Citation :
'Idols Live!' a mixed bag
BY GLENN GAMBOA | glenn.gamboanewsday.com September 16, 2007
The success of "American Idol" is built on giving the people what they want. What the "American Idols Live" tour does is take the TV juggernaut's top 10 finalists and try to determine from them what America wants next.
Sure, the two-hour, 20- minute concert still is a tightly packed variety show of sorts, though less so than in past years.
The focus this year is on musicianship. Whether it's American Idol Jordin Sparks plucking out Jewel's "You Were Meant for Me" on the acoustic guitar or runner-up Blake Lewis' electronic looping set-up to liven up Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved" or the first-ever band of Idols bluffing their way through Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" or mangling the Beatles' "Hey Jude," playing an instrument as well as singing is clearly a new priority.
It becomes even more important for those who don't have the powerful pipes of LaKisha Jones, who brought the house down with a stunning version of Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You," or the stellar delivery skills of Melinda Doolittle, whose "A Natural Woman" was a treat.
Sparks' set showed plenty of reasons why she was America's favorite. A potent mix of bubbly and fearless, the 17-year-old from Arizona was at ease onstage, even when her jokes fell flat or screaming fans complicated her emotional dedication of "Broken Wing" to her great grandmother who died the day she sang the song on "American Idol."
When Sparks connects with a song — such as "Broken Wing" or the dramatic "I Who Have Nothing" — she is an A- list performer. Even when she is not as sure, like when singing the weirdly robotic and excessively shouty "Livin' on a Prayer," she's still pretty good.
Lewis, on the other hand, was far more uneven. He's at his best reinterpreting songs, beat-boxing through "You Give Love a Bad Name" or effortlessly supporting Chris Richardson's set with sound effects and harmonies on "Virtual Insanity" or providing a Timbaland-worthy backdrop so Richardson could do "SexyBack." The problem at the show, though, was that he couldn't hit his high notes, his voice apparently worn out by touring or illness. The higher bits of "She Will Be Loved" were painful, and when that blended into U2's "With or Without You," he had to scream to even come close to some notes.
The evening's biggest surprise was Gina Glocksen, who proved to be the most current of the whole gang, with a fine version of Pink's "Who Knew" and strong duets with Chris Sligh on Fall Out Boy's "Thnks fr th Mmrs" and Phil Stacey on "It's Your Love."
Then, of course, there's Sanjaya Malakar. He flitted his way through Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel"and surprisingly held his own with Doolittle on "Proud Mary." Malakar may never be a great singer, but he has the makings of a great entertainer.
And, as "American Idol" has shown, if that's what the people want, who is he to deny them?
source:
http://www.dailypress.com/features/dp-g ... 5161.story
--Message edité par felix le 2007-09-18 12:54:07--