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Tag: crystal bowersox

  • American Idol’s Top 4 Revealed

    One might think that the amount of screen time Henry Connick, Jr. received over the past two nights has positioned him as a candidate to judge the show next year. That would be a terrific lineup with a strong performer and arranger who also has credibility as a young star and a history with Ellen DeGeneres. But meanwhile, he likely helped his album sales tremendously this week. I know that he spent most of the day as a trending topic on most Internet sites.

    The video packages continue improving as Idol’s producers look for anything to generate interest in the show. This week, Ryan tell us that 32 million votes were cast and seems pretty smug about the situation. The judges remain strangely silent and even when Seacrest tries to draw out Simon, he gets nowhere.

    The Idolettes sing a Sinatra medley while Bowersox rocks a Fedora and suit like the guys. Everyone gets their obligatory solo although The Manhattan Transfer called and want their charts back.

    How cool was it tonight that Harry Connick, Jr. actually referred to charts and called the judges out for inventing the term “pitchy”. Go ahead. Look in a music theory book prior to Idol airing in the U.S. Good luck finding pitchy.

    Ryan teases out next week’s theme (Songs from the Cinema) and mentor (Jamie Foxx).  Jamie got the Rat Pack last year during the Top Five week, and Kris Allen and Adam Lambert both made the bottom three so it’s still anyone’s to win. Yes, Mike, exhale.  Oh, you did?  BTW, AI directing team, we’re really tired of audience shots of Michael’s family every episode.

    Gaga performed Alejandro. She was her typical push-the-envelope brilliant self.  Live leads on acoustic guitar, piano and violin mixed in with the catchy chorus.  She is on her way to being this generation’s Madonna and may even take it further.  Her live performances are events.   Less of an event was Harry’s take on And I Love Her.   I liked his crooner phrasing, which sounded more like Tony Bennett than Frank Sinatra.  It was a nice enough piece and after two decades, Connick knows how to command a stage and hold an audience. He really is a funny guy.  The judges gave him a standing ovation so they at least showed respect.

    Lee was declared safe between the performances so Ryan had Crystal on one side with Mike and Aaron on another.  Then he sent to Casey to join Crystal, and Lee declined to play the “Guess Which Group Is Safe” game.  Holy Cow, I thought.  The Clashers playing in the contest got it right again, and Crystal is in the Bottom Two!

    As if.

    Casey and Crystal are safe for some reason while Aaron and Mike face the music again.  This time Aaron, who belted Fly Me To The Moon both nights, gets the boot.  Look for his album to sell big at Christmas.  And as a true gentleman, Harry Connick played for him as he took the last bow.  (Anyone else notice Ricky Miner was absolutely marginalized this year, even before he took The Tonight Show gig?)

    So your Final Four are Crystal, Casey, Lee and Mike.

    Who goes to the finals?  Who goes home next week?

    What do you think?  Good show?  Bad show?  Boring show?

  • Sonic Singing Contest – Vote Now!

    Forcing the Top 5 to take on the ultimate song stylist, even with Harry Connick’s brilliant help, was a tough assignment.  Had Siobhan not gone home last week (sigh), she certainly would have been gone this week.  Or she would’ve carried SummerWind to a place Simon Cowell called cabaret.

    But the previous week’s votes were just as interesting. SonicClashers, usually a pretty uniform group, were absolutely split on who to send home.  True, more than a third selected Siobhan–heck, I had her in The Bottom Two–but there were plenty of votes for Mike and Aaron continues to get his share.    Let’s remember the GG/George rundown on this year’s American Idol top finishers recorded when the final 12 were announced.

