since there was some stalker issue.

meredith

August 1st, 2009
3:14 am

i think matt has been consistently underrated. i liked him better than kris during the season because he seemed, well, more original (even if not quite as adorable). as for adam lambert — he just had me from the first moment he took the stage on idol. i can’t even say why — the voice, the movements, the presence. i saw the concert 2 nights ago and regardless of people’s tastes he was surely the lightening rod — and absolutely did not disappoint! i also wonder that u said so little about him. how was he there in atlanta? thanks for the review.

Access Atlanta: American Idols Live tour recap in Atlanta at Gwinnett Arena : Danny Gokey American Idol – Danny Gokey Fan Site – video, news, photos, pictures, forum, gallery, facebook, myspace

August 1st, 2009
3:30 am

[...] the pictures and read the rest here: http://blogs.ajc.com/american-idol-blog/2009/08/01/american-idols-live-tour-recap-in-atlanta-at-gwin... var addthis_pub = ”; var addthis_language = ‘en’;var addthis_options = ‘email, favorites, digg, [...]

Amanda

August 1st, 2009
3:33 am

Adam was effing amazing! He always is, but he is just so incredible!

Barker

August 1st, 2009
4:06 am

Matt has been great in concert, but he was never original on the show, that was the problem. He let the judges get to him, and he never showed his own musical identitiy. As Rodney said, in most of his performances he seemed to be aping other singers, if it wasn’t Justin Timberlake, it was the original singers of the songs that he was performing. This is in stark contrast to Kris, who unlike most of the other contestants, stayed true to himself and had a concrete musical identity. Despite not getting the attention or praise that he deserved, Kris didn’t change course and try to copy anyone else’s style. He didn’t try to out scream or out sing anyone else, for him it was about putting the attention on the song, and not himself. Maybe that’s why it took people a while to see what he was doing.

Matt Fan

August 1st, 2009
4:21 am

Well that is your opinion Barker. Personally I thought Kris was as boring as a box of rocks. All of his performances sounded the same. Acoustic guitar with flat singing. Matt had many great performance during the season in which he put his own spin on. They included…Who’s Lovin You, Human Nature, So Small, Part Time Lover, Stayin Alive, Let’s Get It On, & My Funny Valentine. He also arranged all of his own songs and IMO he didn’t copy any of the orginal artist with the exception of You Found Me and really even with that one he changed things around. I think Matt is proving on this tour what ana amzingly talented musician he is. He is getting amazing reviews from both critics and fans alike. Matt is a true musician/artist and IMO is the best musician to ever come out of American Idol. I can’t wait to buy his CD’s and attend his solo shows!

Thanks for the review. I would like to add that Matt never wanted to be compared to Justin Timberlake and IMO he is more like Billy Joel than JT. I never could understand this comparison. Matt always reminded me of a young Billy Joel.

American Idols Live! Tour – Gwinnett Center (Duluth, GA) « Randomize ME

August 1st, 2009
4:43 am

[...] American Idols Live tour recap in Atlanta at Gwinnett Arena by Rodney Ho (with photos!) … Allison came on with a song she said she didn’t choose but the producers felt could be a preview of what her first album might be: “So What” by Pink. She did it in that bratty, snotty way but not aping Pink at all. That’s what makes her a great artist. She is totally unique – even while doing Janis Joplin and Heart. She is a rising star for sure. I’d pay to see her in concert for sure. The rock show is… ON! Adam is at the top of his game, getting down an dirty with some Led Zeppelin, keeps the crowd pepped up with a relatively obscure song by Muse, then embraces the highlight of his “Idol” appearances with “Mad World.” After a reprise of another “Idol” favorite, the duet between him and Allison on “Slow Ride,” he takes on his idol David Bowie in an honorable medley. He opens with “Life on Mars,” addresses “Fame” (”Makes a man take things over”) and then grinds up “Let’s Dance.” Even some of his foes enjoyed the show, appreciating the fact he kept the “scream” to a minimum. The winner is incredibly unassuming but engaging on stage. He brings back his key song “Heartless,” then skips “No Boundaries” in favor of a great Killers tune that keeps the crowd going. An emotive “Ain’t No Sunshine” leads into the sing-a-long Beatles fav “Hey Jude.” [...]

Circe

August 1st, 2009
5:41 am

Wish that you had reviewed Adam’s performance as you did the others. The “foes” and “scream” comments were childish.

annie

August 1st, 2009
7:49 am

This is just my opinion so don’t bash me for it. But I think that Matt is WAY better than Kris. Sorry. I really find Kris boring.

Deirdre

August 1st, 2009
7:54 am

Morning!

Rodney, you can imagine my surprise, after hearing how tired you were yesterday, to find your review here this morning! I guess the concert gave you a nice shot of adrenalin. Thanks for the effort. and the pictures are fantastic…I want your camera. (Maybe it’s just your skill that I need)

Happy to hear how enjoyable…and apparently professional…the concert is. It’s been getting very good reviews wherever it goes and I think that’s a testament to how talented this group of singers is.

