Albany : 19:8:09

Admin Posts : 4524 Join date : 2009-06-28

FROM THE W.W.W. Author unknown

Quote :: I must disclose before I say anything more that I redialed my phone three times to place four votes for Kris Allen before the finale of season 8 of "American Idol" this May– once each for me, my two daughters, and the family dog. But after watching American Idols Live Tour 2009, a nearly three-hour show Wednesday at the Times Union Center, I'm not sure how my vote would go today.

The group looks a lot different live in front of a crowd of more than 8,000 adoring fans -- mostly young women, as in tween girls (I know from their piercing screams and waving glow sticks) and, of course, their parents.

The final four – Allison Iraheta, Danny Gokey, Adam Lambert and Allen -- who were saved for the second half of the show, were better versions of their already talented selves. Iraheta, only 16 and still sporting unnaturally red hair, was cool with her Janis Joplin voice, especially good singing Heart's "Barracuda" and a duet with Lambert on "Slow Ride." Gokey's smokey voice was more in control than during the television show, with no off-key notes or stray screams. And glam rocker and Idol judges' darling Lambert brought the crowd to its feet with a level of energy and showmanship -- and voice -- unmatched by the other performers. It almost seemed like the crowd cooled down when Allen followed with his so-different style. Allen showed his newly acquired show-biz savvy by replacing the bum "No Boundaries" he sang at the finale with "All These Things That I've Done" by The Killers. The two top vote-getters seemed to rub off on each other, with Lambert more subdued and Allen a little bolder.

The bigger surprise for me was the lesser-knowns. Take Scott MacIntyre. Each week during the season, I would wonder aloud from my couch how he made it back another week. He was clearly the weakest of the contestants, singing off key, saved only by his sweet disposition and piano playing. This crowd was thrilled to see him, though, and he was more practiced, strong and confident singing "Bend & Break" by Keane than he was the entire television season.

And, Lil Rounds, who was criticized by the judges almost weekly for not putting her own mark on songs, brought her personality to the stage strutting and dancing through "Be Without You/Just Fine" and Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On it)."

Anoop Desai (OK, he got a lot of my call-in votes this season) sang the beautifully sultry and raspy "Always On My Mind" by Willie Nelson, a song that also won him favor with the judges during "Idol."

A couple yawners: Michael Sarver, who I couldn't even remember until I asked someone in the office, was equally forgettable Wednesday. And, Megan Joy, the tattoo-armed blonde, strutted around the stage in a hot pink dress but did little more to garner attention. I read she plans to go into modeling or television after the tour. Good plan.

So I guess if I had those four votes back, I'd give two to Lambert, one to Allen and the last to any one of the good performers I saw Wednesday.

Concert review

American Idols Live

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Times Union Center, 51 South Pearl St., Albany

Length: 3 hours; one intermission

The crowd: 8,000-plus, mostly parents (i.e., moms) with kids.

Highlights: Anoop Desai's sultry "You're Always on My Mind"; Matt Giraud's incredible jamming on the piano halfway through "Hard to Handle"; Kris Allen on "Heartless"; Everything by Adam Lambert.

» Palace Theatre : Albany NY : 23/8/10