My journey starts at 3:30am on Friday en route to the airport. Amazingly, no problems or issues at the airport except getting stuck in the cattle call of the terminal at the end where they put about 6 gates in the space for 2 and schedule all the flights to take off within 40 minutes. This is known as the bus stop. Other than that and getting yelled at 15 times for bringing too many carry on bags for the overheads everything was fantastic, quick flight plus a super easy and enjoyable ride to Atlantic City.
Showtime Friday night came quickly after a very short nap. Met up with some amazing people and put faces to names. I enjoyed meeting them and each of our conversations felt like I’d known them for years. Found our seats quickly and I noticed how small the venue was even in the very last row in the back. I was right on the aisle so it was great to have a completely unobstructed view of the stage. There was definitely a palpable buzz in the air as we waited for the show to begin.
Now most everyone knows I’m equally as big of a fan of Ryan Star and David Cook so for me I was basically there to see 4 concerts, not 2. The excitement began right from the first second of the show when Ryan came out. I did my best to stand and scream and cheer but overall I felt the crowd was pretty good. Ryan of course is amazing live. He brings the audience to him and I always feel his songs right in my gut. There has always been something about Ryan’s music that just hits me in a way that I feel from the inside out. I always loved Brand New Day but that song is definitely something special live. Psycho Suicidal Girls is a crowd favorite and it is always fun to hear it. Breathe was another stand out song, the heart Ryan puts into the song is moving to say the least. Back of Your Car was the perfect ending and Ryan brought out Neal to play at the end of the song. Ryan’s set seemed to go by in 10 minutes, I wanted so much more.
After a short break it was time for David to come out and it was a huge surprise to hear The World I Know first. I could see David up on the stage in the dark and then to hear the first notes of the song begin in that manner was unforgettable. It has been said that David’s voice is even better live and I have to agree. The tone and power of his voice is breath taking. I also noticed David’s speaking voice is a bit different too, even sexier if that is at all possible. It was hard to know what to focus on during the show so I tried to take equal time on just the voice, David and band as a whole. I didn’t take as many pictures and video because it is hard to not be in the moment. Every song was a true pleasure to enjoy live but some were absolute stand outs. I have to say Declaration is unbelievable live. The energy during that song compares with the some of the best concert moments I’ve had. It is that feeling where singing and cheering isn’t enough, it almost compels you to want to jump off of something. It was also such a nice treat to get Lie, it is one of my favorites from all of David’s collection of songs. All the little moments in the show were so much fun, like the synched movements in Make Me, the completely sexy and out of control Hot for Teacher, the Light On in the dark with the glowsticks and cellphones plus so much more. Although I hadn’t been to a concert on the tour before I had a feeling the crowd was one of the best they’ve had. There was a lot of cheering in between songs so I hope David and the band felt the love. I really got the impression that David is a true star on that stage. He owns it and can do whatever he wants on it. I don’t know that I’ve ever witnessed so much raw energy and charisma from one person just in their performance plus all the other members in the band add their own spark and attitude to combine into one collective ‘plosion.
The second night was surprisingly met with more buzz and anticipation. After a failed attempt to get upgraded seats and an encounter with one irate ticket official , the second night of my journey was about to begin. Our seats were better this night, not on the back row and even the 6 or so row change made a large difference in view of the stage. The one drawback in being closer to the action was it became easier to get distracted by the rest of the crowd. Ryan’s set was as always amazing again and the crowd was really great. I wasn’t sure how standing would go since we were not in the last row this time but the people behind me made the decision for me that standing is what I should do. Of course I was left wanting more and more. This time after the set I had the opportunity to get an autograph on the album cover for the CD he made with the band Stage and to let him know he had a big fan in the audience that night.
David’s show was as great as the first night and the energy in the room was easy to feed off of. It is so nice to see all the little details in the show such as the lighting and how the band interacts with each other. About 3 songs into the show I noticed some seats on the aisle about 6 rows down from me were not taken and made the decision to self upgrade. This was my last chance to see David as up close as I could and I’m very glad I made the move. Declaration was a stand out song again as well as the out of control Hot for Teacher. The gorgeous Permanent got me choked up a little as I underestimated the power of the song live, truly a gift for anyone lucky enough to hear it. I also really enjoyed Man in the Box, the vocals and swagger on that song just slay me. Of course the highlight on the night and the whole trip for me was the last song of the night, A Daily Anthem when halfway through the song David introduced Ryan on to the stage to help sing and for the first time in my life I think I literally could not remember breathe. What a nice treat for me to see both artists who hold equal parts of my soul on stage at the same time and contributing to the energy of a song. I’d love to know what compelled this to happen on this particular night with me in the audience but I’ll chalk it up to good karma and not to question when the universe gives you giant gift of a lifetime memory.
After the show there was an after party. I’ll skip many of the details since most are known anyway. I enjoyed my time there as I don’t do much clubbing at home. It was nice to be in an area that wasn’t the packed dance floor. People watching was fun for a little while but when I felt the experience gave me all it could it was time to move on.
The journey ends with another great trip back to the airport. No bus stop this time but a temptation to take an oversold deal and stay an extra night in Philly courtesy of the airline. Hard to pass up but I figured if I stayed then I’d never come home. Better to head home with great memories and hope for another experience down the road. Thanks to all the great friends I met and of course Ryan and David for the incredible music.
Link to my youtube videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/tigervixxxen
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Amazing Race 13 Spoilers
Now back to your regularly scheduled spoilers.
The route for Amazing Race 13, which was filmed between April 22nd and May 14th, 2008:
Los Angeles, CA
Salvador de BahÃa, Brazil
La Paz, Bolivia
Santiago, Chile
Auckland, New Zealand
Siem Reap Town, Cambodia
Delhi, India
Dubai, UAE
Almaty, Kazakhstan
Moscow, Russia
Portland, OR
Teams who made it to the final 5: Divorcees from Texas, mother/son team, Frat boys from AZ, brother/sister, young dating couple.
