Green Hippo and her bud Adamland attended the Idols Live show in Anaheim earlier this week. Check out her detailed recap below (hilarious! dueling! tweets!)
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First a little bit about me. I am a middle aged mother of 2 teenagers, with a professional job at a desk every day… kinda boring.
I have been watching idol since season 2, but had never gone to an Idols live concert until season 7, when my favorite actually won. ( Yay David Cook). That season going to an idols live concert was a last minute decision and I and a friend went to San Diego Sports Arena, a huge venue. It was almost sold out and all we had was nose-bleed seats. As good as this experience was, I wanted better seat next year, because I was definitely going back next year.
So for the idols live concert season 8, for me the Kradison season, we went to the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA. Another huge venue. This one was sold out! But we got our tickets early, so we had great seats on the side. And we all know how epic this season was. So, here we are finally at season 9, live concert at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. Again a huge venue, bigger than the venue in Ontario, CA, but smaller than the San Diego arena. It was not sold out, the complete upper bowl was empty. I think, they didn’t even bother trying to sell tickets for the top nose-bleed seat bowl section. However the rest was full, and therefore still a huge crowd. More than I expected after all the reports of canceled concerts etc.
Neither of my teens wanted to go with me this year, nobody of interest was there for them. Last year was the Adam year for my daughter, but no one this year. She says Adam spoiled her forever.
So I invited a local MJ celebrity to go with me to this concert, Adamland. Yay! We had met before for the Adam Lambert Glamnation Tour, so we already knew what we looked like. I also have had the opportunity to see a live taping of season 9 this year and already knew this years batch was better live than on TV.
So here we were at the venue, the first thing I noticed was that the lines were rather small, but I wasn’t discouraged yet. Inside they sent us all around this dang bowl, before we finally got to our seats. We had excellent seats 15 th row floor, but about only 8 rows from the front of the stage (I wished I was that close for S7). It filled up slowly but surely. There were no empty seats around us.
I went into this concert without seeing ANY other reviews or vids from this season. I wanted real impressions, I know I spoiled myself last year with watching to much before hand, I did not want to repeat that. My favorite this year is Crystal Bowersox, which happened to be Adamland’s least favorite (she can’t stand her – hahaha). Her favorite is Casey James, who was just ok for me. The rest of this years idols were neither here nor there for me, kinda like this whole season was going.
And then the concert started!
The show starts on time. No fuss, no fanfare, boom there is Didi Benami, while people are still being seated. In the last 2 years the opener (10 th place) were always big opener, crowd pleasing, remember Michael Sarver or Chekizie before. Didi not so much, she started very subdued and off key with “Lay it on me” by Kyler England, by the end of it she was back on key and more confident. Now Didi is very very pretty, but she has no power behind her voice, so “Terrified” by Katharine McPhee is way better suited for her. With that song she did very well and the audience seemed to wake up a little. And then it’s over…boom… Next up…
Andrew Garcia from Moreno Valley, which is near by. I was expecting his home crowd to be here. There were the occasional signs for Andrew… yay. I also expected him to really lay it on…uhm… if he did, I did not notice. His first song “Straight up” by Paula Abdul was … just that, straight from his typical catalog. His second song “Sunday Morning” by Maroon5 got the audience finally going and up onto their feet dancing a little. Then they all sat back down.
The audience in general was an “exercise audience”, up down up down up down up down…lol
Katie Stevens, very young, very beautiful and a ton more confidence than she had on the show. I kept tweeting with this questions, where was her confidence during Idol? Really she was awesome. Although her first song “here we go again” by Demi Lavato, was just alright for me (channeling my inner Randy here). Her second song “Fighter” by Christina Aguilera showed off her strong vocals, she can sing…. move over Christina… well, not quite yet, but Katie is on her way. Her outfit was a bit… hm… shall we say off, a bit wanna be rock star, especially those thigh-high boots.
Tim Urban, ah the teenage screams, the dimples, the cuteness… he is really cute, really really cute. Justin Bieber cute. I think you get it. His singing not to shabby, but not great either. Hand him some auto-tune and he could be HUGE, like a lot of autotuned mega stars these days….I don’t need to name names. The first song (“Better Days” by Goo Goo Dolls) was better interpreted than the second song, “Viva la Vida” by Coldplay. Sorry Timmy, Coldplay out of your league :( . I am sure there are worse interpretations than his, if one looks.
And then we come to Siobhan, the biggest surprise of the night for me. She blew everybody out of the water so far. Her outfit was so out of this world, so glam, Adam Lambert would have been proud! She had rhinestone tears, maybe glitter tears, under her right eye. She radiated Rock ‘n Roll and I felt like transported into a Rock Concert. The sang “Painted Black’ by the Rolling Stones, there was a note in there she seemed to hold it forever. Adamland and I looked at each other and just went WOW! I got chills, or “the Willies”, as my husband calls it. Next she sang ‘Spider Webs’ by No Doubt, and she did them proud! I really really loved her interpretation. BTW the audience were on their feet the whole time during Siobhan’s set. She ended her set with “Stockholm Syndrome” by Muse, one of my favorites by Muse, but also by Siobhan. Did I mention that she blew me away? I am a fan now! Surrounded with the right band, she can be huge, possibly like a Paramore huge.
