Today Idol headlines after the jump ¦
‘Idols Live’ feels too scripted
There were no judges, no drawn-out Ryan Seacrest eliminations, and no zany car commercials, but somehow the “American Idols Live” tour at the DCU Center in Worcester Wednesday night managed to resemble a giant reproduction of the television show that spawned it.
Which meant that even with impressive highs, the two-hour performance plus 30-minute intermission felt like the world’s most brightly lit, tightly choreographed karaoke showdown as opposed to a spontaneous concert experience….
The Dawg taking bigger bite of area radio ratings
…Not completely idle for Idol
Tuesday’s USA Today had a story about the sharp decline in ticket sales for the latest “American Idol” concert tour.
That trend most likely is caused by ticket prices going north and the talent level — after a year that produced such hit-makers as Daughtry, Elliott Yamin and Taylor Hicks — heading south.
Although, last year’s tour did sell out here in record time, there has been more than 5, 000 tickets already sold for the Saturday, Sept. 15, Idols concert at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena, according to Amanda Weiss, marketing manager for the arena.
Weiss said the promoters just released some really good tickets, and that the arena is already doing better than some other markets.
Of course, this year’s “American Idol” winner, Jordin Sparks, is no stranger to the arena. She already has sung here as a back-up singer for Kenova native Christian artist Michael W. Smith.
‘Idol’ finalist moves on — quickly
Season two “American Idol” finalist Kimberley Locke isn’t a big fan of the turtle’s “slow and steady” philosophy. She prefers to sprint.
“The busier I am, the better I am. I think and function better and get a lot more accomplished when I have a thousand things to do as opposed to two, ” the 29-year-old said in a phone interview from her New York home.
Locke, who finished third in 2003 behind runner-up Clay Aiken and winner Ruben Studdard, hasn’t allowed the show to be her career’s crowning jewel……..
Video-mania up for grabs
MTV Music Video Awards will feature appearance by Britney Spears
…Who will win: I want to say Winehouse, but the pessimist in me thinks American Idol country crooner Carrie Underwood has a good shot because the award is voted on by the public and, let’s face it, Middle America has some suspicious taste in culture. Y’all wanna two-step?…
‹Idol contestant band, Daughtry, to perform at UA homecoming
Group chosen for cost, broad appeal, organizers say
……University Programs did a good job because they got somebody who sells a lot of records, said Ben Flanagan, program director at the campus radio station WVUA-FM and former Crimson White entertainment editor.
After a string of concerts in the 1990s aimed at pleasing alumni, University Programs this decade has brought more artists that appeal to students, Flanagan said.
…Will it appeal to the masses of students? Probably not, but they secured a big name and they secured a big name that fits within their budget, he said….
Do the shows, with Daughtry, Reba and more
…Daughtry may be the hottest ticket of the fair. The Vin Diesel look-alike has been on a nonstop ride over the past year after he was voted off “American Idol” in 2006 before the finals. The North Carolina native’s debut album has sold more than 3 million copies to date (making it the biggest-selling album of 2007), with a not-too-hard rock sound reminiscent of the equally popular Nickelback ‘ but with a little more meat. The polite crooner has been on tour since November but found time recently to hit Seattle for a Layne Staley tribute show at the Showbox….
Fans turn out to celebrate Colts’ return
…Then two-time Grammy winner Kelly Clarkson kicked off. The former American Idol star found a large group of fans in the crowd.
“I like the energy she has, the spunk, ” one fan said…
Fall Fashion
From music to fashion and now perfume, pop star Gwen Stefani has her well-manicured hands in everything – and that have-it-all attitude was front and center at the designer L.A.M.B. show here at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on Wednesday night.
Her rock star aesthetic is excessive, and it hard to take Stefani seriously as a designer. Her spring 2008 collection featured a bit of everything – houndstooth, ruffles, zippers, skinny ties and short shorts, pleats and plaids, sequins and tulle. Still, her friends showed up, including singer Eve, Garbage Shirley Manson, hubby Gavin Rossdale holding toddler Kingston and …American Idol Carrie Underwood, who spent the day shopping: …I only bought three dresses and a T-shirt…..
Carrie Underwood breaks her own record
Carrie Underwood entered Billboard’s Hot Digital Songs chart at number 6 with 70, 808 downloads, earning the highest debut position and greatest first-week sales of any country airplay single in the history of the digital chart.
Co-written by Underwood with Luke Laird and Hillary Lindsey, “So Small” made the record books last month, when its number 20 Billboard/R&R country airplay debut established the highest chart entry by a solo country female in Nielsen BDS history.
The only country artist to ever top Underwood’s achievements on the Digital Songs chart is Underwood herself, whose American Idol “Idol Gives Back” charity recording of the Pretenders’ classic, “I’ll Stand by You, ” this past May became the best-debuting digital track ever recorded by a country artist.
“So Small” is from Underwood’s upcoming album, “Carnival Ride, ” dropping Oct. 23.
The Farr Side: Yamin leads by example
Elliott Yamin is becoming like the little engine that could. His indie-released debut CD is nearing the six-month marker and still growing in popularity. That’s a good indicator his career will be solid.
If you’ll remember, Yamin’s CD debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s Top 200 album’s chart. The album has remained on the chart ever since, giving Yamin street credibility….
Taylor Hicks to Perform at Auburn-Miss. State Football Game
Arista recording artist and former Auburn University student Taylor Hicks will be featured during the Auburn University Marching Band’s show during the Mississippi State at Auburn football game on September 15.
The Auburn University Marching Band, under the direction of Dr. Corey Spurlin, will perform a medley of songs with Hicks during halftime of the game set to kick-off at 11:30 a.m. CT……….
OK! Relaunches Website, Prepares To Declare (Gossip) War With TMZ
Hey! Everyone’s! Favorite! Celebmag! OK! Just! Redesigned! Their! Web! Site! The last sentence was seriously lame. We’ll be the first to admit that. But the coffee we drank this morning was kinda lacking in caffeine and we’re pretty ornery now. But the interesting thing about this is that, as our predecessor Dylan Stableford notes in Folio, OK! is going directly after the TMZ market and then some:
The site is touting its “state-of-the-art, made fresh daily video, ” MyOK!, its social networking component, a “CelebCam”à ¢Ãƒ ¢’Å¡ ¬where OK! “gives celebrity guests the chance to turn the cameras around as they talk to average people about what they care about most”à ¢Ãƒ ¢’Å¡ ¬and something called “Man Candy, ” based on a regular magazine feature. Morissy says OK! will announce celebrity bloggers in the coming weeks, including Paula Abdul, who has signed on to blog for the site in a lead-up to the next American Idol season.
Except, as can be seen in the screenshot above, TMZ is a major advertiser on OK! Mag publisher Tom Morissy openly admits the site will compete with TMZ but, as he puts it, “in this category, people who enjoy our site are often looking at a handful of sites.”
We’re looking forward to this whole Paula Abdul-as-blogger thing, anyway. As long as it’s not ghost-written and not looked over by proofreaders, OK! can make Courtney Love look like a chump. Which would be pretty cool indeed.
Speaking with Joe Perry
…Here’s what else Perry had to say in a recent phone conversation.
Q. Why did you opt to perform on the finale of “American Idol”?
A. It was a chance to play on the biggest TV show in America. A whole new generation of music fans were hopefully introduced to Aerosmith that night…
