Today Idol headlines after the jump ¦
As it heads to St. Paul, ‘Idol’ tour is doing idle business
Jordin Sparks was the definitive winner of this year’s “American Idol” competition, but her group of competitors might be losers overall.
The “American Idols Live” tour that lands at Xcel Energy Center on Saturday appears to be limping into town, despite the high-as-ever ratings for the TV show last spring. Ticketmaster’s website shows good seats still available in the lower level of the St. Paul arena, including floor seats in the first 20 rows. Among the performers will be Sanjaya Malakar….
…..”This has been the weakest seller so far” of all the “Idol” tours, said Ticket King co-owner Brian Oberst. “It comes down to who the Idols are, and this year nobody seems to care about them.”…..
State fair kicks off Wednesday
…Other major talents are Casting Crowns and Jeremy Camp at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 9, and American Idols Live Tour at 7 p.m. Aug. 17. American Idol performers include Blake Lewis, Chris Richardson, Chris Sligh, Gina Glocksen, Haley Scamato, Jordin Sparks, LaKisha Jones, Melinda Doolittle, Phil Stacey and Sanjaya Malakar….
OGS and Community Partners to Celebrate African American Culture at the Empire State Plaza
…The entertainment stages will feature professional national and local performers as well as local youth and community groups who will showcase their talents through gospel, hip-hop or spoken word. At the Main, Gospel, Youth and Young Adult stages there will be entertainment for all ages, including Grammy Gospel award winner Tremaine Hawkins; Russell Thompkins, Jr. and the Stylistics; also performing will be Paris Bennett, also known as Princess P, an American Idol finalist. It is expected that more than 15, 000 people will attend the event throughout the day…
‹American Idol-Based Movie in the Works: …The Musical Version of ‹Rockyƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬
American Idol first attempt to cash in at the box office didnt go so well, to put it mildly. From Justin to Kelly, 2003 painful teenage-romance flick starring season-one finalists Justin Guarini and Kelly Clarkson, was a rush-job that tanked its first week out and was then rushed to DVD. Simon Cowell was not involved in this nightmare, and is therefore still optimistic that he can coax American Idol massive audience from their couches to theaters with Star Struck, a new film he been planning for years…..
Best bets: August 2-8
…POP: AMERICAN IDOLS LIVE
Saturday: Let’s be honest, here. History probably won’t be too kind to season six of “American Idol, ” and so far anyway, we have yet to see any of the contestants threatening to become the new Chris Daughtry or Carrie Underwood. But then again, it did give us the hair-raising phenomenon known as Sanjaya Malakar! And early reports from the tour suggest we’ll see the teen wonder join Melinda Doolittle for a tear through “Proud Mary” – which should make up for Phil Stacey’s “Blaze of Glory” and “America the Beautiful” (for which he apparently dons a sailor suit)…
Daughtry: ‘Daughtry’
Released on Monday, August 20 2007
Placed fourth in the last series of American Idol, Chris Daughtry hasn’t been idle since he was kicked out of the competition. Turning down offers to join more established bands, instead the singer started up his own, was given bandmates by his record label, and has now got around to releasing his – admittedly lacking in an original name – debut album, titled eponymously.
This is an album chock-full of good old-fashioned rock music, full of power and emotion, Daughtry’s thick, penetrating vocal arching over the grinding guitars as the band swings through each track. If you’re looking for fresh ideas, you ain’t gonna find them in this album, but if you fancy a bit of drama and heavy melody, then you’ve come to the right place.
Daughtry is no Nirvana, the sound never builds up to anything too intense for a newcomer and indie lover to take, but it’s definite headbanger music, designed to appeal to a vast majority of Americans and the Download crowd here in the UK. Chaotic chords abound, zinging up the scale as Daughtry pushes his voice to the max throughout.
This isn’t for everyone, that’s for certain. There’s no new-fangled electronica, nothing but pure drama and streamlined hard rock, and that will do Daughtry just fine.
Idols Hopefuls Rise and Fall
Other Tracy singers made trek to San Diego.
Tracy has more than just a few Idol hopefuls.
Several singers made the trek to Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego on Tuesday for a chance to step into the American Idol limelight.
Jaron Liclican, 16, is one of the lucky few to make it to the second round. He will go on to sing in front of celebrity American Idol judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. The three judges were absent from the San Diego audition, but 23 show producers awarded between 300 and 500 golden tickets to singers selected for the second round….
I was Simon’s first idol, says Cowell’s elder brother
…Tony would like to set the record straight that Simon, despite having his own television production company, is not producing Book Idol.
“I want Simon as my brother, not my producer, ” he says simply.
In fact, it was Tony who was the driving force behind Simon’s autobiography, I Don’t Mean To Be Rude BUT .. . Tony says: “I inspired him to write the book, and it was me he turned to as his ghost writer.
He rang me from America at 3am, and before I could get annoyed he simply said: ‘You know that book we are going to do? I’ve just been offered £1 million, so we better do it right now.”‘
Writing the book was a good bonding exercise for the brothers, who had temporarily drifted apart…
Michael W. Smith Releases It’s A Wonderful Christmas Oct. 16
… Also featured is a duet with American Idol Mandisa…
Patriotism, Americana to be celebrated at ‹Pops on the Green
…Petty Officer 2nd Class Fowler works as an intelligence specialist for the Naval Information Operations Center San Diego. He may be serving his country, but he is certainly not a stranger to the performing arts. Prior to his enlistment, he performed with the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra and won the opportunity to complete on …American Idol. …
Daughtry’s coming back for more
As if headlining a seven-hour rock show at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum last month and playing for 13, 000 people weren’t enough, “American Idol’s” own Chris Daughtry will perform a sold-out show at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Saturday night…..
Hicks on Coast looking for his Soul Patrol
Taylor Hicks, winner of the 5th season of the staggeringly popular TV show, “American Idol, ” performs 8 p.m. today at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. A native of Birmingham, Ala., Hicks was signed to Arista Records by the label’s legendary founder, Clive Davis.
Hick’s “American Idol” appearances spawned a legion of fans, known as the “Soul Patrol.” And since the show, he’s released a popular self-titled Arista debut and penned his memoirs, “Heart Full of Soul.”
Hicks, 32, spoke by phone from Vicksburg with the Sun Herald earlier this week. Here are excerpts of that conversation.”Well, I’m in the middle of a summer tour, and also a book tour. So I’m kind of doing both right now.”…
Interview: When Sanjaya had a mullet
Before going on tour with the other “American Idol” contestants, the singer sat down for a question-and-answer session and gave up some trivia….
