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'American Idol' winner Kris Allen rocks out in Sunrise (Allen Eyestone / The Post)
See more photos | Meet Danny Gokey | Set list, audience review | Meet Scott and Matt | Meet Lil and Megan
The show: “American Idols Live”
The venue: BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise, Wednesday night
The deal: The Top Ten Season 8 contestants: Michael Sarver, Megan Joy Corkrey, Scott MacIntyre, Lil Rounds, Anoop Desai, Matt Giraud, Allison Iraheta, Danny Gokey, Adam Lambert and Kris Allen
Our take: Having read the reviews of previous tour stops of the Season 8 edition of “American Idols Live,” one could be forgiven for believing that every other singer besides second-place finisher but arguably first-place sensation Adam Lambert was a snooze. Boring. Nine also-rans in the shadow of a true performing genius. Adam and the Pussycats. Adam Jackson and the Jackson Nine.
Those reviews had a point: Theater vet, certified rock screamer and sensitive songsmith Lambert created a electrified, leather-bound, sexually-charged chemistry that none of the other Idols could match. The thing is, that doesn’t make the others, particularly impressive, smokey-voiced rock pixie Iraheta, acoustic, chill Allen and surprisingly satisfying former piano bar employee Matt Giraud, bad. They’re just different performers. Don’t get me wrong – if you’re most riveted by a big, big rock voice with flashy costume and sizzling slinkiness to match, Adam is your guy – he navigated easily between the flames of “Whole Lotta Love,” the moody poignance of “Mad World” and a punchy David Bowie medley, including a “Life On Mars” that gave me chills.
But what if you’re tastes run, say, more to the quietly brilliant acoustic (as mine admittedly do?) Then Kris Allen’s set, if curiously low-speed considering that the energy of Adam, might be more your cup of tea. Starting with his winningly creative “Heartless,” he impressed not only with a better-than-the-original “Bright Lights” but a chant-worthy, arm-waving take on The Killers’ “All These Things That I’ve Done” that amped the energy of the crowd to as close as Kris Allen comes to a frenzy. This is a not a frenzied man. He’s chill. He’s relaxed. He’s not in a hurry, because he’s having too good a time, and he’s hoping you do, too.
Besides the finalists, the two standouts were 17-year-old Iraheta, whose command of her voice, a by-now overdone cover (Heart’s “Barracuda”) and an audience continues to make me want to verify her birth certificate, and Giraud, who unfortunately became dismissed during the season as a Justin Timberlake wanna-be. Fie. Not true. He’d already proved he’s a competent piano man, so his “Georgia” was no surprise. But when he delivered a flawless “Hard To Handle” with effortless flights of phrasing and a crazy, Billy Joel-at-a-rave keys pounding session, it was a revelation. Somebody put this kid on a supporting tour as a solo act, now.
As for the rest: Gokey still has the gorgeous scratchy voice but wasn’t served by underwhelming song choice, except for a beautifully understated “What Hurts The Most”; Sarver reminded everyone of the talent that got him on the show but quickly became bland early in the season, while Corkrey displayed both her chops and her tendency to go pancake flat and thorn-sharp within the same phrase; Scott and Lil were so much more exciting than during the season, he making overplayed “A Thousand Miles” not only note-perfect but interesting and she sending the crowd to their feet with Alicia Keys’ “No One” that they made me want to shake them for being so bland on TV, and Anoop was his same slow-jamming, over-confident, Brian McKnight-channeling self.
It turned out to be a much better show than last year, where David Cook clearly outclassed pretty much everyone. Again, no one matched Adam’s showmanship. But if that’s not your thing, you had a lot more to choose from.
I just don’t like Adam’s FANS who, instead of just complimenting Adam and saying what they like about him, insist on putting down Kris and all the other very talented idols! I am SO TIRED of reading all your put-downs. You people really need to grow up (you sound like 10-yr-olds) and realize there are many talented people who co-exist in this world. Everyone has something to contribute ~ and all of these guys have fans who SWEAR they are the BEST! They are all just beginning this very long journey and need all the fans they can get. And don’t you Lambert fans realize you’re not making Adam happy by putting down his best friend on tour? He would be the FIRST to defend Kris in your presence! Why don’t you try it? Tell Adam how disgusting and untalented you think Kris is ~ and see what he says to YOU!
