MomintheSuburb’s American Idol Tour 2009 Atlanta Re-cap

By On 08/02/2009 · 36 Comments · In Uncategorized

I’m an Adam fan, but I really liked several contestants this year, so I’ll try to be fair to everyone, at least according to my experience. This was the first time in years I’ve even bought tickets on the floor of a concert, and the enthusiasm is awesome, but the view is terrible. Don’t know that I’d get those seats again, especially because I had my little girl (9 almost 10′”I’ll get to that later). This is also the first Idol concert I’ve attended since the first season, and the overall talent and production values are vastly improved.

We got there about an hour early because I wanted to get dinner and also try to meet with other fans. I met Palangga, Needacoke and several others whose online names I don’t know. Needacoke had backstage passes again, lucky lady! I congratulated her on the fabulous backstage pics of Adam last week. Palangga was another example of a casual fan turned Glambert. She had some glitter with her and shared it with my daughter and me. (Remind me not to do that again; glitter is itchy!) I’d say most of the fans I met in the lobby, restroom or in seats around me were majority Adam fans in the sense that most talked about his talent and had a ‘he should have won’  opinion, but so many also were excited about more than one idol. Seriously, Georgia is enthusiastic about American Idol in general. As everyone else has reported, people screamed whenever even a part of Adam’s face showed up on the screens, but I noticed cheers for other idols, just not nearly as loud. There were big Allison fans behind me who also had written the names of the other idols on their shirts, and they tended to scream only for Allison. Meeting and talking to the other fans was one of the best parts of the evening.

Afterwards, my daughter was on the front line at the barricade, and I was right behind her. We did this by leaving in the middle of Don’t Stop Believing. I figured I’d have to miss Adam’s final glory note (which goes higher than Steve Perry’s, right?) and just watch the videos again. All the idols made it out last night except Allison and Lil. I made sure to print up glossy 8 x 10′s of a group shot so that no one’s feelings would be hurt having to sign on someone else’s photo! The crowd behaved quite well.

Michael: When Michael came up I was somewhat distracted trying to do the text to win backstage passes, but I started really listening after his Gavin DeGraw song barely started, and he sounded soulful, in a kind of country-rock way, if that makes sense. Country rock is not as popular unless you count Kid Rock’s All Summer Long, but that is what I see Michael doing. When he did Closer I thought his voice sounded good, but I had trouble matching the song with his image. His stage presence is open and friendly and he makes an effort to connect with the audience. I think they responded warmly. At the meet and greet, Michael was the first to come out, and by far he is the friendliest and most approachable. He was the first one I asked to sing Happy Birthday to my daughter (who’s turning 10 in just a few days), and he wanted to know her name first so he could say it when he sung his line from Happy Birthday! He also leaned down and sang it straight to her. He really won us over, and I could see he must be a really nice family guy.

Meaghan: She is the only one where I felt the audience response was being “polite” compared to the other nine. Her voice has that unusual tone, which I loved at the beginning of the season, but she sounded strained and a little breathless last night. She may need training to do this type of big performance. I did like her stage presence fine, but more for a smaller venue. She is gorgeous in person, both in face and figure, and later at the meet and greet she made eye contact and was very sweet with my daughter when she signed our autographs. She also sang a line of Happy Birthday, and she sounded better up close in that intimate distance.

Scott: He has a lovely voice, which is sort of a cousin to Adam’s voice. A Thousand Miles is a good song choice for him. He didn’t hit any bum notes I could tell. Scott sings in a tenorish voice which filled the arena. He had a lounge piano player vibe, but it’s appealing in an adult-contemporary way. He told his high-five joke and the joke about not seeing people when they wave to him, but a lot of people in the audience must not have ever heard these jokes because they laughed. Warm applause for him. He and his brother made the rounds at the barricades, and Scott even signed autographs. He smiled genuinely when greeting fans and thanked us as he was led through the line. I have seen some interviews where he seems extremely sure of his music ability and this can come off as arrogance, but I thought he seemed very grateful with the crowd.