Last before the intermission – Aaron Kelly, again where did all the confidence come from? Where was it during the Idol show? Although people sat back down after Siobhan, they soon got back up, because his set was also rockin’, well country music style. I don’t like country music, but good for him, the audience was into it. His first song was “Somebody Like You” by Keith Urban, the second “Walking in Memphis” by Marc Cohn, everybody was on their feet. I kept tweeting that he was such a nice kid…. and that my daughter was available…. hahahahaha. His last song “Fast Cars and Freedom” by Rascal Flatts was a perfect ending to this wonderful first part of this years Idools live.
But wait there is more…. the first group song. How could I forget! Yay!! But….. nooooo it’s “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus, I hated that song. However those kids made it great, WAY BETTER than Miley ever! Thanks Idols Live 2010 for restoring my faith in “The Climb”.
Intermission….
During intermisson they played We Are The Fallen in the background. Also Archie was in the building! I did not see him, just his tweets :) Then lights off and again boom here we went on, again no fanfare and here is:
Michael Lynch (Big Mike), sorry to say he is not my cup of tea, he is just another Ruben Studdard, very boring. Even his “Woman’s Work” by Kate Bush, which he opened with was nothing special, although on the show he had a real moment with it. The second song “Ready for Love” by India Arie was really boring, his voice was great, no doubt the dude can sing, but song choice, baby, song choice (channeling my inner Randy again). So I was ready to go to sleep with the 3rd song “My Love” by Justin Timberlake, when all of a sudden he started rapping. Oh Yeah, that was better, it woke the audience back up, too.
Next up -> Casey James. I was prepared for lots of screaming from Adamland, since he was her favorite, and she did not disappoint. Now, Casey didn’t do much for me during idol, but I did notice he can rock that guitar. Wow, did he ever rock out on the guitar. Now I was blown away by his guitar skills. His first song “I Got Mine” by The Black Keys, was sick on the guitar. I really don’t know how his singing was, because the playing distracted me very much so. His 2nd song “Don’t” by Shania Twain had more vocals, so I noticed them :) Not bad, not bad! I am happy he got signed, he is somebody to watch, his guitar playing will get him far. I predict along the lines of Orianthi and better.
And out comes Big Mike again for the duet “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman” by Bryan Adams. A nice sappy, emotional piece for I guess most of the female audience, not for me though. But having both voices side by side, I have to say I liked Casey’s better than Mike’s. Casey ended his set with “It’s all over now” by the Rolling Stones. It was perfect! Have I mentioned how much I liked his guitar playing *grin*
And now for something completely different *\o/* Mamasox! Crystal Bowersox, my favorite this season. Adamland and I were on opposite ends here. While I loved her, Adamland hated her. While I tweeted happily, how great she was, that she was the best of the night etc., Adamland tweeted a lot of UGGs and complaints… it was funny! And we sat next to each other. So Crystal opened her set with “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes, which I thought was totally perfect for her. Next she put on the harmonica and played a little special diddy for her kid, who was there last night. It was very cute and sooo Mamasox. She then got into “Come to My Window” by Melissa Etheridge, which I thoroughly enjoyed. She sings with so much heart and conviction, I believe every word she sings. She got into a little banter with a female fan, whom she wanted to have meet her brother. She also gave her a guitar pick. Cute! Then Crystal put all instruments down and sang “Up to the Mountain” by Patty Griffin. Stunning, just stunning, did I mention stunning?
She closed her set with “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin…. I was in heaven! Adamland was frowning :( hahahhaha
I have a lttle flash light on my phone, which I turned on on occasion to wave around, back and forth.
And Finally our American Idol 2010, Lee Dewyze. I was hot and cold about him during the season. Some songs I liked some I didn’t, he certainly was not my favorite. I was open for anything. The first song, I didn’t even recognize right away, was “Beautiful day” by U2…. hm it was just all right for me. The young kids seemed to like it. A little girl was standing on top of her chair, her mom was supporting her, so she could see her idol. A security nazi came by and made her sit down. She wasn’t taller standing on the chair than her mom, so she couldn’t see, which was so dumb…poor girl.
Back to Lee, next was “Rocket Man” by Elton John, not really impressed either. Sorry, I couldn’t get into it. “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen was great though, and I was waving my phone back and forth again, finally I got into it too. I even liked the next one “Treat her like a Lady” by Cornelius Brothers and sister Rose. Unfortunately he sang “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon next. This song is so over played, that I started hating it, and poor Lee didn’t sound any different or fresh with it either. I cannot put my finger on it exactly, but his voice is somehow off for me…hm.
Some people where getting up and leaving during the last song, I wonder why? I don’t understand it why people do this. They missed the finale completely, which was comprised of “It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi and “My Life Would Suck Without You” by Kelly Clarkson. Again I loved the group number and seeing everybody back out on stage, in different costume. Siobhan, of course was the most glam, every time she came out on stage.
And then all of a sudden it was over and done, and I enjoyed myself very much. I was very glad I went. I had a great time. I saw some of these kids blossom before my eyes in this live setting, mostly the very young kids. I think they were just too young to begin with and the pressure of the show got to them. So setting the age for season 10 down to 15 is a mistake in my opinion!
We didn’t go to the buses, because I had to get up the next day at 5:30am and drive 12 hours (hubby is driving currently) all the way to north CA. I wrote this whole review on my phone. I have a blister now on my supporting finger. LOL.