A mini-Matt-war! Who woulda thunk it! :-)

And to the person complaining that Rodney didn’t say enough about Adam’s set….whose review is this anyway? I’m a huge Adam fan and I know that Rodney isn’t. So what?

And Circe says “The “foes” and “scream” comments were childish.” Why? Adam DOES have foes and they DO dislike his “scream”. That shouldn’t diminish his talent for his fans. Who cares what the detractors think.

Shirley

August 1st, 2009
7:55 am

Wow. You barely mentioned the star of the show – ADAM LAMBERT! What a performance!

Cydney

August 1st, 2009
7:56 am

I have to agree with Matt about Kris – nice guy but boring boring boring. Adam was off the hook insane – he was better in person than on the show. His voice is unbelievable, his stage presence is superstar, his looks and talent are mega mega – I will go to his concerts – no question about it. Allison was on fire and a true rock star. I was surprised by how good Scott was – I hadn’t liked him on the show at all – but in person, he was great. Matt was much better than I expected also. The rest were ho hum. But I have to end with saying that Adam will be the biggest followed by Allison. Adam has the potential of being one of those superstars like Micheal Jackson or Elvis – he just can do anything/everything with that voice and charisma. I am 52 and can’t talk this morning because my voice is so hoarse from screaming for Adam last night. I had on a custom made Adam shirt and got high-fived all night by Adam fans when they walked up and down the stairs past my end-row seat all night long – it was just a confirmation of how cool Adam fans are and how much we recognize that he is the best of the best! Go Adam – live long and prosper with that wickedness – I guess you can tell I am a Huge Adam fan by now, but the concert proved who had the true talent – Adam, Allison, Matt, Kris and Scott – in that order. Peace Out :-)

Barker

August 1st, 2009
8:14 am

Matt and Annie, that’s why it’s a good thing that we are all allowed to like who we want to like, and we all have the right to like different styles of music. Matt faced the criticisms that I mentioned during the season, but those were just some people’s opinions, if you didn’t share the same opinions then that’s totally acceptable.

Unlike some people who have posted, I’m not looking for validation for my opinions. Someone not liking Kris is not going to change how I feel about him, and since not everyone will appeal to every music lover, the two of you finding Kris boring isn’t going to effect his career, or stop the people who do like him from enjoying his music. I know how I feel about Kris’ music and his talent, and obviously given his sales post idol, especially Heartless still charting two months after the show ended, I’m not alone in my opinion.

Lisa

August 1st, 2009
8:55 am

ADAM, Allison, and Matt are the only good ones for me. The rest…nada.

Carrie

August 1st, 2009
8:59 am

Adam was ADAMAZING! The screams for him the entire night, even when they flashed his face on the screen for 5 seconds was ear splitting! The crowd outside waiting for autographs was 90% Adam Fans! That man is a SUPER STAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, from the crowd, with t-shirts, etc. he has fans from 6 years old to 55+years old!

Carrie

August 1st, 2009
9:00 am

We left right after Adam’s set and got to speak to him personally. I agree that Matt and Allison were GREAT TOO!

Vanessa

August 1st, 2009
9:07 am

Rodney, thanks for a really nice recap and great pics. This Kris fan doesn’t need to run down the other Idols, to build up my favorite. The incessant attack of the Glamberts is now the stuff of web lore.

Brenda

August 1st, 2009
10:02 am

Adam was f-n amazing! Nuf said.

Ella

August 1st, 2009
10:11 am

Omfg I was there! And Adam was just beyong amazing. He exceeded my expectations and his voice was just WOW. Spectacular. I think I went deaf for awhile after his set because everyone around me was going apesh*t for him! The screams destroyed my eardrums!

And I met him after the show. He was so GORGEOUS in person! Those eyes are just hypnotizing and he just kept saying thank you to his fans. He is so polite.

And those thrusts and sexy moves he does, I could just die! That man is like sex on legs. I think I was already sweating while watching him perform.

So advice for the future concert goers during Adam’s set: BREATHE.

Idol Headlines for 08/01/09 | mjsbigblog

August 1st, 2009
10:19 am

[...] AJC [...]

Ann

August 1st, 2009
10:38 am

Thanks Rodney for a very fair review of the concert and not being biased as some reporters tend to be. Not everybody is gaga over Adam, and from what I’ve been reading in different forums, he has very rude fans, especially toward Danny, Michael and Scott.

sunshine

August 1st, 2009
10:45 am

I am confused – So both Anoop and Matt do Georgia on my Mind? That seems strange.

peg

August 1st, 2009
10:57 am

Anoop sings “Always on My Mind”….not Georgia on My Mind…..hard to take a review seriously when the song titles aren’t even correct…just sayin…

Louisa

August 1st, 2009
10:58 am

Adam was spectacular! My fave from his set was starlight. His voice gave me chills. I love Whole Lotta Love Too. And Allison was just amazing. Too good for her age.

