PJD’s American Idol Tour 2009 Rosemont, IL Recap

By On 09/06/2009 · 68 Comments · In AI Tour 2009, American Idol

WARNING: If you are a Kris fan, you may want to skip this one. I don’t hate any of the idols, but I just cannot seem to get into Kris’ music. The reason I went to this concert was to see Adam, but I tried to watch each idol for their own set and not compare. I already feel guilty for not liking Kris’ music ‘“ so just skip this one if that will bother you!

Background: I am 44 and have never been a crazy fan for anyone. I totally skipped that phase in my teens. Sure, there are musicians that I like ‘“ but not to the point of trying to find every bit of info out there, having to have every recording ever made, buying a magazine solely because they were on the cover’ ¦. Suddenly, I have reverted to being a 13 year old and am doing all of that!

My tastes are very eclectic and my music collection includes classical, folk, pop, rock, soundtracks & Broadway shows, and even Disney music (not Miley or JoBros ‘“ Disney movies and theme park music). Primarily, I love good melodies and the artist’s voice is really important to me. Once I find a voice I like, I tend to buy a lot of their albums. For the last 15+ years, I have been listening only to my own collection of music ‘“ I totally gave up on radio when it seemed everything was turning into rap or hip/hop or country. There are only a few genres I really dislike, but rap & hip/hop are definitely in that group! Country just annoys me after awhile ‘“ the twang some artists use drives me crazy and there are way too many sob stories. My husband listens to country, so I have heard far more than my fair share.

I have never watched American Idol before this season. The only reason I saw this one was because I wasn’t feeling well and was looking for something ‘mindless’  on the TV. Ran across Idol and thought that would do! I wasn’t paying much attention, just watching the songs and then tuning out most of the other stuff, when I heard the first couple notes of Satisfaction. It is a moment burned into my memory! I was thinking ‘This kid is nuts ‘“ unless you can sing it as well as Jagger, they are going to destroy you’ . My next conscious thought was ‘Oh My God!’  as I picked my chin up off the floor. I watched the rest of the season (except MJ night ‘“ had previous plans and don’t own a DVR). Since I was really watching for Adam, not everyone made that much of an impression on me. I know far more about the performers from spending time here at MJ’s. I tend to do other stuff while watching TV, so unless a performance grabbed me, I didn’t pay much attention. ALL of Adam’s performances did that. I didn’t vote until the last two weeks as I still couldn’t believe I was really watching this show!

Wow ‘“ this is getting long. After following the concert threads here, I really wanted to see a concert for myself. A big part of it was that I wanted to see if Adam really was that amazing live. Unfortunately, I was having trouble finding anyone to go with me and I wasn’t comfortable going alone (mostly due to parking at the arena). At the last minute, a friend agreed to go with me and I purchased tickets on Monday for the Wednesday concert. My friend (who I will call C) is a true gem ‘“ she didn’t watch Idol at all, had no idea who any of the performers were (she only knew Adam’s name from my babbling and didn’t know anyone else) ‘“ although she wasn’t expecting to enjoy it that much, she knew how much I wanted to go and agreed to join me. C is in her early 60′s and seems to mostly like classic rock & pop music (mostly 60′s to 80′s as far as I can tell).

I won’t bore you with getting to the arena ‘“ due to a few mishaps, we were not as early as planned and pulled into the parking lot around 6:15pm. We got a great parking place, waited in a short line to get inside and found that our seats were really close to the entrance. We were in the section directly stage-right of the stage and the first level off the floor. This section was actually grayed out on the Ticketmaster map and I think they may have sold other sections before making it available. If you were on the far end of this section, you would not have been able to see any of the screens. We were in seats 7 & 8 which let us see the screens by craning our necks a bit. At halftime, seats 5 & 6 still weren’t taken, so we moved down and had an even better view! I was really pleased with our seats ‘“ they were reasonably close and we could easily see without binoculars and I paid only $112 total.

I am not going to bother with a song-by-song recap. First off, there have been plenty by now and secondly, I don’t know the names of a lot of the songs! Remember, I haven’t been listening to current music for a LONG time ‘“ there were a LOT of songs I have never heard.

Michael: Both C and I felt that his voice was nice. We weren’t blown away, but there was nothing to complain about. He was enthusiastic and enjoyable to watch. On a totally shallow note, he looks more like a linebacker than an entertainer. I think that the idea he ‘should’  be doing country may just come from his appearance

Megan: I was pleasantly surprised by Megan’s first song. On the show, she was often out of tune and her breath control was terrible and that really bugs me. (I sing in a classical oratorio choir, so I tend to pay a little more attention to singing technique than is normal.) Sadly, the second song was pretty awful. I don’t know the song, but it sounded really flat to me. C’s only comment was ‘she is really pretty except for that awful thing on her arm’ .

Scott: On the show, Scott was pretty meh for me. I didn’t hate him, didn’t love him. He was just OK. It was pretty much the same at the concert. Mostly, his voice was fine ‘“ there were a couple painful falsetto notes. The jokes were OK ‘“ not laugh out loud funny, but OK. However, C really liked his voice but thought his stage presence was rather dull which she felt was probably due to his blindness.

Lil: I liked Lil’s voice and she had a lot of energy. I might have enjoyed it more if I knew the songs, but nothing really caught my attention. There were lots of little girls (maybe 10-15yrs) dancing during Single Ladies. C didn’t really have any comments about Lil.

Anoop: Always on My Mind was gorgeous. He has a wonderfully smooth voice. I also enjoyed the second song. The third didn’t do much for me. I’m not sure why, but I kept getting distracted during this set and sent several tweets. C thought his voice was beautiful, but that he was a little boring.

Matt: Definitely the best part of the first half for me! He is fun to watch! The piano doesn’t tie him down and he just seemed to be on fire. His voice isn’t as good as Anoop’s but he makes up for it in stage presence and energy. Some tweens and teens around us stood for Matt. C liked Matt ‘“ both his voice and piano playing.

