Adam Lambert & Kris Allen: American Idol Tour!
American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert (in a Levi’s denim vest) and the show’s winner Kris Allen rock out at the American Idols Live! tour 2009 at Staples Center on Thursday (July 16) in Los Angeles.
Keep Paula: a grass-roots rebellion sweeps the Twitterverse
Trending Since Friday’s news, first reported here on the Idoltracker, of judge Paula Abdul’s unhappiness with the pace, or nonpace, of negotiations to renew her “Idol” contract, a brushfire has been sweeping the Web. Using the hashtag #keeppaula, fans have been wildly tweeting on Twitter their support for the seemingly embattled judge.
For a time Saturday evening, the “Keep Paula” movement made it to the No. 2 slot (see left) on Twitter’s much-contested trending topics list — falling behind only people twittering their support for Indonesia in the aftermath of this week’s terror attacks.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Adam Lambert To Fuse Classic-Rock Sound With ‘Dancier’ Vibe On Debut
We already told you Lambert was teaming up with Lady Gaga producer RedOne, but he has a few other hitmakers up his sleeve as well. He’ll be working with Greg Wells, the producer and songwriter behind hits by Pink, Katy Perry and original “American Idol” champ Kelly Clarkson. OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder, who wrote Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love, ” is also onboard, as is Linda Perry (Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful, ” Gwen Stefani’s “What You Waiting For” and much more).
Just like during his “Idol” journey, Lambert is planning to shake up tempos and styles on the yet-untitled LP.
CONCERT REVIEW: Turbo-charged Lambert steals ‘Idol’ tour stop in San Diego hometown
SAN DIEGO —- Local concert-goers rolled out the welcome mat Saturday night for hometown idol Adam Lambert, who so dominated the American Idols Live Tour concert at the San Diego Sports Arena, the rest of the singers felt like an appetizer and dessert.
The top 10 finalists from the Fox television show’s eighth season each have their moment in the spotlight during the well-produced, three-hour show, but it was clear that Lambert —- who spent 17 of his first 18 years in Rancho Penasquitos —- was the anointed crowd darling.
Adam Lambert and Kris Allen Lead American Idol Tour in L.A.
Just a few days after he and his fellow American Idol tour mates overcame a church-sponsored protest of their concert in San Jose, Adam Lambert led season eight’s top 10 artists into L.A.’s Staples Center.
Lambert was often joined in front of the crowd by winner Kris Allen, as well as Danny Gokey, Allison Iraheta and other favorites. His set of songs included:
American Idol’s Lambert a hit with GV crowd
The last thing you might expect from this Green Valley, 40-something professional is that she’d be going to the American Idols Live Tour concert at the San Diego Sports Arena with her husband.
I am surprised myself, as the last stadium concert I attended with floor seating was David Bowie at Madison Square Garden in New York City in July 1983. During that concert they released mylar balloons from the ceiling and chaos ensued. I was thrown backward to the floor, people were walking on my arms and legs and I tried to protect my face. I swore I would never, ever return to the floor of a large concert venue again. I haven’t until now, 26 years later, for this American Idol. Why? To see Season 8 American Idol runner-up and rising star Adam Lambert perform in his hometown.
Lambert and Idols rock Sports Arena
As the Sports Arena crowd shrieked at every glimpse of Adam Lambert on pre-show music videos and in merch commercials, it was clear the ‘American Idols Live’ tour stop in San Diego on Saturday would be all about the glam rocker who attended Mt. Carmel High.
And for many in the near-sellout audience, it was.
Review: Adam Lambert shines in San Diego ‘Idols’ concert
The ‘American Idols Live Tour’ that rolled into San Diego on Saturday was never livelier or more satisfying than when Adam Lambert was onstage at the San Diego Sports Arena.
Looking like a glam-rock prince and wearing enough guyliner for an entire band, Lambert strutted, gyrated, shimmied and sang, giving his multiple-octave all to songs ranging from ‘Whole Lotta Love’ to ‘Mad World.’ The ‘American Idol’ runner-up radiated his own special charisma, his own mystique.
JORDIN SPARKS
Jordin Sparks entered the first phase of her pop career as an ingnue, winning ‘American Idol’ with bright talent, bubbly charm and a willingness to learn. Her self-titled debut sold more than a million copies on the strength of four hit singles, each a gust of teenage wonderment or torment. ‘Battlefield, ‘ her expertly constructed second album, upholds a darker, more experienced tone without losing an ounce of melodrama. Ms. Sparks, now a worldly 19, has her principles, including a stake in overblown emotion.