Ben Lee

August 1st, 2009
10:59 am

I got the cheaper seats and the sound was tolerable at best! It was loud period. It was distorted and it made Adam and Kris sound like very nasal chipmunks. Also it didn’t help that the girl behind us was screaming at the 4th F# above middle C. Anyway, that didn’t spoil my evening. I like both Adam and Kris (Adam more of course) and they are good in their seperate performances but I felt that Kris was marginalized (can’t help it I guess, he won the show!), to come on after Adam. It’s like having Madonna and Michael Jackson (in one person) opening for Bryan Adams. Allison sounded (where I’m at, 2nd level to the side) like she shouted her set and I could not hear a single word she’s shouting, even the word “Bar-ra-cu-da” came across as “Wa-ah-u-wa”. However, the BEST performance was the Adam and Allison duet…they looked like they know how to rock it and the sibling chemistry is evident. This time, I could hear what Allison was singing. The worst…’Lil Rounds’ rendition of the Karaoke sing-a-long- Beyonce’s song about single ladies. I agree with Rodney…time for Adam to hang up “Mad World”…I am beginning to dread listening to it although I believe Adam didn’t sound like he dreaded singing it and that’s because he’s a great performer. Whole Lotta Love was just fantastic, it’s a great opening for his set and the David Bowie medley was a great update! Matt and Danny – good vocals but forgettable. This is my first Idol lives show and unless there’s a group that is as incredible as this one is, this will be my last.

Katy

August 1st, 2009
11:10 am

I WAS THERE TOO!!! :)

THE WHOLE SHOW WAS AMAZING!!!

ALL 10 SOUNDED GREAT!

adam stole the show! he was incredible!

kris was a let down after watching adam…but i am a fan!

i was never a big allison or matt fan during the show but they were both great! also loved michael and anoop!

i took tons of picture…nothing compared to yours rodney but when i pick the favs, i’ll post a link to them!

JTesla

August 1st, 2009
11:11 am

Matt has fans?

Katy

August 1st, 2009
11:16 am

jt…after seeing him perform last night…yes, he definitely has fans!!!:)

JJ

August 1st, 2009
11:17 am

I had the BEST time at the show last night. After the show three years ago, I said I probably wouldn’t go back to another Idol show. I became a huge fan of Matt Giraud on the show this year and decided to give it another whirl. I am so glad I did. The production value of this year’s show was so much better. All the Idols were talented and I heard someone behind me exclaim “we should have voted for him” as Matt sang Georgia on my Mind. Other surprises to me: Michael Sarver singing Closer, how much I enjoyed Scott singing 1,000 Miles and how I felt when the opening cords to Barracuda started to play. I resisted it for so long, but I also jumped on the Adam Lambert band wagon in a big way last night. He was out of this world. I didn’t sense any diva behavior from him last night as he came out to sign autographs and pose for pictures. One more shout out to Kris for singing All the Things I’ve Done. It was fantastic. Congrats Idols! In addition to the Idols already signed, I can’t wait to hear about Matt getting his record deal.

Jan

August 1st, 2009
11:25 am

adam lambert seriously sounds incredible live. i mean, i didn’t really get him during the show, i honestly preferred allison. i don’t know why people always talk about him. but after watching the concert, i am now proud to say that i am officially an adam fan. (and of course allison too)

Deirdre

August 1st, 2009
11:29 am

Well, Rodney…so much for our slow weekends! ;-)

sunshine

August 1st, 2009
11:36 am

I agree with Peg! Thanks for giving me the title of the song Anoop actually performed!

Emily

August 1st, 2009
11:42 am

Barker you’re not the only one who thinks that Kris>Matt. Both are outstanding musicians who play the piano but Kris has that extra something. His brilliant renditions of Heartless, Falling slowly and ANS will be talked about years to come from now and anyone trying to sing it again on idol will have a hard hard time trying to top that. I love Bright Lights the most for the songs he sang on tour, as that beautifully accentuates his lower register.

Toni

August 1st, 2009
11:43 am

JT…sarcasm only works if there is a little truth behind it. Your comment was about as clever as me saying, “Adam can hit high notes”?

leslie

August 1st, 2009
11:43 am

Fun recap! Short, informative and great pictures.

Melody

August 1st, 2009
11:47 am

Just like to mention, it was an Adam crowd by far, his pictures sold out and he was amazing. Many fans again walked out during Kris’ set. It seems like this is a growing trend. My sister has been to four shows now and it has happened at every one. It is obvious from this review that the writer is not an Adam fan. Too bad for him, but he is in the minority. It would be nice if someone reviewed the show that knew the difference between screaming and hitting unbelievable high notes. I suggest that he listen on line to “Brigadoon” and see the beauty of Adam voice and tell us who in this show can equal Adam’s talent?

Susan

August 1st, 2009
12:01 pm

Everyone had expected Adam to put on a show – and he did not disappoint. The surprise of the evening was Matt. He got the entire place on its feet during Hard to Handle, touched everyone’s heart on Georgia, and once again, proved what a great pianist he is on YFM. He poors himself into his performances and really connected with the crowd. I hope I get to see him in a solo concert soon. Someone sign him already!