Lil: She has a soul-diva voice which has a better impact live than most of her TV performances. Her enthusiasm and confidence on stage was infectious, and her dance moves were fine. I also liked how she owned her sexy black outfit. You go, Lil! She got most people on their feet for Single Ladies. Even I sang along to the uh, oh’s, and I’m a middle aged lady. She did not come to the meet-and-greet, which disappointed me.

Anoop: He has the voice I could best see translating into current R & B records today. It is sexy, smooth and soulful. He has a strong voice but he sounded a touch strained in some spots. It’s kind of Luther Vandross style. I liked him a lot. Many cries of Anooooop! He also had some great dance moves which surprised me on My Prerogative. His pseudo gangsta schtick is charming, but I don’t see it translating to the MTV crowd. I’d like to see him polish his performance. Maybe he should try a more Usher-like approach, the ladies’ man rather than the tough guy. Also, when he spoke to the audience, his in-between song banter is tepid. I don’t mean to be harsh, but I feel the most hope for Anoop as far as being signed as an artist and would love to see him succeed. He’s very good-looking in person, and at the meet-and-greet when I asked him to sing Happy Birthday, he sincerely apologized and touched his throat (resting his voice), and he said it to her instead.

Matt: He worked the crowd the best of the first-half group. Wow, did he rock it out on Hard to Handle, moving around the stage and projecting out his strong bluesy voice. The crowd was really dancing and loving him. When he did Georgia, he was clearly expecting a huge crowd response because he made sure to remind us it’s our state song. At one point, when the crowd cheered moderately, he mildly complained that we sure weren’t all that into our state song. I felt that was distracting. Just sing the hell out of the song, Matt, and the crowd will respond’”we’re still holding you to the Ray Charles standard, remember? He’s an outstanding piano player, and he knows how to make that part of his performance. His Fray song was anti-climactic, but not terrible. My one small critique is that he did hit a few bum notes in that one. His falsetto is fantastic. When he was at the meet-and-greet, he also said happy birthday (but we didn’t ask him to sing, because things were getting busier). I felt he was the least friendly of the idols and was more standoffish.

Group performance: I liked most of it, though again I thought Meaghan sounded tired. The dueling pianos were cool. The rapping part is the best part with Lil and Anoop.

Allison: She has such a full-throated Janis Joplin rock voice, and she looked great with the fan blowing her hair back and playing the guitar. My favorite song was Barricuda. I didn’t notice the enunciation issues I’d seen on TV with her. That surprised me, but I guess the acoustics are different at a concert and the lyrics are less important? She worked the stage and interacted with the band like a pro. Her performance of Slow Ride with Adam was one of my overall favorites of the evening. There was a purple feather boa thrown on stage during their song, and Adam put it around her. Cute. Adam also picked up a red-pink bra and twirled it around before throwing it out during their duet. What makes an audience interested in a performer is often a singer’s ability to ‘get into it,’  and the top four were the best at communicating this ability. I can see how Allison got a record deal so soon. I expect her to be a hit with the tween crowd as well as older crowd. Her voice and stage presence are very mature, but her teenaged giddiness still comes through.

Danny: The best surprise of the night for me. First, he has a voice which is very powerful, bluesy and soulful all at once. He can be sexy smooth or growl emotionally. I loved PYT. I thought his salsa dance in Maria, Maria was believable, and Adam-fan though I am, I never thought he was copying Adam on the mic stand moves. His little speech was more uplifting, and though he obviously has that religious background, he was careful not to exactly go there. I would have liked for him not to do My Wish right after the first Rascal Flatts song. I’m probably the only one that thinks this, but his voice actually reminds me of Teddy Pendergrass. I said this to the 40ish woman next to me and she agreed! He could also do a sort of country-rock, as I suggested for Michael. Their styles are in the same family, to me. At the meet and greet, Danny was only second behind Michael in his level of warmth and approachability. He also sang a line of Happy Birthday to my daughter, and he sounded great. The funniest thing’”I complimented him on his set, and I admitted that I was and Adam-fan, but that he’d really won me over that night. He looked right at me and said, ‘That really means a lot to me.’  That guy needs a record deal.

