American Idols Live 2010 – Philadelphia PA – Bootstar’s Recap

By On 07/12/2010 · 39 Comments · In AI Tour 2010, AI Tour 2010 Recaps, American Idol

Read Boostar’s recap of the Idols Live show in Philadelphia, PA last night, and make sure to check out the photos at the bottom of the post.

Also she took some pretty sweet video, which you can check out in last night’s tour thread HERE.

Plus, don’t miss Bootstar’s blow-by-blow description of a catfight that took place right in front of her during Casey’s set! Eep!

***

I always attempt to make these things brief but am rarely successful, so apologies ahead of time.

I’ve only attended the tour once before, in Season 7, when we celebrated my birthday as a family by attending a sold-out show in Atlantic City. New to the tour, and completely naïve, I ordered my tickets through the pre-sale and ended up with lousy seats. We still had a great time, but I vowed if I ever went to another show I’d wait until the last minute to see what I could find. That was an especially good strategy this season since the tour hasn’t been selling as well as it did the past few years.

Now for the disclosures:  I was a Casey and Crystal fan primarily this season, as they are the types of artists I enjoy in the real world, but there were no contestants for whom I had an active dislike (unlike prior seasons), so when I discovered that good seats were still available for the Philly show, I asked my son (who celebrates his 13th birthday this week) if he wanted me to take him as an early present. I was almost certain he’d take a pass, since he hasn’t been all that excited about Idol the past two years, but, to my pleasant surprise, he loved the idea. So off we went. He’d loved Aaron during the show’s run, but also was a fan of Casey and Big Mike. Aside from those three, and Crystal, he couldn’t even remember who else had competed (and thought Crystal had won)!

We landed floor seats in the aisle, so we had a great view of everyone. Aside from a catfight that broke out right in front of me during Casey’s first number (more on that later), it was a very laid back group — too laid back really for a pop concert — but this is an American Idols “revue,” so it’s not really like a typical concert  –  not the types I attend anyway. LOTS of families with young kids and tweens. Lots of moms with teen daughters. A fair number of middle-aged couples and a smattering of great-grandmas and -grandpas.

The ushers were cool. No putting the kibosh on videos or photos with flashes. As long as folks stayed out of the aisles and didn’t get involved in a physical altercation (again, I’ll get to that!), they were cool.

The nice thing about this ho-hum season was that I went into the show with low expectations. Smart move! As it turns out, I really enjoyed the first half. Didi was very good (and GORGEOUS in person). I loved Andrew and wish he could have had a third number.  He was very good. I wasn’t crazy about Katie’s Demi Lovato number (I’d taken my son to see her with David Archuleta last year and, frankly, Demi does Demi better than Katie does), but she was fantastic on that Xtina song (I think that’s what that was). I mean really fantastic. While I could have lived without that cheap dress she was wearing (clearly there was no budget for wardrobe this year!), she looked beautiful. And she has great stage presence.

Tim was another BIG surprise. He’s been panned in most of the reviews I’ve read, but I thought he did great. Not an outstanding singer, but he sings on key (!) and just has a personal charm and charisma that few of the others could rival last night. (And, in addition to Lee, received the loudest squeals from the teeny bopper set.)

Like Didi, Siobhan looked gorgeous, and I loved her costuming, but aside from her patented “scream” (which was amazing and in tune, and I actually enjoyed in that setting), I was kind of underwhelmed by her performance. Perhaps because she was an early favorite of mine but didn’t live up to my ambitions for her? I don’t know. She has some vocal issues on the lower notes, and I think some serious vocal coaching would help her tremendously because she’s got an incredible range and great stage presence. She just strikes me more as a musical theater girl playing “rock star” than a serious musical artist. I enjoyed her performing more than her singing if that makes any sense.

Aaron closed out the half, and it couldn’t have been a more fitting end to that portion of the program. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Aaron. I’d read several reviews that proclaimed him the standout of the entire show, but the New York Times’ Jon Caramanica (what does that dude smoke before he goes to these shows?) had anointed Katie the only Idol with any real star potential, so I decided just to go and see for myself.