The route for Amazing Race 13, which was filmed between April 22nd and May 14th, 2008:
Los Angeles, CA
Salvador de BahÃa, Brazil
La Paz, Bolivia
Santiago, Chile
Auckland, New Zealand
Siem Reap Town, Cambodia
Delhi, India
Dubai, UAE
Almaty, Kazakhstan
Moscow, Russia
Portland, OR
Teams who made it to the final 5: Divorcees from Texas, mother/son team, Frat boys from AZ, brother/sister, young dating couple.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Linkin Park in Denver Review
This is quickly turning from a TV blog to a music review blog but we'll ride this wave and see where it takes us.
On August 12th I had the opportunity to see a band live that I had wanted to see for many years. Linkin Park's summer festival Projekt Revolution came to town and I jumped at the chance to attend. Linkin Park puts on one hell of a show and here is my experience for what its worth.
The first hurdle to overcome in my concert going objectives was to get rid of the extra ticket in my possession left behind by a companion that bailed at the last minute. I was going to rock chick groupie it alone this time in what is becoming a trend for me. Secretly I was trilled at the prospect. So I sold the ticket at a quarter of its value for $10 to the scalpers who were not too interested in negotiating with me. A short walk later and a confiscated bottle cap at the gate and I was in.
Immediately my first call of duty was to hit the merch table and drop some money there. I'm beginning a collection of concert t-shirts apparently and had to add one to the mix. The obligatory tour date shirt was begging me to purchase one but a gorgeous black shirt with dark red roses sprawled across the front was calling me. Anyone who knows me would attest to this graphic being my signature image so its hardly a wonder I chose that shirt in particular. The only drawback is that its a Chris Cornell shirt and not Linkin Park. Minor details though, and this was one of the few ladies shirts that could actually be worn by anyone who is larger than a size 6.
Moving on, to the amphitheater where I spied a very full crowd although the show was only at its first opening act. My ticket was general admission for the lawn so it was a task to find space not already occupied. Since I was rolling solo on this adventure I figured there would be some decent space to squeeze in. I eventually chose an odd spot underneath a light pole which had a concrete riser, perfect for sitting on and keeping the crowd away from me.
Enough about me, on to the music. The first opening act was Ashes Divide which sounded a lot like Metallica slowed down. I enjoy this sound so it was a pleasant introduction to the event. Next up was The Bravery which I was previously a fan of. The crowd didn't seem to familiar with the band but I spotted random people rocking out to their most popular tunes. I recommend anyone to give their music a try, Believe and Honest Mistake are very well broken in on my iPod. Busta Rhymes was supposed to perform as well but either he didn't show up or the purple smoke around me caused me to lapse in consciousness for a while. I'm assuming the former but I cannot be certain.
Chris Cornell was the first real headliner of the night. The crowd stood on his entrance which was a taped symphonic track of Black Hole Sun. Interesting thing about Cornell is he was pretty much doing the anti rockstar thing, he at times appeared on stage like he just happened on there and decided to sing some songs. Cornell's vocals are incredible, however thats likely trite to say since Cornell's voice is legendary. I greatly enjoyed when Cornell at one point randomly went so far into the crowd that he ran all the way up the hill into the part where the lawn folks were standing. My favorite performance was when Chester Bennington of Linkin Park came out to do a duet with Cornell on Hunger Strike, a song that it pretty familiar to me. I was hoping for a live Billie Jean since Cornell inspired the legendary David Cook interpretation of the song but alas no dice. Another symphonic exitlude and Cornell was gone.
The crowd and anticipation at this point did not slow down. Everyone was standing and clamoring for Linkin Park to emerge. The video screens placed on either side of the stage was set up for people to text their messages to get broadcast to the crowd. Genius way to keep the crowd entertained and for Verizon to no doubt make a couple bucks on the deal. I wondered who was moderating the messages and was tempted to send in a text full of vulgarities to find out. In the end I decided to text "Go Broncos!!!" which never made the screen anyway. I will not be shocked if somehow I signed my life away to Verizon in the process.
The wait wasn't too long until the lights went out and it was showtime. Linkin Park started with a bang and did not relent the entire hour and 40 minute set. They played old and new songs, almost all of which are my absolute favorites. About a third of the way through the show it began raining and nobody in the crowd moved. A couple hoods went up and the crowd continued fist pumping and singing along. At one point I peeked over at the crowd around me and all I could see was a wall of people. The open areas in the lawn and empty seats in the stands were all full, I wondered where they were all hiding before. At another point in the show I looked to my right and saw my first ever mosh pit up close and personal. Its amazing to see how the music drives people to have to find someway to get the emotion and aggression out. Another aspect of the crowd that made an impression on me was just how intently they were into the music. I've been at concerts where crowds sung along to the hit songs but this wasn't like that. Everyone was literally screaming and singing as loud as they could and it got so intense that I almost couldn't hear the lead singer. I could tell Chester and the rest of the band was feeling it too because the intensity level in their performance went sky high as well. Its a feeling I'll never forget to be a part of a crowd who was not only enjoying the experience but creating the moment as well.
After the 3 song encore, which completely brought the house down with the songs What I've Done, Faint and Bleed it Out, the show was sadly over. I felt compelled to purchase the password to download the my live show from Linkin Park because I had to archive this experience and was very curious to hear what the crowd singing back sounded like on a recording. Somewhere in there I will hear my voice and know it was the difference maker.
