Archive for November, 2008
Jason Castro – Flytrap Music Hall – Tulsa OK
Jason Castro played a gig last night at the Flytrap Music Hall in Tulsa, OK. On the bill with him was Andy Skib, who is currently in David Cook’s band.
Video of Jason performing has turned up on Castrocopia, and I’m posting it for y’all right here.
After the jump: “It’s Alright With Me”, “Sweet Medicine”, “Love Uncompromised”, “So Fast” a “New Song” and “Hallelujah”. The person who took the video got most of the show, so there may be more.
Were you there? I’d love to hear more about the concert. Jason sang some of his new songs last night, so make sure to check it out.
Videos after the JUMP…
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David Archuleta And David Osmond – Two Idols Perform?
I hope the Snarkies don’t mind, but I just had to yoink this photo of David Archuleta performing next to David Osmond, with the rest of the Osmond family, last night at the Capitol theater in Salt Lake City.
David Osmond auditioned for Season 8 of American Idol and is rumored to have advanced at least as far as the Hollywood Round.
Smart for David O. to be seen with David A. before the season starts. I’ll bet they had a lot to talk about.
David Archuleta, a special surprise guest of the Osmond family at their Christmas concert, sang a medley of three songs with the Osmonds, “O Holy Night”, “Mary Did You Know” and “Amazing Grace.”
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Amanda Overmyer Blogs – Album “Solidify” to be Released December/January
Amanda Overmyer is set to release her debut album soon, according to her My Space blog:
Well, I would like everyone to welcome the new edition to the Overmyer team, Solidify, my very first album!!!! Mixed, mastered, completed!!! I am so excited to share this music with you!! I really think you will be very pleased with the outcome. Quick thanks to Rocco for all the time and effort he put into it, he spent hours and hours!! It will be available for sale on my website amandaovermyer@gmail.com by either download or hard copy that will be shipped to your house. This will happen end of December/January – ish. Also, it will be available on itunes and at all of my shows. For now, we will be selling them at all of my upcoming appearances for the remainder of the year. Indy, and Chicago. They will be limited edition albums all signed by yours truely as we await our artwork and packaging for the final CD. Hope to see you all there, looking forward to hearing your comments on the new music. Thank you all for being so patient, We did it!!!
I missed Amanda when she was eliminated at #11 last season. I found her gravelly rock-chops and Joplin-like moves very entertaining. Also entertaining–her refreshing I-don’t-give-a-sh*t attitude that probably ensured her early demise, but also made for some pretty entertaining sound-bites, once she left the show.
I’ll be checking out her album, for sure.
LaKisha Jones Album Drops on February 17
It was supposed to drop this fall, but finally it looks like LaKisha Jones debut album will be released on February 17, according to her street team.
Re-mixes of her single, “So Glad It’s Me”, available now on iTunes and Amazon, will be released in January, and shooting for a video to be released with the album in February is about to start.
In Mid-December, she and Bo Bice will be featured on a MyTV network prime time Christmas special, Spirit Of Christmas benefiting Toys for Tots and Feed the Children–watch the appearances page for a specific date. She’ll be singing the National Anthem before the Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings NFL game on December 7th, and in early February she’s traveling to London.
If you’d like to be part of LaKisha’s “Friend Book” that comes with the Wal-Mart edition of her album, you can sign up at her website or on her My Space.
Idol Christmas Compilation – An American Christmas – Released This Week
These illustrious ex-Idols, and a few of their mates (Jasmine Trias, Trenyce, Ayla Brown, Amy Davis) come together on a new Christmas compilation CD called American Christmas, released this week.
Just what you’ve been waiting for, right? Idols you haven’t thought about in ages singing your favorite Christmas carols!
I hate to be a Debbie Downer, especially around the holidays, but it’s hard to imagine there are throngs who’ve been waiting for the latest from Vonzell Solomon and Haley Scarnato. Unless an Idol hits the ground running career-wise once their season is over, it’s pretty much out-of-sight-out-of-mind…
Check out the track list after the jump…
I have to wonder if these ex-Idol projects ever turn a profit. Recent live shows featuring former Idols scheduled in California and Branson, MO were canceled or cut short this year. And I’m hearing this show, originally scheduled for December 6, has been postponed. Check back after January? I’m not holding my breath.
The current Idol Christmas tour featuring Chickezie, David Hernandez, Diana DeGarmo and Kimberley Locke has gotten some nice press–it could be the exception.