Nate, I agree with you 100%
I agree with you Nate. I am a big Adam Lambert fan and I get really embarrased and sad when people put the other idols down to build Adam up. It is not needed. These are Adam’s friends and they are a talented bunch. No more negative energy, PLEASE!!
Well that’s the the hard part of the situation where an average singer was pushed very hard to win over an extraordinary, very talented guy. They will be always be compared. And you can’t do anything about it.
I think you are mistaken. The one that was pushed to win from the beginning was Adam. He was pimped by the judges every week. Kris got better and better each week on the show and grew a larger fan base. By the way, Kris auditioned with well over 100,000 people and won. I would say he’s far better then ‘average’ as you say. It doesn’t matter who won anyway. Both guys have said this themselves. The competition is over and they are both very talented guys and have completely different styles of music. Adam and Kris are great friends and have nothing but love, admiration and respect for each other. I wish some people would grow up and treat these two amazing, talented guys the same way. I am a Kris fan but love both these guys and wish them both success in their music careers. I say congrats to both of them. PEACE!
Great post Nate at 11:34AM July 31st. I absolutely agree with you.
But the article itself is quite heavy handed a PR job too, PS Leslie, you forgot to mention that Danny Gokey had a sore throat that night. So much for ‘professional” journalism.
Also,I am wondering what happened to the other 67 comments that were here at 11:15? that have been mysteriously removed.
I am truly starting to get a good idea just why the Palm Beach Post is going under in Florida, and why their editor has to go to various communities around the paper and do some fancy PR work to try to increase their readership.
If this is the face of the new online paper, I don’t have much hope for the future of the organization. The new crop of readers is much less easily fooled than you obviously think, and much more demanding of professional standards.
@ Marilyn Click the Older Comments below Trackbacks/Pingbacks, you will see the 67 succulent comments. Please don’t miss it.
It sounds like maybe King Adam should have had his OWN concert ~ maybe across the street somewhere ~ and take his die-hard fans with him ~ so the fans of all the other singers could have enjoyed the rest of the concert! That way they could have had only positive comments (for only one contestant) instead of all the negativity and fan wars! Also, I wouldn’t have had to explain to my 8-yr-old what the bra, panties, whip & whatever sex gear were thrown on the stage during Adam’s set. Very, very sad for a family-friendly American Idol concert!
And yes, Danny gets a GREAT reception wherever he goes, from all I’ve heard and seen! Such a beautiful voice and loving personality, despite all he’s been thru!
Danny never reached top 2, okey? Remember that. So don’t hallucinate. It’s just an illusion. But yes, he’s better than Kris.
Do you really want that? Then that concert of yours will only have few audience. That’s pathetic!
Nate, If Adam took all of his fans with him at the Sunrise venue or any other venue other then Arkansas, the other 9 would be playing to a near empty auditorium and those left would be bored to death. Sorry, but why would you explain why undies are thrown on stage? I do not explain why baseball players grab their crotch at games or why football players pat each other on the ass to my children. You and prudes like you should stay home and watch Disney. You creepy Kris fans are sore winners. Arkansas votes had an ordinary talent win and now your mad that the world will not embrace him as the real winner. For those of you who brig up what adam would think, no one has to tell Adam that people are saying Kris can’t sing, he may be polite, but he has perfect pitch, Adam knows better then most what a dismal talent Kris is.
Wow! you seem very bitter! How old are you…10,11,12 maybe?
Why are Kris fans always saying that Adam’s fans are in bitter. Who are actually in bitter here. If your idol was a winner but the attention was given to the runner-up which supposed to be given to the winner, who do you think is in bitter?
I agree!
I agree with Lori.
