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July 13 East Rutherford, NJ Idols Show

MaryS’s Recap

Little observations pre and post show: New Jersey traffic persistently sucks. If you’re going tonight, you should leave yourself plenty of time to get there. I had reserved parking but ended up in the general lot – it’s very confusing – or maybe I just have a bad sense of direction…

I realized while I was driving up that I hadn’t seen a concert at Continental Airlines Arena (f.k.a. “Brendan Byrne Arena”) since I saw George Thoroughgood with the J Geils Band concert back in… 1981! I think that officially makes me a fossil. I guess that’s why I was surprised that people were tailgating in the parking lot. Most concert venues I go to don’t have parking lots.

In addition to many little girls wearing bootleg pink Idol shirts, there were some great homemade shirts! I’m really impressed by other people’s creativity of which I have none. The souvenir stands were mobbed and moving very slowly. The bathroom lines were long and moving slowly. If you’re claustrophobic, I would suggest avoiding the lobby during Intermission. We tried twice to buy stuff before the concert and at Intermission without success.

The little kids seemed to love the giant PopTarts and the…uh, PopTart wranglers (heh) and trailed around after them. They were like little breakfast pastry Pied Pipers. Hee! There was a little dance stage where the kids were doing those dances that kids do – Cotton Eyed Joe and that other one with the stomping that I can never remember the name of. There were people doing karaoke… really, really badly. The guy selling programs was wearing ear plugs. I don’t blame him.
People were getting free pics taken of them in front of Idols posters, and seriously, if the traffic hadn’t been so bad and we’d had more time, I would have done that. I suggest doing it if you can.

We had seats near the stage (section 7, row M) and a great view of everything! I bought the seats the day before the concert from Ticketmaster AT FACE VALUE even though I’d already purchased other tickets during the pre-sale that weren’t as good. Regrettably, I wasn’t able to sell the other tickets to recoup my costs. Oh well. It’s expensive being a fangirl, but it was worth it to be so close to the stage.

I’ve heard complaints about acoustics at other venues, but I thought they were pretty good here. The band did not drown out the vocals and were awesome!

I’m not sure if it was the motion of the performances or the lighting, but most of our pictures were blurry. Now, maybe it was our digital camera, or operator error (in my case) but my daughter takes good pictures usually and she had trouble. Anyway, maybe video would have been better.

And now…ON WITH THE SHOW!

All the set lists are the same as have been reported in other recaps, so I’ll give my overall thoughts on the performances.

Mandisa – She’s thinner than I remember her being on television and I think she’s lost weight. That was the first thing my daughter said. She’s radiant and was wearing a bright red, sophisticated silk top with capri jeans. I thought she looked lovely. She seems extremely comfortable and happy to be on stage, very gracious. She had the girls (and women) in the audience on their feet for “I’m Every Woman” and her duet with Ace was very tender and charming. She got a warm reception from the crowd.

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People were getting free pics taken of them in front of Idols posters, and seriously, if the traffic hadn’t been so bad and we’d had more time, I would have done that. I suggest doing it if you can.

I’ve heard complaints about acoustics at other venues, but I thought they were pretty good here. The band did not drown out the vocals and were awesome!

And now…ON WITH THE SHOW!

All the set lists are the same as have been reported in other recaps, so I’ll give my overall thoughts on the performances.

Ace – I never thought much of him when he was on the TV show. I have to say, I was impressed by his singing on stage. My 10 year daughter, a true-blue Soul Patroller like me, said “Ace looks GOOOOD.” His little strip tease made me giggle a little (I’m pretty jaded and it was cornball) but the girls ate it up. At one point he struck a pose that reminded me of Jesus Christ Superstar… I can’t really explain it, but it made me think that Ace might have a future on Broadway. I really liked his Maroon 5 number–my daughter LOVED it. He has lots of good energy and stage presence. He did a little “Peter Pan” leap that got the girls screaming. He tosses a beanie into the audience to more squeals. Very entertaining! On the whole, he got a warm reception from the crowd, with some enthusiastic fangirl squeals and screams thrown in for good measure.
Lisa – I’ve always thought that she was a very sweet YOUNG performer with a lot of potential. I still feel that way. Of course, she’s just cute as a button in jeans and a sleeveless top and mass a curls. But to me, she seemed nervous and my maternal instincts clicked on worrying about how this experience might be too much for her. Her voice was light and airy and she was a bit “pitchy” [/Randy]. She looked so tiny up there on that stage. I love that she loves Elton John, and she seems at home at the piano. When “her best friend” Paris joined her on stage, she seemed to instantly relax and enjoy her performance. They were very cute together doing Waterfalls and have great chemistry together. Lisa got a warm reception from the audience.

Paris – I continue to be impressed by how big and powerful her voice is for such a petite girl. I loved her Midnight Train to Georgia, but I understand why some folks have been disappointed with her performance. The last number was…interesting. She was trying to work some dance moves into it, and I think it would have worked better for a woman older than her, but as Paris has done in the past, it was a bit “precocious”. I get what she’s trying to do, but I think she needs a few more years before she can sell those moves. She seems to have fun though and was warmly received by the audience and made a point of shaking hands with the fans down front which was nice.

