How do critics like the ‘Idols Live’ tour coming to Atlanta August 5?
"Idols Live" contestants pose last month before the tour launch. CREDIT: AP
The “Idols Live” tour is always the cherry on top of the sundae that was the previous “Idol” season.
This year, despite being the lowest rated one since season one, had arguably the deepest bench of talent to date. So I am expecting a solid show.
It’s tightly scripted so whatever is seen in other cities will be replicated almost word per word, song by song, when the tour arrives at Gwinnett Arena August 5 for a sold-out performance. (The show has not sold out many of its dates.)
Reviews from other cities have been mixed. What says a lot about journalism today (or perhaps the waning popularity of “Idol”), I could not find reviews for several of the concert dates, including Portland, Ore. and Kansas City.
From the Hollywood Reporter on the L.A. stop:
If you want to know what the audience for Fox’s American Idol looks like, just show up at the annual American Idols Live tour that hits town every summer. Last night at the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles, it was – everybody. Parents with young children. Senior citizen couples without kids. Teenagers. And every ethnicity in the city. And by their overwhelmingly positive.response to the talent on stage, none of them were disappointed.
From the Los Angeles Times Todd Marten:
Right, throughout the show I kept trying to picture a career for these artists. Sanchez was flawless in her delivery, forgettable in her personality. She seems Broadway-bound rather than primed for pop stardom. Hollie Cavanagh was more charming than technically proficient, but didn’t embarrass herself on Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.” She could anchor a parade down Disney’s Main Street. Elise Testone’s take on Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” was about as thrilling as the taped introductions from Ryan Seacrest. VH1 personality?
From Billboard magazine from opening night in Detroit:
The 10 “Idol” finalists kicked off the American Idols Live! 2012 Tour at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena with a smoothly choreographed two-hour and five-minute (plus intermission) jukebox of recent hits and classic favorites, most drawn from signature performances during the Season 11 episodes. But the concept continued to evolve, in a good way, with more group combinations and collaborations that gave the night a more energetic pace and consistent flow than merely having the singers troop through one at a time in order of their elimination
The San Jose Mercury News pilloried the San Jose show, opening with this:
The American Idols came. They sang. Then they split town for the next stop on the 2012 American Idols Live! Tour.
And what they left, after Sunday’s show at San Jose’s HP Pavilion had mercifully come to a close, was the impression that this may be the least intriguing and talented crop of finalists in “American Idol” history… I’ve attended most of the American Idols Live! Tour and this one was the worst I’ve seen… There were two notable exceptions — Skylar Laine and Jessica Sanchez… To say that Phillips has nothing new to offer is way too kind.
With little choreography and even less enthusiasm, the young cast failed to generate much excitement, especially during the first hour, which bottomed out during Heejun Han’s unimpressive attempt to rap on John Legend’s “Green Light” and Colton Dixon’s inexplicably glam version of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.”… The post-intermission show was far superior, featuring stronger voices, most notably runner-up Jessica Sanchez, a 16-year-old with the voice of a seasoned pro.