Group number: Lil and Megan should never, ever sing together! Their voices do not blend at all!!!!! The guys’ part seemed very staged and the dancing like the Pips made me giggle.

At halftime, C told me she was really enjoying the concert and it was much better than she expected. She felt that all the performers were decent and that the ‘two piano guys’  were the best so far. To be honest, I was a little bored in the first half ‘“ if it had been the TV show, I would have been multitasking through it. Since I believe in being polite, I watched and applauded appropriately and distracted myself trying to type tweets on my tiny little blackberry keyboard. During the break, I went and bought a program to take home to my son (10 year old Adam fan). While I was gone, C took an impromptu survey of everyone seated within a couple rows! (She is a very social, outgoing person). She was very surprised to end up with about 30 Adam fans, 2 Danny fans and 1 Kris fan. The couple sitting next to us had traveled over 100 miles to come to the concert to see Adam. They were from a small town in rural Illinois.

Allison: I enjoyed Allison, but I wasn’t blown away. On the first song, I felt like words were being dropped. Maybe that is just what it is supposed to sound like ‘“ I have only heard the song once before (on Idol ‘“ was it a group number?) but it sounded like she was moving the mic away from her face or it was cutting out strangely. She is a bundle of energy and I loved how she moved around the stage. She definitely got the second half started with a bang! C was amazed that she was only 17 and thought that she was much better than anyone in the first half.

Danny: What to say? I’m not sure what it is with Danny ‘“ his voice is pleasant, he is mostly on key and his technique isn’t awful (there are certainly worse out there) ‘“ but he doesn’t connect with me at all. PYT had a lot of our section up dancing, but the band seemed to be a little too loud. Some of it seems a little ‘shouty’  to me. Maria Maria was probably his best song ‘“ this was another song I didn’t know, but I actually remember it 2 days later. His supposed dancing was not very good ‘“ partly due to trying to salsa in huge boots ‘“ what were they thinking with that? The other 2 songs were very, very boring. I guess they are country songs? I have listened to plenty of country music since my husband is a fan, but there are a lot of better songs out there than these two! The speech seemed very out of place to me ‘“ just much more talking than anyone else and wasn’t actually that well presented as a ‘speech’ . A heart shaped pillow was thrown to him which I think he kept. C didn’t have much of an opinion on Danny ‘“ he was just the guy between ‘that rocker girl’  and Adam.

Adam: Wow! Just Wow! I really don’t know what else to say. For two days I have been trying to put words to this experience and am still running into a major lack of eloquence! Yes, he lived up to the hype. For me, a big part of my Adam love is that he just plain makes me happy. Listening to his voice makes me happy and for some reason, watching interviews and such with him also makes me happy. By the end of Adam’s set, my face hurt from the huge smile I was wearing. The happiness is intensified live. I used earplugs throughout the concert ‘“ I already have a little hearing loss and didn’t want any more damage ‘“ I did take them in and out a couple times to make sure I wasn’t missing anything and all they did was lessen the volume a little, everything was very clear ‘“ however, I did take them out after WLL to be certain I had the full effect of Adam’s voice (I put them back in about ½ way through Kris’ Heartless) I did not hear ANY helium effect for any of the performers. I also did not feel that Starlight was ‘higher’  than on the YouTube videos. The timbre of his voice is spectacular and I don’t think that has really come through on the recordings so far (I hope, hope, hope they do this better for his album) and that may be what people are referring to with Starlight? Mad World was intense, Slow Ride was fun. The beach ball was first thrown near Alison and I believe she punched it back out to the audience. The audience bounced it around and then it went back on stage near Adam. Are we sure he is ‘bad’  at sports? He showed us another nice kick there! I loved the Bowie Medley ‘“ the only negative was that I knew the end was near. I am so looking forward to seeing Adam in concert in the future. C’s first comment was that she felt like she was at a totally different show the moment he came on stage and that he ‘had me when he sat and sang that slow song’ .

Kris: I came to the concert hoping that I would finally ‘get’  Kris’ music. I barely noticed him on the show until near the end. I regularly wandered off doing other stuff during his songs. After the finale, I tried listening to Heartless and his NoBo and couldn’t seem to pay attention long enough to get through the songs. I have never heard the original version of Heartless, so I have no idea how it compares. As the friendship between Adam & Kris became more widely obvious, I tried again ‘“ if Adam thinks Kris is a great musician, I should give him another try ‘“ nope, didn’t work. On one of the concert threads it was suggested that I might get his music better if I heard it live ‘“ sounded like a good theory, so I gave it a shot. Sadly, it didn’t work out. I really have nothing negative to say, I just don’t find his singing interesting. Actually, live was a little harder for me because the grimacing and convulsions were very distracting. He also only performed to the front of the stage for most of his set ‘“ I don’t think he even glanced our direction when he was at the piano and I think he only looked our way once or twice when he was on guitar. Of his set, I liked Ain’t No Sunshine the best. Heartless and the ‘I’ve got soul’  song really didn’t do much for me. I’ve forgotten the name of the other one. Hey Jude was OK. C was very disappointed by Kris. She kept saying that she expected #1 to be the best and that it was such a letdown. She also thought that a plaid shirt and jeans were pretty plain and boring for a huge arena concert! However, she did say that he is very cute.

DSB: The group number was OK. It actually started out well with the pianos but was pretty weak in the middle and at one point it seemed like someone forgot to sing! It definitely improved when Adam & Kris came up to the stage. It was a fun ending, but not anything to get excited about.

As we left the arena, C thanked me for bringing her and said she had a great time and was really happy to have come to the concert. She also said ‘OK, now I understand why you’ve been going on and on about Adam’ . The next morning I noticed that she had posted on her facebook, ‘now a fan of Adam Lambert after seeing him in concert.’ 

C’s favs were Adam, Alison, Matt & Scott. My favs were Adam, Matt, Alison, & Anoop

I took some photos during the show, but my little point-and-shoot camera wasn’t really up to the task. There are plenty of much better photos out there. I did not take any photos or tweet during Adam’s set ‘“ I just totally forgot about doing either. Clearly, the Alien hypnotized me!

