If you are a little confused about how it’s all going to go down tonight, this first night of the Canadian Idol semi-finalist round, read my post from earlier today and the accompanying article. Twelve of the 24 semi-finalists will perform tonight, 12 more tomorrow night. On Wednesday night, cuts will be made–maybe 2 maybe more–the producers aren’t sayin’!
Video of the hour-long program is usually available from this site around 10 pm ET. I’ll post the videos, after the jump, when they become available. In the meantime, Canadians and border dwellers can chat away until the rest of us get the chance to catch up…
Videos are UP!
Performances, Videos and Recap After the JUMP…
- Lindsay Barr – …Burnin Love by Elvis Presley – I thought Lindsay’s audition was awesome. This? Not so much. Not a great song choice. The judges like her energy, but not her performance. Lindsay keeps a big scary frozen smile on her face all the way through the bad critiques.
- Martin Kerr – …Lost Together by Blue Rodeo – GREAT song choice. Martin can sing a song with great emotion, good phrasing. Me likey! The judges thought he was a bit nervous at first, but got stronger at the end.
- Gary Morisette – …Good Golly Miss Molly by Little Richard – Gary is a fun performer and a decent guitar player, but his vocals are harsh and one-dimensional. I’ll reserve judgment until he performs a current rock song. The judges liked it–but Jake didn’t like the singing.
- Tetiana Ostapowych – …Feelings by Morris Albert – If there ever was a song that epitomized cheesy lounge singing, “Feelings” is it. Maybe Tetiana is too young to realize it. Ugh. Her performance? A Night at The Bar. Zach calls the song choice “Bizarre”. Jake and Sass say it’s the best singing so far–they believed it. Farley calls it “credible.”
- Mitch MacDonald – …Follow Through by Gavin Degraw – Good song choice–bland vocals. Mitch doesn’t bring anything new or interesting to this song. He’s like the guy who plays guitar at the local pub. The band overpowers his vocals at times–that doesn’t help. Jake calls it pitchy. It was. Sass says, “Lovely. Farley finds his vocals thin. Zack likes his natural grace, but isn’t sold on his performance.
- Paul Clifford – …Broken by Seether – I have a hard time getting past Paul’s super-gravelly tone, but I think he’s got a great way with a song. Awesome song choice, great arrangement–an emotional performance. Sass thought he was holding back, but I didn’t feel that. Jake says, “powerful.” Zack and Farley aren’t wowed, but they like it.
- Earl Stevenson – …All Along the Watchtower Dave Matthews version – For my money, best performance so far. I like everything about Earl–his tone, his phrasing, his way with a song. Great song choice. Farley says he oozes soul. Zack says it was only Earl and only Earl could have done it. Ditto for Jake. Sass calls Earl the Real Deal.
- Lisa Bell – …Long Train Running by the Doobie Brothers – Lisa seems really nervous. Beyond that, she’s got a great R&B vibe. Nice change-up of this Doobie Brothers classic – Zack finds it too showbizy. Jake and Farley believe she showcased her vocals well. Sass loves it.
- Mookie Morris – …Twist And Shout by the Beatles – Is it totally horrifying that Mookie’s dad wouldn’t leave the ballgame when his mom went into labor? Yikes. Mookie’s a cutie. Not sure this was the best song choice for him, but I am liking his vibe so far. I’m a sucker for a guy who plays a Rickenbacker. Jake says he’s a star. Sass thinks he has tons of presence and charisma. Farley says he made the most of his two minutes. Zach says if there was a record deal on the table he’s the one who gets it.
- Drew Wright – …Under Pressure by Queen – Some nice moments here. Too bad Drew is overpowered by the band. He’s got good performance skills and lots of potential. Sass says it’s a big song to bite and he did a pretty good job. Farley likes it too. Zack calls the song choice, “weird.” He doesn’t like the arrangement. Jake says the song was too big and the performance all over the place.
- Oliver Pigott – …I Hear You Knocking. Dave Edmunds version
- Katherine St. Laurent – …Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler – She looks really different with her hair straitened! A little pitchy, a little shaky in spots. This is one of those over-done Idol songs. Zach says the strong parts of the song proved she deserves to be here. Jake says the song was right in her pocket. Sass says she showed Canada that she can sing. Farley says, “She’s only 16!” OMG.
– I’ve liked Oliver in the past, but this is a really strange performance. Hm, this arrangement doesn’t showcase his vocals very well. I’ll give him points for doing something different. He’s definitely unique. Farley says, “that was a man on stage.” Zach says, “ridiculous” and doesn’t relate to it “in any way shape or form.” Jake finds it a little too over the top. Sass likes it, “go for it, ” she says.
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