Send me your concert recaps, and I’ll post them on the blog! mjsbigblog at gmail.com y’all…
Bonus: It looks like songs from David Cook’s unreleased 2nd album are going to end up on his upcoming album, according to a fan who chatted with him before the show. Read her account here.
They performed in exact order with an announcer counting them down…
Here is Ging’s review from the Fresno show…“NUMBER 10 Chickezeâ€â€¦. I enjoyed him. He sang well and always had that killer smile. You could tell he was so happy to be there. I was happy for him.
9…. Ramiele…..Just kind of Boring. I was one of her fans, but I was disappointed :(
8…..Michael……..Big Roar from the crowd. I really liked MJ on the show and thought Simon was too hard on him. His vocals were great. He was a showman on the stage. It doesn’t hurt that he is just Great to look at. He was one of the best of the night. You could hear every word he sang over the band. Itâ€s All Wrong but It’s All Right was simply HOT HOT
7……..Kristy…..A big surprise for me. She looks great on stage and sounded very good. I listened to a local News review in my hotel this morning and they stated that she stole the show. I wouldn’t say that, but she was very good.
6…..Carly…..Another roar from the crowd. She was Loud ! To me the band was to loud during her set and it was difficult to hear her vocals.
5….Brooke….The crowd gets quiet when Brooke performs. Brooke has a very nice voice. I thought her 3 song set was very good.
Chickese, Ramiele, MJ, Kristy, Carly and Brooke Do a group number before the break.
4….Jason- Our seats were on the floor, maybe 20 rows back. My Friends and I went down to the Stage when Jason was doing his set. The ladies in the outside front rows were Jason fans. They were sweet and let One of my Friends in front of them to take pics. One of them said to me, Oh MY he is just wonderful ! Jason was wonderful. His voice was beautiful and his person just GLOWED. We listened in awe to his songs and then screamed like teens. It was not just the 3 of us going wild for Jason. There were many screaming girls. He had that sheepish smile on his face the entire time he was on stage. ahhhhh Love Jason.
3….Syesha-Again the band gets very LOUD. She does a good job. Nothing outstanding to me.
2…David A… another huge roar from the crowd. He did a fantastic job. Pitch perfect and clearly heard over the band. He was embarrassed with the screaming for him between each song and acted very adorkable.
1… David Cook… David Cook Was King ! Great Singer…Nice Guy……Great Performer…..His Hello was indeed one of the best of the night. Billy Jean was his encore. Loved it ….The crowd was wild and on their feet his entire set. ( I guess crowd loudness is entirely an individual perception)
Then when you think it is over, they all come out and do one last group number. I really liked it.
They all exit the stage. David Cook is being dropped down on a lift and just before his head disappears, he blows a big kiss to the crowd.
It was fun. I enjoyed it very much. The Band was very very loud. My ears are still ringing !
Thanks for the great recap, Ging. Seems like a fun night.
Thanks Ging…sound like a really good concert. I’m still pouting that we aren’t going to visit my family in CA this summer…despite my hubby’s jealoudy, I would have taken in a concert or two. Number 1 daughter (soon 19) has become a Cookie fan. We would have had a blast together!
Las Vegas tonight?
This was a great recap and a very enjoyable read. Seems to me like the only performer consistently reviewd badly is Remiele… Hopefully she can build more confidence as the tour progresses and improve her set. Otherwise, I hope she doesn’t read the reviews.
Does anybody know what’s the likelihood of sets changing during the tour?
Not very likely. Little things may change here and there. If there is something special going on, there might be a one-off song added by one of the contestants in a city, but for the most part, the show will remain exactly as it is during the entire run–right down to the costumes the Idols wear.
for floor seats, you can get up and get closer to the stage?
I realize that with ten people and a band, changing things up isn’t always logistically feasible, but I’ve always thought they should make a few changes from time to time to keep it fresh, including wardrobe. Other bands do this, and with so many of the Idols playing instruments, there isn’t really any reason why Jason, say, couldn’t sing something else acoustically, say. It would keep the show fresh and encourage more people to see it again and again.
Mj, do you you know if they have multiple sets of the same outfit…idle curiosity.
Layla,
I sure hope so…..or they will need a whole lot of febreeze on those buses, lol!
One thing I noticed though, is that DC wore different shirts under his vest in Glendale and San Diego.
Just wondering, would anyone know how tall he is?
I’ve heard that Michael is 6′3″ so that would make DC about 6′1″ I think.
Thanks for the recap, Ging. I love to hear about Michael of course but it’s nice to hear about all of them. Can’t wait until I go but it’s weeks away.
Syesha, in her blog, said her first outfit (at Glendale) didn’t work so she picked a new one for the second show (San Diego). I have not seen any of her videos from Fresno, so I’m not sure if she stuck to the second outfit (which, in an article or recap I read, was referred to as an “outfit of nothingness” or something like that, heh).
I’m only watching DC videos. I haven’t seen any of the other Idols perform and won’t til I see them here in Chicago. At least it will be new and I won’t go too crazy while waiting for Cook.
Yeah, that’s me too. I’m not going to get to see the show, but since we’ll get the same songs for 2 1/2 months, I’m pacing myself and refraining from watching it all right now. DC’s set I could watch countless times and not get tired of, and I couldn’t help but watch it even if I tried really hard.