 
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  • CindyM

    Thanks PJD, I am so glad you did the recap! I was posting during your decision making as to whether to go to the concert or not and am happy that you found someone to go with!

    A couple of comments:

    The couple sitting next to us had traveled over 100 miles to come to the concert to see Adam. They were from a small town in rural Illinois.

    I have them beat..lol. My sister and I drove over 460 miles from Albuquerque to Glendale to see the concert. I’ve watched every year, but no one has inspired me to travel that far to see them like Adam has. Last year I loved David Cook, but didn’t think about going to see the concert. I was able to see him in June in Santa Fe though and he was fabulous.

    Listening to his voice makes me happy and for some reason, watching interviews and such with him also makes me happy. By the end of Adam’s set, my face hurt from the huge smile I was wearing. The happiness is intensified live.

    This!!!! I have this same feeling. I think part of it comes from just how talented he is and the other comes from the feeling I get from him that he loves performing as much as I love watching him. During the concert, his smiles are just so evident and the joy he’s feeling is infectious. I think that’s what makes him connect with a live audience so well.

    Again, thanks for the recap, so glad you did it and glad that you and C had a great time!

  • ilovekrisallen39

    Am a kris fan and I don’t think you said anything bad about him. At least you went in trying to like him. Not everyone has the same taste of music. If they did alot of singers would be in alot of trouble.

  • smokeyvera

    Thank you for taking the time to recap. Your sentiments are exactly the same as mine. I’m glad you got to experience Adam in the flesh – it’s quite an experience. Interesting how an non-AI viewer but a concert attendee has the same opinion. To me Kris is an acquired taste, whereas Adam is just there and makes you smile, his voice is just so penetrating. It penetrates every fiber of your body. Kris just slides over the surface. Not trying to fan any wars, jmho.

  • https://twitter.com/draddee Sunn

    My tastes are very eclectic and my music collection includes classical, folk, pop, rock, soundtracks & Broadway shows, and even Disney music (not Miley or JoBros ‘“ Disney movies and theme park music). Primarily, I love good melodies and the artist’s voice is really important to me.

    Ditto

    I have never watched American Idol before this season. The only reason I saw this one was because I wasn’t feeling well and was looking for something ‘mindless’  on the TV. Ran across Idol and thought that would do! I wasn’t paying much attention, just watching the songs and then tuning out most of the other stuff, when I heard the first couple notes of Satisfaction

    Ditto, only for me it was Hollywood week.

    For me, a big part of my Adam love is that he just plain makes me happy. Listening to his voice makes me happy and for some reason, watching interviews and such with him also makes me happy.

    An emphatic Ditto!

    Thank you PJD for sharing with us. I know it’s taken quite a bit of time and effort on your part. It’s very generous of you to do it.

    I floved your recap. I love your Adam love. And I loved your tweets.

    Cheers PJD, I’m so glad you ended going to the concert and having a blast. Thank your friend C, for me, for making this recap possible.

  • luvadamlambert

    Ilovekrisallen39 I live u.that is all.

    thnx 4 the recap.I really liked it.I liked kris less than most ppl but more than u did .he was my 3rd fave on the show

  • luvadamlambert

    smokyvera I think for a lot of ppl it’s exactly the opposite

  • ross

    Thanks, I enjoyed your recap okay. As a Kris fan I have no problem with your stating up front you don’t get him.

    I really have nothing negative to say, I just don’t find his singing interesting. Actually, live was a little harder for me because the grimacing and convulsions were very distracting.

    Oh, I think “grimacing and convulsions” might be construed as negative! Unless you happen to like grimacing and convulsions.

    Glad you enjoyed the concert and thanks for the recap and the fair warning.

  • MatureAdamFan

    PJD, I have really enjoyed and learned so much about the actual tour experience from so many recaps. I love singing and have been in a few choirs. I thought your comment about Megan and Lil definitely came from your background in a choir. Your appreciation of the true magnifience of Adam’s voice and talent (and shall we add his third gift of being incredibly gorgeous) was very, very well expressed. I was so happy you convinced your friend (who is in my age bracket). First it meant you could go, and you know that she has found a singer that she will happily want to learn more about and to follow his career. Thank you very much for your great recap!!!!

  • http://www.youtube.com/user/Valilac1 VAlilac

    PJD, I found your review interesting precisely because you are not a crazed American Idol fan. Thank you for sharing your experience and views with us.

    I am curious whether you intend to watch Season 9 of AI next year and whether you intend to buy any of this season’s Idols’ albums?

  • BeckyMD

    Thank you PJD for a great recap. I share many sentiments of yours. I’m glad that you and your friend had a good time.

  • Gigi3

    Thanks for the recap! My experience this year mirrors yours in many ways. I’ve watched AI casually most seasons but have never voted or cared who advanced. This year I voted for two hours each week, and for four hours (although I mostly got busy signals) during the finale. I still can’t believe I did that. Not my style AT ALL.

    I don’t regret a single minute of it! It has been a joy and pleasure to support Adam this far.

  • anthrogeek

    Yes, to everything you said, PJD, and I’m so glad you got to go! Would be interested to know whether your friend C is now a post-concert Adamite, as well, in the sense that she feels compelled to go back and try to recreate all that she has missed so far, or is she content with being a fan going forward?

  • pjd

    Thank you for the kind words everyone. It looks like the last little bit of the recap was left off (probably just a cut/paste mistake). I’ve let MJ know via email, but here is the last bit:

    DSB: The group number was OK. It actually started out well with the pianos but was pretty weak in the middle and at one point it seemed like someone forgot to sing! It definitely improved when Adam & Kris came up to the stage. It was a fun ending, but not anything to get excited about.

    As we left the arena, C thanked me for bringing her and said she had a great time and was really happy to have come to the concert. She also said ‘OK, now I understand why you’ve been going on and on about Adam’ . The next morning I noticed that she had posted on her facebook, ‘now a fan of Adam Lambert after seeing him in concert.’ 