Well, friends, High School Student Aaron Kelly floored me. He was so, so good. The Rascal Flatts songs (?) were terrific, but “Walking in Memphis” was bloody fantastic. What on earth did they do to this kid on the show? I absolutely can believe now what Aaron told Michael Slezak about last-minute key changes, etc., because Aaron’s voice is a lovely, powerful baritone. In the right key, he just shines. I really think if he can write some of his own material, he has the potential to be the male equivalent of a Taylor Swift. He’s young and handsome, sweet without being cloying, and has a gravitas you rarely see in a young male performer. His stage presence has improved dramatically, as well. I would love to see him have a chance to be an opening act for Carrie Underwood because I could see him ending up on a similar trajectory to hers.

And color me Miley, but I really enjoyed the group performance of “The Climb.” Having taken my son to see the Hannah Montana movie, I can appreciate the song for what it is. And the Idols sounded much better in person than it comes across on video.

There was a thankfully short intermission (sans dancing Pop Tarts!) before the final four performances. I loved Big Mike’s first two numbers, especially the India.Arie one. I’m not a big fan of Mike’s falsetto, so I didn’t care for that last song as much, but he is a great entertainer, and the crowd loved him.

Finally, time for my two favorites!

The crowd started screaming before Casey even came out, and that opening number was seriously mind-blowing. None of the awkward smiling or self-consciousness Casey portrayed on the show. I only wish he could have brought the entire band down with him to the front of the stage to interact with. And, it must be said, he is seriously gorgeous. I always thought he was cute and love that whole tall lanky thing, but he looks like a movie star in person. (As do Siobhan and Didi.)

[And this is probably heresy amongst Casey fans, but I’m actually looking forward to when he cuts his hair for that “Locks of Love” program, because it concealed too much of his face for a solo performance like that. I love his hair, but he doesn’t need it. It will grow back soon enough, so I say, cut it all off! That will rid him of the BSCs, which I’m about to get to, and allow him to re-launch as a serious musical artist.]

I was surprised that I actually enjoyed Casey’s first and last performances the best, since I tend to prefer acoustic numbers, but he really is a different person when he’s got that electric guitar (or several) in his hands. The Shania song was lovely but would have fared better in a more intimate setting, I think.

And that brings me to the two women who literally came to blows in front of me. I think one had snuck in the row to record Casey, but she was standing in front of another woman (a Lee fan, I surmised) who was pissed that her view was being blocked by an interloper. It was pretty annoying! They were arguing and shoving each other throughout Casey’s first two numbers, and it ended up ruining my video of “Don’t,” but others have captured that, so I’m not going to worry about it. But seriously. Grown women fighting in front of their kids? Not cool. It took the ushers forever to deal with it (the downside of their being chill throughout the evening, I suppose).

The crowd loved the duet with Mike, and I did too. Those two are so fun together. I had been disappointed that Casey chose to reprise the “Rolling Stones song” for his final performance, but he completely transformed it. It was fan-freaking-tastic. Hoping my video does it justice.

Sadly, I don’t have a lot to say about Crystal. This kind of shocks me to admit, but her set was my least favorite. I don’t know if she’s under the weather, but it was like she came out in her street clothes with no make-up and little energy. Her voice was in good form, but her whole set was just so underwhelming. She sang the Patty Griffin song (I’m a HUGE Patty fan) sitting down on the stage with her remote microphone. It was so odd to me. She definitely needs to take her show to a smaller, more intimate setting. I think my biggest frustration with her is that she’s the same artist we met when she first sang back in Hollywood Week. It’s a cliché, but we want to see these young artists grow; without that growth, there’s just something missing.

Admittedly, Lee was never my favorite, and I still think his vocals are very weak in comparison to most of the top 10, and that he lacks a certain “star quality,” but he put on a very good show last night, and I loved all his song choices. The crowd loved him too, but I was surprised he didn’t seem to get much more love than the rest of the Idols. I guess that kind of describes the entire season, though. This Top 10 didn’t attract many passionate fans, but it was a very nice group overall. And the smaller crowds they attracted made the experience much more relaxed and comfortable for those in the audience.