My rock chick groupie thoughts for the day. Please skip if thats not your cup of tea. Lead singer Chester started out with a jacket and shirt on and proceeded to peel off a layer of clothing every few songs. I thought he might stop at the wife beater but he made it all the way to full undress. Not a bad view at all. I also spied the tour buses parked right on the street as I was exiting and my previous groupie stalking experience (see post below) made me pause for a second in contemplation. Reason and the impending arrival of husband to pick my bitch ass up squelched and further pondering of such stalking.
All in all this was one of the best not only concerts but experiences in my life. Pity on those who did not experience it. I had a blast every second of it and thrived on the crowd's intensity. It further awakened my passion for both music and live shows. Say what...Metallica is coming to Denver soon? There might be another music review blog in your future.
On August 12th I had the opportunity to see a band live that I had wanted to see for many years. Linkin Park's summer festival Projekt Revolution came to town and I jumped at the chance to attend. Linkin Park puts on one hell of a show and here is my experience for what its worth.
The first hurdle to overcome in my concert going objectives was to get rid of the extra ticket in my possession left behind by a companion that bailed at the last minute. I was going to rock chick groupie it alone this time in what is becoming a trend for me. Secretly I was trilled at the prospect. So I sold the ticket at a quarter of its value for $10 to the scalpers who were not too interested in negotiating with me. A short walk later and a confiscated bottle cap at the gate and I was in.
Immediately my first call of duty was to hit the merch table and drop some money there. I'm beginning a collection of concert t-shirts apparently and had to add one to the mix. The obligatory tour date shirt was begging me to purchase one but a gorgeous black shirt with dark red roses sprawled across the front was calling me. Anyone who knows me would attest to this graphic being my signature image so its hardly a wonder I chose that shirt in particular. The only drawback is that its a Chris Cornell shirt and not Linkin Park. Minor details though, and this was one of the few ladies shirts that could actually be worn by anyone who is larger than a size 6.
Moving on, to the amphitheater where I spied a very full crowd although the show was only at its first opening act. My ticket was general admission for the lawn so it was a task to find space not already occupied. Since I was rolling solo on this adventure I figured there would be some decent space to squeeze in. I eventually chose an odd spot underneath a light pole which had a concrete riser, perfect for sitting on and keeping the crowd away from me.
Enough about me, on to the music. The first opening act was Ashes Divide which sounded a lot like Metallica slowed down. I enjoy this sound so it was a pleasant introduction to the event. Next up was The Bravery which I was previously a fan of. The crowd didn't seem to familiar with the band but I spotted random people rocking out to their most popular tunes. I recommend anyone to give their music a try, Believe and Honest Mistake are very well broken in on my iPod. Busta Rhymes was supposed to perform as well but either he didn't show up or the purple smoke around me caused me to lapse in consciousness for a while. I'm assuming the former but I cannot be certain.
Chris Cornell was the first real headliner of the night. The crowd stood on his entrance which was a taped symphonic track of Black Hole Sun. Interesting thing about Cornell is he was pretty much doing the anti rockstar thing, he at times appeared on stage like he just happened on there and decided to sing some songs. Cornell's vocals are incredible, however thats likely trite to say since Cornell's voice is legendary. I greatly enjoyed when Cornell at one point randomly went so far into the crowd that he ran all the way up the hill into the part where the lawn folks were standing. My favorite performance was when Chester Bennington of Linkin Park came out to do a duet with Cornell on Hunger Strike, a song that it pretty familiar to me. I was hoping for a live Billie Jean since Cornell inspired the legendary David Cook interpretation of the song but alas no dice. Another symphonic exitlude and Cornell was gone.
The crowd and anticipation at this point did not slow down. Everyone was standing and clamoring for Linkin Park to emerge. The video screens placed on either side of the stage was set up for people to text their messages to get broadcast to the crowd. Genius way to keep the crowd entertained and for Verizon to no doubt make a couple bucks on the deal. I wondered who was moderating the messages and was tempted to send in a text full of vulgarities to find out. In the end I decided to text "Go Broncos!!!" which never made the screen anyway. I will not be shocked if somehow I signed my life away to Verizon in the process.
The wait wasn't too long until the lights went out and it was showtime. Linkin Park started with a bang and did not relent the entire hour and 40 minute set. They played old and new songs, almost all of which are my absolute favorites. About a third of the way through the show it began raining and nobody in the crowd moved. A couple hoods went up and the crowd continued fist pumping and singing along. At one point I peeked over at the crowd around me and all I could see was a wall of people. The open areas in the lawn and empty seats in the stands were all full, I wondered where they were all hiding before. At another point in the show I looked to my right and saw my first ever mosh pit up close and personal. Its amazing to see how the music drives people to have to find someway to get the emotion and aggression out. Another aspect of the crowd that made an impression on me was just how intently they were into the music. I've been at concerts where crowds sung along to the hit songs but this wasn't like that. Everyone was literally screaming and singing as loud as they could and it got so intense that I almost couldn't hear the lead singer. I could tell Chester and the rest of the band was feeling it too because the intensity level in their performance went sky high as well. Its a feeling I'll never forget to be a part of a crowd who was not only enjoying the experience but creating the moment as well.
After the 3 song encore, which completely brought the house down with the songs What I've Done, Faint and Bleed it Out, the show was sadly over. I felt compelled to purchase the password to download the my live show from Linkin Park because I had to archive this experience and was very curious to hear what the crowd singing back sounded like on a recording. Somewhere in there I will hear my voice and know it was the difference maker.
My rock chick groupie thoughts for the day. Please skip if thats not your cup of tea. Lead singer Chester started out with a jacket and shirt on and proceeded to peel off a layer of clothing every few songs. I thought he might stop at the wife beater but he made it all the way to full undress. Not a bad view at all. I also spied the tour buses parked right on the street as I was exiting and my previous groupie stalking experience (see post below) made me pause for a second in contemplation. Reason and the impending arrival of husband to pick my bitch ass up squelched and further pondering of such stalking.