And SPOILER ALERT. Here’s the entire set list:
Everyone except Phillip Phillips: “Sing” (My Chemical Romance)
Deandre Brackensick: “Master Blaster (Jammin’)” (Stevie Wonder)
Skylar Laine and Hollie Cavanagh: “Undo It” (Carrie Underwood)
Erika Van Pelt: “Glitter in the Air” (Pink)
Van Pelt, Cavanagh, Joshua Ledet and Colton Dixon: “Moves Like Jagger” (Maroon 5)
Heejun Han: “Green Light” (John Legend)
Han with Brackensick and Jessica Sanchez: “Party Rock Anthem” (LMFAO)
Ledet, Dixon, Brackensick and Han: “Everybody Talks” (Neon Trees)
Elise Testone: “Whole Lotta Love” (Led Zeppelin)
Testone with Brackensick and Van Pelt: “Rumor Has It” (Adele)
Dixon: “Meant To Live” (Switchfoot), “Never Gone” (original), “Piano Man” (Billy Joel)
All except Phillips: “Just the Way You Are” (Bruno Mars), “What Makes You Beautiful” (One Direction)
(Intermission)
Sanchez: “Best Thing I Never Had” (Beyonce)
Sanchez with Ledet and Brackensick: “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore” (Prince), “Proud Mary” (Ike & Tina Turner arrangement)
Laine: “Gunpowder & Lead” (Miranda Lambert), “Stay With Me” (The Faces)
Cavanagh with Van Pelt and Testone: “Rolling in the Deep” (Adele)
Cavanagh: “Give Your Heart a Break” (Demi Lovato)
Ledet with Testone, Van Pelt and Brackensick: “Runaway” (Bruno Mars)
Ledet: “It’s a Man’s World” (James Brown)
Ledet and Sanchez: “I Knew You Were Waiting” (Aretha Franklin and George Michael)
Phillips: “Superstition” (Stevie Wonder), “Nice & Slow” (Usher)
Phillips and Testone: “Somebody I Used to Know” (Gotye)
Phillips and Sanchez: “Volcano” (Damien Rice)
Phillips with Brackensick and Colton: “Home”
Full Cast: “Raise Your Glass” (Pink), “Glad You Came” (The Wanted)
Join my Facebook fan page and Twitter.
By Rodney Ho, Radio & TV Talk
accessAtlanta Partner Sites
Sections
Advertise on accessAtlanta.com »
Reach the audience you want by advertising on accessAtlanta.com
Join the Access Atlanta Network »
Advertisers and Publishers, expand your reach by joining the Access Atlanta Network.
Tell us what you think about the site
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement | About our ads
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
67 comments Add your comment
JTesla
July 26th, 2012
12:29 pm
Who are some of those people again?
Thanks for the reviews Rodney.
DanJ
July 26th, 2012
12:34 pm
I don’t think I would enjoy seeing the entire cast sing just a couple of songs. I would rather see them as an individual show even if it meant a small venue. I did buy Joshua and Jessica’s mini CD’s at WalMart. 5 songs on each one.
Deirdre
July 26th, 2012
12:39 pm
Sounds like the same reviews they get every year since the tour started.
G
July 26th, 2012
12:41 pm
I agree with Roho, that the show should be solid based on the talent.
Interesting pairings on the photo:
* Hollie and Joshua are together again
* Deandre and what appears to be Jessica are next to each other. By the way the photographer took a horrible photo. How are you going to block out the finalist. Must be a pp fan……
Anyway, Ellise looks good and it’s good to see Erika go back to blonde. All the women should be up front anyway. Horrible photo.
bknsty14
July 26th, 2012
12:45 pm
I too wouldn’t want to see the entire cast (I’m talking mostly to you DeAndre). I’d rather see just a handful, or the one that I really liked. While I enjoy watching them on television, I wouldn’t be able to sit through this show.
JTesla
July 26th, 2012
12:52 pm
That is a bad group picture. Really bad. So Joshua and Hollie back together. I don’t know that she’ll be able to wear white on her wedding day. Just saying. I was going to say something about hot dog and hallway, but that would have been in bad taste.
Deirdre
July 26th, 2012
1:02 pm
Poor Jessica!
DanJ
July 26th, 2012
1:08 pm
JTesla, I agree that is a horrible photo! Who would release that? I’ve seen more of Cousin Itt’s face on Adam’s Family than I see of Jessica’s.
JTesla
July 26th, 2012
1:18 pm
And why is funny guy looking the other way, even skunk haired dude is partially obscured. This is an AP photo? The one person, other than #5, who we might hear about in the future is totally obscured.
MyPatootie
July 26th, 2012
1:22 pm
Actually loved this photo! Some great planning by a photographer who obviously had me, and others, in mind. Block out the worst one, and you get a “decent” picture. Even blocked out those “giraffe” legs to spare us the agony. Or, if it was Skylar who seemed to move to the right at the last minute, THANKS SKYLAR!