I’m not going to try to predict the future for any of these kids. I wish them all well in their various endeavors. I hope that Aaron and Casey get signed because, for me, they were the two whose music I could see myself buying in the future.

If you’re wavering about going to the show, just do it. But use the StubHub links MJ provides instead of being an idiot like me and paying full price!

 
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  • http://none SueSt

    thanks for the recap bootstar. agree that Casey could loose his locks and still be one handsome dude… I guess time will tell…

  • http://mjsbigblog.com/luvadamlamberts-american-idol-tour-2009-washington-dc-re-cap.htm luvadamlambert

    Thanks for the awesome recap :)

  • OvenMitt

    Ah, a recap from a Casey fan, nice! I’m sorry that the kerfuffle between those fans ruined your videos.:( I still have over a month until my concert, so I really appreciate these fan recaps. They stoke the embers of my excitement.

  • MaryS-NJ

    BootStar,

    Thanks for the great recap! I’m glad you did get a chance to go and you’ve got me excited about the show in Newark! I’ve already got a floor ticket but I’m looking for one closer to stage if I can find one at face value. I have to agree about Casey’s hair. It’s beautiful but I’ve always liked it best when he pulls it away from his face in a simple ponytail.

  • BootStar

    Plus, don’t miss Bootstar’s blow-by-blow description of a catfight that took place right in front of her during Casey’s set! Eep!

    Yeah, I guess it wouldn’t be a “Philly show” without at least one brawl, LOL.

    A couple other things I didn’t put in the recap since it was already longer than War & Peace: There was a group of four or five chicks in their late teens/early twenties decked out in hot pink “custom” Lee DeWyze t-shirts with his photo plastered on the front. Struck me as kind of tacky for girls that age, but I’m all about “live and let live” (as long as you don’t boo my faves).

    There were also quite a few aging hippie types who LOVED Crystal and had t-shirts with her name/face. I thik she’s like the second coming of Janis Joplin for them. I thought it was very sweet. (And somebody in line when the gates opened had just snapped a photo of Crystal crossing the parking lot with her son, so all those PEOPLE magazine posters telling her how to parent her own child can just bite me. ;-) )

    Also, my son wanted a poster of all the Idols, along with Aaron’s and Casey’s “autographed” photos. Alas, Casey’s was sold out! (That made me kinda happy.)

  • tinawina

    Hey, I really appreciated reading your opinions! Thanks for sharing. :-)

  • thebluemartini

    Great recap, Bootstar! Thanks for sharing!

  • Eriko

    Thank you a great and detailed recap. I´m sorry that your favorite (and mine) Crystal let you down (yes, she is under the weather). Maybe your high expectations played a part. But according to almost every other recap posted here in the last 2 weeks, Crystal has received tremendous praise, and like you yourself said, her vocals were in good form, and to me, that´s more than half the battle.

    I think my biggest frustration with her is that she’s the same artist we met when she first sang back in Hollywood Week. It’s a cliché, but we want to see these young artists grow; without that growth, there’s just something missing.

    Well I´m personally glad she´s the same artist. And frankly, Crystal IMO, doesn´t have all the room the others have to grow, I mean, how good can one be! I feel the same with Adam Lambert and David Cook, they were already VERY good, Adam I liked even more on the show than today. Anyway, I´m sure Crystal will show you what you want from her in the very near future :)

  • martha

    I enjoyed the recap, thank you. I also like Casey and Crystal’s singing and performance styles. I think Casey can sing all Rod Stewart’s songs or kinds of songs and be a hugh hit. And Crystal reminds me of the kind of artist concert Neil Diamond started out. Both just great. I see Aaron as a total success in ‘country’. Thanks again for the recap.

  • koshka

    Awww what would an AI concert be without BSC fans?!

    THanks for the recap & great pics.

  • deez

    Loved the recap. Someone will certainly miss the boat if Casey doesn’t get a contract; Aaron too, seems like he’s got a good head on his shoulders. (record people have miscalculated before, so who knows what they’re thinking?)I think anybody with country crossover appeal is a good bet, Aaron would be perfect for the Taylor Swift crowd.

