American Idols improve on tour, but the `As’ — Adam and Allison — have it all
American Idol is easy to champion on TV. Yet its contestants are, all too often, just as easy to forget before the inevitable summer tour of the Top 10 finalists comes around just a couple months after a winner is crowned in May. (Michael Sarver, you were on Idol this season? Who knew?)
The formula was upset a bit in its eighth season — a year forever to be known as Adam’s World.
Adam, Kris lead a surprisingly solid ‘Idols Live’
Those reviews had a point: Theater vet, certified rock screamer and sensitive songsmith Lambert created a electrified, leather-bound, sexually-charged chemistry that none of the other Idols could match. The thing is, that doesn’t make the others, particularly impressive, smokey-voiced rock pixie Iraheta, acoustic, chill Allen and surprisingly satisfying former piano bar employee Matt Giraud, bad. They’re just different performers. Don’t get me wrong – if you’re most riveted by a big, big rock voice with flashy costume and sizzling slinkiness to match, Adam is your guy – he navigated easily between the flames of ‘Whole Lotta Love, ‘ the moody poignance of ‘Mad World’ and a punchy David Bowie medley, including a ‘Life On Mars’ that gave me chills.
But what if you’re tastes run, say, more to the quietly brilliant acoustic (as mine admittedly do?) Then Kris Allen’s set, if curiously low-speed considering that the energy of Adam, might be more your cup of tea.
Daughtry Ready To Rock Arenas
Even as it preps for a 14-date run of clubs and theaters next month, Daughtry is eyeballing a headlining tour of arenas in the fall.
“We don’t want to get too over-zealous, ” frontman Chris Daughtry tells Billboard.com. “We’re not gonna be doing the Staples Center (in Los Angeles) right out the gate, obviously. We’ll be doing some small- and medium-sized arenas. We haven’t got the confirmed schedule up yet; we’re still working on that. But it’ll be a big rock show for sure.”
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Billy Masters
Sometimes intriguing casting happens behind the scenes. For instance, getting chosen to sing a song in a film can be quite a coup. And we can tell you exclusively that Adam Lambert has signed such a deal. Roland Emmerich has produced and directed such blockbusters as Independence Day and Godzilla. His latest project, 2012, is due out Nov. 13 and is one of those star-studded end-of-the-world flicks’â€with a Mayan or two thrown in for good measure. Lambert just went into the studio to record a track for the flick’â€and Emmerich was impressed enough to consider using it for the closing credits. Bravo!
American Idol’ finalist Anoop Desai enjoys the celebrity merry-go-round
It was a busy afternoon for season eight “American Idol” finalist Anoop Desai when we caught up with him on the phone during media day in Los Angeles the other week.
The 22-year-old North Carolina native had been chatting away with the elite of the Hollywood news world: MTV, E! Entertainment and Access Hollywood, to name a few. Curtain call for him and the nine other Idol finalists at the Staples Center was just a few hours away. From Desai’s perspective, the L.A. show could be the one to help land him a record deal. Big-time record agents could have been in the crowd.
Desai loving the ‘Idol’ road, but he’ll be in home state this week
A year ago, Anoop Desai was a graduate student at the same school where he had gone to college, in the same town where he had graduated high school.
It’s a school and a place he loves.
But the American Idol semi-finalist from Chapel Hill is not ready to come home yet.
Desai, 22, is traveling the country this summer, singing his way from Portland, Ore., to Manchester, N.H.,
as part of the American Idols Live! Tour with the other top 10 contestants from the show’s eighth season, which wrapped up earlier this year.
Jacksonville’s ‘Idol’ comes home
The ‘American Idols Live 2009’ tour was making a stop at the Verizon Arena in North Little Rock on Saturday night.
Kris Allen, the newest American Idol, was headlining the tour. The former Jacksonville resident, who played Little League baseball there and was a substitute teacher in Cabot, would soon be getting ready for the show Saturday.
It was four hours before show time.
Stopping by a media room, Allen sat down with a Leader reporter to talk about the tour and his newfound celebrity.
‘How does it feel to be back home?’ he was asked.
‘American Idols Live’ Interviews: Danny Gokey
DANNY GOKEY: (Who, given some bloggers’ perception that he was arrogant, was fairly down to earth and humble. You never know. I don’t even know, as I spent a pleasant five minutes in his presence. But he seemed pretty nice to me, and I was one of those who was sick of him being pimped. Talented kid, though.)
‘American Idols Live’ Interviews: Scott and Matt
The interview hour that takes place every year before the ‘American Idols Live’ show at BankAtlantic Center is a mixed bag – you’re never sure which of that year’s Top Ten you’re going to be able to talk to, and which of those are going to be good interviews.
Scott MacIntyre: Backstage At L.A.’s Staples Center
American Idol fans may be eagerly awaiting the fall releases of the debut albums by Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, and Allison Iraheta, but there’s another season 8 contestant who’s been quietly and quickly working on his own new album since he left the show earlier this year: eighth-placer Scott MacIntyre.
Judging from my recent chat with Scott backstage in L.A., at the Staples Center before the big Idols Live concert on July 16, he’s pretty excited about his new, self-recorded project. And judging from his surprisingly solid performance at the concert later than night–doing two piano-pop songs, Keane’s “Bend And Break” and Vanessa Carlton’s “1, 000 Miles, ” both of which were perfectly suited for his troubadour style–the album might be worth putting on your Idol shopping list, too, along with Kradison’s records.