Vast Wastrel
July 26th, 2012
1:40 pm
I eagerly await their arrival in Gwinnett…. so that I can read your own take on the performance Rodney. I can go see decent cover bands for free with cheaper drink prices near my house. I do appreciate the kids getting a few crumbs thrown their way for the tour however.
JTesla
July 26th, 2012
1:47 pm
I’m with Vast Wastrel, bring on the Rodney review (probably with better pictures even if he is standing behind 3000 screaming tweens).
Touching back on Deirdre’s Olympic thoughts yesterday: as much as I love all nations coming together, I still chuckled a little at the North Korea flag mix up. I feel horrible for the person that keyed it in wrong, but it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving nation.
G
July 26th, 2012
1:52 pm
LOL @ JT 12:52!!! Josh and Hoooollie, sitin in a tree………………………
Seth T
July 26th, 2012
2:06 pm
(from MJ’s) Concerts Reported: 6
Total Attendance: 34,764
Total Capacity: 40,266
Total Revenue: $1,998,457
Average Revenue per Concert: $333,076
Average Attendance: 5,794
Average Percentage of Tickets Sold: 86%
_________________________________________________________________
From what I read a while back, (unsubstantiated, so this is all just from articles I seen) Idol is paying the performers less this year than they did 2 years ago – I think they get $1,000 per show now + some % of memorabilia sold, split 10 ways. They also get some small amount per day for little personal expenses on days they are not performing, which was about $50. 3 years ago. Obviously, all travel and lodging expenses are paid by the tour management group.
Mariah is reportedly getting a little over 17 million with perks?
G
July 26th, 2012
2:19 pm
Ryan Seacrest is also in that “high rent” district. Ryan is a great host, but I would’ve capped his salary. I would rather have a different host and no-name judges getting paid less, so that my finalist become instant millionares. What’s wrong with the winner receiving $5M and the runner up recieving $3M? That would really represent the priority is on the contestant.
JTesla
July 26th, 2012
2:34 pm
Life’s not fair. The top 10 make more than most contest reality show contestants. Fear Factor, Survivor, Great Escape, Big Brother, Bachelor, Hell’s Kitchen, etc, the payout is paltry to anyone but the person who comes in first. Even making more than most it is still just a drop in the bucket of the total revenue. That’s the way it goes.
Idol is still focused more on the contestants than the other reality talent shows. I didn’t say they are solely focused on the contestants and they certainly didn’t say that, but when the competition is underway the judges are fluff between the performances as opposed to being the primary drivers of the show.
DanJ
July 26th, 2012
2:50 pm
G, I disagree and agree with you. I don’t care how much they pay the judges but the top two contestants on Idol deserve more. While some viewers may tune in for the judges it’s the talent aspect that most want to see. X-Factor actually deserves kudos for that. It’s my understanding that Marcus, Melanie, Chris, Josh and Astro all got signed to full deals. Say what you will that’s putting your money where your mouth is.
Because X-Factor had no tour people seem to think the contestants have vanished and not done anything. And that no stars will come from the show. Well lets see when the CD’s come out. My guess is Simon/LA Reid will promote them much better than Idol does their winners. Like em or hate em Astro, Chris and Marcus will get a BIG push from LA Reid. Simon will push Melanie and Josh.
My point is simply Idol is quick to drop talent, maybe because the talent was the result of a flawed voting system. Maybe because they only look at the bottom line and view the contestants as a piece of meat they can chew up and spit out. Time will tell who produces the biggest stars. My bet is….X-Factor! Yeah I’m pumped and ready for the show to start, glitz and all!
JTesla
July 26th, 2012
3:14 pm
DanJ time will tell, but so far I don’t think X-Factor is doing itself any favors in terms of post show contestant exposure.
Idol wraps up in mid May contestants release music in mid to late November (6 months), giving that music time to boil, simmer, or cool in time for the next season of Idol where they get to perform on results night.
X-Factor wrapped in mid December, 7 months later where are the releases? If they don’t have music ready to push on this seasons X-Factor then the contestants have been hung out to dry. Even the British version of X-Factor gets music out to the US quicker than this.