  • BootStar

    Eriko, I just felt like I had to be honest. Don’t worry, though. I haven’t written her off or anything. A lot will depend on what she puts on her album.

    I thought a few of the Idols seemed under the weather and rushed in their performances (Casey included), but Crystal just seemed like she didn’t have the time or energy to get herself together for the performance — and believe me, I can relate — but I’m not sure that will work in her new life as a “pop star.” I do hope she can find that elusive “balance” that every working mom is searching for.

  • Keel

    Thanks Bootstar for the recap. Glad that you enjoyed the show. Interesting about Aaron. We, of course, have heard the great reviews for him on the tour pretty consistently so it’s good to hear it from one of our own :)

  • Eriko

    Eriko, I just felt like I had to be honest. Don’t worry, though. I haven’t written her off or anything. A lot will depend on what she puts on her album.

    I appreciate your honesty, wish all of us could look (and hear) past our preconceived views and assumptions. And yes, like always, at least for the people who actually listen to the music, but don´t just look at the picture and name on the cover, what´s on the album will be what matters

  • Mariam94

    Thanks for the recap! It was great. I loved your honesty, and am sorry that there was a fight when your favorite performed. Glad you enjoyed the concert though :)

  • sallysimmons

    You captured my problem with Crystal and why she lost me about halfway through the season. I don’t think who she started out as was good enough and she didn’t grow.

    That said, I’m sorry to hear about her performance because it makes me worry a little bit about her health. This has to be harder on here than everyone else, and that’s without the baby and the break-up.

  • LoveDaRocker

    That Katie dress does look cheap.

  • Brisblondie

    Casey! Casey! Casey! :)

    Who is in the picture under the one of Tim??

  • RMK

    Thanks for the recap. I live in the Philly burbs but I couldn’t go. I had to giggle when I read that I fight broke out – how Philly is that? Glad to hear from a Crystal/Casey fan. I like both of them the best as well. I am also glad to hear that Aaron is doing really well on tour. He seems like a genuinly nice kid. I find your assessment of Crystal interesting because I kind of feel the opposite. I think she is screaming a lot more than she did at the beginning of the show. Maybe it is because she is using that mic that is attatched to her head instead of a standing mic, idk. I wish she would be a little less loud. But I have to agree that her type of music is more suited to a smaller venue.

  • dhunken

    Thanks for an amazing in-depth and entertaining review/recap. Fantastic photos too.

  • Eriko

    You captured my problem with Crystal and why she lost me about halfway through the season. I don’t think who she started out as was good enough and she didn’t grow

    I don´t think that is what Bootstar meant, but she´ll clarify if necessary. Regarding the latter part of the season, I remind you of the final 2 showdown and finale with Joe Cocker. Regarding if she had “grown” or not, she was clearly the winner of the duo in both cases (according to reviewers, professional vocal teachers, non partisan viewers and of course the judging panel, all four of them)
    So, either she grew or didn´t need to, to be objectively the best of the season…. IMO of course :)

  • poohbear

    Thanks ,Bootstar, for your very well-written show critique. Your personality shines through your writing and I had a lot of fun reading about your experience. In fact, it made me feel like I was there.

    I’m thrilled to hear that Casey is even more handsome in person. I mean, in my mind I’m thinking, “Could this guy be any better looking??” And now I know that he is. Whew! It makes my knees weak thinking about it.

  • MrDuffin

    I think my biggest frustration with her is that she’s the same artist we met when she first sang back in Hollywood Week. It’s a cliché, but we want to see these young artists grow; without that growth, there’s just something missing.

    In my opinion Crystal will not get any better until she gets shed of the AI machine. She will naturally be better when she can sing what she wants with the band she wants. And I think she can fill an arena with her voice. The girls can wail when she wants I think she is chomping at the bit to show everyone what she can do!

  • Nina1

    Thanks Bootstar!!!! Interesting take on Crystal. I kind of half expected to hear it at the beginning of the tour.