About the sets - I was thinking about David Cook (well duh) - The last show of the tour is in Tulsa, and he should, hopefully, either have a single out already, or be on the verge of releasing one at that point… So I hope he would end the tour with at least one original song on his set, in what will be sort of a homecoming performance for him.
Thanks for your wonderful recap!!! I am so glad I get to go to this tour, but hate it that I must wait until the end of August - I hope their voices hold out until then! I actually think I am looking forward to hearing ALL of them, as I am liking KLC and Carly more since the show ended. Of course Cookie and Jason will be my favs but I am really excited to hear MJ, Brooke and Archie.
ETA: From the videos I have seen, David Cook looks like he has been doing this for years (the big venues). He really is a star!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it - he connects with the audience, acts sexy and dorky at the same time, looks like he is having a ball and sings the hell out of his songs. And he seems humble and appreciative of his fans. WOW.
I think the reason they keep their music and costumes the same for the whole tour is because they expect to be in front of an entirely new crowd every time. It would be way too much work to try to learn new material on the road, especially where 10 artists are involved. It’s probably hard enough just doing what they already know.
I’m pretty sure all tours are like that. They put together a set, and they go around performing it for everyone.
Technically, we’re not supposed to know what they’ve been singing or wearing, but that’s the world we live in now, with cameras on cell phones, and the internet.
I remember an old-time comedian lamenting the advent of television because they were forced to write new material a lot faster. In the old days, they would travel around the country and do the same jokes for everyone and no one would know it.
Not only that, but it gave them the chance to hone their craft - to learn what people liked and what they didn’t. They would keep the funny jokes and stop using the ones that didn’t get laughs.
It makes me sad for Ramilele to hear the poor reviews.
The other idols have said what a “big voice” she has.
Perhaps she chose the wrong songs.
Don’t count on that…
Oh well, I’ll settle for hoping. I’m not expecting anything, really.
We’ll get new music soon enough, it doesn’t have to be featured on the tour, it would just be a nice bookend if the timeline coincides. But obviously being part of the Idol tour is not like having your own private show…
Thanks everyone. It was my Pleasure to write the recap.
About David Cook……I have been to many many concerts and I have never seen anyone do it better ! (except my one true Love, Elliott)
About Ramiele….It was not that she was BAD. She sang well. I really don’t know what it was, maybe just that she did not seems to present a personality like the others. I love her voice and I hope she finds a career.
About moving around on the Floor…..they checked tickets as we entered the floor, but then we were able to walk around on the floor freely. We went down to side stage, not center and they allowed us to stand there through most of Jason’s set. They did ask us kindly to take our seats, which we did.
Nice review Ging. Sounds like they all did pretty well and you had fun!!
Thanks so much for the review! Very nice. I’ve never been a Ramiele fan, but I hope she gains confidence as the tour continues, mainly for her own sake, but it could help her set too.
Ging or MJ, do you know many hours before the concert started the buses arrived? I’m sure it will be different for each tour, but did either of you hear what it was for Glendale or Fresno? Thanks.
I’ve been harboring a (small) hope that Cook will get to add a song when the tour hits KC, since there are two concerts there and it’s his Homecoming. I seem to recall things being a teeny bit different in people’s home towns in previous years, but since Carly didn’t do anything different in San Diego, maybe I’m wrong or maybe not this year.
I will still keep a tiny flame of hope alive in my heart, though. THAT’s how much I want to hear Always Be My Baby.
Thank you so much for the recap! The reviews on Jason’s performances have been great. I am so happy for him. Although it looks like I cannot get tickets, at least I can read the reviews. This does sound like the best Top 10 American Idol has had. It will be a tough act to follow.
I also hope Ramiele can put it together real soon. Is there still a vocal coach for the tour?
As has been said, the setlists don’t change, unless they’re actually streamlining and cutting something. Things don’t get added or switched.
Last year, at the very last show, Blake added an original song that was just him and his loop pedals, but no one knew about it because he didn’t ask permission. He just did it, since it was with his loop pedals and didn’t need the band. I don’t think the other contestants even knew he was doing it, because the guys (at least the Chris’s) appeared on the side of the stage mid-song to watch him. I’m sure he got a “talking to” for that, and while it was great to hear that song, I don’t think it’s a good idea to blatantly do something that TPTB obviously don’t want you to do.
Also, I don’t know how things were done prior to season 5, but on both of the last two tours, contestants (Kellie P and Jordin) have had singles released and on the radio by the end of the tour, but they still did not add them to their sets or swap them out for anything.
Like MJ said, don’t count on anything changing this year.
The band was too loud period! But the sound man was responsible, not the amps for the band. The sound man left so much to be desired - he seemed to be oblivious to what needed to happen to balance the performances! Everyone around us was remarking about this problem - even people who professed little knowledge of musical performances. What a shame. I agree with Ging who reviewed the Fresno July 3rd performance of the “top ten” - 9 of the 10 did better than on TV - I was disappointed with Syeisha (spelling?) though…She was good, but not as outstanding as the others. No. 9, the little gal, was perky - but her voice was not quite as outstanding as the others - however, I still go with No. 3 as not showing us her best “chops”. I would not say that Kristy Lee Cook was “outstanding” - but she was so much better than on TV. It was obvious that all the top ten had worked hard on their selections - and this year’s format was quite an improvement over last years’ where duets were sung by performers who had never sang together before. This format truly showcased each performer - and the two group numbers were interesting and novel and gave the audience a chance to see performers together.
All in all, an enjoyable night - could have done without the pop tart bits, though.