Checkout Brittney’s recap…she hung out at the barricades after the show.
***
Hello all! First off, I’d like to apologize for the late-ness(?) of this recap. I went up north to my neighbor’s property and had a nice relaxing time, away from nearly all technology. Now, I’d like to give some background information on myself. My name is Brittney – I’m 17 years old, and heading off to college this fall. I’m going to Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI (20 minutes out of Grand Rapids), and I plan on majoring in Film with emphasis on Screenwriting and Directing, with a minor in Creative Writing. I’m an avid MJ’s Big Blog reader, and a periodic commenter. This is the second tour review I’ve written, and this was my 5th Idol Tour (S4, S6, S7, S8 and S9, respectively). I cannot get enough of Idol no matter now cliché, no matter how manipulated/rigged it may seem I just need my fix of it.
This year I picked Lee DeWyze as the overall winner in the Office Pool the mere second week of competition. Yes, the very second week, while we were still in the Top 24 set-up. Mind you, I’ve picked the runner-ups every single year except for Season 1 (I picked Kelly) and Season 5 (Daughtry was my pick then). But seriously, I picked Clay Aiken S2, Diana DeGarmo S3, Bo Bice S4, Blake Lewis S6, David Archuleta S7 and Adam Lambert S8. I seriously thought I was cursed. No joke. And I never in a million years thought that after Chasing Cars that he was going to be the winner, but I believed that he could very well be the runner-up, which of course was my forte! Haha. So when he started gaining momentum and eventually snatched the crown from the very early front-runner, Crystal Bowersox, I was in shock, elated and pumped to check out this tour. Sure, the competitors hadn’t been as strong as in years past, but if I’ve learned anything from watching the previous 8 years of Idol and attending 4 shows, it’s that the contestants are infinitely better on the tour than they are on the show – even the ones that were already fantastic.
Anyway, onto my review, which is sure to be long-winded – I mean, just look at my intro! – but I promise to try and give my best opinion on each and every contestant, and outline each detail that I remember from the experience of the first show on the 2010 Idol Tour! Hope you enjoy.
My day started out at 8 am, because I had asked my good friend Baron to go out to breakfast with me to talk. So, I drove 15 minutes to pick him up, we went out to eat and had a great time! I then dropped him off and was starting to get super excited about the tour. I headed home to change my shirt, get my assortment of items together, run to the bank, and then I had my dad drop me off at my friend Elizabeth’s house – he didn’t want me to take the car because I was going to be gone all day. Now, Liz is the person I went with to the tour last year, and she’s my concert-buddy. We go to a bunch of Idol-related concerts together. Actually, we’re going to the Adam Lambert concert in Lansing on the 13th! Okay, I must stop getting sidetracked; otherwise this thing is going to turn into a novel.
So, we left her house around 12:45 and snagged Subway for lunch. Then, we got the tires checked to make sure we wouldn’t die on the way there, and finally, we were off! Now, last year, the Idol Tour was at the Palace of Auburn Hills, the same venue that this year’s was located. Last August, we had absolutely no problem arriving at the Palace, and actually made it in record time. Something must have changed this year; maybe graduating made us lose our sense of direction? I honestly don’t know. What I do know is that we were terribly lost, extremely flustered and worrying a bit too much. We even stopped at a gas station to obtain some sense of direction from someone inside. Though, even with the help of a nice lady, we were left to fend for ourselves and attempt to pull out of the obscurity that the city we were lost in brought us. Eventually, after winding around the back-woods country roads, and gallivanting through some random city, we were on track to the right place and ended up right on I-75, luckily only now 15 minutes from the venue! Whew. I cannot express how relieved we actually were. It was just a huge weight lifted from our shoulders.
Liz and I arrived at the Palace of Auburn Hills around 2:20, and we proceeded to head to the box office to buy our tickets. They ended up closing down the upper level, so we got mid/lower bowl for $40.50. Quite a deal if you ask me! We were one section from being adjacent to the stage, so I was completely fine with that. After we got our tickets, we ended up heading to Culver’s for a snack before 4, which is when they generally allowed people to start parking.