Adam: Please don’t kill me. Adam disappointed me on Whole Lotta Love. Don’t get me wrong. The entire place came to its feet with a roar and he makes quite an entrance. It’s just WLL is by far my favorite song/performance from the season, and he was shouting a bit too much and fighting with the band. Maybe the bandzilla thing happened again? He kept hitting high notes, but he changed up the melody too much to suit me, and part of the sexiness of the song is in the lower register, imo. He was hot in his stage performance though, from what I could barely see over everyone’s heads and from the screen. He did NOT do the come-hither gesture. What?! Well, maybe he thought it was starting to look cheesy. Baby, not woman tonight. Emo hair. He did do a dramatic pause, though, which was effective, and the final note (loooooo-ooove) was on point. Starlight was unbelievably amazing, and one is struck by how difficult that song must be to sing, with all the notes scaling up and down. Mad World had that ethereal and haunting quality we’ve come to expect. When he stands and powers out his emotions, so moving. In this regard, he is almost operatic in his performance. I felt this especially in Life on Mars. His voice sounds awesome in that song! I love, love, his lower register. He is a showman first and that theatre background creates a completely different atmosphere during his set. His performance is not just about getting ‘into the music.’  He creates a completely different character for every song. He is more of a performance artist. If I had one critique of him, it would be that I’d love to see on his solo tour a mix of both these theatrical performances with his Upright Cabaret intimate songs. He came out to the meet-and-greet! He didn’t say one thing to fans, and he seems to be saving his voice like Anoop. He was a bit taken aback by one section of the crowd, which was too loud with its screams (too much of that and he’s likely to quit coming out). He has an iconic presence, which is both a gift and a curse. On the one hand, like Elvis or Michael Jackson, he is larger than life. On the other hand, he almost doesn’t seem like a real person. I feel certain from just observing him go through the line that he is trying hard to keep it ‘real,’  but very soon I expect this to be impossible. People are truly insane about him from what I saw. Myself, I had the opposite reaction in seeing him in person; I saw him as vulnerable. He seemed smaller and slighter, beautiful like a dark elf. I have no other opinion to give about his personality, just that he’s more delicate than I imagined. I’m so glad my daughter and I were able to get his autograph, because I’m sure we’ll never have the chance again. He is going to be a huge fixture in popular culture.

Kris: He was also a wonderful, wonderful surprise like Danny. I knew Kris could sing in a pleasant voice, but I had no idea he could project to an arena. His voice is much stronger than it seemed on TV, and there’s something radio-friendly and very appealing about his tone, especially live. He can play to a larger crowd. His set reminded me of a Coldplay concert I went to recently. He looks great singing and playing at the piano. Heartless was a big hit with the crowd, who was still on its feet after Adam. He is an artist to watch because he feels the music so well. He looks like he is part of whatever instrument he is playing. He completely won me over. He did shout rather than sing a couple notes (his range can be stretched to its limits) but he really is very entertaining in a completely different way from Adam. Little by little folks started sitting down, especially after the Killers song. Kris’s vocal range seems to fit perfectly in the Killers’ song, my favorite of his set. My guess would be that people just were getting tired, and that’s why they were starting to sit. We’d all been standing a long time. They still were very engaged in his performance, though. I would guess Kris is a virtuoso musician on the guitar. That electric guitar solo on Bright Lights gives him major rock singer credibility! My one small critique is that on Hey Jude Kris took on a ‘yodel-like’  tone to his voice. I can’t explain it any other way. It’s a sort of a higher pitch, folk-country vocal tone that I’m not partial to. Maybe the problem is I’ve seen McCartney do this song live several times, and it’s just hard to compare. At the meet-and-greet, I asked him to sing to my daughter and told him that Michael and Danny had done it. He just laughed and said, ‘Oh yeah, no pressure!’  So Kris leaned down and sang a line from Happy Birthday directly to her, right into her ear! It was the sweetest thing. He is adorable, and I really appreciate him more than I ever did on the show.

