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My Idol Tour Experience
It's always a thrill to get to see my season eight Idols. I told them the day after the finale aired that they were my favorite Top Ten of any season and I truly do mean it. (No offense to other seasons!) So, I was super excited to check out the Idol Tour when it came through LA last night. Earlier in the day I had a chance to interview everyone prior to the show. I have to admit they all seemed a bit on the tired side which I can understand as they have been working their little booties off! I came armed with questions from fans on Twitter. I figured this tour is for the fans so why not let them ask the questions. Plus, I'm Twitter obsessed! Everyone did a fantastic job with the answers and I thought the questions were really great. They were so different from what the media tends to want to ask. Check out Adam Lambert and Kris Allen's interviews here. The rest of the interviews will be up next week. I have read on message boards that the fans get upset at the media for only promoting Adam and Kris. Not the case here. We just don't have the edit capability to crank everything out. I wish we did.
Unfortunately, we had a ticket snafu so by the time my co-worker, friend (and fellow crazed Idol fan) Felidette and I got into the Staples Center we had missed Michael, Megan and Scott. We got to our seats just in time to see Lil Rounds belt out some Mary J Blige. Then she stripped her jacket off and gave us a little Beyonce "Single Ladies." I thought she sounded great but if you are gonna do the song you gotta do the famous dance too. She didn't.
Next up was Anoop Desai who truly looked like a star up on that stage. I think he has had the best transformation over the course of the season..from college kid to sex symbol! At least that's what I hear from the girls who love him. I think a lot of people have been reluctant to think of him as a pop star but when he busted out Ne-Yo's "Mad" I saw a pop star up on that stage. I hope he finishes his college education though first!
Felidette and I were on our feet busting a move with Anoop while half of the Staples Center sat on their butts still. I don't know if it was because we were in the press section and everyone is a bit uptight but the crowd around us was dull as a doorknob most of the show. This is why I don't come to a show like this and take notes. I'm there to enjoy the experience like a fan.
Out came Matt Giraud who I know will get upset with me for saying this but... from far away if you didn't know it was Matt up there it could have been Justin Timberlake. The boy has stage presence galore. He did a great job working and connecting with the audience. Plus, you could tell he was in awe of performing at the Staples Center. His dueling piano bits with Scott MacIntyre were tons of fun and I'm glad they got to do it. I know it was something they talked about doing awhile back.
Finally it was group number time. The six performers worked their magic with a fun little medley. My only complaint (just like last year) is we want more medleys and group numbers.
After a twenty minute intermission it was Allison Iraheta's turn to rock the stage.. and rock it she did. Finally the Staples Center came fully alive. I'm blown away that she is only 17 years old. Enough said.
Next up was Danny Gokey. I watched him rehearse his first song "PYT" prior to the tour but what a difference it makes on a huge stage with a massive crowd. While the dull folks around us sat on their tushes, Felidette and I were up dancing to "Maria Maria." Then it was the big moment. Danny dedicated the song "What Hurts The Most" to me. I know some people found it strange that he would send a shout out to a reporter but there is a back story. When I interviewed Danny last month about his Sophia's Heart Foundation he told me he was singing "What Hurts The Most" on tour which just happens to be my favorite song in the world by ny favorite country band, Rascal Flatts. So, during rehearsal he sang it for me. I told him I was going to the Staples Center show for my birthday so we joked that he would dedicate that song to me that night. Danny actually remembered it was my birthday and when I saw him for the interviews he sang me Happy Birthday. So, being a man of his word he gave me my shout out. Now I don't know if I hadn't seen him prior to the show last night if he would have done it. That's a question for him but I just want to say thank you to him for that. It was so sweet! No one has ever done something like that for me.
Then there was this guy Adam Lambert you may have heard of that came out and rocked the Staples Center to its core! Finally the entire crowd was on its feet as he blasted out "Whole Lotta Love." How did someone not discover him earlier? He exudes rock star from the word go. From the outfit to the sexually charged moves he was throwing out... every man and woman was going nuts. Yet again he proved how smart of a competitor he was by not having used those same sexual moves on the show. Middle America would have had a panic attack and lord knows what Simon Cowell would have said! This crowd however loved it.
I think it would be unfair to compare Adam's performance to Kris. They are two completely different types of artists. I think Kris' quiet, sincere performance is perfect for who he is as a singer/songwriter. I was thrilled he sang "Ain't No Sunshine" which was by far my favorite all his songs he sang on the show. You might not get up on your feet and scream and shout like with Adam but Kris will certainly make you smile.
I knew the day I interviewed Danny that the final number would be "Don't Stop Believin" which I was really looking forward too. It was great to see all the Idols together at the end but I will admit that the performance of the song on results night inside the Idol theater was so much more impressive than this one. It lost its luster having to share it with 30 thousand plus instead of like 500 people.
Overall it was a great show and I have to say if you are an "American Idol" fan its worth every penny to go see the show.
So that's it for me in terms of Idol until next season. Thanks to all the Top Ten Idols for all your fun interviews this season. I had a blast this year and I can't wait to see what all your futures hold!