  • BootStar

    I don’t think who she started out as was good enough and she didn’t grow

    I thought she was fantastic at the beginning and in a league of her own. But my favorite artists are raw folk/indie types, and that’s not what Idol has really been pushing until this season, and I’m nost sure they really were anyway. (I worry about the ol’ bait and switch.) But taking them at their word, there’s still a tension between remaining true to yourself and your vision of who you are and being promoted as a commmercial/popular artist.

    Crystal’s not the only one who faces that challenge. Lee (and Casey, too, if he’s signed to a big label) definitely will have to walk that tightrope.

    In my opinion Crystal will not get any better until she gets shed of the AI machine. She will naturally be better when she can sing what she wants with the band she wants. And I think she can fill an arena with her voice. The girls can wail when she wants I think she is chomping at the bit to show everyone what she can do!

    I hope you’re right, but I think we need to keep our expectations in check. She was signed by Jive not ATO!

    I think she is screaming a lot more than she did at the beginning of the show. Maybe it is because she is using that mic that is attatched to her head instead of a standing mic, idk. I wish she would be a little less loud. But I have to agree that her type of music is more suited to a smaller venue.

    I don’t know that she’s “screaming” more than she did in the past. I think she does a nice balance of wailing and the softer stuff. I think I’d just prefer her at this point singing her own music. She’s been good at covering others for so long, it’s no longer revelatory for me. Or maybe I’d just like her to cover a song I don’t already know?

    Who is in the picture under the one of Tim??

    Katie and Didi. (If you click on them, they enlarge!)

    Also, I was completely remiss in neglecting in my review to point out that Tim has “movie star” looks too. He was stunning!

  • mozart4898

    I thought I read somewhere earlier that Crystal didn’t come out after the show last night because she was spending time with her kid, cause she won’t see him for a couple weeks. That may have been weighing on her mind during the show. The bummer though is that she’ll need to learn to be able to put that aside when she performs because people will notice if she seems like she’s not really into it. Of course people have also said that she’s been kinda sick lately too. I know from seeing her when she was home for the top 3, normally she’s got a good bit of energy and is quite connected with the audience, so what you’re describing doesn’t sound normal for her. Hope she gets better!

    As I’ve said before, if she does her own tour in the future, I see no reason why she couldn’t just do shows every other day and even take a weekend or so off a month, travel by a large bus and all, and have her boy with her and spend plenty of time with him still and also take it easy herself. A 3 month tour with even just 12 stops per month still would get her around to a good many places and not be that taxing at all. She doesn’t HAVE to do 25 shows a month for 4 months straight – better to do a smaller tour and do a good one and keep herself healthy and her son happy than to run herself ragged.

  • RMK

    Regarding the latter part of the season, I remind you of the final 2 showdown and finale with Joe Cocker.

    Oh, I did love that Joe Cocker/Crystal/Lee number in the finale. But for some reason the sound mix was really bad and I couldn’t hear Lee singing during that. It ended up almost like a Crystal/Joe duet. I wish the sound mix had been better, but boy were Crystal and Joe fun to listen to.

  • angelia

    Thanks Bootstar for a very interesting read. Loved your description of the cat fight; Since they were blocking your view so you couldn’t record what you wanted to, you should have recorded the fight and placed it prominently on You Tube. Or did someone else beat you toit?

  • mozart4898

    Oh, I did love that Joe Cocker/Crystal/Lee number in the finale. But for some reason the sound mix was really bad and I couldn’t hear Lee singing during that. It ended up almost like a Crystal/Joe duet. I wish the sound mix had been better, but boy were Crystal and Joe fun to listen to.

    I’ve thought all along that the sound mix was just what it was…

    In other words, Lee kinda clammed up and couldn’t hang with them. Not only could you really not hear Lee, but he looked lost too. I remember how you could almost see the energy coming off of Crystal, and Lee looked like he was just plain out of it.

  • tigervixxxen

    Great recap Bootstar, I knew you would give a fair and reasoned review. One question though, why did you surmise that it was a Lee fan that got into a fight with the Casey fan? Were they wearing a Lee Tshirt or holding a Lee sign or something or just the assumption that the Lee fans would be most adamant in protecting their front row spot?

  • Brisblondie

    Who is in the picture under the one of Tim??