I tried to put in as many details as I could remember. It was a great concert and meet-and-greet experience. My daughter is thrilled at her birthday gift of a concert and 8 out of 10 autographs!

 
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  • alison8701

    thanks for the recap!

    You’re not the first to say Anoop sounded a bit strained. That’s sad. But hopefully his voice gets better. also, his banter leaves much to be desired. In interviews he’s very relaxed and thoughtful. Oh, but “very good-looking in person.” Everyone says that!

  • Sherena

    I’m glad Adam and Anoop are taking care of their voices, really glad. Was this concert before or after the one when Danny twittered that he felt a lot of vocal strain?

    Myself, I had the opposite reaction in seeing him in person; I saw him as vulnerable. He seemed smaller and slighter, beautiful like a dark elf.

    THIS. I haven’t even seen him in person, but this is a huge part of why I’m attracted to him as a person, because no matter how confident and bold he is on stage, there’s always that hint of vulnerability. I think he’s a bit insecure, which probably isn’t the best thing for a singer, but it makes him seem real despite the theater stylings and makeup.

  • Cheetara86

    Thank you very much! great recap and very detailed on every idol..

    I always felt that allison could win over the adult and teen crowd for her new album

  • aek

    The funniest thing’”I complimented him on his set, and I admitted that I was and Adam-fan, but that he’d really won me over that night. He looked right at me and said, ‘That really means a lot to me.’ 

    Awww. I think this is so sweet, and I’m glad that you told him that. He really has had to deal with so much bashing online, undeservedly imo. Danny’s voice, along with Adam’s and Allison’s really filled up that arena.

    I was at the same concert, but I didn’t go out to meet them after the show…too many people.

    That guy needs a record deal.

    I agree. I think he’ll get one.

  • taks

    I really appreciated what you had to say about all the Idols. Specifically, your comments on Adam really made me think.

    The stories about the Idols singing/saying Happy Birthday to your daughter were also very sweet.

    Thanks for the great recap! Sounds like you had quite a time.

  • http://www.f3properties.com Animated

    People are truly insane about him from what I saw. Myself, I had the opposite reaction in seeing him in person; I saw him as vulnerable. He seemed smaller and slighter, beautiful like a dark elf. I have no other opinion to give about his personality, just that he’s more delicate than I imagined.

    This vulnerability was also what I felt in the Rolling Stone article when Adam said his greatest fear is to lose his parents.
    The wide gamut of his deep feelings is what excites me to anticipate the music he will be creating. He would be giving expression to what we cannot voice – our desire to dance and excite ourselves- our desires to turn inward and be small – I am looking forward to the many facets of Adam’s music in the years to come.

    Thank you very much, MoninS’ keep Adam’s autograph they may turn out not just keepsakes but priceless mementos .

  • Truthiness

    But no fan of Adam ever criticizes him! We all think he’s perfect all the time. That’s it, you are out of the club, and you will be stripped of your glitter. Which considering it itches, is probably just as well.

    Well too bad you didn’t enjoy his WLL. I think this was the show that the band started too early and Adam had to catch up with them. Maybe that affected his performance? Oh not. Glad the rest of his set was good though.

    Cool that you enjoyed so many performances. That’s always nice to hear that people are pleasantly surprised when people are better live. Even people like Gokey. I always have liked his tone, I just didn’t always like what he did with his voice. Good to hear that you enjoyed his voice and performance.

    And cool that your daughter had some of the idols sing to her. That’s sweet.

    Odd that Adam didn’t talk at all, because usually he thanks people for their gifts or nice things they say to him. I’ve heard him do that, over the screams, in some YouTubes I’ve seen of his signings. He must have been trying to really save his voice than if he didn’t. But glad he was out and signing things in ATL after the FL whatever.