    C’s favs were Adam, Alison, Matt & Scott. My favs were Adam, Matt, Alison, & Anoop

    I took some photos during the show, but my little point-and-shoot camera wasn’t really up to the task. There are plenty of much better photos out there. I did not take any photos or tweet during Adam’s set ‘“ I just totally forgot about doing either. Clearly, the Alien hypnotized me!

  • Cate

    pjd, thanks for the recap and thanks to C for making the concert happen for you! Glad to hear you reinforce all the good things others have said about Adam. I think he makes us happy bc he is so obviously happy to be doing what he is doing.

    About parking at the arena — would you have been uncomfortable if your friend hadn’t accompanied you?

  • leeaundra

    I liked reading your recap, pjd. I, like you, love almost all music except rap, hip/hop and most country (although there are some female country performers I can listen to). My music collection is a mish-mash of almost every other genre.

    We only differ in that I do like Kris (Adam and Allison). I understand if he’s not your cuppa – you don’t have to apologize. You tried and you get cool points for that. :cool:

    ETA: I am so glad you were able to corral a friend to go with you. I kind of wish I had made the trek, if only for the second act.

  • http://www.wholisticbirthways.net austinmidwife

    Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I really agree with everything you said about Adam. So many of us do. The joy he expresses in performing combined with his ability to sing his passion into our souls is a powerful concoction. It is intoxicating. Everything about him makes me happy too. It seems so silly, but there it is.

    I remember the night you were trying to decide to go to the concert. I’m pretty sure I was one of those who chimed in. I too drove a bit to get there. 200 miles from Austin to Dallas. Worth every minute.

    I’m glad you found a friend to go with you. It’s almost always better to experience a live show with a friend.

  • adamland

    pjd – I was so happy for your when you posted that you had found someone to go with you to the concert, “C” was a trooper and now a converted trooper! I really enjoyed your recap.

    Having mostly ignored AI since it’s inception I tuned in to Season 8 of AI during Hollywood Week on a fluke and was multitasking when Adam appeared on screen – he had me at that moment. When he opened his mouth to sing I was a goner forever.

    I’m just so happy to read about people who had basically the same reaction to Adam on t.v. and live.

  • adamaloha

    For me, a big part of my Adam love is that he just plain makes me happy. Listening to his voice makes me happy and for some reason, watching interviews and such with him also makes me happy

    This is what Adam does for me. I am happy. Can’t stop smiling.

    Loved your recap and agreed with everything you said. I, too, have tried to get into Kris’s music… just cannot do it. I will have to be content with liking him as a person.

  • Adamme

    Great recap! Thank you PJD. I’m so glad that you’re able to go see him and had fun. An experience you’ll never forget. Actually all this Adam journey (for me since SF audition) is a really great experience I’ll never forget. Couldn’t wait for his single, album and tour.

    Luv you’re so sweet, I too like Kris less than many people but not more than you do.
    I like Kris as person and that’s because of Adam, not his voice or his music. I tried though, but I just can’t.

  • pjd

    I am curious whether you intend to watch Season 9 of AI next year and whether you intend to buy any of this season’s Idols’ albums?

    I doubt I will watch AI again – I may turn it on and see if anyone interests me, but most of the show wasn’t that interesting for me. The judges were mostly annoying and all the filler was dull. I mostly just watch the performances and was usually doing other stuff at the same time.

    I will certainly buy Adam’s album – I have bought everything else of his that is available (except Want)! I would have even bought Want if the LoFi guys weren’t so scummy. I will possibly buy Alison’s (and Matt’s if he has one). I will probably make yet another attempt to like Kris’ music when his album comes out and if successful at that, I would buy it.

    Would be interested to know whether your friend C is now a post-concert Adamite, as well, in the sense that she feels compelled to go back and try to recreate all that she has missed so far, or is she content with being a fan going forward?

    I think she will be mostly a “from here forward” fan, but she did ask to see some photos (I emailed her some links on Thursday). When I saw her yesterday she told me that although he always looks good, she likes the Elvis look best. She also asked me what his boyfriend looks like :) Her job involves going to movies to report on the trailers/promos/ads and stuff for the studios, so I told her about 2012 and she will be listening for anything Adam.

    About parking at the arena ‘” would you have been uncomfortable if your friend hadn’t accompanied you?

    We had an amazingly good parking place – only a couple rows from the building and right by the buses and trucks. Had I known I would get that good a spot, I would have been fine. However, it is a HUGE lot and the outer parts are pretty remote and I didn’t feel the lighting was that good. I think I would still be uncomfortable going there alone since I wouldn’t know in advance where I would end up parking.

  • tired_terry

    Loved the recap. I went to the concert in Atlanta. I was mesmerized throughout Adam’s set. I can’t imagine anyone being able to tweet or take pictures during his set. I had a hard enough time breathing. When it ended it was like I had been jolted awake in the middle of a wonderful dream and all I wanted to do was go back to sleep so I could pick up where I left off. :grin:

  • Sherena

    Listening to his voice makes me happy and for some reason, watching interviews and such with him also makes me happy. By the end of Adam’s set, my face hurt from the huge smile I was wearing. The happiness is intensified live.

    I know right? I always get a huge smile on my face whenever I watch Adam vids. I don’t notice until they’re done and then I feel my muscles relaxing and I’m like wow, I was smiling this whole time? Smiling makes you live longer too!

  • alxsavage

    Loved your recap PJD! It’s really interesting to read how other Adam fans got into him. I thought he was going to be S9′s David Cook since I saw his audition, so he became an early favorite of mine, my one and only favorite after MJ week.

    I love good melodies and the artist’s voice is really important to me.

    The same thing happens to me. The voice is what really grabs me, what makes an artist special to me. I guess that is why I can’t like Kris either, it is his voice the one thing that keeps me from liking him, I just don’t like the way he sings.

