First in a series of reader recaps! Grammie, a huge Siobhan fan
GRAMMIE KARI AT THE FIRST IDOL CONCERT
I guess with Twitter and Facebook, our little chat about the concert isn’t as important as it was in the past. First of all, I think most know that my daughter met Siobhan, Tim, and Andrew on Saturday. It was a very peaceful setting, and she was the only fan out on the patio where they were having dinner. She got Siobhan’s autograph for me, went back a second time, and I ended up talking to Siobhan on the phone! I was too much Fangirly, but she was so sweet. This is our second Idol Concert, having loved Season 7 (especially Castro, Cook, and Archuleta) our expectations were high. OK, maybe not that high.
I just got back from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and had purchased a gift and postcard for Siobhan. My daughter and I went to dinner first, and then to the Palace. I didn’t know I was suppose to go to Guest Services with gifts. The way it turned out, I ended up meeting the supervisor of Security, and he sent me to Bob who was in charge of stage security. One of the guards wondered how I got that far, and then Bob comes out. I explained my gift, and he said he’d be sure Siobhan would get it. I then gave him a hug.
I guess I am just as brave as my daughter. LOL! I hope she likes my small gift.
Yes, the attendance was lowered then expected, but everyone seemed to have a good time. We were seated between Siobhan fans and Lee fans. These young people were so nice. I had a 14 year-old boy named Collin sitting next to me. He is in love with Siobhan (as are his friends). He told me, “She is different. Wacky in a way. And she screams beautifully.” Later his Mom told me, “Collin is such a straight-laced guy, and yet he picks the quirky one.”
Now these are my personal opinions, and Siobhan is my favorite this year. My daughter also made some comments along the way. We were very impressed with the lighting and background visuals. They were stunning. The band was pretty awesome and carried several of the performances.
Didi – She is a very pretty girl, but I thought that perhaps Lacey would have been a better pick for 10th place. Didi seems very sweet and was so excited to be on the tour. However, I didn’t feel the power of her performances. You can’t help but like her, but her vocals were not strong. Not a good start, IMO. Chickeze really got the crowd going for Season 7.
Andrew – Andrew had lots of energy and did a good job with “Straight Up.” He tried so hard to get people up and dancing, but it seems only part of the floor crowd got into it. Nice guy. Would have been a better choice to start off the concert.
Katie – She has some powerful pipes. No doubt about that. Katie was so thankful to the fans. She also had high energy and was bouncing up and down as young singers do.. I liked her pep talk, “No matter what the obstacles are, always be a fighter.” She got a good portion of the floor and several rows on the side excited. But we were towards the back (right), and no one stood while she sang. It was cool that the words kept popping up on the screen behind her. Yes, I do see Katie having some success with Disney.
Tim – Now, there was some excitement going on. Lots of girls screaming. Tim’s voice seemed deeper, and almost had a twang for his first song. His looks are so appealing. Daughter noticed his muscles and that he got a haircut. And his physique. No, slide; however, he can’t be expected to do that at every concert. He did get a nice applause. Did I tell you Daughter can whistle – loudly?
Siobhan – She got the best crowd reaction so far. The people around me (especially the 14 year-old boy) stood up during her entire set. This was one wild performance. Although she didn’t interact as much with the crowd, she seemed comfortable in her performances. I loved “Paint it Black”! OK, I am a fan of this girl. I couldn’t believe the majestic lighting they used on her. I felt like I was at a real rock concert. However, the lighting made it extremely difficult to take pictures with my little Canon camera. “Stockholm Syndrome” was almost an outrage with all the instruments and wild lighting. WOW! She delivered with a wail and ended on her knees. How could any reporter say there were no outstanding performances?
Aaron – He showed a confidence I had not seen on the show. His “Walking In Memphis” was my second favorite performance of the night. The crowd loved him AND the Elvis background photos. He asked if anyone liked Elvis, and the response was very good! Of course my screaming and Daughter’s whistling blended in with the crowd’s approval. He really interacted with the crowd. Cool.
There was a good reaction to the Group Performance of, “The Climb”. I like these people!
Michael – Now, Big Mike was the most polished performer of the night. He came across with such confidence and sincerity without the ego. “Woman’s Work” was very well delivered with a whole lot of soul. Although his other two performances weren’t as successful, I do believe the audience was pleased. You see, Michael pleased the crowd by saying, “Hello, Detroit.” This was what was missing from the other Idols. It isn’t Auburn Hills to the crowd. He mentioned the Ford commercials, and the problems with Detroit car makers. Big Mike was so warm and the crowd did react. Unfortunately, “My Love” did not turn out as was expected. He’ll have to work on that.
Casey – Alright, I will admit I took the most pictures of this Idol! As everyone has said, he plays a mean guitar. The hard rockin’ blues excited the crowd and Casey is a good musician. I think Country blues will work, and the girls will be there supporting him. Two girls behind us were crying. Seems he has that effect on some. My daughter noticed that Casey was smiling the entire time and just taking it all in.
The duet with Michael went over quite well, better than on the show. It was a more polished performance, and I thought Casey vocals were strong. This was probably my third favorite performance of the night.
Crystal – I agree with the comments made that she seemed comfortable in her own skin. Her performance wasn’t perfect, but she gave the audience what they expected. She knew they were “Detroit.” I did enjoy her interpretation of “A little Piece of My Heart.” Crystal is sweet; Crystal admits she can’t dance; Crystal gives an audience member her guitar pick. I don’t believe the large arena is where she fits in. A couple years back, Carole King did her “Living Room” tour with a couch, piano, and very few accessories. This is the kind of tour I think Crystal will find successful. Very enjoyable; she did deliver.
Lee – Lee had what was probably the best selection of songs appealing to all age groups. I truly enjoyed “Rocket Man.” Tonight he was the ‘walking’ man; quite the opposite of how he appeared on the show. In fact, I think he was working the stage too much. Lee sang with some heart and soul, but it wasn’t all successful. My daughter noticed that he was out of breath towards the end, and did experience some voice problems throughout. She said, “Mom, Lee’s in trouble. He needs to do some cardio or he won’t make it through the tour.” It was obvious that the coaches have been working with him, but at times it seemed like he was trying too hard. Perhaps, in a couple weeks he’ll have it all together?
The Finale was pretty good. Teen boy next to me was ecstatic to see Siobhan’s cool and sexy outfit! I had to laugh. ;o)
You see, the problem for me was that I did see the Season 7 Concert tour. I couldn’t help comparing. It is my belief that David Cook and David Archuleta pulled more out of their performances than Lee and Crystal. Now, that does not me this tour will be a flop, or a mess as some have insinuated. The Idols are bound to get better. Yes, it was an entertaining evening. We do need some joy with all that is going on in the world, so spend some time with the Idols this summer. I am glad I did!
