American Idol Arrives in Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE, FL — Thousands of inspiring singers from all over are flocking to the River City for their shot at fame.
American Idol is holding auditions for season eight of the hit reality TV show. Jacksonville is one of only eight stops.
Wannabe Idols began lining up outside the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena over the weekend. Cherilyn V. Mallari, 19, of San Diego, California, is the first in line.
With 7,000 people in line Idol Auditions begin Early\
By the time the sun came up this morning, the line had almost reached the football stadium. And still they came. Up from Naples, over from New Orleans.
Patrick Lynn, American Idol’s senior producer, said he had expected to have about 3,000 in line by then. But he estimated the crowd at more than 7,000.
There’s no real reason to be there that early, Lynn said, but there they were.
‘Idol’ finalists get another moment in the spotlight
True to its roots, the American Idols Live! tour, featuring this season’s 10 “American Idol” finalists, started out with a commercial: a giant Pop-Tart mascot helping to fire up Saturday’s crowd at the Worcester DCU Center. There was also a lot of shilling for Guitar Hero, complete with a “music video” featuring the singers (just like on the show!), and two awkwardly blocked, brutally harmonized group numbers.
More Idol Headlines After the JUMP…
Multi-talented Idols on tour cook up a winner of a show
WORCESTER— Ten Idols performed at the DCU Center Saturday night, but in the end it was really a one-man show.
David Cook, who took the top spot in the seventh, and most recent, season of American Idol (the Fox TV music-and-money-making juggernaut) left no doubt that voters got it right when they made the Missouri-born rocker their No. 1 choice. His five-song set likely would have been deemed brilliant even by acerbic Idol judge Simon Cowell.
Hold off on the testy e-mails all you diehard fans of other idols. There were other bright spots, notably David Archuleta, Cook’s 17-year-old runner up, who came in a solid second on the DCU’s audience shriek-o-meter. Archuleta’s four-song set, including “Angels†and “Stand By Me,†was delivered with the panache of a performer twice his age. His voice was incandescent, soulful and strong. Although it’s still a new thing, singing on a big stage in front of thousands of people seems natural. He is obviously born to it.
Cook, ’Idol’ cohorts give lukewarm performances
It was a pop culture addict’s dream.
The nation’s largest popularity contest brought its Top 10 elite for three hours of covering other people’s hits, fitting into archetypes and expressing disbelief toward fans’ ardor.
“American Idols Live!†has its moody rocker, its piano-playing sweetheart, its shameless shucking of a new video game during an overlong intermission and its three minutes of compassion.
American Idol Runner Up Checks Out the Balance Board
What happens when you become American Idol’s runner-up? You get invited to the Teen Choice Awards to play some Wii. Somehow, that just doesn’t seem as good as winning! Thanks to Andre for the heads up.
Up Close With The American Idols - Kristy Lee Cook
For most contestants American Idol is their once in a lifetime shot at stardom. But for some, like Kristy Lee Cook, it is also a second chance. Cook, along with fellow contestants Carly Smithson and Michael Johns, was signed to a record label in the past. Seven years ago Cook was signed with Arista-Nashville under Britney Spears’ Superstar label. As with Michael Johns (who recorded an album with Maverick Records), Cook’s deal fell apart before an album was ever released.
Video Blog: American Idol Auditions, Kansas City
This past Friday, American Idol rolled into Kansas City to hold round one auditions for Season 8. Of course, I grabbed my camera and video blogged the craziness. It was great — I really met a lot of cool people in the couple hours I walked around. One thing I found surprising, the majority of people were practically fighting to sing for the camera …and they were actually all pretty good! Check out my audio blog on Utterz and my video blog below. P.s. You’ll be crackin’ up when you meet “Mr. Banana Manâ€, a memorable character for sure. Enjoy!
‘Walk’ to stardom: ‘Idol’ alumnus Bucky Covington off to a ‘good start’
As he recounts his relatively quick route to country music stardom, “American Idol” alumnus Bucky Covington sounds as surprised as anyone at his rapid ascent up the charts.
“I went from working in a body shop to red carpet treatment overnight,” said the affable North Carolina native, who will headline the Wam Bam Country Jam at the Midland County Fairgrounds on Tuesday. “But we’re off to a good start. Everything keeps ticking.”
Trio of country songwriters land on dance floor with ‘Fall’
The last place a country songwriter generally expects to land is on the dance charts. But that’s exactly where hit songsmith Sonny LeMaire found his song “Fall” a few weeks ago.
LeMaire, Shane Minor and Clay Mills co-wrote the ballad that Clay Walker initially made into a Top 5 country hit. Kimberly Locke later recorded the same song as an adult-contemporary pop tune and landed LeMaire and Co. their first No. 1 dance hit.