JTesla

August 1st, 2009
12:19 pm

Deirdre it certainly is very lively. I’ll refrain from stiring the pot, as it sounds like it was a great show all around. I’ll use my time to search YouTube for videos of Matt because I can’t remember him, was he the oil rig guy? That last line was for you Toni ;)

Janette

August 1st, 2009
12:40 pm

Ahh, so we have a non-Adam fan reviewing this show. Adam’s voice is amazing and he can pick you up and keep you going throughout his entire show. His tour is gonna be off the charts. Unfortunately, I do find Kris to be a bit boring. I have really begun to appreciate Matt’s performances though. I went to Sacramento, Oakland, LA and Ontario and Adam just continues to get more and more exciting. My son absolutely loves Allison and she was stellar at all shows. Matt was alot of fun to watch and I really hope he gets a contract. But all and all, Adam was amazing and I continue to love watching his videos. Hey, I just hope this reviewer looks a littler further about his review of Adam.

ianaleah

August 1st, 2009
12:49 pm

Thanks especially for photos. and review. Kris Adam and Allison have always been great- and on tv, often Matt. On the tour, Matt really got his confidence and shows how really great he is with his singing and performances. Michael Sarver would shine more if he sang Garth Brooks’ more pop type songs. Danny and his ’story’ are old, not unique as Lil is not unique. Scott is genuinely talented and his vocals are much better than on tv. Anoop sings well enough, but boooooring, and Megan is a doll. I will pay lots to see Adam, Kris and Allison on solo tours.

BufordFan

August 1st, 2009
1:04 pm

Great review… Also a great article and amazing photo slide show on the Gwinnett Daily Post website.

Kay

August 1st, 2009
1:06 pm

Wow, give a guy some good reviews, find some grest comments from his fans, and BOOM there goes the haters (that was for JT ;D) Matt is obviously doing very well on this tour, gaining new fans, and impressing his former ones all over again. If you don’t like it fine, but must you waste your energy hating on it??

Deirdre

August 1st, 2009
1:34 pm

OK…how is an obvious joke like “Matt has fans?” hating on anyone? Let’s not be touchy. We all have our favorites and we all put up with jokes about each and every one of them. Relax folks. No need to start something over an Idol. They were all good in their own way this season. They all have their little “quirks” that people are going to pick on. No biggie!

Kay

August 1st, 2009
1:49 pm

Sorry if I didn’t find anything about that “joke” particularly funny (different sense of humor I guess) But What I don’t understand is if you don’t like an idol why you would even bother to make a rude comment towards them (whether or not you were trying to be funny?) It’s one person though(who obviously wants to start trouble), so I can move on…

linny@home

August 1st, 2009
1:52 pm

wow. Rodney didn’t NEED to do a “spectacular” review of Adam — in the FIRST place, everyone knew ahead of time he would be spectacular. SECOND, we all know he’s not Rodney’s “favorite”, and THIRD, Rodney probably knew that ANYTHING he said would be taken wrong and blown out of proportion, so why not just play it the way HE felt. Good grief. Hater comments already. I think Barker said it best. We have opinions. We have individual tastes. We have the right to share our opinions and thoughts, this IS a blog, after all, and by god, NO ONE is “lesser” because they DIFFER from each other. Get a freaking LIFE people. And the “F” bomb being subtly used in conjunction with OMG is to me OFFENSIVE, more so that anything anyone else said here today. Sorry, but if we’re going to be straightforward, i have to say, also, that peg and sunshine can just go read another report if they don’t like what our Rodney has to say!!! Attacking the content is one thing but attacking our host is entirely another.

good grief.

Toni

August 1st, 2009
1:59 pm

It’s interesting that whenever anyone says anything the slightest bit negative about Adam (including Rodney not gushing about him quite enough in this review), people come out in droves to complain and nobody tells them to “relax”. When a fan of another Idol defends their favorite from a snarky remark, they are ALWAYS told to let it go..don’t be touchy…no biggie. Just my observation. I happen to respect all of the performers as they all have their own unique abilities, and don’t see a reason to “pick on” any of them.

JTesla

August 1st, 2009
2:01 pm

Just to clear something up for Kay, I’m not a hater, I just don’t really remember the guy. During the season I couldn’t tell the difference between Matt and Kris until they got to the top 5. Although, now that we are talking about it I do remember that Matt wore funny hats, if Idol was a funny hat competition he would have won.

Perhaps I need to jump on the Matt fan bandwagon with fans like Kay and Toni I’m sure I could go watch him perform and pick up the ladies. I just have to pretend that I’m down with their ponies and rainbows view of the world.