  • dietcoke

    Some posters on IDF were there at the barricade and Adam did talk to them briefly. When I met him, he was constantly whispering “thank you” to fans. He does look smaller and thinner in person. BTW, thanks for the detailed recap.

  • https://twitter.com/draddee Sunn

    Thank you for a lovely recap MomintheSuburb, the dark elf description seems incredibly apt, as a Tolkein fan myself, I whole heartedly agree.

    I’m so glad that you and your daughter had a lovely time.

    Cheers.

  • rosebianco98

    I went to the ATL show and I thought this was pretty accurate (except I thought Anoop killed – I loved him). And Matt was on fire during Hard to Handle, very nice. Scott was good, much better than I thought. I didn’t catch much of Danny’s set (had to take a potty break) but i’ll tell you one thing – he was a total doll at the end of the show autograph-signing “meet & greet” – he was the only one I thought was really really talking to the fans (tho I left after Adam passed by).

    Okay, now about ADAM who is the only one I really care about – I agree with your assessments. I also was a little disappointed at WLL which seemed a little mechanical to me. Though I’ve read other people’s reviews and they did not seem to think that – maybe I was too far and didn’t get to see his facial expressions properly and I could not bring myself to look at the monitors too much– I was pretty much stupefied and entranced. He really perked up during the Slow Ride duet I have to say – what a great performance that was. And then the Bowie set was uncontrollably uber-fantastic. It was all over TOO FAST. I CANNOT WAIT until he comes to do a whole concert and, like you, am hoping he will do more quiet songs which he frequently seems to inhabit — it’s like he acting the song (in a good way – meaning he is living the character through the song). I’m sure it will be mesmerizing and you know, I will try come hell or high water to get close up floor tickets to that show even if the tickets end up being $500 or something ridiculous like that.

    Yes, he did not speak during the meet and greet – he actually signed my piece of paper TWICE, like he was a bit on autopilot. I thought he was beautiful beyond belief. And yes, smaller than I thought (Ryan Seacrest must be a pixie!) and speaking of pixies, yes, mominthesuburbs, he was very elfin. (I love his posture and his walk lol!) I am waiting for the day he makes a movie and a fantastic movie like LOTR or Dark Crystal would be great).

    I’ve framed my autograph(s) and one day people will be agog that I’ve got them. Yes I think he will be huge. He’s got a grip on my heart and I hope it eases up, quite frankly, it’s a bit disruptive!

    rb

  • Vak33

    Thanks for the review, a great job. I’m glad Danny is winning more fans on the tour. Sorry Adam was disappointing on the first song, but it sounds like he was able to back it all up in the last songs. No doubt, the kid is quite a performer.

  • Grammie Kari

    I don’t mean to be harsh, but I feel the most hope for Anoop as far as being signed as an artist and would love to see him succeed.

    Oh, I hope you are right! I just cannot see Anoop fading away after the tour. I would like the “Ladies’ Man” approach myself!

    I wonder why Adam looks small when he’s 6’1″ other than he has lost some weight? Thank you so much for your recap. Very nice!

    rosebianco98, I am glad Anoop “killed” with his performance. I have heard his dancing moves are getting sexier. Maybe Adam is teaching the steps?

    Glad you all had a great time!

  • mitchellvii

    Adam Lambert, 6’2″ elf at your service. No wonder the kicked him out of the North Poll! :)

  • GaGaGlambert

    I’d love to see on his solo tour a mix of both these theatrical performances with his Upright Cabaret intimate songs.

    I totally agree. The Upright Cabaret performances are the ones that really hooked me. I lost track a long time ago how often I’ve watched them.

    Thanks for the great re-cap. Makes me really look forward to the shows I’ll be seeing over the next few weeks.

    And a very big Happy Birthday to your daughter.