So, at 4 we headed over to the Palace again, and we reluctantly paid the absolutely absurd $15 for parking. Really, is that necessary? I’m assuming that’s where they make a shit-ton of money. That’s just… dang. Well, we got prime parking (yes, being an Idol Junkie has its perks!), then grabbed our purses, pictures and other belongings and headed over to the crowd of people that had already formed in front of the West Entrance doors. Some said that the Idols were supposedly coming out for an interview with Fox 2, which seemed utterly ridiculous, and others said they were doing a meet and greet there. But from our experience with the venue, Liz and I moved down to the side with the windows, closer to the tour buses where we had seen the Idols walk by and met Matt Giraud last season. Because, chances were, they were talking about the official ‘sign n’ slide’ meet and greet, and the interview idea was so far-fetched that we were willing to dispel any rumors and go with our gut.
We met a couple of really nice people along the way, and just did what Idol fanatics know how to do best – wait. And wait. And wait. Eventually, around 4:45 I believe, we were sitting on the stairs, and we hear someone say, “Oh my God, is that Casey?!” Almost instantaneously, we all turn around and run up the stairs (there were about 8-12 of us at this point), only to be greeted by some of the Idols through a set of glass doors! Andrew and Lee had their video cameras, and I’m pretty sure I’m on both videos. We also saw Tim, Casey, Crystal, and a few others. We spent a couple minutes silently communicating through the glass, and then they were tugged away. It was a nice little treat for the few of us that were just patiently waiting right there. Then, we all move over to the giant glass window that they have to walk by for the meet and greet and by then a large group and formed. Not long after, they were all walking by and Lee got another video of us waving and yelling “Hi!” inaudibly. Then, it was back to the waiting game.
At around 5:45, someone saw Lee walk from the venue into the tour bus. So, instinctively, we all run over to the tour buses. We were then forced to congregate on this one ‘island, ’ and wait for him to come back out, because, really, he had to at some point! Liz and I suddenly were super excited. Maybe we were going to actually meet someone before the show! We made friends with the security guard, Nathan, who was pretty much awesome. He was sarcastic, joking and really was just having fun with us. We tried to get him to put barricades up and such, but it wasn’t working. We were supposed to be “trustworthy” while standing on the island; which, of course, caused chaos to ensue. People were screaming randomly, and a few of us were calming people down. I actually threatened to “vote people off the Island” Survivor style to people who were going to mess up the entire situation. It was quite entertaining while we were waiting for Lee to come out. After a bit of waiting, we caught a glimpse of him, yelled, politely, “hi!” and then he disappeared once again. Shortly after, he was escorted by some security back into the building and we did our thing: waving, smiling, picture-taking. It was, again, a nice treat before the show. Liz and I decided headed into the venue after that and get settled into our seats.
I ran to merchandise before the show and purchased a Lee t-shirt & a Lee headshot, Liz got an Aaron headshot, and then we went to our seats, which were fantastic for buying the day-of and for the cheapest price. The commercials and such were pretty much just as bad as the looping music videos from last year, but I was happy to have caught Kris’ LLWD video and Allison’s FIBOU video! I love those two. Anyway, the Palace slowly filled and then the show kicked off with…
Didi Benami was first and she was actually quite good. Her voice was solid, and I really loved her tone and this kind of, quirk she has to her. She connected emotionally with each song and was definitely psyched to be there. She squealed on stage, was a total sweetheart and just was a very good singer. I really enjoyed her. Though, I feel like I would’ve enjoyed her set a bit more if it were later in the show. It just wasn’t a set that got the crowd going – which is unfortunate, because she was good. But I guess she really couldn’t do anything about it. That’s the order of elimination and she was forced to go first. Either way, I enjoyed her.
My favorite song from set: “Terrified”
Next was Andrew Garcia whom I liked on the show, but slowly started to dislike by the way he was just so buried in the lack of good song choices. But let me tell you, he was absolutely fantastic. His voice was strong, powerful and he commanded that stage even while standing pretty stagnate on one side. I absolutely loved his set, and I wanted him to sing more. He’s my kind of singer; someone who’s very chill, relaxed and just out to have a good time. And his set did actually get the crowd started a bit more, mostly because it seemed like everyone knew the two songs he chose more so than Didi. Again, I really did love his set.