Jody

August 1st, 2009
2:43 pm

I was on the floor level of this concert and my observations are a little different from some of these…I took my daughter (UGA grad) who didn’t watch ANY of Idol this year. She loved Lil, Anoop, and Kris! I thought the sound level was so loud that it distorted voices. I was especially looking forward to Adam and Kris. Even though I thought Adam had amazing stage presence, his voice sounded distorted to me! Wayyyy too loud! I was disappointed that I couldn’t understand him…my daughter just looked at me (and the screaming pre-teen girls around us) and said, “Broadway!” Kris’s voice (maybe because it’s lower) wasn’t as distorted to me. I thought he sounded better than on TV!! His musicianship was also played up in the live performance! My daughter’s take on him: “Very current for today’s market!” Those who say Kris didn’t get love at Duluth are so wrong from where I sat…the screaming seemed just as loud as Adam’s when he was presented, and I saw just one pre-teen/mom leaving just before the group song. Over-all, I enjoyed all the top 10…can’t believe some of these commenters were at the same concert as I was!

Mercedes S.

August 1st, 2009
2:45 pm

Great report and pics, Rodney, although I wish you wouldn’t have let your resentment of Adam shine through quite so much… He looked fantastic, and judging from the pics seemed to have slimmed down a bit. But what’s with Chris and his thunder thighs??

So happy for them all doing well, especially Matt. Missed decent head shot of him – rumor has it that he got rid of his sebaceous forehead cyst, the nasty “third eye” that made him wear those stupid hats.

Katy

August 1st, 2009
2:52 pm

we were in the 5th row of section l05 and the sound was amazing!!!apparently it sounds different if you’re on the floor level!

i LOVED every minute of the show! :)

Claire

August 1st, 2009
3:19 pm

Er…Rodney gave Adam, Allison, Matt, and Kris really excellent reviews. I’m a huge Adam fan, he’s my favorite, etc., but he doesn’t have to be everyone’s, just like Kris, Allison, and Matt don’t have to be everyone’s. It would even have been okay if he hadn’t liked Adam, but HE GAVE HIM A REALLY GOOD REVIEW, as he did for the other three I mentioned. So anyone complaining should seriously calm down and stop acting like an immature brat.

Sally

August 1st, 2009
3:24 pm

Last night was the first AI Tour I’ve been to since Season 1 and boy have they come a long way?!?! I thought that EVERYONE was greatly improved from their time on the show this season. Adam of course was the most popular, but I was happy to see that Matt had so many fans there last night!

I had seen a set list for everyone before last night and was a little nervous about Lil’s songs, especially “Single Ladies”. It was okay in my opinion, definitely the weakest of the night, but still not terrible.

I thought Michael did a great job at the beginning of the show getting everyone on their feet and he sounded wonderful (and has lost some weight?). I loved both songs that Megan sang, although I was looking forward to seeing her long hair down! Some of the girls I watched with this past season LOVED Scott, so I recorded 1000 Miles for them and thought he did great with both songs. Lil was good, not great, but she still looked awesome and I LOVED her shoes (sparkly platforms!). Anoop’s set was a lot better than I was expecting and I thought he did aweosme. Matt was WONDERFUL! I had been looking forward to all 3 of his songs and was so glad to see that he is just as great live as all the reviews have been saying. I loved the group medley too!!! I know it’s cheesy, but that’s what we love about this show!!!!!

I played the text in and win backstage passes game before and during intermission, but lost :( But then I started to get really excited because my favorite (Allison) was coming up!

She did awesome! So great and it’s hard to remember that she’s just 17! And I have never liked her red hair, but thought it looked great last night. I think it was a little darker or something? Danny was great too. His little salsa moves were almost too much, but you have to love him! He’s precious! And we kept making the joke that we got to see a Rascal Flatts concert too (since they were in town last night too and he did 2 of their songs)! After Danny got done, the energy in that place was insane!!! The girls behind us started crying and you almost couldn’t hear Adam’s entire first song because everyone was screaming! Loved how he used the props and stuff with Allison during Slow Ride! (except if I were her, I would have been a little grossed out about him putting that purple boa around me!) I was feeling bad for Kris, thinking he wouldn’t have as loud of a crowd as Adam, but he did and he was wonderful! I LOVED “Hey Jude”! (I did however think that his pants were too tight!)

My favorite group song of the season was “Don’t Stop Believin’”, so I was pumped for the finale and it was just as great and cheesy and wonderful as I expected!

All in all, a wonderful show and thought everyone did so great! We waited outside for a while for autographs and met Drake’s (Adam’s boyfriend apparently) aunt and she annoyed the heck out of us! But we left and just watched from the parking deck as they came out to sign autographs.

Deirdre

August 1st, 2009
3:34 pm

Toni…for heaven’s sake…I was suggesting that EVERYBODY relax…not just the fans of my least favorite Idol. When someone gets snarky about Adam(my personal favorite this year) that’s their opinion…just like it’s my opinion when I get snarky about some other Idol. It’s joking around…it’s fun…except for those who want to live so vicariously through their favorites that they take the jokes as a personal insult to their opinions.

We are different people…we have different ears and eyes. We will see and hear things differently. I’m not going to get all bent out of shape because someone doesn’t like my favorite. How does that, in ANY way detract from my favorite or how I feel about him/her?