Grab Your Armor: Jordin Sparks, ‘Battlefield’
JORDIN SPARKS SHOULD stick to ballads.
When compared to other “American Idol” winners, Sparks ‘†the victor of season six ‘†is toward the top end of the pack, not as popular or as high-profile as Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood, but definitely more in the public eye than Ruben Studdard or Taylor Hicks. In those face-offs, Sparks’ sophomore effort, “Battlefield, ” isn’t that bad.
Reviews | Maxwell, Brooke White, Jordin Sparks and more
American Idol judge Randy Jackson has never executive produced an album for any of the myriad contestants in the eight-year history of the popular program. Until now.
It’s surprising to see his name attached to Brooke White’s first post-Idol release (she’d issued Songs From the Attic, a promising indie album, pre-Idol). The gifted singer-songwriter played guitar and piano and sang well, but always seemed an anachronism on the teen-driven program when she somehow managed to make it into Season Seven’s Top 5.
Rocker Chris Daughtry gets personal with new CD
Chris Daughtry didn’t realize he had vocal talent until he was in his early teens.
“But I always had this dream of doing something big, ” he says. “And I knew that doing anything big would require me to leave the small town I grew up in.”
Hence “Leave This Town, ” the title of his band Daughtry’s new album, out now.
It’s the follow-up to his self-titled 2006 debut, which went five-times platinum.
Town is actually the first studio outing for the group that bears its frontman’s name.
Country stars that got their start on American Idol
American Idol is best known as a musical talent contest for pop stars, however the show has also helped to create several successful country music stars as well. Let’s take a look at the former American Idol albums that have made their mark over the past eight seasons of the show. I’ve listed them by the season in which they competed.
Paula Abdul choreographed for Jacksons
Paula Julie Abdul is an American pop singer, record producer, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.
In the 1980s, Abdul rose from being a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to being a sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era, then to being a Pop-R&B singer with a string of hits in the late-1980s and early-1990s.
7 Reasons Why “American Idol” Needs Paula Abdul
American Idol without Paula Abdul is like Christmas without presents, summer without sunshine, Three’s Company without Suzanne Somers. Simon Cowell might be the mastermind at the judges table, but Paula is the show’s No. 1 star. When she’s at her best’â€the cleavage, the tears, the dancing’â€who cares about any of the contestants on stage? When she’s at her worst’â€the slurring, the crazy talk, the bickering with Simon’â€she’s even better.
Rest in peace? The perils of posthumous pop
When the Beatles recorded Buddy Holly’s ‘Crying, Waiting, Hoping’ at their audition for Decca Records in 1962, they were recreating an arrangement that Holly himself had never approved, much less heard. The version of ‘Crying, Waiting, Hoping’ the Beatles were familiar with was created after Holly’s death by producer Jack Hansen, who added additional instruments and vocals to Holly’s home recording.
ETA:
Twist of Fate: ‘Idol’ Wannabe Charged For Dog’s Death, Cowell Shoots Peta PSA
In the wake of cruelty charges filed against a man whose dog died when left for hours in a hot car during auditions for ‘American Idol’ in Denver, PETA has rushed its PSA featuring “Idol” judge Simon Cowell – coincidentally warning of the dangers of leaving dogs inside cars’â€to television stations across the country, including KDVR, the Fox affiliate in Denver which airs the popular singing competition.
And we even get to see the ‘softer’ side of the otherwise characteristically caustic judge.
“Far be it from me to be critical, but I find it really appalling that, this year, thousands of dogs will die of heatstroke inside parked cars, ” Cowell says in the spot, in which he appears with his canine pal, Claude. “Never ever leave your dog inside a parked car. Your dog idolizes you. In warm weather, keep him safe at home.”
Voice of a teen angel
Singer Taylor Hicks is on the telephone from Philadelphia the day after the Michael Jackson tribute, commenting on the power of celebrity and the impact Jackson had on popular culture.
“There are very few entertainers like Michael Jackson who grew up with so many different generations of people, ” says Hicks, 33, who was named the American Idol winner in 2006 and is now touring in Grease. (The Broadway musical arrives in the nation’s capital July 21 for a five-day run at the NAC.)