My favorite song from set: “Straight Up”
After Andrew was Katie Stevens. Now, I’ve never really been a fan of Katie, and I wasn’t expecting her to be good. During her first song, I began feeling pompous in my judgment; because I thought it was, honestly, terrible. I just wasn’t a fan of the song choice, or the way she sang the song. I know she was trying to come across as ‘young, ’ ‘current, ’ and ‘marketable, ’ but it just fell flat for me. And then I heard her pre-empt her next song by talking about being a fighter and staying strong. I was not looking forward to this song, which after the first, I had though would’ve been too big for her to handle. But she actually surprised me… a lot. She sounded brilliant on the second song. Absolutely amazing, she was. I figured that this night was going to be full of surprises after that. Though, the words on the screens behind her distracted me through her song. Ah well.
My favorite song from set: “Fighter”
Tim Urban was next. Mmmmm. That man is some eye candy. <3 Hahaha. Whoops, that was my non-formal teenager coming out in me. Everyone knows that he was the laughing stock of the Idol season, progressing each week unswervingly, picking obscure songs and arranging them in a crazy, messed up way. But, all Idol-thoughts aside, he was actually… good live! I know, it’s a huge shocker. I’m one who will be critical of singers and musicians openly, and I really didn’t like him on the show – at all. But I thought that he commanded the stage and the room in a way I didn’t really think possible for Tim, and he sang songs that I could see him recording and releasing as his own. He overall did a really nice job and I was very, very, pleasantly surprised. The audience was eating out of the palm of his hand.
My favorite song from set: Actually, I liked both “Better Days” and “Viva La Vida” equally!
After Tim came Siobhan Magnus. Oh man, what to say about this girl… I, like Andrew, liked her at the beginning of the show, but began to lose interest as she began to lose herself and sense of self in the theme weeks. But she knew exactly who she was that night! She was dressed in this crazy tutu/punk rock ensemble that represented her whole-heartedly, while also singing songs that matched her style to a T. It was just an extraordinary (I’m running out of adjectives, here!) set. I heard a little blunder on some of her high notes, but nothing super noticeable. Actually, most of her intensely high notes were quite in tune. I really liked her arrangements and she really got the crowd going. Everyone was into it, including Liz and I.
My favorite song from set: “Paint It Black”
Aaron Kelly. Oh, Aaron Kelly. Liz was here for him, but I can tell you that I most definitely wasn’t. Again, not a favorite of mine from the season, but I knew he had a voice in him. Maybe I resented him because people always assumed that I liked him because I love David Archuleta, I don’t know. All I know is that I really didn’t care for him on the show, and when I heard that his set was 3 country songs, I wasn’t very happy. Y’see, country music is not my favorite. Even after his set, I still thought the same thing. I thought that he had a great voice, very strong, pure vocals that filled the room; the genre he performed just wasn’t my thing. Don’t get me wrong, he was good – very, very good. And everyone seemed to love him. He just isn’t my cup of tea.
My favorite song from set: “Fast Cars and Freedom”
Group song! I had no idea what this song was, and I, of course, expected it to suck. It was the bottom 6 performing, and that song is usually mediocre at best, with the exception of last season. But I was very, again, surprised at how awesome “The Climb” sounded! I really wanted to hear it again. I adored the setup of the 3 on guitars and then the other 3 joining them and them all walking up together. The harmonies sounded great and it just came together quite nicely. I really enjoyed it.
Intermission time – not much happened, nothing too exciting. Back to the show!
Michael Lynche. My mom loved him on the show, and I really wasn’t a fan. I’ve never really cared for the tone of his voice, it just rubs me the wrong way. I can see that he is a technically sound singer, and is quite professional as my mother always said, but I’m just not a fan. Usually after tours, I have a newfound appreciation for the artists on the show, and I do appreciate Big Mike, he’s just not my style, kind of like with Aaron. The crowd did go crazy over him, though. Everyone was dancing and singing along, it was nice to see. Even though the audience was downsized from past seasons, it was nice to see everyone still really into the Idols. And he really did seem thankful to be there. He is a genuinely nice, spectacularly talented guy, that’s just not my favorite.