Joshua’s Training
Drew Tomlinson drops a note regarding the reference of “So You Think You Can Dance” winner Joshua Allen as “untrained.”
I am a choreographer and dance instructor. I own a performing arts studio in Texas called Rhythm nation Studios. And want you to know that Joshua had 6 years of training with me.
I’m kind of getting frustrated that the media wants it to look like that he has had zero training, when in fact I worked very hard on Joshua Allen.
:D This review makes me happy!
A little late, but Andrew Cook was on Ryan Seacrest’s KIISFM radio show on Friday. He talked a little about David on tour and more about him working with local media at this year’s AI auditions. Link to the main page here, it’s under “On Demand.”
Also, if you look at the artist images that are cycling through on the front page, Archie with “Crush” is the 5th one! Woo!:) Hopefully this means it will start getting some more west coast spins soon.
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Syesha blogs and blogs some more. Oh lo.
In her first blog, she mentions a little girl named Kaliegh. I do believe she was the one battling brain cancer and was given three weeks to live. I’ve seen MJ and DC mentioning her elsewhere. So sad…. :( She attended the concert through the Make a Wish foundation.
i just got back from idol registration in jax
i got there at about 5am and there were a good amount of people ahead of me
since registration will be open all day today and tomorrow, i think that 10K people is certainly possible
Patrick Lynn was really awesome at coming up to people’s faces and yelling in the megaphone at them- thanks patrick
but wednesday should be interesting, im friends with a lot of good singers and i will be very interested to see what happens to them.
*crosses fingers*
Sarah will be there too. You guys should meet up! I just posted her recap of the auditions out front. Feel free to contribute as well. That would be awesome..
Good luck to you, Duke!
Good luck, Duke. :)
Speaking of auditioners…
Singers try to land a guaranteed ‘American Idol’ audition
…Another Alle-Kiski Valley resident who got a good crowd response was Ben Hinton, 22, of Lower Burrell and a Freeport High School graduate. Hinton, a senior majoring in history at the University of Pittsburgh, said the Elliott Yamin tune “You Are The One…”
I hope this one was better than the guy who did WFY last season. Heh. ;)
Good luck, Duke.
Good luck Duke!
Oh Purps - me too!!!
OMG even Syesha’s teabags have quotes and thoughts on them! @_@
Good luck Duke and Sarah!
I noticed on Rickey’s that Ace’s CD got a nice mention in EW
Good luck, Duke! (Sarah - you’re good luck is in your very own thread, lol)
I can’t hate on Syesha. I drink the same brand of tea. :-)
Ace’s CD is actually very good. One of my all time fave AI-related albums. I don’t love every single song, but it’s a solid effort and better than most pop albums out today. Too bad he’s not likely to get airplay or sell very much. I still love it and he should be proud.
Jason Castro bulletined on Myspace.
Thanks, Gwendolyn! Since you have to be his friend, I am going to post here for the non-myspace inclined.
ETA: While on myspace, I saw that my initial fave from season six was tagged in a couple of photos.
So, Brandon Rogers, what are you looking at? LOL.
http://a751.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/68/l_35b08d57025c36fcb7820a2d1e64084e.jpg
‘Scuse me while I highjack the news thread. This is for the fans of SYTYCD and dance in general.
I heard an interview on NPR this AM with Carlos Acosta, a Cuban ballet dancer. It was tres interesting and I decided to youtube him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoRt5xpglO0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewKmVjY-d6k
There’s a lot more, but enjoy.
Aside: Did I read a comment the other day about someone’s daughter who’s part of the NPR generation and only listens to NPR and doesn’t know who Archie or Ryan Tedder are? Let me tell you it’s entirely possible to be an NPR junkie (I listen more hours per week than I watch TV) and keep up with pop culture at the same time. :) Not sure what the NPR generation is, but generation X, here. LOL.
Ramiele post a vlog on Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j781IW3DWMM
features all the girls & photo montage
Btw.. This was posted by caseydog over at Rickeys, Casting call for Archie’s Crush video. He was also in the recording studio today again.
“Casting Call for David Archuleta from AMERICAN IDOL (Atlanta) “Crush†Director: Declan Whitebloom Casting Date: Wednesday August 13, 2008 Casting Time: 5-8:30pm Casting Location: Artistry 942 Peachtree Street Atlanta Georgia 30309 Shoot Date: Tuesday August 19, 2008 We are seeking 1 female model as lead for this video. We are also seeking Female and Male models of all ethnicities between the ages of 18-21 to play his friends. Must look youthful and dress the part (think High School). Please bring photos and/or your comp card to casting. This casting will be video taped”
My Model Talk.com
here is a link for submission information. If you want to be in David’s video.
Thanks frogcooke! That director did the Push video for Matchboxtwenty. My hormones still haven’t gotten over it.
Nice new default pic, Jasonnn. ;)