If Idol is going to continue to be be pummeled with “where are the hit songs”, or “Where are the Kelly’s and the Carries” X-Factor should get the same treatment. Where are the hits?
JTesla
July 26th, 2012
3:16 pm
For the record, as there might be some confusion regarding this: I’m not anti-X-Factor because I’m pro-Idol. I’m anti-X-Factor because I’m anti-X-Factor. My feelings towards XF have nothing to do with Idol. I wanted to like X-Factor more than Idol, but that didn’t happen. That was because of X-Factor, not because of Idol.
Sam-A
July 26th, 2012
3:56 pm
Agree, JT. Didn’t care for Nicole, Paula the only one who made any sense, and I hated the way the two guys condescended to both women. I came away hating LA, disgusted with Simon, totally underwhelmed by Nicole, and with new admiration for Paula. The show stunk. Actually a few talents, but they weren’t handled properly.
DanJ
July 26th, 2012
4:04 pm
JTelsa,
My guess and it’s purely a guess is that Melanie, Chris etc will release either shortly before the new season begins or during the show. That’s what I would do. I would use the results show to push last years artists. I think it would translate into sales. If I remember correctly early on Idol did the same thing. They’d release the winners single right after the final but then before the new show started release the CD. K&CFan can correct me if I’m wrong.
For the record I don’t hate Idol, although I see the flaws. Despite the bickering and glitz I do prefer X-Factor and The Voice to it. Of course it’s a matter of taste and only my opinion.
JTesla, I agree that when the CD’s are dropped IF there’s poor record sales then you can say: “Where are the hits?” But doing so before they hit the shelves or are available for downloads makes no sense. I don’t know if the artists are recording but I would assume they’re close to being finished then will wait for the show to start to get a boost in record sales. If they flop then it will prove your point.
G
July 26th, 2012
4:16 pm
I’m kind of anxious for the next season of XF. I do agree with some of you that the banter between the judges was a bit much. But I’m pretty much focused on the contestants enough to tune the judges out, when needed.
Curious to see XF next move on marketing Melanie Amaro. I get the Pepsi commercial, but they need to leak clips of a single or something. I’m anxious to hear what she can pull off in today’s market.
Mercedes S.
July 26th, 2012
5:26 pm
Those critics all sounded bored and jaded… maybe they should be taken off the Idol beat. There was a positive review in USA today of the very first tour show.
Sierra
July 26th, 2012
7:48 pm
Here are the pertinent dates for Idol:
Kelly won September 4, 2002; “Thankful” released April 15, 2003
Ruben won May 21, 2003; “Soulful” released December 9, 2003
Fantasia won May 26, 2004; “Free Yourself” released November 23, 2004
Carrie won May 25, 2005; “Some Hearts” released November 15, 2005
Taylor won May 24, 2006; “Taylor Hicks” released December 12, 2006
Jordin won May 23, 2007; “Jordin Sparks” released November 20, 2007
David won May 21, 2008; “David Cook” released November 18, 2008
Kris won May 20, 2009; “Kris Allen” released November 17, 2009
Lee won May 26, 2010; “Live It Up” released November 16, 2010
Scotty won May 25, 2011; “Clear As Day” released October 4, 2011
Phillip won May 23, 2012; album release date unknown
Deirdre
July 26th, 2012
8:56 pm
Winners albums are now regularly released around the Christmas shopping season. Philx2 has already announced that his album will probably be released in Nov.
Had a delightful anniversary despite the fact that Ted is just weird….seriously weird.
JTesla
July 27th, 2012
12:33 am
Thanks Sierra! A little over Seven months for Kelly around 6 months for most of the rest.
Seth T
July 27th, 2012
12:50 am
American Idol alumni single sales/From Wikipedia
Looks like PP2 is doing pretty well in singles sales – at 700,000 already.
Lauren Alaina is at 687,000 while James Durbin sits at 37,000 – just under Kristi Lee Cook at 45,000. (Seems there’s not a rally to give metal a chance.)
Kellie Pickler is at around 3,600,000 (3.6 million), while Lee Dewyze is about 425,000.
Carrie and Kelly are both over 22 million.
Now it’s Friday – time for you to watch Rebecca Black’s video again, it’s kinda stalled at 167 million hits. Gotta think about partyin’, partyin’ ………………………..
Deirdre
July 27th, 2012
8:02 am
Morning!
I want to thank Sierra for the stats she provided. Once more I have to ask where’s Melanie Amaro? I’d ask about the 2 winners from The Voice but I can’t remember their names.
Sam-A
July 27th, 2012
8:21 am
Deirdre: But more importantly, how did Mark W look? He can look totally luscious, but once in awhile, not as much. Gorgeous in that true story football film and few years back. I knew the film looked stupid and crazy!
Sam-A
July 27th, 2012
8:21 am
D, too: But, glad your Anniversary Date was great anyway.
Mercedes S.
July 27th, 2012
8:40 am
Good Morning!
Two good movies opening today – “Trishna” and “Queen of Versailles”, and one so-so, “The Watch”.
“Trishna” stars Freida Pinto, the gorgeous girl from “Sumdog Millionaire”, in an Indian version of Thomas Hardy’s tragic “Tess of the D’Urbervilles”. The movie follow’s the book closely, yet puts a modern spin on it. Good companion piece to “Best Exotoc Marigold Hotel”.
Deirdre
July 27th, 2012
8:50 am
Sam, Marky-Mark was gorgeous as always and very sweet in this movie playing a guy whose childhood innocence never really left him. It’s really a story about him becoming an adult but also managing to maintain and embrace parts of his kid-self. But the storyline….weird. kidnapping, childhood heroes, sexually harassing bosses, dope-smoking and the strangest parade of cameo appearances I have ever seen
Mercedes S.
July 27th, 2012
8:52 am
That’s “Exotic”, of course.
The documentary “Queen of Versailles” shows that even the super-rich can overextend themselves, and horribly so. The Siegels of Orlando, he the Time-Share King of America, she a trophy wife and former Mrs. America, decades younger, can’t make do with their 28,000 square feet home anymore; only a French-inspired magnum McMansion (90.000 sq ft, $100 million) will do.
Shopaholic Jackie delights in all the tacky items bought for the new “home”, and you feel a slight revulsion at the spectacle… until the bottom falls out of the housing market and the Siegels turn – if not poor, then inconvenienced. And you feel sorry for them! You can just imagine how hard it must be to cut your household staff from 19 to 4.
Mercedes S.
July 27th, 2012
9:05 am
Again, I apologize for the atrocious mistakes today. “Slumdog Millionaire” , “follows”…
“The Watch” has a couple of laughs, and an interesting actor, Richard Ayoade, I hadn’t seen before, but it’s a pale copy of the old Tom Hanks movie “The ‘Burbs.”
Four immature do-gooders bond over neighborhood project as volunteer watchmen. They find dead bodies, aliens from outer space, and kinky neighbors. Much sexual innuendo and comic-book violence, so this “Watch” will find its audience.
Mercedes S.
July 27th, 2012
9:07 am
D., re “Ted”, why are there SO many movies about 40-year old men with boys’ minds?
G
July 27th, 2012
9:15 am
Javier Colon was the first winner of The Voice. He won on June 29, 2011 and released his album “Come Through for You” on November 21, 2011. That’s roughly 5 months in between. Javier had a dispute with the label, Universal Republic Records over marketing and additional support. I believe they on shipped 42,000 units of his album. Needless to say, his sales were abismal.
When I listened to the album, I personally didn’t like the makeup of the album. The production quality was okay, but he lost a lot of the soul that I was used to hearing. I purchased his self titled “Javier” back in 2003, and it was a great neo-soul album.
Through it all, his mentor Adam Levine is looking out for him. Javier is currently on tour with Maroon 5.
Deirdre
July 27th, 2012
9:17 am
why are there SO many movies about 40-year old men with boys’ minds?
I think the answer to that question is pretty obvious.
JTesla
July 27th, 2012
9:25 am
“why are there SO many movies about 40-year old men with boys’ minds?”
No comment.
Sam-A
July 27th, 2012
9:31 am
D & JT both hit the nail on the head – no explanation required! And Mercedes, don’t worry about typos, as long as we can tell what you mean – just look around, one poster here is either the worst typist or speller in history. And I swear every time I go to correct a typo that I’m not gonn do it any more.
Probably won’t see any of those movies, but had read the rich couple one was actually sad and touching when the market falls out. I’m thinking about seeing “Moon…..: again – really enjoyed it and think about it a lot.
G
July 27th, 2012
9:35 am
Jermaine Paul was not my favorite on The Voice. He won in May 2012 and based on the previous winner, he should realease his album around Oct-Nov 2012. meh….
If you think about, he’s technically a BGWG. Maybe I have something against guitars? I learned to play guitar at a young age, but abandoned that instructment for the drums. At least I kept it in the [percussion] family:-)
Harriett
July 27th, 2012
9:38 am
Good morning.
I don’t know about an album, but Chris Rene from XF has already had quite a bit of exposure from the show. I have mentioned him a few times here and the fact that his song, “Young Homie” was being played on the radio. I know Ryan Seacrest was playing it in rotation on his show. In fact, he is the only contestant from that show thus far to have any kind of buzz.
G
July 27th, 2012
9:42 am
why are there SO many movies about 40-year old men with boys’ minds?
Probably a bit of truth underlying the surface…………
DanJ
July 27th, 2012
10:04 am
Jesse Campbell was my favorite from The Voice and if he gets a deal WHICH HE SHOULD I will buy his CD. I do think X-Factor will have it’s share of stars from the show. Since none have released a CD yet Iooked at youtube hits to get an idea of who may have the most success.
Chris Rene=Young Homie 17.4 Million views
Melanie Amaro=Listen 12.7 Million
Josh Krajik=At Last 7.5 Million
Drew Ryniewitz Baby=8.9 Million
Rachel=4.9. Marcus=4.4, Astro=2.5, Two who didn’t make it. Jazzlyn Little 3.8and Caitlin Koch 2.4.
This past year Idols Philip Phillips leads with 4.2 million followed by Jessica at 3.1 and Joshua and Colton with 1.2 million views.
What does it mean? Very little other than X-Factor had some very popular contestants. Whether it translate into record sales will be interesting to watch. However the exposure will help.
I think Simon and LA Reid are working closely with all the signed talent and they will be heard from when they(producers) are ready. I’m not concerned about where are they now? I’m more interested In where they will be going?
G
July 27th, 2012
10:06 am
Melanie Amaro is in the studio, but I believe things are slow for her for a good reason. She is “really raw” to the business. She’s coming into this thing with nothing more than raw talent, meaning:
* She doesn’t write, so she’s not coming to the table with her own material that may be ready for recording.
* She’s a gospel singer (like many other successful artists before her), so she’s having to transition from what she’s comfortable with. Singing hits on a show is different than creating and performing your own. It takes time.
* Melanie is a pretty girl, but the business would probably prefer her to shed a little “baby-fat”. That will take some time and dicipline.
That’s just a few things that came to mind. However, I think she will be okay. Don’t know if she’ll do well enough to surpass pp’s numbers, but she’ll probably surpass Javier Colon and Jermaine Paul’s numbers combined. Besides, LA Reid and “Tricky” Stewart has her back.
Sam-A
July 27th, 2012
10:07 am
Since the movies geared for we girls are called “chick flicks”, are the guy slanted ones called “d – - k flicks”? Just wondering.
G
July 27th, 2012
10:22 am
@DanJ. It seems we always “cross” responses on the blog. Man, I’m with you all the way on Jesse Campbell. He and Juliet Sims were my faves all season. I plan on purchasing Campbell’s material upon release.
There was definitely a rift between Jesse and Christina that neither of them care to elaborate on. I’m thinking there were “creative differences” as it pertained to vocal direction. Christina’s ego got in the way and she chose to cut off her nose to spite her face.
G
July 27th, 2012
10:23 am
No………its called porn
DanJ
July 27th, 2012
10:39 am
G, I knew when Jesse chose Christina he made a mistake. I thought he should have gone with Adam. Musically he’s a throwback and honestly I think the Soul aspect of R&B will make a comeback as will Funk. I do agree that Melanie is raw and also to be the total package which X-Factor is looking for she needs to lose some weight. It helped Jennifer Hudson a lot. Who was also raw and heavy.
I think one flaw from the Idol produced albums is that many were RUSHED! I bought most of them so I know. Carrie’s and Kelly’s were the best. Taylor’s, Lee’s, Bo’s, Kris and others did not have great songs on them. Even Diane’s didn’t have great songs. Regardless what kind of voice you have you need good songs. So I hate it when judges say you can sing the phone book. You can but it won’t sale.
Deirdre
July 27th, 2012
11:01 am
According to Toby Keith, he turned down an offer of a judge’s spot for Idol in early July. My guess is that the PTB at Idol want a country person on the panel. Maybe they figure it will help their numbers.
Jenny
July 27th, 2012
11:02 am
Thoughts on yesterday and this morning’s discussions…
Sam, right with ya on XF. I DESPISED L.A., was mildly disgusted by Simon’s non-Simon-ness, adored Paula and was glad she proved she IS smart and coherent. (Nicole was a non-entity.)
Can’t comment on the host cause we only watched singing & comments, nothing else. Did you know you can get through a 2 hour show in 30 minutes that way?
I’m mad that Paula’s gone, but will watch again because they proved that a singing show where the best singer wins can still exist.
And I hope and pray that Astro doesn’t get a “big push”. The little brat needs some discipline, not a hit album. (But then again, I guess it’s par for the course with him having rude nasty LA as a mentor…)
Jenny
July 27th, 2012
11:08 am
And as far as Melanie… she won. That’s enough for me. She can take all the time she wants to release a CD, and that’s fine by me. (I think G’s list of reasons is probably right.)
Bottom line… she WON. She was the best singer and she won. For the first time in 7 years I wasn’t frustrated by the result. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU X-Factor for that.
Jenny
July 27th, 2012
11:12 am
and yikes about the country judge theory… that doesn’t bode well… please please not Brad Paisley. That would ruin my looking-forward to the next season.
If they must go with country, I will cross my fingers for someone like Carrie.
JTesla
July 27th, 2012
11:13 am
They went after Toby Keith, interesting. He would have been a good fit. Someone acerbic to counter Mariah’s sweetness and Randy’s (or his replacement) blandness. It’s in essence the same balance they had at the start.
DanJ
July 27th, 2012
11:23 am
I agree with you Jenny but I would have been okay if Josh had won. For me the best two were in the final. I think because it was the first year of XF here in the United States they’re taking their time to get it right as far as releasing CD’s.
I hope for Philips sank that he stands his ground and records the album and music he wants. Same for Joshua and Jessica. I thought Idol had a good year as far as contestants go. And if they want a country judge they should get one! Actually it will be interesting to see if it does indeed cause an impact. I will admit I have been impressed by Blake. So I will wait and see. It can’t be much worse than Britney on XF. That’s going to be interesting to watch.
G
July 27th, 2012
12:19 pm
@DanJ. Agreeing with your points never gets old. There are too many acts on the radio that have RUSHED album production. So, why should they expect anything different from reality winners? They should continue to take whatever time is needed for Melanie…….IF, it will result in a quality product.
I was cool with Josh too. He’s a strong vocalist that should do well.
As far as a country artist being a judge, I don’t think it will hurt Idol. I’m only saying this based on how I view Blake, and Idol fans have crowned at least 2 country acts the winner. I’m pretty much in “wait and see” mode for the judge selections.
JTesla
July 27th, 2012
12:36 pm
“There are too many acts on the radio that have RUSHED album production. So, why should they expect anything different from reality winners?”