  • AuntTine

    Enjoyed this account of the show – I too drug my Non-Idol friend to see the concert in Minneapolis – over 250 miles for us driving up from Iowa. Just wanted to say if you are worried about the age demographics at the show – don’t be – just get your tickets bought and go! We saw all age groups in attendance, and while it was mostly female, plenty of guys of all ages too. The gal that came in with her husband and sat by me mentioned right away how glad she was to see us. We did not feel out of place at all. As Allison says (along with Pink) So What! I’m with you PJD – it’s great to be 13 again and excited about someone as amazing as Adam. Haven’t felt like this since the Beatles, and honestly, never thought I would.

  • Winks8

    Thanks for your recap PJD, I can identify with much of what you said.

    I’m curious about why you didn’t take your 10 year old son, who’s an Adam fan, to the concert? I know you agonized over going…. but it seems like you had a great potential concert buddy right there. (Maybe I’m out of touch with 10-year old boys… and they aren’t really AI concert fans.)

    Thanks!

  • pjd

    I’m curious about why you didn’t take your 10 year old son, who’s an Adam fan, to the concert? I know you agonized over going’ ¦. but it seems like you had a great potential concert buddy right there. (Maybe I’m out of touch with 10-year old boys’ ¦ and they aren’t really AI concert fans.)

    If it had been a weekend concert, I would have taken him! However, Wednesday night during the 1st full week of school didn’t seem like a good idea. He doesn’t function at all without a full nights sleep!

    He is also very sensitive to loud noise so he wasn’t sure he even wanted to go after seeing the youtube videos…

  • FifthHouseSun

    …I was thinking ‘This kid is nuts…

    There was a lot of that going around. Satisfaction?? Plenty people thinking: Suicide mission, possibly slightly mitigated by it being his “mother’s favorite song”.

    …Listening to his voice makes me happy…

    Lot of that going around, too.

    So glad you went, pjd. And that you took the time to recap. Thanks.

  • Sveta

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings.
    I’m struggling to love Kris music too. I know that I wouldn’t have noticed him if he wasn’t pushed forward by some force on the Idol’s show and if he wasn’t always near everything that happens to Adam. I’m sorry but that’s the truth.

    Now.. I know that there are some good things about Kris. When he sings his sound kind of rolls back and forward a little, making those lovely gurgling melodic variations, bumps, nuances, texture which kind of color his performance more, make it more individual, nicely groomed. Folk singers do that.

    His arrangements of some songs (“Ain’t no sunshine”, “Heartless”, “She works hard for the money”) are lovely, well balanced, in a very good taste. If he did them all by himself, then it is very respectable, very admirable.

    I don’t mind his manner to dress on stage, his manner to perform at all. Singing is more important after all. One can deliver a song without moving and gesturing IMO.

    But that’s the thing… his singing is not perfect as I see it.

    Almost every time I watched him he does some lapses. Sometimes he couldn’t reach the note and made weak, unattractive sounds instead, sometimes there is too much struggle to deliver and it takes enjoyment away. Overall he just makes me sorry for him that he needs to prove something for someone. He doesn’t look relaxed to me, always aware of next step and need to overcome it.

    He is limited unfortunately by his nature. The other sad fact he is not open enough. He wants to be respected and maybe this makes him to be so careful in what he does and says. I have this air of awareness and certain uptight demeanor about him. He has a high form of “unagi” the term Ross introduced in “Friends” :) .
    Maybe it comes from the being in unknown territory, showbiz.

    But in the same time I feel that Kris is very ambitious and I’m sorry but a bit delusional about himself and his friend Adam. This conclusion came from how he described why he won: that his music appeals to a bigger audience. I understand that it is hard to see clearly in this crazy show and it is hard to see big things from up close… but really how can he not see the difference? Adam doesn’t struggle when he sings, it looks like free long wanted flight. This should tell him something.

    I think though that Kris might become a significant song arranger with time. He has a good sense of balance and music harmony IMO.

  • lizziegs

    Thank you for the great recap. My feelings exactly, down to the numerous attempts to like Kris (I still haven’t made it through one youtube of Bright Lights!). I have spent much time struggling to explain my Adam addiction, and have ended up with the exact same conclusion – he just makes me happy, nothing more complicated than that! Long may it continue…

  • lizziegs

    deleted

  • cher

    So glad you ended up going PJD. Wasn’t Adam so worth it? I told many people that liked him on the show, but didn’t go to the concert because it was an hour away on a workday, that he was superlative in person. Now they’re sorry they didn’t go. No real words could describe that otherworldly feeling when he was on stage.
    I convinced my sister to go the 2 hrs to the Hamilton show (she forced her husband to drive lol) and she thanked me profusely after for talking her into going. All the other idols are good in their own way. Each one has their dedicated fans. I like them all, but Adam’s just beyond amazing. Kris is not a showman, but he’s an intense musician. I appreciate his dedication and he’s very likeable. However, I prefer showmen like Matt and Adam. I like feeling excited and happy at a concert. Good overall group though.

  • Winks8

    If it had been a weekend concert, I would have taken him! However, Wednesday night during the 1st full week of school didn’t seem like a good idea. He doesn’t function at all without a full nights sleep!

    He is also very sensitive to loud noise so he wasn’t sure he even wanted to go after seeing the youtube videos’ ¦

    Makes perfect sense… thanks PJD,
    I know it wasn’t any of my business… but I was curious to hear from your perspective. I had considered taking my 10 year old nephew (who I had taken to Daughtry/Bon Jovi) but honestly felt a little funny about it becaue of my Adam OTT-ness. :grin:

  • crazylady

    Ditto to everything pjd wrote about Adam. The boy is just hypnotic! I wasn’t an Idol watcher either until I saw Adam and haven’t been able to take my eyes off of him since – whether it’s a video of a performance, an interview, at the barricades – just doesn’t matter. I doubt I will watch Idol next year; just won’t be the same for me. However, I will tune in when/if Adam appears near the end of the season. Wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity to him. Once the tour ends, I hope there will be some interview when he’s back in LA – maybe with Extra, Access Hollywood (since Laura Saltman loves him!), etc. Trying to figure out how to get my life back after this concert tour ends and there’s not daily Adam news!