Bucky – I have always liked Bucky’s personality and looks and he’s one of those guys you want to root for. He was wearing “classic Bucky” – Rockabilly style shirt, jeans and boots. He put on his hat for Drift Away and the fangirls cheered! I have not always thought much of his singing. I wanted to like his singing in this, but I’m sad to say I was a bit disappointed with his set. For some reason, his version of “Superstition” seemed like the longest version of that song ever. It went on… and on… and on. He seemed out of breath when it was done. He was pitchy in Drift Away, but I will say he had that one great little GROWL that made my inner bad girl shout out “Oh yes, growl at me Baby!” completely spontaneously, which horrified my Daughter who pretended she didn’t know me. Ahem. Had she not been horrified by that little outburst, I’m sure I would have made more of those comments during Taylor’s performance – LOL! Anyway, Bucky got a warm reception from the crowd and a lou!
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Lisa – I’ve always thought that she was a very sweet YOUNG performer with a lot of potential. I still feel that way. Of course, she’s just cute as a button in jeans and a sleeveless top and mass a curls. But to me, she seemed nervous and my maternal instincts clicked on worrying about how this experience might be too much for her. Her voice was light and airy and she was a bit “pitchy” [/Randy]. She looked so tiny up there on that stage. I love that she loves Elton John, and she seems at home at the piano. When “her best friend” Paris joined her on stage, she seemed to instantly relax and enjoy her performance. They were very cute together doing Waterfalls and have great chemistry together. Lisa got a warm reception from the audience.

Slight digression here… I wonder if some people are intimidated by people from NY/NJ or something, because he seemed pretty nervous. Maybe the crowd reaction wasn’t what Bucky was expecting… by and large I thought the crowd was pretty subdued – no bad behavior (like booing or heckling) and warm receptions all around but less enthusiastic than I would have expected. It may be just my opinion. It’s been a long time since I’ve been an arena concert like this. The people on my right were the quietest I’ve ever seen at a concert like this. If they had a favorite, I couldn’t guess. I think they stood a couple times only because they wouldn’t be able to see the stage otherwise with everyone standing around them. They clapped politely for everyone. They took pictures. They seemed to enjoy themselves. But otherwise they sat stoically. I’m very emotive, so I wasn’t sure what to make of that.

The teenaged girls to my daughter’s left were obviously Chris fans. They sat there rather bored for most of the concert, and I figured they’d be bonkers for Chris’s set, and they were – for his first couple numbers, when they got up to take pics by the stage, but then slipped into “Too Kewl for School” mode again for the duet with Elliott. I guess I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be a teenaged girl.

Anyway, Kellie was in black leather, long hair extensions. My daughter loved the glittery eye make-up. She’s curvier than I remember. Her voice was better live than I remember on the show. The men were hooting when she took off the black leather jacket and showed off the strapless red bustier. I’ve seen her on several occasions recently on TV where she’s been delightfully cute with her banter. However, her banter seemed a little forced and she seemed to lose her thought in the middle at one point. I don’t know if it was nerves or being tired but she did her best with it. We’re a tough crowd, I guess. Still she received a warm reception with some enthusiastic hoots of approval from the fanboys in the audience.
INTERMISSION – Chaos reigns in the lobbies as mobs try to buy tchotchkas and food or take bathroom breaks. I did have some fun and illuminating conversations with the fellow queuers, and here’s where I met the Grandmotherly Taylor fan with the little Taylor button pinned inside her Chanel purse and the two giddly American Idol fanboys, both men in their thirties I’d say. Considering the mob scene, everyone was really quite polite and having a good time.

I want to add that there was a very sweet girl in the concession stand (pre-show). We went to buy food, having come straight from work (and camp) and having failed to get to an ATM before my arrival at the Arena, I was a little short of cash. The girl taking our order reached into her tip can and took out 50 cents to pay for the rest of my order. I did find another Buck hidden in the pocket of purse which I then stuffed into the tip can, but small acts of kindness deserve mention. I wish I’d gotten her name.

Back to the show…

DAUGHTRY – Wild cheers and applause at the start! There was a very enthusiastic response from the audience, and no surprise there. His is the “ROCK” concert portion of the show and it felt like it. Chris was dressed as usual. Dark t-shirt, jeans, wallet chain. He looks shorter or smaller in stature in person than he does on TV. Chris’ set was just excellent! His voice, his guitar playing, the fact that he does Bon Jovi – love our Jersey Boyz – really played well with the audience. He came down to the front rows to shake hands and people rushed the stage. His duet with Elliott was my favorite, and I was surprised that the response, while enthusiastic, wasn’t as wild. He tossed a guitar pick into the audience before leaving the stage to squeals of delight.

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INTERMISSION – Chaos reigns in the lobbies as mobs try to buy tchotchkas and food or take bathroom breaks. I did have some fun and illuminating conversations with the fellow queuers, and here’s where I met the Grandmotherly Taylor fan with the little Taylor button pinned inside her Chanel purse and the two giddly American Idol fanboys, both men in their thirties I’d say. Considering the mob scene, everyone was really quite polite and having a good time.