Rodney Ho

August 1st, 2009
3:39 pm

Jun—I think by the time I got to writing about Adam, my brain was dead. Been writing a LOT this week!

Rodney Ho

August 1st, 2009
3:42 pm

I don’t resent Adam at all. He did a great job. I guess I didn’t “gush” enough, eh?

linny@home

August 1st, 2009
3:54 pm

Deirdre as usual you sort of beat me to it — obviously that person doesn’t read this blog often enough, because there have been MANY times we’ve told the glamberts to RELAX about Kris winning!!! Good grief folks, it’s a talent competition with LOTS of talent — it would be different, i think if it were a talent competition between “rockers” or “r&b” or “broadway” or whatever genre contestants to see which was the best AT THAT GENRE. But it’s not — it’s a mishmash of every genre musically and the fans, en masse, vote on their FAVORITE. It’s about “electing” an IDOL, someone that the most fan votes elect to represent for a year — what each and every one of you seem to forget is that these 10 guys and gals were the TOP of megathousands. That’s winning IMHO. Plus they each get national, international even, exposure — what THEY do with that is what counts!!! Because after the show, we all vote with our fast-dwindling $$$. And ultimately, to the performer, that’s what is going to count — more $$ spent, more success, more exposure, better representation, better production, better marketing. AI is a breakthrough level. Not the end product.

Joey

August 1st, 2009
4:04 pm

Adam screams, can’t sing to save his butt.
America got it right!

Courtney

August 1st, 2009
4:22 pm

Nice review…You found good things to say about almost everyone. I definitely think Matt is the most underrated of the performers, and I think Allison has the potential to be the biggest star of all. I wasn’t even crazy about Allison during the season but I’m really impressed with how far she has come. She’s a true prodigy and a natural on stage. Adam definitely has the most showmanship of the group but I also find him the least authentic of the top five…it doesn’t mean he won’t be successful (I can never predict who the public will embrace). It’s just that everything about him, from the attempts to channel David Bowie to the exaggerated “sexy” moves screams “Vegas” to me. Kris was definitely my fave of the season and I love the way he doesn’t try to be anything but himself. I don’t think he has the stage power and magnetism that prior winners like Cook had, but I like his mellow aura. It’s just different. As much as i like Kris, it’s hard for me to predict how well he’ll do. My money’s on Allison.

Melody

August 1st, 2009
4:26 pm

Sorry, it was a singing contest. Adam was the best singer regardless of genre. An inferior singer with less fans won because of unfair voting. Now the fans of the inferior singer get testy every time we point out that the best man did not win. It is my opinion that the show producers have to bring Adam out for “Hey Jude” because Kris is awkward with the audience and as boring as watching paint dry. Kris would have killed the end of the show on his own and more people would be walking out. A lot of people call it two finale songs. Anyone who regards Kris as a competent piano player is a musical dunce. I do not care if Kris’s fans can not deal with reality.

JTesla

August 1st, 2009
4:34 pm

Well look who’s testy that their favorite lost! The fans of the winner don’t get testy, because Kris won. By the way, Idol has never been a singing contest.

I can’t wait for the Adam fans to go after the Matt fans. Matt sure is getting a lot of praise for his performance, how does that make the fans of the greatest singer of all time feel?

Deirdre

August 1st, 2009
4:38 pm

Melody…it ISN’T a singing contest. That’s a fallacy. It’s more a “who’s your favorite singer/performer/best looking/most likable/ contest. If it was a singing contest, there’s a whole bunch of people out there from the top 10 of any year who got robbed!

MM

August 1st, 2009
4:41 pm

I have been reading all reviews. This author’s rather obvious bias against Adam shows. Otherwise, the article is nice to all especially Matt. Everyone has an opinion, but I do think this author rather glossed over a portion of the Tour that others have raved about. Everyone else seems to agree that Adam is the show. Well, I will see when the tour hits DC.

Ray

August 1st, 2009
4:42 pm

From the comments, it seems that a lot depends on one’s location in the arena. If the over-amplified sound becomes distorted, or the screaming displays are close, the long, long concert could be more of a trial than a treat. I was considering Pittsburgh, but more than likely will wait for Kris’ solo tour, where sanity and artistry will prevail.

Katy

August 1st, 2009
4:43 pm

Here are my pictures from last night! :)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=28179&id=1455616177&l=cbf11023f8

Deirdre

August 1st, 2009
4:46 pm

The rock show is… ON! Adam is at the top of his game, getting down an dirty with some Led Zeppelin, keeps the crowd pepped up with a relatively obscure song by Muse, then embraces the highlight of his “Idol” appearances with “Mad World.” After a reprise of another “Idol” favorite, the duet between him and Allison on “Slow Ride,” he takes on his idol David Bowie in an honorable medley. He opens with “Life on Mars,” addresses “Fame” (”Makes a man take things over”) and then grinds up “Let’s Dance.” Even some of his foes enjoyed the show, appreciating the fact he kept the “scream” to a minimum.

