Idol Headlines for 07/06/09

The Tour Opens – Live from Portland

For millions, or tens of millions who watch American Idol only on television the Idols Live tour is an afterthought to the game. The journey from audition to finale is a complete arc, with from which each year one or maybe two emerge alive to continue straight to the very last stage – pop super-stardom.

But for the stars of American Idol, the past is merely prologue and life began today in Portland, Oregon when free of the competition, of being pitted against each other, of the judges cold glares and Angel of Death Seacrest’s icy embrace, it is at last just about the music and performing for an audience. And a fantastically vast audience, filling the Trailblazers arena with uncontainable enthusiasm.

LA Times

Idol Headlines after the JUMP…

Adam Lambert, Kris Allen Hit the Stage Again as American Idols Live Tour Kicks Off in Portland

Goth kids, soccer moms and diehard Idol junkies ‘” including one superfan with Clay Aiken’s autograph tattooed on her shoulder ‘” packed Portland, Oregon’s Rose Garden last night for the inaugural performance of American Idol’s summer tour.

The two biggest stars of the show ‘” winner Kris Allen and runner-up Adam Lambert ‘” embraced what endeared them to millions of fans throughout Season Eight. ‘Glambert’  was out in full force, with tight pants, his otherworldly wail and a tribute to the original rock androgyne, David Bowie. Wrapped in a plaid shirt and a pair of jeans, Allen kept it simple and real, embracing the stripped-down soul sound that elevated him from dark horse to worthy champion.

Rollingstone

American Idol’s Top 10 Live Tour kicks off in Portland, Oregon, stops in Los Angeles on July 16

The 50-city Idols Live tour kicked off on Sunday at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. Each finalist got a solo set, from 10th place finisher Michael Sarver to winner Kris Allen.
The three-hour concert was a combination between songs from the tv series and material picked for the tour. The set boasts a 42- by 18 foot video-screen backdrop as well as four smaller screens, each receiving separate signals.

Examiner

Allison Iraheta, please work with Stevie Nicks, Johnette Napolitano. (For real!)

A couple weeks ago, I wrote a blog item encouraging Adam Lambert to collaborate with Madonna on his debut album, and in the interest of equal time (and equal love) I’ve been pondering dream collaborators for American Idol season 8 colleagues Allison Iraheta and Kris Allen. We’ll get to Kris later this week, but for now, let’s mull Allison, one of the most exciting female rock voices to score a major-label deal in recent memory.

Entertainment Weekly

Pop music review: Disney Channel star Demi Lovato thrills crowd at Superpages.com Center

The 2008 American Idol runner-up, wearing a red-white-and-blue-checked shirt that evoked a patriotic-farmboy feel, displayed exactly why he vaulted so high in the Idol stratosphere. His pure, strong pipes were in perfect form throughout the set, which included his hit “Crush, ” as well as an a cappella version of “Como La Flor, ” which he sang as a tribute to the late singer Selena.

The audience jumped and screamed for the squeaky-clean Archuleta, who seems to have found a perfect home within the Disney universe. No, he doesn’t have a sitcom, but he was on that other hit show way back when. That, judging by the fans’ reaction, seems to make up for it.

Dallas News

Kellie Pickler: traditional country music on the upswing

More traditional country music seems to be on the upswing as of late, and I have to give a very big, very thankful shout-out to American Idol, for introducing all of us to Kellie Pickler . Staying true to her fans and the music near and dear to her heart, Kellie rockets onto the scene with the disc bearing her name, and she establishes herself as a possible future player in any radio-friendly marketplace. This is one GREAT spin!

JOnline

From stolen album to stolen hearts … This Idol’s in heaven

WE WERE supposed to be talking about his spotlight role in “Grease” (opening tomorrow at the Academy of Music), or maybe his current album, “The Distance, ” or maybe his tell-some memoir, “Heart Full of Soul, ” which recounts the guy’s rise from a humble Alabama childhood to the Season Five winner on “American Idol.”

But the morning I caught up with Taylor Hicks was a sad one. Michael Jackson had died the night before, and the shock hadn’t worn off. First, we had to grieve.

Philly.com

L.A. braces for a crush of mourners for Jackson memorial

LOS ANGELES ‘” Legions of Michael Jackson fans learned Sunday whether they had been granted one of the 8, 750 pairs of free tickets for the pop superstar’s memorial service Tuesday. The event is expected to tie the downtown area into a knot of fans, traffic, celebrities and media outlets.

Organizers urged those who did not receive the lottery-drawn tickets to stay away from the downtown Staples Center and the Nokia Theatre next door, which will host the event; a police perimeter will be set up for blocks around the venues. Officials recommended that fans ‘” who filed 1.6 million requests for tickets on the Web ‘” watch the service on TV.

USA Today

ETA:

Lambert, Iraheta Get Pumped for American Idols Live’s First Gig

Kris Allen looked visibly uncomfortable in the hours leading up to the American Idol tour’s kick-off show in Portland, Oregon. But it wasn’t because of nerves. ‘I just really have to pee, ‘  he said, hoping for a well-deserved break in the midst of a series of interviews. (Read our report from the Idols tour’s first show here.)

The Idol winner and his nine companions were feeling more pumped than apprehensive about the show. After all, they’re playing for fans now. ‘You don’t have the whole judge thing, the cameras aren’t in your face, ‘  Allen said. ‘You’re just playing for the crowd and you can feed off that energy.’  ‘You’re nervous on the show because you have these four guys who are going to tell me how much I suck in front of so many friggin’ people, ‘  added Allison Iraheta, the season’s youngest Idol. ‘With the tour, I know there are a lot of people out there who voted for me.’ 

Rolling Stone

EXCLUSIVE: American Idol Judge Kara DioGuardi About To Marry In Seaside Wedding

American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi is getting married at any moment to her Maine man, contractor Mike McCuddy, in a beautiful seaside wedding in Bar Harbor, California and RadarOnline.com has the exclusive!

A source in the tony village tells RadarOnline.com, ‘Kara had her rehearsal dinner Sunday night in a private restaurant on the grounds of the Bar Harbor Club and the wedding will be there tomorrow!’ 

RadarOnline.com confirmed that her dad, former New York state Rep. Joseph DioGuardi, was staying at the nearby Harborside Hotel & Spa with members of her family and other guests.

RadarOnlline

About mj santilli 34833 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!