Now its on to Comic Con and then the new Fall TV Season.
Felidette and I were on our feet busting a move with Anoop while half of the Staples Center sat on their butts still. I don't know if it was because we were in the press section and everyone is a bit uptight but the crowd around us was dull as a doorknob most of the show. This is why I don't come to a show like this and take notes. I'm there to enjoy the experience like a fan.
Out came Matt Giraud who I know will get upset with me for saying this but... from far away if you didn't know it was Matt up there it could have been Justin Timberlake. The boy has stage presence galore. He did a great job working and connecting with the audience. Plus, you could tell he was in awe of performing at the Staples Center. His dueling piano bits with Scott MacIntyre were tons of fun and I'm glad they got to do it. I know it was something they talked about doing awhile back.
Finally it was group number time. The six performers worked their magic with a fun little medley. My only complaint (just like last year) is we want more medleys and group numbers.
After a twenty minute intermission it was Allison Iraheta's turn to rock the stage.. and rock it she did. Finally the Staples Center came fully alive. I'm blown away that she is only 17 years old. Enough said.
Next up was Danny Gokey. I watched him rehearse his first song "PYT" prior to the tour but what a difference it makes on a huge stage with a massive crowd. While the dull folks around us sat on their tushes, Felidette and I were up dancing to "Maria Maria." Then it was the big moment. Danny dedicated the song "What Hurts The Most" to me. I know some people found it strange that he would send a shout out to a reporter but there is a back story. When I interviewed Danny last month about his Sophia's Heart Foundation he told me he was singing "What Hurts The Most" on tour which just happens to be my favorite song in the world by ny favorite country band, Rascal Flatts. So, during rehearsal he sang it for me. I told him I was going to the Staples Center show for my birthday so we joked that he would dedicate that song to me that night. Danny actually remembered it was my birthday and when I saw him for the interviews he sang me Happy Birthday. So, being a man of his word he gave me my shout out. Now I don't know if I hadn't seen him prior to the show last night if he would have done it. That's a question for him but I just want to say thank you to him for that. It was so sweet! No one has ever done something like that for me.
Then there was this guy Adam Lambert you may have heard of that came out and rocked the Staples Center to its core! Finally the entire crowd was on its feet as he blasted out "Whole Lotta Love." How did someone not discover him earlier? He exudes rock star from the word go. From the outfit to the sexually charged moves he was throwing out... every man and woman was going nuts. Yet again he proved how smart of a competitor he was by not having used those same sexual moves on the show. Middle America would have had a panic attack and lord knows what Simon Cowell would have said! This crowd however loved it.
I think it would be unfair to compare Adam's performance to Kris. They are two completely different types of artists. I think Kris' quiet, sincere performance is perfect for who he is as a singer/songwriter. I was thrilled he sang "Ain't No Sunshine" which was by far my favorite all his songs he sang on the show. You might not get up on your feet and scream and shout like with Adam but Kris will certainly make you smile.
I knew the day I interviewed Danny that the final number would be "Don't Stop Believin" which I was really looking forward too. It was great to see all the Idols together at the end but I will admit that the performance of the song on results night inside the Idol theater was so much more impressive than this one. It lost its luster having to share it with 30 thousand plus instead of like 500 people.
Overall it was a great show and I have to say if you are an "American Idol" fan its worth every penny to go see the show.
So that's it for me in terms of Idol until next season. Thanks to all the Top Ten Idols for all your fun interviews this season. I had a blast this year and I can't wait to see what all your futures hold!
Now its on to Comic Con and then the new Fall TV Season.
Thanks for these great articles and interviews, Ms. Laura!
I have truly enjoyed reading your pieces...they come across as genuinely liking the people you interview and yet you bring out some really good points about each one.
Good work, Laura!
Adam...
...the boy who fell, magically and mysteriously, to Earth...
Anoop already got a BS degree. So technically, he already finished college. Unless graduate school counts as finishing his education.
But YES to the popstar note!
Kris Allen is a student too, but he never got the college boy image...
Precisely my question as well Laura...why didn't anyone discover Adam before?!! He's mega talented, and a rare find. I like your review and I'm glad that Anoop and Matt did awesome jobs as well. I was also a fan of theirs after Adam of course!!
Laura, love your interviews with Adam. Lots of chemistry and you make each other laugh and smile alot. You are a great interviewer and I hope to see more with Adam in the future. Keep flirting, love it.
Thanks Laura, I loved reading your review and seeing your interviews with Adam. I didn't read the whole review, I skipped right to the Adam part, sorry I can't help myself. Keep on interviewing Adam!!
thanks so much! that was a great review. adam lambert is a star, he is BY FAR the most unique and talented person who has ever been on idol. he's a total rockstar, and he drives us ladies crazy! i love him to pieces :)
on the celeb look alikes, i have thought from the begining of season 8, that danny looks very much like a younger robert downey. i also thought he would have and should won season 8.
danny is such a sweet guy! im so jealous that you got to interview him, and i cant believe he remembered to dedicate the song to you. thats beyond nice!