  • jennatong

    thanks for feedback..any hints on best way to see idols before or after show, any idea where the post show or pre show signings are usally set up..going to Atlantic City ..Sounds like will be agood one..anybody due any Bruce or Bon Jovi…lol

  • sandyc

    Nice recap. I like how you talked about each person’s performance and meet and greet in the same paragraph. :cool_wp:

    Part of me wishes the girls would come out more to meet fans, but then part of me knows that guys generally get the most love and support from the fans. It happens every season. The girls probably sometimes feel like people won’t mind if they don’t come out. Who knows?

    Adam has always come off as a little vulnerable to me when not on stage. It makes him seem more human and likable. I always liked him as a person even when I didn’t appreciate him as a performer.

    Atlanta was my only chance to see the show. I wish I had bought tickets as soon as they were available instead of hesitating. They were sold out before I knew it. :wallbash_tb: :laugh_tb:

  • Alana

    Thank you MomintheSuburbs, for taking the time to share with us your experience of the concert. Seems you and your daughter have a wonderful memory that you will recall with pleasure in the years to come.

    I will be going to see the concert Aug 14, and have been wondering whether to go to the barricades to see the idols up close (our seats are way up) and I am still in a quandary about doing this. On the one hand, we may not get the chance ever again, on the other, I dread to add to the crush of demanding fans for the idols.

    I am also very much an Adam fan, and your description of seeing him touched me. I recall him saying once that one of his dislikes was cameras, and that basically he could not understand why people needed photographic proof of an experience. I can appreciate Adam seeming a little withdrawn, it must be totally overwhelming for him. Being a “rockstar” (his word) certainly will have many drawbacks and I hope they do not spoil the journey too much for him.

    Thanks again for your recap, and glad you both had a good time.

  • Palangga

    I am so happy for you and your lovely daughter that you were able to meet 8/10 of the Idols and that some sang for her. This is one birthday she will never forget. I told you of my experience dancing with Paul Anka who was a big star when I was a teen – my mother even had a special dress made for the occasion – it is still etched in my memory. Thank you Mom! Sorry about the glitter but I thought we all looked great.

    I too was surprised liking Danny a lot that night. And Matt! He was unreal. Of course, the highlight for me was Adam. I was able to move up close for him (about 12 rows from the front). One nice lady let me squeeze in their row as the aisle nazis were very strict that night. He was mesmerizing! His voice is a thousand times better live than on TV. I wished I had gone with you to the barricades but we had a big day planned for Saturday so we needed to get home. Bummer!

    Still not sure about the Paul McCartney concert coming up as I have a scheduling conflict. I hope you enjoy that one too.

    Happy Birthday to your little girl.

  • BeckyMD

    I haven’t even seen him in person, but this is a huge part of why I’m attracted to him as a person, because no matter how confident and bold he is on stage, there’s always that hint of vulnerability.

    ^^ This is why I’m attracted to him too.

  • Mom in the Suburbs

    Adam Lambert, 6′ ²2′ ³ elf at your service. No wonder the kicked him out of the North Poll! :)

    Mitchellvii, I mean a Lord of the Rings elf! Not Santa’s. :-) Put some little pointy ears on him, and he’d fit right into the movie. He’s that beautiful.

  • Mom in the Suburbs

    When I met him, he was constantly whispering ‘thank you’  to fans. He does look smaller and thinner in person. BTW, thanks for the detailed recap.

    Dietcoke, do you have any photos from the meet-and-greet??? I wasn’t able to take pics and would love to have some (obviously of the Dark Elf esp.)! He was very rushed at the end of the line where we were, so he flat out didn’t have time to talk, and my daughter was very lucky to even get an autograph as hers was one of the last ones!
    rosebianco98 don’t get me wrong on Anoop. I loved his voice and performance! I was just offering constructive criticism about the other elements which might help get him signed. If I sounded too harsh, I didn’t mean I didn’t love him. I mean my hopes for him are high. BTW, do you have any pics from the meet-and-greet???
    Palangga, my Filipina glambert sister! Thanks for the well wishes and the great Paul Anka story. Glad you got to move up!
    jennatong The meet-and-greet seems to be different in every venue. In ATL it’s right out front and completely organized! Maybe that’s why Adam was willing to do it this time and was more scared in FL, not sure. I really like how ATL/Duluth did it. Ask others who’ve gone at your venue, or ask around the night of the concert.

  • Adamdebomb

    From the Youtubes, I too felt Adam’s set was a bit “off”-perhaps the late night of drinking and carousing?

  • Susan M.

    I haven’t even seen him in person, but this is a huge part of why I’m attracted to him as a person, because no matter how confident and bold he is on stage, there’s always that hint of vulnerability.

    ^^ This is why I’m attracted to him too.

    Yes, I call it his “fierce vulnerability” and it has always been the core of what makes him so incredibly compelling to me (in addition to his otherworldly talent and epic beauty).

    Thanks MomfromtheSuburbs, it sounds like you and your daughter had a once-in-a-lifetime experience that she’ll remember forever. Happy Birthday to her!!

    Loved reading your recap, especially since it sounds like you have extensive concert-going experience and have seen icons such as McCartney more than once. I loved how you went back-and-forth between your concert observations and your meet and greet experience. You had some great insights.

  • jack5791

    Thanks for the review, it was very detailed!

  • Adamme

    He was a bit taken aback by one section of the crowd, which was too loud with its screams (too much of that and he’s likely to quit coming out).

    He actually voiced that once about the screaming fans on m&g.. he said I’m right here in front of you.. don’t need to scream that loud

    He has an iconic presence, which is both a gift and a curse. On the one hand, like Elvis or Michael Jackson, he is larger than life. On the other hand, he almost doesn’t seem like a real person. I feel certain from just observing him go through the line that he is trying hard to keep it ‘real,’  but very soon I expect this to be impossible. People are truly insane about him from what I saw.

    Yep.. his iconic presence that cause his fans don’t want to /couldnt see that he’s just a real normal person like the others. Adam’s always grounded and tried to keep it real.. but his fans also couldn’t help it to really crazy & get excited about him. .. it is a gift that he came out to m&g .. and got his authograph… I would say it’s the greatest birthday present ever. ..like you said it may never happened again… that’s why fans were so crazy to get that one rarely chance to see him in person that close .. next year in his solo tour.. we may not get that chance..

  • Q3

    He has an iconic presence, which is both a gift and a curse. On the one hand, like Elvis or Michael Jackson, he is larger than life. On the other hand, he almost doesn’t seem like a real person. I feel certain from just observing him go through the line that he is trying hard to keep it ‘real,’  but very soon I expect this to be impossible. People are truly insane about him from what I saw. Myself, I had the opposite reaction in seeing him in person; I saw him as vulnerable. He seemed smaller and slighter, beautiful like a dark elf. I have no other opinion to give about his personality, just that he’s more delicate than I imagined. I’m so glad my daughter and I were able to get his autograph, because I’m sure we’ll never have the chance again. He is going to be a huge fixture in popular culture.

    I love the LOR Elf comparison. And I agree. A tall glittery deep blue elf.

    And he really doesn’t seem like a real person when you meet him. I never met MJ or Elvis, but I would compare the experience to how I felt when I met David Bowie or Will Smith. It’s almost like he has a hidden spotlight on him and glowed.

    But Adam’s vulnerability is really quite different. And adds a different dimension.

  • jordison

    I always felt that allison could win over the adult and teen crowd for her new album

    Two things I definitely plan to do this fall:

    1. Sign up for Medicare

    2. Purchase Allison’s new album the first day it’s released – and play it on my Victrola

  • needacoke2

    Enjoyed meeting you Mom in the Suburbs! Nice recap! I thought Atlanta really gave all the Idols a nice reception. Probably because everybody was so well behaved at the afternoon bus stalking was why they let Adam go outside that night.