You can purchase American Christmas at both iTunes and Amazon
Idol Headlines for 11/30/08
Jordin Sparks’s Fashion Line Is All Wet
Now, I have nothing against mall shops. H&M, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, Hot Topic, Delia’s, even Target…my closet is stocked with garments from all of these chains. I honestly do not believe anyone needs to buy the pricey designer duds in Elle to look fabulous. But the new Jordin Sparks-designed fashion line for Wet Seal–hitting stores in time for the holiday season–is hideous.
Suffice to say if any American Idol contestant wore Jordin’s Wet Seal dresses on the show, Simon would tear her a new buttonhole. Blech, blech, blech.
You can view–and, if you dare, purchase–Jordin’s 12 new party dresses HERE.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
American Stars in Concert for the Holidays – CBS Early Show
David Hernandez and Diana DeGarmo sing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” on the Saturday CBS Early Show, with American Idol’s Michael Orland on piano, after the jump.
They join Chikezie and Kimberley Locke on a 3-week Christmas tour, beginning in Pittsburgh, PA tonight.
Idol Billboard Update for Issue 12/06/08
In case y’all missed it, here is this week’s Idol Billboard Chart
Some highlights:
- The new David Cook album had a most excellent debut this week. David Cook
, came in third behind heavy-hitters Beyonce at #1 and Nickleback at #2. He moved a more-than-respectable 280K units his first week. He topped the Digital Album charts, moving 58,713 units there, the most ever for a debut artist. Good job, Cookie! Here are the rest of his Billboard chart positions: Top Internet Albums – #2 (behind Il Divo..hm), Top Rock Albums – #2 (behind Nickleback, naturally) and Top Canadian Albums – #11.
- “Time of My Life” remains at #1 on Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks for the 10th week, making him one of 15 solo male artists to top the chart for 10 or more weeks since the chart began in 1961. His single, “Light On” makes a nice leap on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart, from 14-18, and on the Mainstream Top 40 chart from 34-31, even as it falls on the Billboard Hot 100, 82-91. “Declaration” charts at #13 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Chart, and #75 on Hot Digital Songs. “Come Back to Me” charts at #65 on the Hot Canadian Digital Singles chart.
- A big, big congratulations goes out to David Archuleta. His single “Crush” hits the 1M milestone this week, making it eligible to be certified platinum. Awesome. “Crush” climbs a few positions on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart, from 17-15. The album, David Archuleta
, makes a typical 2nd week drop, from #2 to #11.
- “If This Isn’t Love”, Jennifer Hudson debuts on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Airplay chart at #68. It climbs 92-68 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart.
Michael Johns Featured in the New Dan Band Christmas Video
Michael Johns is featured in the video for the Dan Band’s new Christmas song “Please Don’t Bomb Nobody”. Micheal himself sent the link to the folks at MJO this morning.
There are lots of other celebs featured in the video too.
Warning: Satire ahead, the F bomb pops up a couple of times.
Video after the JUMP…
Idol Headlines for 11/29/08
Second Cup Cafe: “Idol” Holiday Tour
(CBS) Four former “American Idol” finalists are hitting the road for a 15-city cross-country holiday music tour, but before they did, Chikezie, Diana DeGarmo, David Hernandez and Kimberley Locke dropped by the “Second Cup Cafà ©” to spread some holiday cheer.
The “American Stars in Concert for the Holidays” tour features the four top 10 finalists taking to the stage for an exciting night of solo, duet and ensemble performances. This production will be a great way to see and hear the Idols up close and personal in an intimate theatrical setting. Audiences will get a chance to relive their favorite former Idol moments as these talented artists perform an array of holiday favorites.
Grease comes to PPAC Tuesday with a chance to break box-office record
Now another national tour is getting its start at PPAC, Grease, and organizers, based on advance ticket sales, are hoping to top that figure. In fact, Nick Scandalios, a vice president for the producing Nederlander Presentations in New York has a one-dollar bet with PPACà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Lynn Singelton, wagering that the run of Grease, which opens Tuesday, will break the $1.2-million mark.
But his current touring version is slightly different. It contains for the first time several songs from the film that were not in the original Broadway show, tunes such as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re the One That I Want,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Sandy,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Hopelessly Devoted to You.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ That has given the show a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“fresh dynamic,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ said Scandalios.
It also has at least one popular face among the cast, Taylor Hicks of American Idol fame, who plays Teen Angel. Hicks, who won the season-five sing off, made his Broadway debut in that role this summer.
