Okay, bloggers. This is my first concert review, EVER. I’m a 47-year-old stay-at-home mom of three who still dabbles as a professional writer. I scoffed at all things American Idol until I happened to catch David Cook singing in the first couple of weeks of Season 7, and I’ve been a complete Idolooney ever since. Yes, I’m happily married to a (sadly, non-musical) perfectly wonderful man, but I have to say I think I’d run off tomorrow to slurp off the sweat from Cookie’s brow if I thought he’d ever have anything to do with a woman of my advanced age.
Okay, let’s keep this G-rated for our younger readers.
I’m a rocker chick from the late 70s and early 80s, so I think you know that automatically puts me in the LEE DEWYZE camp. No surprises there. What DID surprise me tonight at the Columbus Ohio concert was how well EVERY ONE of this year’s media-slammed Top 10 did. I mean, these kids have been given a bum rap by everyone since at least late February, but I have to hand it to them – they put on quite a show tonight.
My poor, beleaguered husband has been dragged to AI concerts for the past three years; this year, we left the kids behind (they’re 10 and 8 now), and he said he enjoyed it way more WITHOUT them. Duh!
Hubby is a big DiDi fan. She looked gorgeous (although I cringed at her hot pink shirt and orange-hued brown leather boots), and sounded pretty darn good. Have to say, the AI producers should force next year’s Number 10 AI finalist to sing a little something more UPBEAT to start off the show!!!! It was a bit on the dull side, but my 45-year-old hubby certainly lapped it all up. I’m thinking DiDi should hang around Hollywood for Pilot season and she might catch a break there….
Andrew Garcia, in the number two spot, was only slightly more upbeat. Dude probably needs to get better fitting pants, as well. Enjoyed his version of “Straight Up, ” but have to admit he’s probably not going to make it as a singer; the guy really doesn’t seem to have much range.
Katie Stevens really wowed us… She definitely had the funnest graphics backing her up all night. She was also the first of the AI-ers to really get a boost from the backup singers, who are FABULOUS FABULOUS FABULOUS. Her dress was just plain awful (remember, this is from a 47-year-old), but she still looked stunning. Really came across as a talented singer. I hope she catches a break from some studio and lands a contract. She was my hubby’s favorite performer from the first half, and I have to say I can’t completely disagree with him there.
Tim Urban, in my husband’s awe-stricken words, was astoundingly not terrible. Hubby was a Tim slammer all season, but I have to hand it to Teflon Tim – he sounded AWESOME in person on stage, all amplified up and everything. Hey, I’m a former musician, and I say he actually sounded GOOD. Yes, I am saying Tim Urban killed it tonight – especially on the Coldplay song he winded up his set with. He looked good, but what is it with these young men and wearing pants that are so loose??? Man, get some better fitting jeans! We middle-aged women want to see some BOOTY!
Siobhan Magnus came out looking stunning and sounding stunning, but I hate to admit it got old quick. Maybe it’s because she hits the notes SOOOO hard, but it was very obvious when she missed a note. Don’t get me wrong – She’s a very talented musician, but I’m guessing she had an off night, because there were some pitchy problems, DAWG! Of course, I have to admit I didn’t get to hear/see her entire set, because I got a phone call from home – and thinking that it was an emergency call from my babysitter, raced up 40 sets of stairs from my great seat in “B” row to take a phone call from my eight-year-old daughter asking me if we had any rice at home she could eat.
Really, my life is not to be believed.
We are out of rice, BTW, if you care to know.
After Siobhan, of course, comes Aaron Kelly. Now, I’ve read all the hype about how great he has been in concert, and I have to say I was a non-believer. His eyebrows really creep me out, as does his wide-legged stance and his hip thrusting moves (he’s only 17!!!). However, the young man wore heeled cowboy boots AND in my opinion outsang the rest of his first-half buddies. He did an awesome job, and really worked the stage (in a good way). Props to him. The hubby and I had a brief conversation during intermission, whereas said hubby said he thought Aaron was a better singer that “the other David” (Archuleta). Don’t know if I agree with him on that, but I DO hope that some country music label gives Aaron Kelly a break as well as a recording contract.
Following intermission, of course, was Big Mike, Michael Lynche. He looked great and sounded great. It was all greatly…. A bit on the boring side. Don’t get me wrong; I was a big Mike fan (no pun intended) from the start, but I have to say, he just did not get the crowd caring all that much. He has a terrific voice, but is a bit too nasally for me. I’m sure I’ll get hate mail as a result of this, but there you have it. I was bored.
As expected, the crowd actually found their feet when Casey James came on stage with his gorgeous self and his ultra gorgeous electric blue guitar. I loved Casey from week one (I’m a sucker for tall men in cowboy boots – see my previous D.C.-related comments). Now, I admit, he’s not the strongest singer in the bunch, but man that guy can play a guitar! The crowd in Columbus certainly enjoyed him, but not as much as I expected them to. I’ve seen him do interviews where he is Mr. Ultra Personality, and I think he needs to bring some of that to his performances on stage. Does anyone out there know if he’s nailed a recording contract yet???
I have to say American Idol’s voters got it right when they voted in Lee and Crystal as the final two. I don’t know they’re really the STRONGEST vocalists (or if the AI tour producers just amplify them the best), but they certainly came out sounding the clearest and strongest live on stage tonight.
Crystal looked amazing when she came out; the crowd certainly LOVES their Ohio girl! She did amazing, and my husband was ALL about Crystal. She’s his favorite, and he now says he will go out and buy her album. I’m not all that folksy, but even I can appreciate how well she sang tonight and how lovely she connected to the audience. I’d love to be able to go to the Toledo concert next month – I bet that will really be a special night for her and all the attendees, as well.
Lee, my man, Lee. Gosh the guy is NOT tall and does NOT wear cowboy boots, but damn If I don’t love him anyway! He by far chose the best music of all the AI finalists. He rocked it out, looked like he loved EVERY MINUTE of the concert and sounded just awesome! I have to say his voice is just a perfect fit for rock music. He did, however, sound (and look) a lot younger in person than he did on TV. The crowd loved him – he got (nearly) everyone up on their feet. “Beautiful Day” was gorgeous and I wish he could have recorded tonight’s version for his first single. I wish I could download tonight’s performances by Lee on my iPod and use them for the soundtrack to my life (there’s probably a way to do that, but I am 47 after all and have very few technological skills). “Hallelujah” was something I had been looking forward to hearing/seeing in person, and he did not disappoint. At one point, my husband stopped me and asked, “Just how many pictures of Lee are you going to take, anyway?” (Answer: A LOT.) Favorite Lee song and favorite AI Tour song this year? “Use Somebody.” It was WORTH WAITING FOR! On a side note, Lee broke a guitar string near the beginning of his last song, but he handled it well, bouncing around stage like nothing bad happened.
Group numbers were ALL much, much better than I expected, especially “The Climb.” That really surprised me, and I’m hoping that the AI producers read this and can figure out what made it better than all the crappy group numbers that they put on TV this past season.
So, all you Idol fans…. If you haven’t run out and purchased your Tour tickets yet, run out and do so immediately. It was a wonderful evening, and it’s not just the three beers and the time away from my kids that is talking here!
Till January!