    He was a doll at the After Party. Here is the text recap (mostly from the After Party) from SluttyWhoreLawyer on castrocopia, a Jason Castro website that we still post on. Slutty took Flat Jason with her to the After party and had lots of fun with him. There are lots of pics in the pages before and after this recap, which is toward the bottom of the page.
    http://www.castrocopia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=544&start=1460

  • ShariG

    Aww sounds like your daughter had a great birthday. My daughter and I started watching American Idol together in Season 1 when she was only 14. We have also gone to several of the concerts together over the years. Some years we pick different contestants, but we were both crazy about David Cook last year andboth love Kris Allen this year. AI has been a great bonding experience for us. She has her own apartment now and this was the first year we didn’t watch the show together, but both ended up as Kris Allen fans and both voted for him exclusively from top 13 on. We are planning to see the show together in September in Chicago. I can’t wait to see Kris and the other 9 in person and am happy that you have come to appreciate him. There is a quality to his voice that is all tied in with his genuinely nice guy personna that just appeals to me. I love every song he sings and can’t wait to see him in person.

  • Glam2583

    Thanks for the detailed recap. I am looking forward to seeing all the Idols in a few weeks. Paid a foolish amount of $$ for two 3rd row floor seats, but I love Adam and, when I learned he was doing WLL, broke down and did the deed as it was such a jaw dropping performance on AI.

    Interestingly, WLL now from the various tour performances is the one that least interests me. I do think that song can be a voice killer and have noticed how Adam changes it up with each performance. Memphis performance he didn’t make the high note at the end at all to my ear – scratchy and a couple of notes off. That was the last performance in a stretch of 4 – and it’s overload on his vocal chords. My favs now are Bowie, Starlight, Slow Ride (when he hits the notes – which he sometimes chooses not to do). But Adam knows what he’s doing. Smart to save the voice. Still have over 30 performances, yet, on the Tour?!! Long road ahead.

    I would guess Kris is a virtuoso musician on the guitar.

    One commentator on the Memphis newspaper review said she was accompanied to the show by her musician/music teacher husband who thought Kris’ guitar skills were rudimentary. I am going to AI w/relative who plays guitar, so I’ll be interested in his view. From everyone’s comments along the way, all the Idols are improving. They will have had a day off before mine so I should see a good show.

    Thanks, again, for taking the time to share your experience. Interesting and appreciated perspective on Adam. He is a human, after all. People need to remember that and dial back the fan fanaticism.

  • OutlandoGirl

    Needacoke2: Can you also post a link to your After Party pics from the first time you went? I think I missed them. Would be great! Thanks.

    The ones with FJ are FUN!

  • listen

    Thanks for the detailed review. Sounds like you and your daugher had a good time. Getting Adam’s autograph must have made your daughter’s birthday even more special…

  • Glam2583

    It’s almost like he has a hidden spotlight on him and glowed.

    Which coincides with a comment made by a member of the stage crew at the Memphis performance. He said Adam had an ‘aura’ and was going to be a huge superstar.

  • SpleegsKeegs02

    Megan sounded tired? What? Stop singling her out just because you don’t like her. Inconsiderate,

  • Soapbox0916

    “I would guess Kris is a virtuoso musician on the guitar.”

    One commentator on the Memphis newspaper review said she was accompanied to the show by her musician/music teacher husband who thought Kris’ guitar skills were rudimentary. I am going to AI w/relative who plays guitar, so I’ll be interested in his view. From everyone’s comments along the way, all the Idols are improving. They will have had a day off before mine so I should see a good show.

    I am curious about this too. I have a feeling that the Memphis musician liked performers that show off how much they can do and show off their technique. Kris is in the less is more category. I personally think it is harder to keep it simple. Several respected musicians have been impressed with how cleanly that Kris plays. That says a lot to me. I also feel that Kris is about the music first, and the instruments are just a tool to convey the music.

    I look forward to your relative’s opinion on this.

  • Mom in the Suburbs

    NEEDACOKE thanks for that link. Wow, you sure have been lucky with this tour.