  • ianaleah

    Wow, I have mcuh in common jw you. I had tv on, background noise only and heard the mentor Fandy travis saying he didn’t know what to think jof this boy (adam-country night- Ring of Fire) that got my attention, I thought the comment was closed minded- so I watched and became mesmerized by Adam and still am. This talented kid made me feel free. brought out my inner teenager, made me feel good and still does. I swear I think his voice ahs healing tones, and by co-incidence- my energy-healer holistic friends all love Adam too.Anyway, although I hate driving, and crowds- i went to the concert only to see him, and i also wanted to hear Kris live though. neil Diamond was a fav of mine and I do like Kris’ voice, and his way of making the songs more intimate and personal than the original artists. I enjoy all his expressions and feel his connection to the music when i watch him. Like going to see Elvis one month, then Neil Diamond the next month I love this two. and add Janis Joplin (Allison Iraheta) in there too for the third month. These three.But,here’s the thing, I never really knew what a fan was till Adam. I buy every magazine that has a photo or article on him, read every blog, article on web etc-never before have I done this. And i love this kid in interviews, admire him greatly and feel a protective instinct about him-yes, weird, but that is how it is. I think he si the best singer in decades and decades and his performances are great. I am actually listening to music as badkground again instead of tv or talk radio- and my former co-workers (nurses) are all feeling the very same. Adam has great taste.his album will be wonderful, and I can hardly wait.I hope they release the song he did for the film ’2012′ soon. ok, enough, I get excited about Adam Lambert and I have to learn to stop yapping.

  • crazylady

    ianaleah–

    I’m with you; I, too, feel a very protective/maternal instinct towards Adam. Glad to know I’m not the only one! When I go to the grocery store, the first thing I do is check the magazines for articles, pictures – anything! When he didn’t win Idol, I was like “What do you mean my kid didn’t win?! What’s the matter with you people?” I’m so pathetic. I desperately want him to be sooo successful in his career and in love. He wants both so much. Glad I have all of you to “chat” with. None of my friends understand my passion about Adam! Their loss!

  • prospectfarm

    PJD: Thanks for posting the recap. Your ‘background’ is very similar to mine (although I’m a little older) I have not been an avid follower of anyone before. Like you, AI this year changed that for the same reason. Every once in a (great) while, someone comes along who completely changes the game – currently I believe that is Adam for the music/entertainment industry. One thing I found interesting when I saw him live is the almost palpable projection of “realness” – nothing phony, forced, self-absorbed etc. I was stunned that it was so overwhelming – has anyone else, including you, felt that???

  • carmine2008

    But in the same time I feel that Kris is very ambitious and I’m sorry but a bit delusional about himself and his friend Adam. This conclusion came from how he described why he won: that his music appeals to a bigger audience. I understand that it is hard to see clearly in this crazy show and it is hard to see big things from up close’ ¦ but really how can he not see the difference? Adam doesn’t struggle when he sings, it looks like free long wanted flight. This should tell him something.

    He said this in the hope that people didn’t vote for him simply because they hated Adam, that it was all about the music. Idealistic of course, but this shows me that in the midst of all the conflicts and arguments, he wants to see the good in all the people. I admire that in him.

    He does see the difference and he has acknowledged that in past interviews, but he is secure enough in his capabilities not to be daunted by it. Admirable indeed.

  • tired_terry

    crazylady

    I alternate between feeling maternal and pedaphillic. I am a granny and this young man sometimes make me wish I were his mother and at other times makes me want to be a young gay guy. But all the time, like the rest of you…he makes me feel happy. Maybe it’s even more simple than that. He just makes me FEEL…..

  • Sveta

    I read it differently, but still if you are right he hoped and thought the victory was about music and his music was more appealing. The tour said it is not.

  • crazylady

    tired_terry

    I hear ya. I’m 60 and I, too, sometimes I wish I were his mother – or something! I know he’s gay but I do wish some sweet young woman could know the joy of having Adam be in love with her. Guess that won’t happen unless his bi-curious nature ever gets resolved! Ha!

  • tired_terry

    He said this in the hope that people didn’t vote for him simply because they hated Adam, that it was all about the music. Idealistic of course, but this shows me that in the midst of all the conflicts and arguments, he wants to see the good in all the people. I admire that in him.

    He does see the difference and he has acknowledged that in past interviews, but he is secure enough in his capabilities not to be daunted by it. Admirable indeed

    This is what I got from that interview as well. He said on multiple interviews that he hoped that his win was about the music.

  • Sveta

    And then he said he doesn’t want to know the distribution of votes. How do you think it makes him look? What if it was cheating? Does he want to at least know? That’s information about him. He preferred to take the title. I understand. It was a hypothetical question anyway (if he wants to know). But I don’t think it was noble intentions, it was a pragmatic decision or it was a delusion. the second: that’s what I prefer to think.

  • ross

    And then he said he doesn’t want to know the distribution of votes. How do you think it makes him look? What if it was cheating? Does he want to at least know? That’s information about him. He preferred to take the title. I understand. It was a hypothetical question anyway (if he wants to know). But I don’t think it was noble intentions, it was a pragmatic decision or it was a delusion. the second: that’s what I prefer to think.

    I think you may be having a few delusions, yourself. No offense. Kris is the American Idol winner. For about four months now. The only people disputing it are some fans of Adam who can’t accept reality. Just my opinion.

    He preferred to take the title. I understand.

    The only thing I can make of this is that you think he should have refused the title??

  • isisdagmar

    And then he said he doesn’t want to know the distribution of votes. How do you think it makes him look? What if it was cheating? Does he want to at least know? That’s information about him. He preferred to take the title. I understand. It was a hypothetical question anyway (if he wants to know). But I don’t think it was noble intentions, it was a pragmatic decision or it was a delusion. the second: that’s what I prefer to think”

    .

    I think you may be having a few delusions yourself.