Bets, the media is just being honest about Adam. He is as good as they say and has the most fans and is getting the best response at concerts. If the media lies about anything it is Chris. They are doing their best to pimp him because he won, but from crowd reaction and stage performance I don’t think he should have been in the top 4. Danny, Allison, Matt and Adam were much better then him. When else in the history of American Idol did the winner ever have to drop the coronation song because the audience reacted so badly? I loved Adams version of the song and without doubt Danny or Matt could have pulled it off. Chris is nothing more then the AT&T Arkansas power text vote king. Danny fans should be pissed because he should have made it to the finals. Chris really hurt Danny with his stinky performance in the duet on the final 4 night and should have gone home not Allison, but Chris had a well orchestrated group of home town voters. The thing is Chris’s popularity dose not go much further then his home town. Every night Matt, Allison, Danny and Adam out perform him. I am sick of hearing that well Chris is just a laid back kind of guy and he is a singer/songwriter and he plays the guitar and piano and well his appeal is just more appealing. It’s all a crock of shit made up to excuse his fake win. Here is my review of Chris. Laid back is just a key word to excuse the fact that Chris is boring on stage. People did stand for Chris when he first came on and sang Heartless, but they sat down half way threw the song. The song was not as good as when he performed it on Idol. Instead of a pure acoustic number as he did on the show, his guitar was just a prop, there was a cheesy band rendition and his vocals were being propped up by prerecorded vocal tracks. His set was just a mess and the audience did not stand again until the other Idols came out to help him finish ‘Hey Jude”. I should also mention a good number of people left during his set. I do not think it was because they were rude but parts just hurt your ears.
And to Krin, I am a lawyer not a paid writer. Truth is Adam has a huge addicted fan base of real people that got to his concerts and post comments on the net. Check out Google Trends or visit AdamOfficial.com and KrisAllenOfficial.com and its pretty dam clear Adam has a much larger and very active fan base. Adam has always out trended Chris and Adam has 390,000 post on his web page and well Chris has about 7000. If the Media is doing anything, it’s pimping the bland AT&T text vote winner. Go get you go phones!
Wow! you sound like a bitter little child just like Lori. What a shame!
@ calarkie It could be the same writer who keeps repeating herself/himself.
Have you nothing to say other than that? Is your intelligence goes as far as that. What a pity individual!
@calarkie
Yes, have you any other thing to say other than “bitter”. This is just redundancy!
UMMMMMM Kerry, are you on something? I don’t see a Krin or Bets here. Are you on the right site?
@kerry I noticed the difference between Kris fans and Adam fans. Kris Fans spent lots money on voting and buying his songs that made Kris the American Idol with the LEAD on the BBChart. Adam Fans are mostly web surfers who spent a lot time on-line writing lengthy comments.
I was at the San Diego (Adam’s home town) show. Folks liked all 10 of them. Sadly, there were many open seats. Where were the AL fans?
You said that you are a lawyer not a paid writer. Stick to your job! My fave funny movie is Liar Liar. LOL
You are right. The media and Idol are pimping Kris. I guess because he won, even though it was the 30 million Arkansas votes they have to invest the million bucks in his career. It is obvious that concert after concert the crowd favors Adam and yet the media is only allowed to photograph Kris during his performance and the rest only at the end in the group number. Kris is pimped to the media outlets even though they may prefer to interview Adam. It is a darn shame.Two more things. I was at Sunrise and no one booed Adam. Allison told the audience to stop booing Kris, and second, only Kris Danny, Matt and Scott came out at the end for autographs. Adam could not because of a stalker. PS I am not gay, but when I look at Adam, I would not mind being a young gay man, I am married with four children.
Cassidy, I find it amazing that you could be in a room the size of sunrise and discern if anyone in that room was booing amongst all that noise
Kerry, who is Bets?
@Bets, Career assissination? Emotional abuse? Funny you didn’t feel that way when Adam was emotionally abused by Danny Gokey and his family. Career assissination? That’s what could happen when you pull a stunt like he did. I’m not the media, and I’m not the one signing the checks or giving out the contracts. I’m just sitting on the sidelines saying.
Here’s a link on what Gokey and family did to Adam–low down. http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/36343258.html
@Krin and others complaining about Adam’s press coverage: Why do the people have to be gay to notice Adam’s showstopper performance. And you guys are the same ones who just asked why Adam fans have to bash the other idols instead of just commenting on their own favorite? What???? You ask that then bash in the same very breath? You didn’t even need to take a breath first?
Repeat of comment from Tay: This comment is so inaccurate and obviously made to tear down the others, specifically Kris, that it’s almost laughable. Good try, Lori, but guess what? I was also there. I was there at the buses in the afternoon when Kris and Matt came out to sign, I was there at the concert when all of the idols performed their hearts out and I was there at the end when EVERYONE but Adam came out (Kris said he was sick.) People sat down during any given performer, depending on their preference, including Adam. Jack asses also boo-ed depending upon their preference, including Adam. You may not have heard it, what with your selective hearing, but it was there. People don’t all have the same taste and that’s fine. The top ten are there for everyone to have a bit of what they like. This review is great because it took an effort to acknowledge everyone’s strengths. That’s not being kind, that’s being fair. You should try that next time.