All in all this was one of the best not only concerts but experiences in my life. Pity on those who did not experience it. I had a blast every second of it and thrived on the crowd's intensity. It further awakened my passion for both music and live shows. Say what...Metallica is coming to Denver soon? There might be another music review blog in your future.
Monday, July 07, 2008
American Idol Tour in Vegas Review
Here is my review of the American Idols Live tour in Las Vegas on July 5th. I traveled from Denver just to see the show, and a little vacation with my husband as well. Its been a few days since the show and here is my account to the best of my abilities of my experience. Hope you all enjoy!
I'll admit that I had preconceived notions about what going to an American Idol concert would be like. I imagined hundreds of screaming tweens with their glitter shirts and giant signs making it impossible to see or hear the concert. My experience was almost the exact opposite of what I was expecting. The demographic in attendance was just about what you'd expect during an evening at the ballpark. There were some families with teens and younger children but a lot more couples and groups of ladies of many different ages. The people I met and talked to were some of the nicest people I've ever met and it was so much fun to share the experience with them. I had a great time at the show and I am encouraging anyone who has the ability to attend to go see this show.
I arrived about one hour before show time at the Thomas and Mack arena. The doors were not open yet but they had everyone stand in a group off to one of the side entrances. I have no idea why we were not allowed to use the main entrance but getting in the building was easy enough once we were allowed to. I found my program, drink and seat fairly easily and settled in for show time. My seat was about 20 rows up from extreme stage right but fairly close to the action. I apologize in advance for most of the photos being a side view of everyone but this was pretty much what I had to work with. The arena filled up entirely on the lower section and the floor areas. The upper sections were only filled on the front and center parts but I'd estimate the crowd was at least 10,000. The lights were very dim with many previous Idols' music was playing on the big screens including Carrie, Jordin, Daughtry and Blake. The longest video had to be covering Blake and the making of his album. Then the screen showed David Cook's Disney World commercial and the crowd loudly approved. We also got to see both Davids' famous Guitar Hero commercials with loud applause as well.
The show kicked off great with Chikezie who got the crowd pumped up with a couple upbeat numbers. Ramiele was next with some fun dance numbers. I actually liked her slower song the best because her voice got a little lost on the louder songs. She worked the stage well in her giant stilettos. Michael got a very large reception from the crowd and his Dream On was one of my favorites of the night, which the crowd seemed to agree. Michael mentioned that Randy Jackson didn't like that song but it was one of his favorites. I liked the song a lot and still don't know why he got so much criticism for it. I'm not a fan of country music at all but Kristy Lee put on quite a show. She worked every area of the stage with great energy. Carly was one of my favorite performers of the night, I really enjoyed all 3 of her songs and she did great with the crowd banter. Carly said she had been dreaming of performing in Vegas her whole life and thanked the crowd for supporting them so they were not losers anymore. Brooke was the final performer in for the first half of the show rising to the stage on the piano sounding gorgeous. She also went through her entire set barefoot and then stopped on the side of the stage to put her shoes on for the first half ending group sing. Chikezie kicked of the song Pride followed by all 4 ladies and then Micheal closed out the number.
Half time was mostly for the sponsors Pop Tarts and Guitar Hero to peddle their products. We were treated to seeing both Davids' Guitar Hero commercial two more times and the 70s inspired group group Guitar Hero commericals. There was a Guitar Hero contest between two guys from the crowd and cute 10 year old boy from Toronto who played the air guitar.
Jason kicked off the second half and he delivered my favorite performance of the night, save for David Cook. I wasn't a very big Jason fan when he was on Idol but his rendition of Crazy was well worth the price of admission. Jason's set seemed the shortest for some reason but was all enjoyable. The type of music Seyesha sang is not my style at all her set was nice as her voice carried over the very loud band. David Archuleta had a grand piano entrance from under the stage with smoke flowing behind him. This was the only time the tweens let themselves be known as a noticeably higher pitched scream followed David's introduction. My favorite song of his that night was Angels and the touch with the piano was very nice. David put on a very nice performance and I could tell he puts his whole heart into the song. David Cook was spotted behind stage sitting down and watching at the very beginning of David Archuleta's set. A few fans on my side of the area noticed and let out a scream. From where I was sitting it looked like David Cook pointed to the other David as to let the crowd know who they should be paying attention to.
Now for the grand finale of the night David Cook finally made his entrance from under the stage and sang Hello . It was incredible to finally see the man in person working his magic. David's voice is every bit as good and even better than I imagined. Before Time of My Life David told the crowd that he was going to sing extra hard that night to earn his paycheck since he lost so much money the night before at an unnamed casino. During I Don't Want to Miss a Thing, David really worked the crowd, making everyone in the arena feel like they experienced him. He walked all the way over to both wings of the stage and the crowd went nuts. Before My Hero David filmed the crowd and commented that the crowd was shaking his camera. I can't wait to see what that video and all the crowd shots look like from his perspective. Finally the encore happened and David performed Billie Jean on the front center stage with the smoke treatment under a red light. It was easily the best performance of the night for me and David recreated his "moment" from American Idol right there in front of me. I couldn't cheer or scream at all because I was completely mesmerized.
The show was over far too soon when the group number closed the show. Each Idol came out in the order they were eliminated to sing one part of a verse from Please Don't Stop the Music. It was a great upbeat way to end the show as the crowd began to pour out of the arena. The back part of the stage was visible from my section of the arena and some fans screamed when they saw the Idols walk back stage waving at the crowd.
After a great night of music I was prepared to leave with some great memories but I kept having this feeling tug at me that if I came all this way just to see the show that I should at least try to meet the Idols. Reading the various reports on the internet I knew that there was a chance the Idols would come out after the show on their way to the tour buses but no reports had come out of anyone actually meeting the Idols this way except those where were waiting hours before the show. I'd feared I'd missed out on my only opportunity but decided to see what I could find. To my surprise the tour buses were in plain sight just to the right of the main entrance. There was a gate already there with people lined up. I decided to stand behind a few of the shorter people and see what happened. I stood there less than 15 minutes and then heard a shriek from someone at the front of the line and someone yelled "Its Kristy Lee!" as she walked over to the top part of the line. I couldn't believe it, the Idols were actually going come see us! Then about another 15 minutes passed as Carly and Michael joined the line. All 3 of them took great time meeting everyone, taking photos and giving autographs. I told Michael that I loved his Dream On performance and he was really appreciative to be complimented on it. After another 15 minutes most of the other Idols started making their way down the line starting either from the top or bottom and signaled from a shriek at either end, this time they were moving a bit faster but still accommodated everyone who was there. I was surprised there were so few people waiting out there because the buses were in plain sight and it had been less than an hour since the show ended. I'd guess only about 100 or so people were there and everyone was polite for the most part, only a couple people seemed to follow the Idols down the line and push ahead. Everyone I was around let me take turns getting in to get an autograph or photo since I was standing behind them. Brooke said we were the most behaved crowd and that the crowd in San Diego was insane. There was another loud shriek as someone screamed "Its David Archuleta!" but actually was a false alarm as it was just a similar looking kid who was inside the security line.
A little bit later someone announced David Cook joined the line and my heart started to pound. I had to think of something intelligent to say but I knew at that point the Idols were moving too fast to have an sort of lengthy conversation. David passed through sooner than later telling everyone he was only going to do autographs first to make sure he got to everyone and then would come back through the line for pictures because they only had an hour left before they were scheduled to leave. I handed him my program and then managed to get out the request for him to come to Denver on tour sometime because I'd traveled there for him. He said he's make it a point to come to Denver but not on this tour. All I could say was "awesome" but was thrilled to talk to him even for a little bit. I have to add my thoughts that David is more than gorgeous in person and has a very warm presence and personality. After a little bit David came back through the line and I got my photo with him. I tried to think of something intelligent to say but could only come up with that it was so great to meet him. David said it was his pleasure and called me darling. I think I melted right there just a little bit. And then the whole David experience was over. I wished I'd categorized everything in my mind but only really noticed his face, hat, and shirt with the bling. Darn me for not having a photographic memory! It was all over much too fast but I'm not sure if any amount of time would have been long enough.
My video of the concert:
Finally Seyesha, Ramiele and Chikezie came through the line and David Archuleta was one of the last people to come out. David had his dad with him who was directing him a little bit. Nobody who was around me was able to get any pictures or autographs but it was great to see him because he is very adorable in person. It was so nice to end the evening with a little personal encounter with all the Idols. Although I would have been happy from just the concert it was great to personalize the experience and really get a sense for who they all are. I can say they were all nice and accommodating to their fans. Everyone looked great in person, especially all the ladies who looked even better than on TV. All in all everything was a truly memorable experience.
I'll admit that I had preconceived notions about what going to an American Idol concert would be like. I imagined hundreds of screaming tweens with their glitter shirts and giant signs making it impossible to see or hear the concert. My experience was almost the exact opposite of what I was expecting. The demographic in attendance was just about what you'd expect during an evening at the ballpark. There were some families with teens and younger children but a lot more couples and groups of ladies of many different ages. The people I met and talked to were some of the nicest people I've ever met and it was so much fun to share the experience with them. I had a great time at the show and I am encouraging anyone who has the ability to attend to go see this show.
I arrived about one hour before show time at the Thomas and Mack arena. The doors were not open yet but they had everyone stand in a group off to one of the side entrances. I have no idea why we were not allowed to use the main entrance but getting in the building was easy enough once we were allowed to. I found my program, drink and seat fairly easily and settled in for show time. My seat was about 20 rows up from extreme stage right but fairly close to the action. I apologize in advance for most of the photos being a side view of everyone but this was pretty much what I had to work with. The arena filled up entirely on the lower section and the floor areas. The upper sections were only filled on the front and center parts but I'd estimate the crowd was at least 10,000. The lights were very dim with many previous Idols' music was playing on the big screens including Carrie, Jordin, Daughtry and Blake. The longest video had to be covering Blake and the making of his album. Then the screen showed David Cook's Disney World commercial and the crowd loudly approved. We also got to see both Davids' famous Guitar Hero commercials with loud applause as well.
The show kicked off great with Chikezie who got the crowd pumped up with a couple upbeat numbers. Ramiele was next with some fun dance numbers. I actually liked her slower song the best because her voice got a little lost on the louder songs. She worked the stage well in her giant stilettos. Michael got a very large reception from the crowd and his Dream On was one of my favorites of the night, which the crowd seemed to agree. Michael mentioned that Randy Jackson didn't like that song but it was one of his favorites. I liked the song a lot and still don't know why he got so much criticism for it. I'm not a fan of country music at all but Kristy Lee put on quite a show. She worked every area of the stage with great energy. Carly was one of my favorite performers of the night, I really enjoyed all 3 of her songs and she did great with the crowd banter. Carly said she had been dreaming of performing in Vegas her whole life and thanked the crowd for supporting them so they were not losers anymore. Brooke was the final performer in for the first half of the show rising to the stage on the piano sounding gorgeous. She also went through her entire set barefoot and then stopped on the side of the stage to put her shoes on for the first half ending group sing. Chikezie kicked of the song Pride followed by all 4 ladies and then Micheal closed out the number.
Half time was mostly for the sponsors Pop Tarts and Guitar Hero to peddle their products. We were treated to seeing both Davids' Guitar Hero commercial two more times and the 70s inspired group group Guitar Hero commericals. There was a Guitar Hero contest between two guys from the crowd and cute 10 year old boy from Toronto who played the air guitar.
Jason kicked off the second half and he delivered my favorite performance of the night, save for David Cook. I wasn't a very big Jason fan when he was on Idol but his rendition of Crazy was well worth the price of admission. Jason's set seemed the shortest for some reason but was all enjoyable. The type of music Seyesha sang is not my style at all her set was nice as her voice carried over the very loud band. David Archuleta had a grand piano entrance from under the stage with smoke flowing behind him. This was the only time the tweens let themselves be known as a noticeably higher pitched scream followed David's introduction. My favorite song of his that night was Angels and the touch with the piano was very nice. David put on a very nice performance and I could tell he puts his whole heart into the song. David Cook was spotted behind stage sitting down and watching at the very beginning of David Archuleta's set. A few fans on my side of the area noticed and let out a scream. From where I was sitting it looked like David Cook pointed to the other David as to let the crowd know who they should be paying attention to.
Now for the grand finale of the night David Cook finally made his entrance from under the stage and sang Hello . It was incredible to finally see the man in person working his magic. David's voice is every bit as good and even better than I imagined. Before Time of My Life David told the crowd that he was going to sing extra hard that night to earn his paycheck since he lost so much money the night before at an unnamed casino. During I Don't Want to Miss a Thing, David really worked the crowd, making everyone in the arena feel like they experienced him. He walked all the way over to both wings of the stage and the crowd went nuts. Before My Hero David filmed the crowd and commented that the crowd was shaking his camera. I can't wait to see what that video and all the crowd shots look like from his perspective. Finally the encore happened and David performed Billie Jean on the front center stage with the smoke treatment under a red light. It was easily the best performance of the night for me and David recreated his "moment" from American Idol right there in front of me. I couldn't cheer or scream at all because I was completely mesmerized.
The show was over far too soon when the group number closed the show. Each Idol came out in the order they were eliminated to sing one part of a verse from Please Don't Stop the Music. It was a great upbeat way to end the show as the crowd began to pour out of the arena. The back part of the stage was visible from my section of the arena and some fans screamed when they saw the Idols walk back stage waving at the crowd.
After a great night of music I was prepared to leave with some great memories but I kept having this feeling tug at me that if I came all this way just to see the show that I should at least try to meet the Idols. Reading the various reports on the internet I knew that there was a chance the Idols would come out after the show on their way to the tour buses but no reports had come out of anyone actually meeting the Idols this way except those where were waiting hours before the show. I'd feared I'd missed out on my only opportunity but decided to see what I could find. To my surprise the tour buses were in plain sight just to the right of the main entrance. There was a gate already there with people lined up. I decided to stand behind a few of the shorter people and see what happened. I stood there less than 15 minutes and then heard a shriek from someone at the front of the line and someone yelled "Its Kristy Lee!" as she walked over to the top part of the line. I couldn't believe it, the Idols were actually going come see us! Then about another 15 minutes passed as Carly and Michael joined the line. All 3 of them took great time meeting everyone, taking photos and giving autographs. I told Michael that I loved his Dream On performance and he was really appreciative to be complimented on it. After another 15 minutes most of the other Idols started making their way down the line starting either from the top or bottom and signaled from a shriek at either end, this time they were moving a bit faster but still accommodated everyone who was there. I was surprised there were so few people waiting out there because the buses were in plain sight and it had been less than an hour since the show ended. I'd guess only about 100 or so people were there and everyone was polite for the most part, only a couple people seemed to follow the Idols down the line and push ahead. Everyone I was around let me take turns getting in to get an autograph or photo since I was standing behind them. Brooke said we were the most behaved crowd and that the crowd in San Diego was insane. There was another loud shriek as someone screamed "Its David Archuleta!" but actually was a false alarm as it was just a similar looking kid who was inside the security line.
A little bit later someone announced David Cook joined the line and my heart started to pound. I had to think of something intelligent to say but I knew at that point the Idols were moving too fast to have an sort of lengthy conversation. David passed through sooner than later telling everyone he was only going to do autographs first to make sure he got to everyone and then would come back through the line for pictures because they only had an hour left before they were scheduled to leave. I handed him my program and then managed to get out the request for him to come to Denver on tour sometime because I'd traveled there for him. He said he's make it a point to come to Denver but not on this tour. All I could say was "awesome" but was thrilled to talk to him even for a little bit. I have to add my thoughts that David is more than gorgeous in person and has a very warm presence and personality. After a little bit David came back through the line and I got my photo with him. I tried to think of something intelligent to say but could only come up with that it was so great to meet him. David said it was his pleasure and called me darling. I think I melted right there just a little bit. And then the whole David experience was over. I wished I'd categorized everything in my mind but only really noticed his face, hat, and shirt with the bling. Darn me for not having a photographic memory! It was all over much too fast but I'm not sure if any amount of time would have been long enough.
My video of the concert:
Finally Seyesha, Ramiele and Chikezie came through the line and David Archuleta was one of the last people to come out. David had his dad with him who was directing him a little bit. Nobody who was around me was able to get any pictures or autographs but it was great to see him because he is very adorable in person. It was so nice to end the evening with a little personal encounter with all the Idols. Although I would have been happy from just the concert it was great to personalize the experience and really get a sense for who they all are. I can say they were all nice and accommodating to their fans. Everyone looked great in person, especially all the ladies who looked even better than on TV. All in all everything was a truly memorable experience.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Survivor 16 Finale Spoilers
I apologize for not spoiling this season but I promise to get back on the ball for Survivor 17. Here are some spoilers for the finale.
The final 4 challenge is supposed to be standing on a pole and using something with water buckets. Its not certain who wins, likely Parvati or Amanda but its very likely Natalie is voted out.
Speculation is that the jury will vote on the final 2 this season and there will be a final 3 challenge. This will be the typical endurance challenge and again its not been determined if Amanda or Parvati wins but Cirie will be the one voted out.
Amanda and Parvati face the jury and Amanda will win with the help of Ozzie and James swaying the votes in her favor.
The final 4 challenge is supposed to be standing on a pole and using something with water buckets. Its not certain who wins, likely Parvati or Amanda but its very likely Natalie is voted out.
Speculation is that the jury will vote on the final 2 this season and there will be a final 3 challenge. This will be the typical endurance challenge and again its not been determined if Amanda or Parvati wins but Cirie will be the one voted out.
Amanda and Parvati face the jury and Amanda will win with the help of Ozzie and James swaying the votes in her favor.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Big Brother 9 Spoilers
After a brief hiatus...lets get back to some spoiling.
This week in the BB house is the second week of Groundhog Day. Nobody has left the BB house in 2 weeks as it looks like James and Ryan's HOHs will do nothing more than bring us back to the point when the siren first sounded 2 weeks ago.
James won HOH in the endurance competition beating Natalie out after about 4 hours or so. Natalie struck a deal to keep her and Matt safe. James stuck to his word and nominated Shelia and Ryan for eviction. On Friday James won the POV as well and has said he's keeping nominations the same. Surely Josh and Chelsia will beg him to backdoor Matt but James seems pretty set in what he wants to do. There also was no food competition on Friday but the HG's speculate that there will be a luxury competition this week.
I will update after the veto ceremony and predict how the votes are going to go.
This week in the BB house is the second week of Groundhog Day. Nobody has left the BB house in 2 weeks as it looks like James and Ryan's HOHs will do nothing more than bring us back to the point when the siren first sounded 2 weeks ago.
James won HOH in the endurance competition beating Natalie out after about 4 hours or so. Natalie struck a deal to keep her and Matt safe. James stuck to his word and nominated Shelia and Ryan for eviction. On Friday James won the POV as well and has said he's keeping nominations the same. Surely Josh and Chelsia will beg him to backdoor Matt but James seems pretty set in what he wants to do. There also was no food competition on Friday but the HG's speculate that there will be a luxury competition this week.
I will update after the veto ceremony and predict how the votes are going to go.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Survivor 16 Spoilers
As another season of Survivor is set to begin, I have some long range spoilers and a sort of boot order. Keep in mind that these are major spoilers but still not confirmed so take with a grain of salt and see if they are in the right direction.
In the first episode Johnny Fairplay is expected to quit. He pretty much has a meltdown over nothing as he is not his tribe's primary target and his departure changes up a lot of strategies. Mary will be the second to go.
Early bootees who do not make the jury are believed to be: Mary, Tracy, Yau-Man, Kathy, Erik, and Mikey.
Early jury members are Amanda and Eliza. James and Ozzie supposedly arrive on the jury sooner than later. Jason is pegged at mid jury.
The final 7 are Alexis, Ami, Cirie, Chet, Joel, Jonathan and Natalie. Alexis and Natalie will be a part of the family visit reward.
In the first episode Johnny Fairplay is expected to quit. He pretty much has a meltdown over nothing as he is not his tribe's primary target and his departure changes up a lot of strategies. Mary will be the second to go.
Early bootees who do not make the jury are believed to be: Mary, Tracy, Yau-Man, Kathy, Erik, and Mikey.
Early jury members are Amanda and Eliza. James and Ozzie supposedly arrive on the jury sooner than later. Jason is pegged at mid jury.
The final 7 are Alexis, Ami, Cirie, Chet, Joel, Jonathan and Natalie. Alexis and Natalie will be a part of the family visit reward.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Update on Project Runway Final 4
Unfortunately the final 4 I had posted a couple weeks ago was not correct. However, I'm pretty confident in the newest version of the final 4. Rami, Jillian, Christian and Chris. Speculation is that there will only be a top 3 and Chris may be the decoy designer at fashion week.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Project Runway Final 4?
I apologize for the lack of spoilers. The writers strike might make spoilers hard to come by for a while. I will try to keep up the reality TV spoilers.
Rumor has it the final 4 on Project Runway are Kevin, Jillian, Rami and Christian. No word yet on who might take home the prize, but keep checking.
Rumor has it the final 4 on Project Runway are Kevin, Jillian, Rami and Christian. No word yet on who might take home the prize, but keep checking.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Survivor China: Finale Spoilers
In this finale there are not going to be many surprises. Denise will get the boot at the final 3. It looks like Courtney may win the final immunity challenge but she won't have much luck getting votes at tribal council. Supposedly one person votes for Courtney and there is a tie, 3 votes for Todd and Amanda each. This would force the person who voted for Courtney to break the tie. This is probably going to be one of the closest final pairings in that each is deserving but Todd should be the winner.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Survivor China: Episode 12 Spoilers
Back to the same old same old on Survivor. The reward challenge is a tile breaking archery contest and it looks like Todd wins this one. He'll have to choose one person to go with him on the reward and he takes Courtney, leaving Amanda back at camp upset. PG sees this as an opportunity but its just all CBS wishful thinking. The immunity challenge is a recycle of all the previous challenges including star throwing, conga drum bouncy and gross food. It seems that Amanda or Courtney win this one but it doesn't matter because PG finally get the boot.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Survivor China: Episode 11 Spoilers
After James' unexpected departure last week things get more predictable this week.