    Well said, Ross. Seriously, neither Kris nor Adam is delusional or Machiavellian. And it’s not worth going over, but neither of them cared about the vote totals because it didn’t matter–however the winning happened, Kris and Adam are both getting plenty of attention and making records, which is all that matters.

    oh, and ross, I responded to what you said in niks’ recap, and I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

    On a saner note: PJD, no need to feel badly. Plenty of people don’t like Kris or Adam or both, and that’s just different tastes in music and the mysterious nature of our connection, or lack thereof, to various artists. :)

  • Sveta

    That’s your fair right, ross, to think that and I support you in this :) . But why he didn’t want to know? :) . Is it good as it is? ;)

  • ross

    You don’t understand Kris at all, in my opinon Sorry. I think you’re reading things into his comment he never intended. I assumed he meant he didn’t want to know because he was embarrassed he won. NOT because there was something fishy about it but because Kris is just that way. He’s honestly not comfortable with competing. If you ever get the chance to learn more about him you’ll never regret it, he’s a fantastic person.

  • Sveta

    Why he would be embarrassed if he won by a bigger margin of votes ( there is another interpretation of this phrase though). He should have been proud if more people voted for him and I would love to know how many people :) .
    And if he won by mess in counting votes, would he still like to keep this title? is it fair to his friend Adam? or is it Adam’s problem :) ?

  • Sveta

    Heh I read your first response.
    Well I think Kris Is a great person. He showed great qualities of his personality and behaved delicately in ambiguous situation. But… doubts about this victory still float in my mind. I wish I knew results of the voting.

  • Sveta

    My dear ross… it still doesn’t explain why he didn’t want to know how votes were distributed. It is interesting information to know. That’s useful information to know. Marketing useful you know?

  • zzatrms

    PJD …. I’m so glad you got to the concert. I loved your recap. I have read and enjoyed all the recaps.

    I started to watch AI because a granddaughter raved so about her friend Anoop. The first time I watched was MJ week. Anoop was good, but I was hooked by Adam. Two weeks later, on Motown Week, as AI was about to start, our whole neighborhood lost electric. A daughter had come for dinner and to watch Adam. We checked into a motel so as not to miss Adam. We made sure they got FOX. Kind of sad isn’t it.

    Each week, as if it was possible, Adam just kept getting better. I sat there entranced. Mad World made me cry. My favorite Slow Ride was the first one they did. I loved when he came out and gave Allison his beautiful smile and at the end when he took off his glove to put his arm around her.

    I have since read and heard everything possible that is Adam. I love all the recaps. No sense trying to express how Adam makes me feel …. many of you have already said it. :)

  • LeeTravers

    To tired-terry, crazylady, and ianaleah:

    Adam’s mother said his coming into the room was like sunshine entering. I think that’s what many of us feel when he comes onto the screen. This is an extraordinary gift that Adam has been given. It makes him unforgettable.

  • Susan M.

    Adam’s mother said his coming into the room was like sunshine entering. I think that’s what many of us feel when he comes onto the screen. This is an extraordinary gift that Adam has been given. It makes him unforgettable

    Wow, Lee Travers, I’ve never heard that quote before. It makes complete sense.

  • Susan M.

    pjd, I’m so happy you ended up going!! Sounds like you had an amazing time and your experience with Adam so echoes mine. I’ve watched AI peripherally here and there through some seasons (don’t think I saw a single show during Carrie or Fantasia’s run – to my loss, where Fantasia’s concerned).

    Because of a family funeral and being stuck in a motel room in Tucson, I saw an audition round in January (Bikini Girl episode ‘“ YEESH!!), but a couple people piqued my interest, so I thought, maybe I’ll try to get into it this year. I saw a smattering of Hollywood week and there were a couple of more people I liked.

    I ended up watching group 2 of Top 36 night pretty intently, trying to keep track of the 12 (a format I hated). Just when I thought I had the whole situation figured out (think I even wrote them down, so I’d remember), they introduced the last contender (I had not seen ANY of Adam before this).

    WTF?

    I threw my scorecard into the air and went, “Well scratch off my other number one. It’s not even close. This guy is un-freakin-believable.” By the time he was tearing up after BoW, I was gone. You’re right. He just makes you happy. And protective. And inspired. And passionate. And excited. And amazed. And bemused that why in the hell am I even feeling this from this person? But then again, why am I questioning it? People who don’t get it, wow, it’s too bad, because it’s incredible feeling.

    I adore Kris and Allison and enjoy Matt very much. I’m really glad you went and had the opportunity to experience Adam for yourself. He also reawakens your passion for music as well, doesn’t he?

  • Truthiness

    I’m so glad you got a chance to go and it was a good show for you and that Adam seemed to have been in fine form. And cool about your friend becoming converted, yay! And for reasonable priced seats and good location? coolio!

    Well I’m a Kris fan, but not everyone has to be, definitely sounds like you did try and keep an open mind and even are to his album, so that was really very cool of you.

    And yeah, Allison does it seems need to work on some thing, but luckily she’s got time on her side to do so. So I hope she just continues to improve as a performer and singer as she gets older.

    Oh and cool to hear that Matt continues to impress people. I hope he gets something in his future beyond that hosting/web gig.

  • Lynne

    I have never heard that quote from Adam’s mother. Do you know where it comes from?

  • Grammie Kari

    Thanks for a great recap!

  • http://mjsbigblog.com honowoowoo

    Happy and SO envious of you! Seeing Adam perform live! Can’t wait for his solo tour!

  • justjude

    Thankyou for your re-cap and your warning of bias. Cool you made an
    effort
    Like you, ,, I have ,strangly enough, absurbly eclectic tastes in music rangeing from some Opera(mother was a contralto)On the gene spin…you gets what you gets and all her children lost the lottery. Love folk, jazz, blues to JJCale to early rock .I adore some of the new singer songwriters (Duffy,) Love many of our female rockersand love good R’n B and even the newer electro pop.!
    I am, also made very happy by the ADAM. He has had me grinning ear to ear and he has, sometimes brought me to tears( Play that funky music white boy to A change is gonna cime)
    GO KRADISON and MATT!!!!!!
    I’m pleased this nice kid has put his Mom on his team…. She will help him, I believe keep perspective!!!
    If you already read this post?…. I would like to apologise!!! My lesson learned is to never post after I’ve taken my sleep sedative!!!