Obvious bias?????? Do you mean in FAVOR of Adam cuz I read nothing negative here at all! The author even suggests that Adam detractors could find nothing to complain about. Bias?????

Deirdre

August 1st, 2009
4:47 pm

Katy…thank you so much for the pictures…they are absolutely great!!!! I want your camera, too…or maybe I just want you to take pictures for me from now on! ;-)

Judy

August 1st, 2009
4:51 pm

Joey, to say Adam cannot sing is like saying the ocean is not wet, you make yourself look so… well, dumb. Adam can sing any genre and Kris cannot. All I can say is that a year from now my money is on Adam for winning musical awards and as for Kris, he will be back in Arkansas returning to business school which hopefully will not take another 7 years for him to complete. One of the reasons is that he was given an opportunity by an underserved win and rather then his fans being grateful, they continue to promote him beyond his ordinary talent by saying that he is an equal to Glambert, who is unequaled in the present entertainment industry. It is causing blowback. It is Kris’ fans who need to back off or they will destroy him. In case you do not realize it Adam has way more fans and turning us against Kris will not serve him well.

Katy

August 1st, 2009
4:52 pm

thanks D!
i love taking pictures…i have tons from last night! It was hard to pick out the 116 favorites! haha

Deirdre

August 1st, 2009
5:01 pm

Katy..I love the smokey one of Allison and Adam with their backs to the camera.

Deirdre

August 1st, 2009
5:02 pm

Another favorite…Kris at the piano with the light behind him.

Deirdre

August 1st, 2009
5:04 pm

Also picture 42…Scott, Michael, Matt, Lil and Anoop. Is Scott wearing a neckbrace or is that just an oversize turtleneck?

Katy

August 1st, 2009
5:08 pm

D…you think Rodney will ask me to tag along with him and take pictures??? he obviously had a much better view then me!

hahaha…..i wish!

and yea, the smokey one is definitely one of my favs!

Katy

August 1st, 2009
5:09 pm

hahaha…we thought scott had an accident backstage and was wearing a neckbrace…but after zooming in on the picture it is some kind of tall neck shirt! :)

Barbara

August 1st, 2009
5:12 pm

Please do not suggest that any of Adam’s fans are not happy to see Matt impressing the audience. He certainly plays piano way better then the other two. He was my second favorite at the concert. He entertained the audience and was quite comfortable on stage. When we met Matt for autographs he was manly looking, not like tiny Kris. Other then Adam, I believe Matt has the best chance of success.

al

August 1st, 2009
5:15 pm

Your review of Adam shows some kind of bias or prejudice on your part- Why is Adam the only idol with foes? That is ridiculus and evidently you do not have any musical background or you would not call anything out of Adam’s mouth a scream. Adam Rocks!

JTesla

August 1st, 2009
5:22 pm

Katy thanks for sharing the pictures, those are great!

Al, what bias? Oh you mean the bias in that he didn’t declare Adam the greatest singer ever!

Your own bias is causing you to see bias where there is none.

Deirdre

August 1st, 2009
5:29 pm

al…Adam clearly had “foes” so to pretend he didn’t would be just plain silly. Almost the whole season that’s all people talked about. Will Adam’s high range turn off some fans? Will Adam’s obvious orientation turn off some fans? Will Adam’s make-up turn off some fans? Well, the answer was obviously and unfortunately yes. That does NOT detract from Adam. And the fact that a reviewer says that even most of his foes couldn’t help but enjoy his performance is a COMPLIMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vicki

August 1st, 2009
5:30 pm

I like Kris. He is not Adam who will be a superstar and sell albums worldwide, but Kris has a niche. He needs a small intimate venue that does not make his act seem too small for the room. They had his set amped up so much that it was unpleasant. Kris also needs some coaching in interacting with the audience. At times he was very awkward trying to get people to sing “Hey Jude”. It may be that he will be better as a local entertainer in his hometown. When you feel secure with your audience, you can perform better. He will never be a John Mayer, who owns that niche, not only for his superb writing and music ability, but for the fact that he has slept with some of the prettiest women in Hollywood and kissed Perez Hilton. In a small venue, with his hometown crowd, Kris will do just great!

Victoria

August 1st, 2009
5:38 pm

I have been a casual AI watcher since Season 1, just happened to catch the final two or three shows that year. I thought Kelly was spectacular, still do. Didn’t really watch faithfully, until this year. I happened to catch the top 36. I saw Adam sing “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” – and I was hooked. The next week I saw him sing “Black or White” and I was really starting to get all fangirly. At first I didn’t know what to think of “Ring of Fire” – but I loved it, was mesmerized by it, actually. Then came “Tracks of my Tears” and I was done, stick a fork in me! I couldn’t wait until Tuesday night to see what Adam would do next. And it wasn’t just his performances, it was his amazing vocals that had me too. I rushed off to get an iTune gift card so I could download every video and studio performance. I have to admit I wanted Adam to win, but I think Kris is very talented as well. And, he obviously won the majority of votes. So there – done and done – everyone should just get over it and support your favorite now that the show is over.

