Review: ‘American Idol’ alumnus Matt Giraud sharp, confident in West Michigan performance
GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP — It was Matt Giraud’s biggest show to date, the first one he booked back when he was entertaining arenas all over the country on the “Idol” live tour.
With 1, 220 fans — including dozens who had flown in from all over the country, Canada, and even one uber-fan from Denmark — packed into Forest Hills Fine Arts Center for a night of jazz, pop, and blues Mattie G style.
What’s remarkable about Giraud is his comfort level onstage. As he sat behind the baby grand piano for the intimate first portion of the show, it was hard to believe this was one of his first major solo concerts.
“It’s like you guys are at my apartment and I’m serenading you, ” he said.
And that’s what it felt like as Kalamazoo’s pride and joy crooned “My Funny Valentine, ” “Have a Little Faith in Me, ” “You Found Me, ” and “Human Nature.”
More Idol Headlines After The Jump…
Ithaca College Vocal Group To Make Appearance On ‘American Idol’
ITHACA, NY — Ithaca College’s all-male a cappella ensemble — appropriately named Ithacappella — will make two appearances on national television in the coming weeks. Performances by the group will be seen on the Wednesday, Feb. 3, broadcast of the number one Fox Television show “American Idol, ” and on the Monday, March 1, airing of the CBS daytime game show “The Price is Right.”
Ithacappella will be shown on “American Idol” as part of a montage of performers doing their takes on the Internet sensation “Pants on the Ground.” If you haven’t heard — or at least heard about — “Pants on the Ground, ” you haven’t been paying attention to popular culture. After the January 13 episode of the show featured a contestant singing his original composition, the song went viral. Within a week the video was viewed more than five million times on YouTube and versions were being performed by everyone from NFL quarterback Brett Favre to late-night comedian Jimmy Fallon.
Hangin’ With Hudson for…$5, 000?!
Anyone selling tickets to hang with people like Jennifer Hudson and Carrie Underwood on Saturday night at Clive Davis’ legendary pre-Grammy party?
Well, ya better not be!
Why? Read on to find out.
Because you’re not supposed to!
I just got word that an ad on Craig’s List is offering what it claims are two tickets to the soiree for a whopping $5, 000.
Lambert tickets going fast
By 12:30 p.m. Friday tickets for “American Idol” runner-up Adam Lambert’s Fantasy Springs Feb. 27 concert were selling at brisk pace.
By the end of the day, ticket sales were approaching sell-out status.
Lambert is the “American Idol” contestant who lost out to Kris Allen in the May finale of the show, but since has charged ahead of his competitor when it comes to popularity.
By 7 p.m., more than 1, 400 tickets had been purchased and the resort’s hotel had no rooms available for the night of the Feb. 27 show, according to Fantasy Springs public relations manager Ciara Green.
“And the calls are still coming in from around the world, ” Green said in an update.
Nielsen report shows the ‘American Idol’ impact on music sales
Nielsen Media Research has a fascinating new report called “The Impact of Television on Music Consumption.” Naturally, it includes a lot of information about American Idol. Some of the more interesting tidbits in the report:
• A performance of a song on American Idol has a positive sales impact on the original for eight weeks after the performance.
• American Idol contestants have sold 42 million albums over the past 6+ years; two acts (Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood) have accounted for 19 million of those sales.
Nielsen Media Research has a fascinating new report called “The Impact of Television on Music Consumption.” Naturally, it includes a lot of information about American Idol. Some of the more interesting tidbits in the report:
• A performance of a song on American Idol has a positive sales impact on the original for eight weeks after the performance.
• American Idol contestants have sold 42 million albums over the past 6+ years; two acts (Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood) have accounted for 19 million of those sales.
Bonus SoundScan numbers!
I found some extra download data from Nielsen SoundScan in my inbox today, so I thought I’d pass it along to you. It’s heavy on Carrie Underwood, since some of you recently asked for updates on some of her singles. Plus, I’ve got the latest on Danny Gokey’s and Allison Iraheta’s singles, as well as a few other odds and ends. Enjoy!
Susan Boyle lined-up to sing for Pope
London: Susan Boyle would be singing for the Pope when he visits Scotland in September.
Simon Cowell’s brother Tony, 59, a close friend of Susan, said The Britain’s Got Talent star, 48, was the obvious choice to entertain him, reports The Daily Star.
Susan is a devout Catholic and still attends mass as often as she can.
The crooner admitted that the opportunity to sing for the pope would be a “dream come true”.
Reality Flashback: Nigel Lythgoe’s Feminine Side
So You Think You Can Dance judge Nigel Lythgoe has often sternly criticized male dancers for being “too effeminate, ” demanding that the boys on his show come across as rugged and masculine at all times. But Nigel is anything but manly in some campy, recently resurfaced U.K. Christmas special footage from 1984.
The rare clip features Nigel, at the time a 35-year-old choreographer and producer, goofing off with Irish pop singer and three-time Eurovision winner Johnny Logan during a run-through of a TV musical performance. Nigel appears to be jokingly standing in for Johnny’s female singing partner during the taped rehearsal, and he certainly seems to relish the role, hilariously hamming it up to the max during his bizarre love duet with Johnny.
Mia Michaels: Why I’m Returning to So You Think You Can Dance
Three months after announcing her departure from Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, fan favorite choreographer Mia Michaels is back — at least for one episode.
Opting to leave the show after five seasons to pursue other opportunities that include penning a book and developing a choreography show, Michaels returned to guest-judge season 7’s New York City auditions Jan. 26.
But her prolonged involvement as a SYTYCD judge and choreographer remains a mystery.
“We’ll see…I’m taking it day-by-day, ” the Emmy winning Michaels told UsMagazine.com of her plans for additional appearances on the series. In her time away from the show, Michaels says she has still indulged her passion for motivating and teaching dancers.