True, but there are too many acts that simply fall by the wayside. If they don’t hit while the artist is still remembered, while they can still get free publicity for being the current winner, then they stand little chance to rise to the top. If Melanie doesn’t release something before the next winner of X-Factor is crowned then she has a very hard fight ahead of her. The entertainment business is not kind.
DanJ
July 27th, 2012
1:35 pm
JTesla, I agree with you that the best time to strike is when the iron is hot. But if I put myself in Simon’s shoes I would release Melanie’s album the week before the live shows then have her on the first results show. Of course I’d have her make the talk show rounds starting with the audition phase to generate interest. Same for the other artists! What better push could she get? If Simon did that then he’d be a genius.
After all it takes a while to cut a diamond and for wine to age. Melanie is a diamond in the rough but she along will others X-Factorettes may well shine. Speaking of Shine, it’s been too long since I’ve heard Shine On by LTD. Jeffery Osborne at his best!
Patootie's #1 Fan Club Member
July 27th, 2012
1:39 pm
Thanks “G”, for your 10:23AM post. There’s a couple of posters that are intending to drive things into the gutter on here, no matter the subject. BTW, this should prove that contrary to an earlier post that said, “he has no friends”, MyP does have at least one friend.
DanJ
July 27th, 2012
1:47 pm
Anyone who had a boyfriend or girlfriend in 1980 had to have Shine On on their 8 track or if they were lucky cassette. Me I had the 8 track. Since I mentioned it I will post it for those with memories of long ago. Forgive me if you hate the song but Jeffery Osborne sings his keister off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woNb40lnDMw
JTesla
July 27th, 2012
1:47 pm
DanJ: I hope you are right. I’d like for her to get a big enough push to help propel her to something bigger than simply last years winner.
“No………its called porn”
Yeah, that pretty much is the gutter, but the fan club seems to like it that way. So do I, it was a perfect reply by G.
DanJ
July 27th, 2012
2:11 pm
JTesla, although I go against the grain at times concerning ALL the shows one thing I always do is pull for the contestants to make it. Even if I don’t care for their music. These KIDS all have their dreams and I’m happy they have a chance and a forum to display their talents.
However these young folks are put through the ringer and under the microscope. So I do hope they can make a living doing what they love. I thnk XF made a mistake by not having an age limit. Astro and Rachel proved that in different ways. However they are practically babies in the business. Yes Astro was a brat and lashed out but he was hurt. Rachel had a meltdown but they’re kids and we shouldn’t hate on them. If it were left up to me 18 would be the minimum age.
My point is simply we all sit here in judgment of the shows and contestants but we should pull for all these contestants because all will not make it. In fact most will not. But we’re entertained and that’s all these shows are for our entertainment. What is often over-looked is that we all have opinions…different taste in music. I say that because I sometimes forget that myself and may come across harshly. Honestly I’m just a gentle old fart! Hope my use of the “F” word want get me banned but it is apropos in my description.
JTesla
July 27th, 2012
2:23 pm
Great post DanJ. I may joke quite a bit about some of the former contestants, I’m looking at Lee DeWyze here, but I hope that they can earn a living doing what they enjoy.
Mercedes S.
July 27th, 2012
2:37 pm
Sadness – drove by the Baptist church at the intersection of Peachtree and Wieuca in Buckhead. Many policemen, tons of people and flowers … and a glass carriage with a small coffin inside. Usher’s stepson laid to rest.
Sam-A
July 27th, 2012
2:40 pm
Lake Lanier has been a real death trap this year. Sadly for the family, it was someone in their party that hit the two kids – he must be suffering terribly right now. Those wave runners are scary to me.
G
July 27th, 2012
4:19 pm
@DanJ. Thanks for the Love, Togetherness, and Devotion. Its your fault! Now I’ll be listening to them all weekend. Holding on…………..
Man, that’s sad about Tameka Foster’s son. Yeah, Lake Lanier has been the scene for many tragic stories this summer. Condolences to the family.
Harriett
July 27th, 2012
4:52 pm
Happy weekend, everyone!
Ami Hollo
July 31st, 2012
1:18 pm
secret recipe restaurant in shanghai