    Crystal, Lee, Siobhan (“…and don’t be surprised to see Aaron emerge as a dark horse and finish fourth”)

    After getting 5 of 6 last year and potentially 3 of 4 this year, I”m feeling pretty cocky this year with my fancy 80% success rate.  If only my score this year was better than GG’s.  But there are plenty of scores that are looking really good.  Here is our Leader Board:

    MT – 12 points
    Yoel / Joel – 11 points each (a tie–how cool!)
    Cindy – 10 points

    and a whole mess of people around 8 and 9 points.  Let’s also get the obligatory “GG would be winning with 16 points were he eligible” message out of the way.  Me?  I have 12 because I refused to send Siobhan home last week.

    Looking ahead, most folks have Crystal winning the competition, but there are votes for Lee and even a vote for Aaron.  (Don’t look at me.  I picked him fourth).

    Ready to vote? Remember, you would win a $25 Amazon gift certificate.

    HERE IS YOUR LINK TO VOTE IN THIS WEEK’S SINGING CONTEST!

    Remember that voting closes the second the EAST COAST version of the results show begins to air.

  • American Idol Season 9 – Who Makes The Top 5?

    We’re not necessarily down to the nitty gritty just yet, but we’re close. With just six competitors left, we’re halfway home.

    You could say that last night’s show was the most competitive one thus far, though I disagreed with a lot of the love the judges were throwing out last night. How about next year, you can’t hide behind the guitar and just play?

    George, the big kahuna of this website had a pretty good idea for next year.

    He said:

    My real hope for this show is that next year, you get to play a guitar ONCE if you make the top 12 and you get to play a piano/keyboard ONCE. That’s twice you get to play an instrument.

    I like that idea. This way, Casey James and Lee DeWyze don’t get to be boring behind their guitar and get major love from the judges. It’s a singing competition yes, but if your winner has zero personality and charisma, or in DeWyze’s case, looks like he’s going to pee his pants whenever Ryan talks to him, how can you sell any of his or her records?

    Rascal Flatts is on stage performing Unstoppable. Even though I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a fan, I’ve always liked them from afar. They’ve always seemed more pop than actual country to me, but that might be simply because I’m not a big country music connoisseur.

    Cameron Diaz and the man who once looked like Antonio Banderas are on stage to promote the newest Shrek film. Diaz is wearing heals, but she’s at least half a head taller than Ryno.

    Dim the lights, and here we go…

    Ryno tells creepy girl to stand up. She goes to the far left of the stage to be in one of three groups.

    Ryno calls up Aaron Kelly next. Kelly forgot the take the hanger out of his jacket before he put it on. He goes to the center of the stage.

    Last night, I thought that Big Mike sounded a lot like Shawn Stockman from Boyz II Men. Tonight, he’s wearing a Boyz II Men cardigan sweater. He goes to the far right of the stage. Motown Philly back again…

    Ryno asks Lee DeWyze a question and he answers by saying, “I mean…” Um, Lee. You don’t mean anything if you haven’t spoken yet. He joins creepy girl on the left side of the stage.

    Casey joins Big Mike on the right and Crystal joins Aaron in the middle.

    Ryno tells creepy girl to walk towards Big Mike and Casey and they are the bottom three.

    Carrie Underwood is out to introduce Sons Of Sylvia. Can someone just give Carrie a sammich? That girl is going to wither away. The lead singer from SOS looks like Bill Hader from Saturday Night Live, except with a mullet. He’s straight up singing while playing a violin.

    Lady Antebellum is out singing Need You Now. I know they’re hot and the song is very nice, but I’m not overwhelmed. I’ll take a mulleted Bill Hader any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

    Now, Shakira is on stage playing the harmonica singing Gypsy with Rascal Flatts. Is this American Idol or the American Music Awards? Sorry, I didn’t get that at all. Thankfully, I’m watching this on the DVR. All I saw was Shakira dancing really fast.

    Ryno tells Big Mike that he’s safe. It’s between Casey James and creepy girl.

    And, the person who goes home tonight is…

    I’m sad. How can I keep writing this post for the next month without my creepy girl? The creepy girl has left the building.

    I know that I once said that whenever I see Siobhan on screen I feel the need to lock my door, but I have liked a bunch of her performances. I’ll leave you with my favorite.