Was everyone at the SAME Concert? I guess that perception really matters.
@ luckyme
Observations:
Ok.. so the online vultures are at it again.
Which only proves their relentless ‘online’ quest.
Now their tentacles reach deeply into an obscure online paper in a small town that has catered mostly to local senior citizens for most of it’s existence.
PR hater = target Gokey. i.e. beat down any Christian or other religious ideology that teaches Love & Unity,
Strength in numbers = no good.
Object Hype Adam Lambert into the American Muse ( even though he can’t play a lick of guitar ) to hypnotize and indoctrinate the generation of souless children that are expected to arise from the current manipulations being thrown at them.
( Aside ) Also, Hype the rap artists to whip the black masses into a white hating frenzie, powered by sexual perversion.
Question. Are you getting paid well to do this Luckyme? or are you just that easily manipulated?
Adam steals the show…and they both have won my heart! Adam and Kris have handled this situation more maturely than their fans. I, for one, am impressed at how well they convinced us that they are happy for each other, and happy with the outcome. Adam didn’t need the win…..he will be a Rockstar! And Kris will do great now, as he should! They are both a Class Act!
Love the photo Leslie. Kris is an artist and musician. Kris’s smarts and focus will take him a long and successful career.
KUDOS!
Kris’s songs give me goose bumps every time. When I listened to Kris’s Falling Slowly, my tears flew, and I say Woooooooow (not screaming).
I called Kris my SOUL MATE.
Thanks Leslie for a great review.
Lord, some people here are immature. Adam and Kris are both gifted artists with real love for music, who bring something special to what they do. Stop ragging on each other–you don’t have to like Kris or Adam, but they’re both talented artists and there’s no reason to behave like spoiled children and go insulting them or their fans.
Marissa, I agree with you 100%! These guys are both very talented and very different in their styles of music. If you prefer one guy over the other that’s fine. I just don’t understand why some have to be so immature and bash the other guy that isn’t their favorite. Adam and Kris are both great guys and good friends. People need to show some maturity and respect instead of acting like angry children that didn’t get their way. It’s not a competition people! They are both just starting their careers and I wish them both success. Can’t we all just get along?
Please stop the bickering folks. Its the same Clay-Reuben war of words all over again. Just enjoy the singer you like and let everyone else do the same. Its soooo silly. You can’t make anybody else like one singer over the other. You can’t change the AI outcome. The energy you’re wasting dissing one or the other’s fans could be used to enjoy yourself. Live and let live.
People who are still fighting over how the season ended are idiots. Both Adam and Kris are in a very good position to start what will hopefully be long careers. They both, clearly, were recognized for their talent by the voters. The rest of it doesn’t matter, so stop being so defensive of your favorite. My favorite is Adam, but not everyone has to love him, just like not everyone has to love Kris. Also, it’s possible to like both. As I said, Adam is my favorite, but I really like Kris as well. Stop bashing each other, it’s juvenile. And those of you making nasty comments about gay people–get your heads out of the middle ages and join us in the 21st century.
we don’t have to put kris down, he is already so close to the ground!
Adam was totally Awesome! Matt was way better then chris! Matt is turning out to be a really Good performer. His voice was way better than chris.
Saw the show in Sunrise, Fl. Read many reviews of the shows prior to this stop. Lots of different reviews of the other idols except the same always for Adam. He was great. What a preformer. But just as excited for the other idols. They sounded great, looked awesome, and heard from many friends that most of the people enjoyed the show much better than they thought it would be. Congrats to the entire group. How adorable you all are. Wow 50 shows. These guys are singing their hearts out and how they must be exhausted at times from the traveling, fan reactions, and the new fame they have. I heard some people are traveling to see more than one of the shows.
Is not spam, it is only my commercial offer. Sorry if i mistake of topic!
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It is so funny to keep hearing about the 30 million votes that came from arkansas. Did the people making these comments miss a couple of geography classes. The population of Arkansas is not quite 3 million people. Now the population of California is 33 million roughly 10 times larger than Arkansas. My question is since Adam is from California and if we run with this Arkansas theory of multiple voiting it seems to me that California would have done the same and supported theor home boy Adam and he would have won since the state has 10 times more people. It seem is pretty obvious to me the Arkansas theory doesnt make sense. Do the math people. Maybe noone is california liked adam? ummmm