First for the reward challenge, its a game of marco polo and Todd, Denise and Amanda win. Their reward is to spend time with their loved ones. Todd's sister, Denise's hubby and Amanda's sister are the atendees.
For the immunity challenge is another obstacle course with ropes and there seems to be some questions to answer at the end. Speculation is that PG wins immunity.
For the boot, don't let CBS fool you into thinking there will be any flip flopping going on. The gang will vote out Erik.
First for the reward challenge, its a game of marco polo and Todd, Denise and Amanda win. Their reward is to spend time with their loved ones. Todd's sister, Denise's hubby and Amanda's sister are the atendees.
For the immunity challenge is another obstacle course with ropes and there seems to be some questions to answer at the end. Speculation is that PG wins immunity.
For the boot, don't let CBS fool you into thinking there will be any flip flopping going on. The gang will vote out Erik.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
RW/RR Gauntlet 3 Updates
No air date yet for the next Real World/Road Rules Challenge but it is expected to come this spring. This season has been in the can for quite sometime as it was filmed last summer. When that happens its pretty difficult to keep the spoilers at bay. Previously I listed the expected cast for this season and now I can tell you some of the results. Please be warned these are pretty heavy spoilers.
First of all, is it expected that 2 cast members leave. Tyrie from RW Denver will leave around the 4th or 5th episode due to differences with the men in his group. Coral will leave more towards the end of the challenge and it will be due to differences with the females in her group. Tyrie will be replaced with MJ for Philadelphia and Coral's departure will be late enough ot not need a replacement.
The Veterans who will remain standing for the final challenge are Adam, Brad, CT, Eric, Evan, Kenny, Diem, Ev, Paula, and Robin. The surviving Rookies are Frank, Nehemiah, Jillian, Johanna, Rachel, and Tori. It is expected that the Rookies pull an upset over the Vets for the final prize.
In other real world news, casting is underway for Real World 21 and Road Rules 16. Both locations and air dates have yet to be determined. Real World 20 will be in Hollywood.
First of all, is it expected that 2 cast members leave. Tyrie from RW Denver will leave around the 4th or 5th episode due to differences with the men in his group. Coral will leave more towards the end of the challenge and it will be due to differences with the females in her group. Tyrie will be replaced with MJ for Philadelphia and Coral's departure will be late enough ot not need a replacement.
The Veterans who will remain standing for the final challenge are Adam, Brad, CT, Eric, Evan, Kenny, Diem, Ev, Paula, and Robin. The surviving Rookies are Frank, Nehemiah, Jillian, Johanna, Rachel, and Tori. It is expected that the Rookies pull an upset over the Vets for the final prize.
In other real world news, casting is underway for Real World 21 and Road Rules 16. Both locations and air dates have yet to be determined. Real World 20 will be in Hollywood.
Survivor 16: All Stars 2
Word is that the next season of Survivor will be the second all stars season. It is currently filming in Palau and will begin airing this spring. Supposedly only cast members from seasons 9-15 were asked to be a part of this season.
Some expected castaways for this season include: Eliza and Ami from Vanuatu, Johnathan, Ozzie and Parvati from Cook Islands, Jon from Pearl Islands, Amanda and James from China, Yao-man from Fiji, Cirie from Exile island.
More info will be updates as it becomes available.
Some expected castaways for this season include: Eliza and Ami from Vanuatu, Johnathan, Ozzie and Parvati from Cook Islands, Jon from Pearl Islands, Amanda and James from China, Yao-man from Fiji, Cirie from Exile island.
More info will be updates as it becomes available.
Survivor China: Episode 10 Spoilers
Back to the real show as last week was a recrap episode.
First will be revealed what the last matter of business needs to be attended to before the tribe leaves last episode's tribal council. Its not another vote off, as they are on pace to have a final 3 again.
The reward challenge, it looks like James and Amanda get to go on another road trip award. The immunity challenge will involve throwing stars and Erik or possibly Denise wins that one.
This week at tribal council is supposed to be the climax of what the show has been building up to for weeks. PG and Courtney stage a fight in order for James to feel 100% safe in the vote and therefore does not use one of his hidden immunity idols. The plan works and everyone blindsides James, finally voting him out.
First will be revealed what the last matter of business needs to be attended to before the tribe leaves last episode's tribal council. Its not another vote off, as they are on pace to have a final 3 again.
The reward challenge, it looks like James and Amanda get to go on another road trip award. The immunity challenge will involve throwing stars and Erik or possibly Denise wins that one.
This week at tribal council is supposed to be the climax of what the show has been building up to for weeks. PG and Courtney stage a fight in order for James to feel 100% safe in the vote and therefore does not use one of his hidden immunity idols. The plan works and everyone blindsides James, finally voting him out.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Survivor China: Episode 9 Spoilers
Returning fro ma slight hiatus on these spoilers, here are the ones from tonight's episode:
The reward challenge will be the classic pecking order chop competition. It looks like Amanda is going to win and take Todd with her on the overnight boat trip. Speculation is also that Courtney gets invited along to keep her in line with the alliance.
Not much is known about the immunity challenge, but it seems to be another sort of questions based challenge. It is know however that PG wins immunity.
The boot seems likely to be Frosti since PG can't be voted out. Todd wants Frosti and Courtney's romance to end.
The reward challenge will be the classic pecking order chop competition. It looks like Amanda is going to win and take Todd with her on the overnight boat trip. Speculation is also that Courtney gets invited along to keep her in line with the alliance.
Not much is known about the immunity challenge, but it seems to be another sort of questions based challenge. It is know however that PG wins immunity.
The boot seems likely to be Frosti since PG can't be voted out. Todd wants Frosti and Courtney's romance to end.
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