    Katie and Didi. (If you click on them, they enlarge!)

    LOL I did enlarge. I still couldn’t tell that was Katie! Thanks for letting me know. :)

  • Eriko

    I’ve thought all along that the sound mix was just what it was…

    In other words, Lee kinda clammed up and couldn’t hang with them. Not only could you really not hear Lee, but he looked lost too. I remember how you could almost see the energy coming off of Crystal, and Lee looked like he was just plain out of it.

    I believe you are right, since when Lee sang solo in the beginning “……if I sang out of tune” it was just as loud as Crystals mic

  • http://www.madzionist.com negativo

    As a big, big fan of Crystal, and as someone who’s praying she doesn’t change one iota from the girl we all saw on Idol, you absolutely made my day by reporting that she seems virtually unchanged!! :)

    Seriously, I do understand you didn’t write about Crystal’s unchanged style, look and attitude with the intention of being complimentary towards her, but to me you could not have said anything better about her if you tried. Thanks for giving the straight dope!

  • BootStar

    Loved your description of the cat fight; Since they were blocking your view so you couldn’t record what you wanted to, you should have recorded the fight and placed it prominently on You Tube. Or did someone else beat you toit?

    No, they didn’t actually block my view. They were just really LOUD and it was a little scary. It wasn’t like they were throwing punches or anything (just a lot of yelling and shoving), and I was in row 13 so this was taking place between rows 10 and 11. I was able to record okay, even while seated, as long as the folks in front of me remained seated. But the whole thing was AWKWARD to say the least.

    Mind you I don’t blame the woman in front of me for getting upset, but I didn’t get what the big deal was that the other woman was standing. I mean it’s a concert and it’s the down to the last three performers, and Casey was rocking out. But I do empathize, because the offending party had snuck into those seats, I think. Nonetheless, I don’t think you start an altercation at a “family event.” Especially when you brought your own kid! Just not good parenting IMHO.

    One question though, why did you surmise that it was a Lee fan that got into a fight with the Casey fan? Were they wearing a Lee Tshirt or holding a Lee sign or something or just the assumption that the Lee fans would be most adamant in protecting their front row spot?

    No, not at all. As I said, it wasn’t front row. I don’t think it was a Lee vs. Casey fan thing, just that the woman who got upset didn’t want anybody to stand until the very end, when she and her daughter stood for Lee, I believe.

    Again, I thought the woman who paid for her seats (and did apologize to the family directly behind her for creating the ruckus) had a perfectly valid gripe; I just didn’t like the way she handled it. When she shoved the “perp,” she crossed a line. IMHO!

    But I would *never* record something like that and then put it up on YouTube. I’m a big believer in the Golden Rule. I might have turned the video over to security if I felt it was warranted, but I would never make it available for public consumption. That goes against my own moral code (and I do have one, LOL!).

  • jennyl

    Thanks Bootstar for the great recap. Your take on the concert was honest and very interesting.

  • LVD

    Thanks for the great honest review, pictures and videos. :)

  • BootStar

    I just uploaded a bunch of partial videos from the show. If you’re interested, go to the tour thread (see MJs link at the top) or you can link to the others from this partial of Casey singing “Don’t” (with “bonus” audio of the ushers intervening in the fan kerfuffle in front of me).

    Don’t (fight with your fellow fans!) :-)

  • rollerotr

    A last comment regarding Crystal. I soo want her to be successful. I was so pleased that she changed her appearance (hair, outfits, makeup) during the AI shows like she recognized she had to widen her appeal. It bothers me that she came out in street clothes when appearance is so important to success.
    I guess I don’t want her to sabotage herself by thinking that she has to look like a busker in order to remain truthful to herself. That in itself can be viewed as self-indulgent by many.
    I’m rambling here….I just worry about her and I want her to appeal to the largest audience possible.

  • Lauren722

    Aw, I’m glad you had a good time, Trish! I really enjoyed your recap. It made me almost consider trying to get tickets for the show, but alas, I would only really enjoy Casey and Timmeh’s smile. So funny about the cat fight…

    Side note: I kinda really love Siobhan’s dress.