On the inner dynamics of ‘American Idol’
Can “American Idol” continue to thrive if Paula Abdul leaves?
Yes. I’m not lobbying to get rid of her, but yes, it certainly can. And this is actually an opportunity for the producers to give the show an added boost.
It’s not suffering now, but like all shows over time, it’s going to. And replacing a well-known cast member is a proven way to reinvigorate a program that’s perhaps getting a bit too familiar with viewers.
Driver to Fight Idol Hit-and-Run Charges
Daniel Bark, the 23-year-old accused of striking and killing American Idol contestant Alexis Cohen while allegedly fleeing police, is mounting a vigorous defense, his attorney tells PEOPLE.
“There will be a not guilty plea entered across the board for all of the complaints, ” says Freehold, N.J.-based lawyer Daniel Glassman, noting that no one has come forward as a witness to the hit-and-run.
Foxx tells ‘Idol’ contestants ‘the real deal’ about future
“But to see how talented these guys were and the girl was, I said, ‘I gotta tell you the real deal.’ I said, ‘Listen, after this show is over, it’s gonna be tough because people are gonna forget about the contestants, ‘” he says. “They didn’t film this, but I said, ‘That’s when the real work is going to kick in, because us as a society, we look at that show and then once we finish, it’s on to the next contestants.’ So I said, ‘I hope that you guys get great, real songs, and not the songs that sort of cater to the masses.’
“I said, ‘Think about this: In New York, there’s a restaurant that tries to serve the food to the masses, and the food is bland because they don’t want to offend any of the tourists that’s coming. That establishment will change names every other year. But that Italian restaurant around the corner with two chairs or whatever and the guy’s from Sicily and he cooks with the spices – people will always go there. ‘‚.’‚.’‚.’‚That’s the way you should look at your music.”‚”
David Cook’s Golfing Idyll
“I shot a 51 or 52 today, which sadly enough is actually decent for me, ” Cook told us after wrapping up a game with Rob Cavallo, his producer, and Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace, his musical hero and songwriting partner. Despite a few tossed clubs, Cook had a fairly good humor about merely playing par while the cameras rolled. But leave a light on for him’â€he’s a very determined loser. “Hopefully I’ll get better. I’ve got to try to catch up with Rob and Raine. They annihilated me today.”
David Cook is an ‘accidental Idol’
David Cook has been referred to as an ‘accidental’ ‘American Idol’ because he never intended to audition for the show when he tagged along to lend brotherly support.
Coaxed into auditioning as well, the Missouri rocker was the winner of ‘Idol’s’ seventh season, claiming 55 million votes. A week after ‘Idol’ finished in May 2008, Cook had 11 of his songs enter Billboard’s Hot 100, the first being his single, ‘The Time of My Life.’
True Colors Cabaret to Feature Janney, Block, Hilty, Creel and Lauper
Grammy-winner Cyndi Lauper will host the concerts that are set to feature Tony nominee Allison Janney and her 9 to 5 costars Stephanie J. Block and Megan Hilty, as well as “American Idol” finalist Melinda Doolittle (Sept. 28); while the following concert will feature a performance from Hair Tony nominee Gavin Creel and special guests to be
announced.
Are you a Bo “Peep?”
Bo Bice, runner up of American Idol Season 4 performed at Rams Head in Annapolis on July 28. This was his second appearance at this venue. The fans that follow him are known as Bo Peeps and that is who filled the whole front section of the stage. Most of them came from out of state – and not just neighboring states. These fans travel by plane from all over just to see Bo perform. One fan from Florida bought Bo the shirt he is wearing in this picture. There were many carrying gift bags to give him as well.
‘So You Think You Can Dance’ recap: Six and Twisted
On paper, trying to judge tonight’s episode of So You Think You Can Dance would be kind of like asking an Olympic official to give scores in a competition that involved a diver, a gymnast, a figure skater, and a synchronized swimmer. (Whoa. In the absence of your regularly scheduled SYTYCD recapper Adam B. Vary, welcome to my gay fever dream!) Seriously, though, while all four of those events can be judged based on technical execution and difficulty, as well as artistic interpretation, their inherent differences make comparisons downright treacherous. And in that same vein, how do you stack up a goofy Broadway routine and the dreaded quick-step against an emotionally rich contemporary dance and a crowd-pleasing disco boogie?
‘So You Think You Can Dance’: A Look Behind the Scenes
LOS ANGELES – The pressure is on as “So You Think You Can Dance” comes to a close. Contestants say they are having the time of their lives, but they do admit to being a little nervous. Hoping to dazzle millions with their super-powered feat, host Cat Deeley is already nervous for those trying to become America’s next dance sensation. As final preparation are in full swing minutes before the hit show. “They’re under tremendous pressure. I mean it’s getting down to the final four isn’t it? It’s getting to the light at the end of the tunnel, the pot of gold is sitting there right in front of them, ” says judge, Mary Murphy.
‘So You Think You Can Dance’: And then there were six
Allow me to be crabby (or crabbier than usual) for an evening. I’ve struggled to find the same emotional connection to “So You Think You Can Dance” this season that I had with last season, when I was rooting for so many dancers: Twitch Boss, Joshua Allen, Katee Shean, Gev Manoukian, Mark Kanemura, Chelsie Hightower — I loved them all. This season, though, I’ve hard a hard time connecting with any of the dancers. Last week I threw my lot in with Janette and Jason, and I turn my back and they’re eliminated? Maybe it’s just not my season. Then again, even Nigel Lythgoe noted that nobody’s really popped so far.