My cousin was also addicted to Adam. My neighbor liked Adam okay, but was a Kris fan. So, when the concert tickets went on sale, I bought three tickets so us (40-something girls) could have a great time cheering on our Idols. (Side note: should have taken a picture of my husband painting my toenails black for the concert!! He wanted me to have “perfect” nails for Adam – Heehee!)

After two hours in ATL traffic (from Kennesaw), we finally got to the Gwinnett Arena. Our seats were okay, not the best. However, during Lil’s set, we spied a section of unoccupied seats right near the stage. Oh yes, we were fixing to really be fangirls and move to those seats. My neighbor kept saying she wasn’t a “rule-breaker”, but my cousin and I were off and she followed, albeit sheepishly. Are we actually doing this? Yes, yes we are!! We decided the chance to see Adam up close was worth whatever the consequence. (Side note 2: others in the section did the same thing we did. And I would guess that they were at least 15 to 20 years older than us!)

Let me say that all of the idols were good. I was really surprised how good, in fact. I had read other recaps and wasn’t too excited about the ones before intermission. However, I found myself standing, dancing and cheering for each and every one. I wanted them to feel the Atlanta love, just as much as my favorite – Adam. When it came time for Adam’s set, I thought the roof was going to blow off the place. I just wonder if he could hear how loud it was. Our new seats were really close, and with binoculars, I could really see Adam up close. Oh my goodness, he is beautiful. His voice was spectacular. His dancing was off-the-chart. I was in a trance, for sure. (I still feel like I am in an Adam haze today. Thanks to all that took videos so I can remember just what I was watching.)

Then Kris came on and DSB was happening all too fast. And it was over. If I had gone by myself, I would have tried to go and get Adam to sign my RS. But, I was with other people and they aren’t as much of a fangirl as I am. Can’t wait for his first album – and videos. Thanks to AI8 for bringing this amazing person to the world. I hope he gets everything he has wished for and more. He seems like a wonderful person, as well as a phenomenal artist. Go Adam!

Mercedes S.

August 1st, 2009
5:50 pm

Deirdre, much as I love your usually clear-headed thinking, the italicized “review” from dear Rodney contains exactly two critical opinions about Adam; on about his being “on the top of his game”, the other the lamish “honorable medley”. Everything else is just an “and then, and then” enumeration – and a pat one at that (”getting down and dirty”, “keeps the crowd pepped up”, “embrace the highlights”) of Adam’s performace. I wanted DESCRIPTIONS of HOW he got down and dirty, embraced the highlights, and pepped up the crowd!

Katy

August 1st, 2009
5:51 pm

thanks jt…glad you like the pictures!

and victoria! i too am a 40-something girl and have some of those same feelings about adam after watching him last night!

my husband was sweet enough to go with me after my daughter broke our date and made other plans for the weekend. so i couldn’t drool too much over adam with my husband sitting right beside me…

i should’ve been with you girls! :) would’ve loved to have broken the rules and moved closer to the front!

Mercedes S.

August 1st, 2009
5:57 pm

Kris kissing Perez Hilton?? Sleeping with double-digit Hollywood blondes? Thank goodness Kris is “taken” by a nice, smart “normal” girl already…

Deirdre

August 1st, 2009
5:58 pm

Mercedes…no other performer got any more description than Adam and after all…this is an Idol top 10 concert, not an Adam concert. When Adam comes to town with his own show, then we can expect Rodney to be more enthusiastic…on not, as the case may be.

If truth be told…and if Adam fans actually read the read of Rodney’s review…he had more to say about Adam…complimentary thinga…than he did about anyone else on the show.

Deirdre

August 1st, 2009
6:02 pm

One day I will learn to type!

al

August 1st, 2009
6:11 pm

Thanks Deirdre for explaining to Jtesla. I don’t have a bias but when someone singles one idol out as having foes-it’s leaving a sentence unfinished Why does he say Adam has foes? Maybe he is talking about all the people against a gay person winning idol? I was at the Tampa concert -it was obvious Adam was the performer most came to see. Everytime his picture came the crowd went wild and when he began his set the crowd went wild. I have been to a lot of concerts -Adam is the best performance I have ever seen or heard! All his merchandise sold out while the other idols had a bunch left over. When someone is denying the incrediable talent Adam has and also saying he screams and has foes then in my book they are bias because they are denying reality. By the way Adam could not appear at any M&G’s in Florida due to threats from the foes/anti..you finish

Victoria

August 1st, 2009
6:19 pm

Katy, we would’ve loved to have had another Adam fan rule-breaker with us. I just looked at your pictures – they are GREAT! It appears you had really good seats. And I doubt I would have screamed as loud as I did if my husband had been with me. He thinks I’m a little crazy for being such an Adam fangirl. So I’m kind of glad it was just us girls – so I could drool, dance, scream and act totally crazy without inhibition :)

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