Back to the show…

Elliott – I think Gray Charles said ‘keep it simple and just enjoy’. I pretty much have to agree with that. Elliott is diminutive – I knew that but seeing him live, it’s really true. Grey short sleeve button down shirt and trousers, very classy! His voice is classy too. I loved his set! The Yaminions loved his set. The audience was enthusiastic, but I was disappointed they weren’t more wild for Elliott, because I was. It may be the difference between ROCK and jazzy R&B audiences, or something… I dunno. Anyway, Elliott mentions that his Mom is in the audience. Polite applause but I was disappointed by that too because I cheered wildly. Elliott’s Mom rocks! Anyway, I loved the Luther. LOVED the Moody’s and then he called his Boys back on stage… Chris, Ace and Bucky join him, Bucky and Chris with guitars. More fangirl squeals!
Chris steps up to the mic and announces that Katharine can’t be here because she has laryngitis and dedicates the next number to her, to polite applause. Okay, now I was BLOWN AWAY by these guys. It is obvious that they have genuine affection for each other and really love to perform together. The interplay of their voices is fantastic. Everyone was spot on vocally and it was Bucky’s best vocal performance, IMO. The Katharine Montage flashed on the screen and there’s a smattering of cheers and clapping (I mentioned some of the other reactions I’d heard about Kat’s absence it in the lobby and I won’t dwell on that here). Wonderful performance! Chris tosses another guitar pick into the audience before leaving the stage.

The girls do an abbreviated version of their performance from the finale. They seem to have a good rapport too, but it’s not like with the boys. It was cute – but looks like filler, I’m sorry to say.

Then…

Cue “Jailhouse Rock” and Taylor’s voice is everywhere. I knew this was coming but my daughter stood up on her chair over my objections to try to see where he was coming from… and she fell off. Kids.

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Chris steps up to the mic and announces that Katharine can’t be here because she has laryngitis and dedicates the next number to her, to polite applause. Okay, now I was BLOWN AWAY by these guys. It is obvious that they have genuine affection for each other and really love to perform together. The interplay of their voices is fantastic. Everyone was spot on vocally and it was Bucky’s best vocal performance, IMO. The Katharine Montage flashed on the screen and there’s a smattering of cheers and clapping Wonderful performance! Chris tosses another guitar pick into the audience before leaving the stage.

Then…

TAYLOR came down one side – all the way at the back of the floor then crossed over to the other side, shaking hands as he went. Enthusiastic cheers from the audience! He makes his way to stage. He was wearing the SNAKESKIN BOOTS! Squee*! (* This may be the fangirly part of my recap), the lavender shirt (from the People Mag shoot), the black shiny jacket that he wore when he performed ITG in the finale and dark jeans. As I had known from seeing him at the Morning Show taping, Taylor is both thinner and more muscular than he looked on TV. He’s also incredibly handsome. He fills the stage like none of the others, both because he’s a tall, strapping guy and because of his charisma. He’s electrifying! Hollywood Nights had everyone on their feet – especially us 40-somethings. The audience was pretty enthusiastic for the whole set although I will admit that I was disappointed the audience reaction to “Don’t Let Me Down”. I think he may have been too, because he said “Are you still with me out there?” Anyway, I thought it was just amazing! DLMD was the one song that was stuck in my head this morning when I woke and on my way to work. What can I say but that I was BLOWN AWAY by his whole set. Taylor puts seems to put every ounce of himself into his performances, in motion, playing, singing using his whole body as an instrument. He seems at times to be in a trance or something when he gets in that zone where he’s connecting with the music. I called him the “Energizer Bunny” in my earlier post, and he really is. This was his best version of LFTC yet, and he changes up DIMYP every time to make it different. He dedicated it to the troops. The girls in the audience were singing along with it screaming and cheering enthusiastically when it was over.

My maternal instincts kicked in at this point and I started worrying that Taylor will burn himself out doing that 6 nights a week. They call James Brown “The hardest working man in Showbiz.” I think Taylor could give him a run for his money now. I hope he manages to get some downtime after these shows. He must have been exhausted.

The Encores… Taylor does TITTS with his usual abandon and leaves THIS fangirl practically panting! I just love to watch Taylor when he does that. His harmonica was KILLER! Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! Taylor shouts out to the band and there’s much applause from the audience.

We are the Champions – Ah… cheesy goodness! I think there were pointy poses but we had a camera glitch so I’m not completely certain.

Living in America – Taylor joins the others and there’s more cheesy goodness. Taylor thanks everyone and shouts out all the Idols, and it’s a Good Night.

My silly fantasy about meeting Taylor and possibly getting an autograph were completely abandoned by the time I hit the lobby. It was late and my daughter likes to go to bed early and was already tired about half way through the second half, and to get up for camp in the morning. We spotted the last souvenir stand still open (and mobbed, of course) bought some souvenirs and went on a long hike to find our car.

I’d love to hear from any folks who got to the Meet and Greet.