  • carmine2008

    it still doesn’t explain why he didn’t want to know how votes were distributed. It’s interesting information to know. That’s useful information to know. Marketing useful you know?
    And why he would be embarrassed to win if he is secured about his own singing?

    Its not up to him whether the number of votes is going to be released or not. The burden of proof is not up to Kris nor is it Adam’s. TPTB chose not to release the exact figures. In the end, it didn’t matter, both of them got a record contract that is assured only to the winner.

    For me, his embarrassment does not denote a lack of confidence in his singing. That’s just the way he is. Humility is not directly proportional to insecurity.

  • carmine2008

    And then he said he doesn’t want to know the distribution of votes.

    If my memory serves me right, neither did Adam. So, why the fuss?

  • Kath77

    PJD, are you me? Because you must be my life twin. Same. Exact. Experience, down to our ages and musical tastes.

  • Sveta

    Carmine, that’s why I wrote it was a hypothetical question to him from a journalist. Still it is a very interesting reaction. He doesn’t want to know. That’s not my interpretation, that’s a fact.

    Adam didn’t say anything, but he didn’t say that he doesn’t want to know, so that’s open for interpretations. I remember that he replied earlier to someone that it is not gonna happen… (recount), and this has a different meaning than if he didn’t want it to happen. He probably doesn’t want it because it will change a lot of things. You guys can have your own opinion, you are entitled , but facts remain facts.
    Plus there is some damage from this story: credibility of the show and growing cynicism.
    And there is no fuss, that’s discussion.

  • ravengirl

    pjd, I thoroughly enjoyed your review. More than that, I am so happy you got to go to the concert. I remember reading about your plight and hoping that somehow everything would work out — and it did! Every Adam fan deserves to see him live.
    I share your experience and feelings about Adam. I try to explain it to my non-AI friends, which is just about all of them (snobs), how this is more than just some silly crush (I’m 52, for chrissakes), that Adam has something almost magical about him, that his talent surpasses pretty much everybody out there currently. I listened to the Grand Rapids vids this morning and once again was blown away, although I’ve seen him live now and watched pretty much every video there is.
    Love how your friend “converted” and how she queried more than 30 people around you at the concert!

  • pjd

    Thank you to everyone for all the kind comments! I really debated whether or not I should do a recap and I am so glad now that I did.

    Like others have mentioned, I don’t have any other Adam obsessed fans as friends. Finding all of you here at MJ’s has been wonderful. (I tried a couple other places and felt rather out of place – Yes, Adam is gorgeous, but entire threads devoted to his body parts sort of weirded me out a bit :) ) For some reason, I feel a little less insane knowing that there are others with similar stories!

    I had a difficult time writing the section about Adam and trying to put my feelings into words. When I finally just wrote that he made me happy I thought everyone was going to think that was really lame … it has been wonderful to read so many of you picked up that particular section and agreed. Thank you!

  • carmine2008

    Adam didn’t say anything, but he didn’t say that he doesn’t want to know, so that’s open for interpretations.

    Yes he did. Try watching some of his post-idol interviews. He did say he didn’t care.

    but facts remain facts.

    Your statements are not facts, they are merely speculations.

    And there is no fuss, that’s discussion.

    Most people are already over this. You seem to be not. Hence the term “fuss”.

  • Circe

    PJD: Really liked your description of the effect Adam has on you, and also Susan M’s words on the same subject. Beautiful.

  • Kate8

    I enjoyed your recap and after seeing Kris in concert, I like him better but still didn’t feel he should have beat out Adam, Allison or Danny. I think being the so called frontrunner is often not reality, usually the darkhorse is actually kind of being pimped. For one the Dialdom data doesn’t include text message votes as I understand, so you really can’t tell who is the frontrunner. A frontrunner has not won in the past four years. As for pimping well Kris got alot of praise also and Adam and Danny did get some criticism as well. Alot of people surveyed that felt Danny or Adam were the frontrunners weren’t going to vote for them since they had other favorites mainly Kris. It became clear Adam was not the real frontrunner and being so pimped starting Jazz week. Being asked to choose which group you belong in is a major game, you can’t win whether you choose a group or don’t. It was interesting too during the final four week and on when eliminating Ryan made it clear they weren’t being eliminated in any particular order, but Kris was never the one standing with the person who was to be eliminated. He was always sent to safety first. Danny the person standing with Allison when she got eliminated and got eliminated himself the following week. Adam was standing with Danny during the week three eliminations and got eliminated the final week. I also found it extremely rude all the mention and even Kris and Adam being told by an interviewer all Danny’s votes would go to Kris instead of Adam and Kris would win. Danny’s style was no closer to Kris’s than Adam’s.Another thing I noticed in the final three week Kris was given a current song by the judges Danny and Adam weren’t. Also there was a sound issue with the backup singer during Adam’s Crying performance.

  • ShariG

    Thanks for the warning. I didn’t read all of your recap, particularly the Kris part because I am a big fan. I was at Rosemont too and was very happy for all of the love Kris got from the fans. It was an Adam friendly crowd, but the cheers for Kris were loud and long and this Kris fan very much appreciated it. I thought he absolutely brought it in Chicago. He sounded and looked great. I had second row seats but spent the entire show standing in the corner next to the stage. It was great fun to watch the show from that vantage point. I loved the songs he did not sing on the show the best, perhaps because I have played all of the downloads from the show so many times it was fun to hear him sing something new. I was prepared for a let down after Adam’s theatrics, but honestly didn’t feel a let down at all. Every set in the second act was completely different and had an individual concert feel. That is part of the beauty of AI for me and I have been a fan for all 8 seasons (well, maybe excluding season 6). I love the variety. This year I particularly loved that Kris just did his own thing and did it superbly in spite of all of the attention that Adam generated. Rosemont was great fun. My only disappointment was that Kris did not come out after the show and I couldn’t get there from work in time to see him before the show.