More Idol Headlines after the Jump…
David Archuleta Blogs – A Mouse in the House
Frequent blogger, David Archuleta, posts a message today on his MySpace. It’s all about his weekend in NYC. Here’s an excerpt:
Hey Guys! Just wanted to say that I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!! We were in New York this week, and I had a blast! Yesterday was the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and that was really exciting. I was on the Green Dog float, and there were tons and tons and tons of people on the sides. It was pretty chilly too, but I heard that it was a really nice day compared to previous years haha.
The night before Thanksgiving, my mom and I went to see the musical In The Heights, and it was pretty much PHENOMENAL. It is seriously like one of my favorite musicals now. It was great that my mom was able to come to this particular musical too because it’s full of Latin music. So we had a great time with that, and also got to meet some of the cast members from it. I definitely recommend it if you ever get the chance to see it! The cast from the musical was also in the parade and did a number. Oh, the night before we saw the musical, my mom and I watched Twilight. I never read the books but a bunch of my friends are really into it, and the movie’s been getting a bunch of hype so we decided to go see it. I actually really liked it. The weird thing is when we walked into the theater Crush was playing so we walked back out because it was so weird haha.
He met the kids from the PBS show Fletch who were also on his float, and he got to see Miranda Cosgrove from iCarly who was there too. It was a reunion of sorts–he shot an episode of iCarly that will air in the spring.
My favorite part of the blog, however, is this:
And there’s a mouse in here. Sorry I know that was random, but I can hear it wandering around and it keeps squeaking. I didn’t think there would be mice here but I guess there are… But anyway.
Completely random, and has nothing to do with the rest of the blog. Good stuff!
Ace Young – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
One more Thanksgiving Day Idol treat. Ace Young and the cast of Grease shot this performance out in the streets of New York, in front of an authentic NYC garage. It was broadcast during the CBS coverage of the Macy’s 82nd Thanksgiving Day Parade.
See Ace Sing! See Ace Dance! He’s very natural in the role. He’s got some fancy footwork!
Broadway.com was there, check out their 30-picture pictorial of the shoot. Ace said it took 3 hours to get everything right.
Video courtesy of Rickey.
Video after the JUMP…
Idol Headlines for 11/28/08
Four ‘American Idols’ join for holiday concert at Easton’s State Theatre
It’ll be “Idols for the Holidays in Concert” come Wednesday at Easton’s State Theatre, but this time around, it won’t be Clay Aiken and his Christmas show.
The current tour, which kicks off Saturday in Pittsburgh, features former Top 10 “American Idol” finalists David Hernandez and Chikezie Eze, both from Season 7, Diana DeGarmo from Season 3, and Kimberley Locke from Season 2.
The four performers will deliver solo, duet and ensemble numbers in the new production led by “Idol” musical director Michael Ormand.
In a recent phone interview from his home in Phoenix, Hernandez says the Christmas tour will stop in 15 cities across the country before it wraps up in Waukegan, Ill., on Dec. 21.
‘Idol’s’ Brooke White to turn on temple lights
A young woman already used to the bright lights will flip the switch Friday night and turn the Mesa Arizona Temple Grounds into a dazzling world of colorful holiday splendor.
Brooke White, 25, who grew up in a Mesa ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is now a recording artist in Van Nuys, Calif., finished in the top five last spring as part of the seventh season of “American Idol” on the Fox network.
White, the daughter of Brad and Kaylene White of Mesa, will turn the switch for the 29th annual temple lights display ceremonies at 7 p.m. on the grounds, 525 E. Main St. The lights will be on daily through Jan. 1, from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. for the public to see as they wander the sprawling grounds.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
David Cook Flips on the Plaza Lights in Kansas City MO
David Cook is home with his family in Missouri this weekend, and tonight he had the honor of performing the Kansas City tradition of flipping on of the Plaza Lights. I managed to yoink a couple of videos for your viewing pleasure.
After David flipped on the lights, his brother Andrew joined him and others to sing Christmas carols.
David’s young niece helped him with the honors
You can also find the videos HERE.
Syesha Mercado, Justin Guarini – Ikea Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia – VIDEO
More Thanksgiving Day goodness!
Syesha Mercado sang “One Rock and Roll Too Many” on a float at the Ikea Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia.
Justin Guarini performed too, you can watch his video HERE. He sang “Love Train”, re-recorded with the original producers, Gamble and Huff.
ETA: Fixed the video link!
Video after the JUMP…