My favorite from set: “My Love”
Next was Casey James. I really liked his set, but I found that his guitar playing almost outshined his singing. I feel like he’d be a good front man of a blues/rock band, even a guitar player/backup singer. I could never see him marketed as a solo artist, though. It was a loud, totally different set compared to Michael, and well, pretty much everyone else in the show, but it was kind of cool to get a different vibe. We needed some diversity. Because while everyone else was really good, most of the bottom six Idols had the same type of genre/songs they were tackling, so it was good to see it switched up a bit. He really was good, though. I can see how he got so far on the show.
My favorite from set: “Don’t”
Crystal Bowersox, Bow-er-sox!, Mamasox, whatever you call her, she is freaking BRILLIANT. Beyond amazing, she was words can’t describe her set. I was a fan of her on the show; she was my second favorite, actually. She blew the roof off of the Palace, I swear to you. She was so humble, down-to-earth and sweet. Everything you imagined she would be. Her entire set represented her in the best way possible. Every single one of her songs she put her signature mark on. I loved every single minute of it. I honestly can’t praise her enough. I don’t care if people disliked her dress, I don’t care if people disliked her for that matter. I know that she was fantastic and probably one of the most appreciative people to be on that stage. I loved her to death, honestly.
My favorite from set: “What’s Up”
Lee DeWyze!!! Man, I was looking forward to his set more than anyone’s. Like I had mentioned way earlier, he was my favorite this season. I loved seeing him because more comfortable and get out of his shell. Let me tell you, the difference from the beginning of the season to now is staggering. I really, like Crystal, don’t have enough positive things to say about him. He was such a different person, he had such a different aura about him. It was as if he was just there to entertain, and wasn’t worried about anything in the world. It was as if he was simply performing his favorite songs for people who absolutely adored him. He definitely got the greatest response from the crowd (with Crystal coming in a close second), and I was part of that crazy response. I was whooping and hollering, hoping that he would loosen up even more and just have the time of his life. And judging by his reaction to the audience, he definitely did. I personally thought his set was fun, exciting, surprising, exhilarating and most importantly, it sounded unbelievable.
My favorite from set: “Hallelujah” and “Treat Her Like A Lady” and “Use Somebody…” Oh, who the hell am I kidding? I loved his entire set!
Now that the show was over, it was time to rush over to the barricades and wait it out for the Idols, who were sure to come out after their very first show. I mean, how could they not?! Elizabeth and I practically ran out of the Palace to the tour buses, where we were greeted by several hundred people already lined up. We surprisingly snagged a spot right in the front of the gate and right at the start of the line. It was starting to get real cold, real fast. That’s Michigan for you! It’s 90 degrees one day, 50 the next. After about 20 minutes, we saw Crystal walking over from the venue to a limousine or vehicle of some sort to greet people. We figured she had a lot of family coming to this show, so she wanted to visit. Everyone screamed and waved; she obliged by waving and yelling back, and then headed inside. Approximately 45 minutes passed when a wave of screams and cheers were let out as Andrew walked over to the line to begin signing things and taking pictures, it was a huge relief to know that the Idols (or at least some) were actually coming out. He made his way through the line, and slowly more Idols came outside. One by one they all exited the venue and came to us. Every Idol except for Crystal actually made it out to sign things, and I got autographs/pictures with 7 of the 9 that came out – the only two I missed were Katie and Aaron, which really wasn’t the biggest downer ever.
So, to wrap up this novel I have written, Tim was beyond gorgeous in person and super ridiculously nice, Didi was the sweetest person I have ever met in my entire life, Siobhan was just as you would expect, Lee seemed flabbergasted at the amount of people there, Casey and Big Mike were incredibly sweet, Andrew was the most chill person, and from what I saw of Katie and Aaron, they were both cute and very happy to be there. We got out of there around 12:15 AM, which is when the Idols were dragged away into the buses to head off to their next location. Meeting the Idols – who were some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met – was one of the best toppers to a great night. I really had an absolutely fantastic time (dang, I’ve really ran out of descriptive words) and I hope I illustrated that for you in my review. And if you got through that all, you deserve a cookie for real. <3 Thanks, everyone! (:
