ARTS & EVENTS

Idol Chatter: Slash Boom Bang

Express' Greg Barber rocks 'n' rolls through another "American Idol" performance show.

Slash and the American Idol top four courtesy Fox
LAST WEEK brought this season's first true shocker: Adam Lambert, the genre-bending showman long considered by many to be the runaway star of this year's "American Idol" cast, suddenly fell from his theatrical perch into the bottom three, and — if the show's staging is to be believed — even the bottom two.

Second to last. Nearly eliminated.

Along with him tumbled Kris Allen, another contestant who had never before been in the bottom three.

The results showed a resurgence for Allison Iraheta, the 17-year-old red-locked rocker who's had a flirtation with the wrong side of the "Idol" vote on three separate occasions. And it evidenced continued strength for Danny Gokey, who's now the only contestant not to have been in the bottom three.

Was last week an aberration, or has the "Idol" landscape been indelibly altered? Sharpen your minds and wipe off your glasses: this is a week to watch.

And what better to follow last week's shocking results than another curve ball: This week, the contestants will be singing duets in addition to their solo performances. Which might be enough to short out this reviewer's tiny little brain.

All the excitement apparently proved to be too much for part of the "Idol" set — during the show's first moments, Seacrest informs us that an accident caused one of the massive "American Idol" logos to fall out of place, which sent glass flying and robbed the contestants of a final dress rehearsal.

But who needs that when you're about to perform duets in front of an audience of millions near the end of a competition on which you've spent months of your life? Pfft.

And can someone explain why Kara is dressed like Jo from "The Facts of Life"? It looks like she's either going to start a fistfight with Paula or star in an early '80s Joan Jett video.

The Idolites were coached this week by Slash, the legendary ax-slinger from Guns N' Roses, the hard-charging Cousin Itt of rock whose face I couldn't pick out of a lineup, but whose locks and licks are legendary.

How much Just for Men do you think that dude needs?

Apparently, Mr. Slash isn't on good terms with at least some of his ex-bandmates. Did anyone else notice some blurred-out faces in the GNR b-roll that flashed under Seacrest's narration? Curious.

Adam Lambert on American Idol courtesy FoxADAM LAMBERT
I didn't guess that Adam would be singing Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," but I should have. Who else could pull off Robert Plant's aural acrobatics with the greatest of ease like he can? "He's just, like, effortless," Slash says.

And finally, FINALLY someone says what I've been thinking all season.

"The only thing I would say is maybe don't improvise so much in the high register," Slash tells Adam, "because, you know, when you hit the lower registers, it sounds really cool."

Amen.

When he takes the stage, he delivers a raw, scorching version of Zeppelin's raw, scorching tune. It goes without saying that he's a great singer. And there's nary a dud note or a missed beat. But I've got to say, I'm a bit disappointed. The Adam we know, the Adam we've followed, has been all about making the songs he's sung his — putting his own spin on each performance. The Adam we see this week, however, is doing his best Robert Plant impression.

Sky-high runs? Check. Swagger? Check. But the song's so straight ahead, so no-frills. Again, he's technically great. This would be an exemplary performance for a mere mortal. But Adam's better than that. He failed to reach his own bar.

"This is the Adam that I love," Randy says. "Nobody's going to think about Broadway or any of that stuff right there, you're a rock star tonight!"

"Adam, you're more than a rock star, you're a rock god," Kara says.

"You're a whole lotta perfect. Perfect," Paula says.

"This could have been an absolute disaster," Simon says. "But it was, actually, one of my favorite performance you've ever done. The problem is, nobody can top that now."

But, see, Randy's point underscores mine. Adam is Broadway. That's his style. Veering away from that, to me, makes Adam sound less like Adam. And I think that's a shame.

Allison Iraheta on American Idol courtesy FoxALLISON IRAHETA
It is rare for a Janis Joplin cover to go well on "Idol." Many have tried. Many have failed. Miserably.

Allison, however, is that rare contestant who has the chops for it.

"She's got a natural rock 'n' roll mannerism and swagger," Slash says. "She just needs to bring it on when she comes out."

And bring it she does. She unlocks the trick behind successfully performing "Cry Baby," perhaps one of Joplin's most difficult songs to sing: Turn it into a sonic McDLT — the verses must sound vulnerable; the hook must sound explosive.

Allison succeeds on both counts.

Her style is a little more polished than Joplin's, so she doesn't quite capture the song's innate rawness. But it's certainly a worthy performance and it might even be enough to keep her in the competition.

"I did not love the song choice for you. I thought there were a lot of better vehicles that had a lot more melody," Randy says.

"Janis was the right choice for you, bluesy rock," Kara says. "But, you know, 'Piece of My Heart,' coulda seen that."

"I think you're downright fearless," Paula says. "And I think if they ever do a biopic on Janis Joplin, you've got the role."

"I was just thinking tonight the difference, you know, over eight weeks from where you were to where you are tonight is literally staggering," Simon says. "I thought you had complete confidence up there. I thought it was a terrific vocal. My only criticism is that you tried too hard, obviously, to sound like the original .... You can't compare the first performance, which was more original to what I heard there."

She spars a little with Simon, which is fun to watch. She's spunky. I like her.

Danny Gokey and Kris Allen on American Idol courtesy Fox

KRIS ALLEN AND DANNY GOKEY
Our first duet of the night is "Renegade" by Styx. The song's an odd fit for both of them. When they sing alone, Kris' voice sounds a little too clean and sweet for the song, and Danny's a little too gruff and bluesy.

When they sing the chorus together, however — wow. The harmony between them is downright flawless.

Can they be co-Idols?

"I really like the harmonies. I think you guys complement each other greatly with that song," Randy says. "The individual vocals were OK, but the harmonies, dude, were on blast."

"Them singing 'Renegade'? That doesn't compute for me. They're, like, the guys who help the little women cross the street," Kara says. "I do think the sum of the parts was better."

"I think this was really great to introduce this season," Paula says. "It was powerful and it was compelling. Good job."

"Who was better?" Simon says. "Danny, you were better than Kris. There you go."

Kris is clearly rattled. And he doesn't shake it before the show heads to commercial.

Kris Allen on American Idol courtesy FoxKRIS ALLEN
His song of choice: "Come Together" by The Beatles, after rejecting his first pick, "Revolution" — which is kinda the one I wanted him to do.

Turns out, he made a pretty good decision. Kris is at a disadvantage this week — all of his competitors have voices tailor made for rock songs, while his is a little too slick, light and poppy to pull off heavy riffs. So, he picked a song that emphasizes soulful inflection over raw firepower.

It's a great performance. He feels only slightly out of his element at first, but then builds the song into his type of vehicle. It's harder edged than most of his songs thus far, but it surely rocks the house. He needs a win to survive this week. And this might do it.

"I really know that you're not really this kind of rock guy," Randy says. "I appreciate you picking something that you can really be yourself. ... You know what I loved. I loved what you were playing on the guitar. ... All in all, I enjoyed it."

"You're definitely the softer side of rock, and I can see that you tried to bring that tonight," Kara says. "But, for me, this was not a great performance. I just thought it was trying too hard. ... I just think there's more than what you delivered tonight."

"It's kind of risky to do a Beatles song. But your artistic delivery on it is what makes it — your signature's all over it," Paula says. "You are an artist on this stage. You need to have a little more energy. But you are deserved on this stage."

"I actually didn't like it that much," Simon says. "It was rather like eating ice for lunch. Which is, it will leave you with nothing to remember afterward. It was actually quite a boring song."

That pressure Kris has on his back? It's the bullseye the judges have attached to it. He's target #1 for destruction. Will his fans rally to save him?

Danny Gokey on American Idol courtesy FoxDANNY GOKEY
Aerosmith's "Dream On" is perhaps one of my favorite rock songs. And it's one of the few in the band's catalogue that doesn't get all tangled up in riffs and posturing and histrionics. It's just a clear, simple, honest, straightforward rock song.

It is absolutely the wrong song for Danny Gokey.

The soft, supple opening comes out bland and off-key. The tension that Steven Tyler builds up so masterfully in the original is punctured by Danny's stretching to set the right tone. The malleability that Tyler brings, Danny doesn't possess — he's a blunt object jabbing at the song instead of a liquid coating it. And Tyler's iconic scream at the end of the song is so out of Danny's range that I feel an impulse to check my window for passing falcons.

It's terrible. Just terrible. Danny's performances haven't wowed me in quite some time. But I have never disliked one of his renditions as much as I absolutely despise this one.

By rights, this should be Danny's final appearance.

"It was all right for me. It wasn't, like, perfect or that great," Randy says. "I'll give you an A plus for a valiant effort. Cause you hit the high note and you had, like, three notes jumping off at once."

"I think you took the swagger comment and, y'know, adding more edge into your performance and those are all good things ... but I think you took it a little too far," Kara says. "I don't see you on this type of song. I see you more early Aerosmith — "Cryin'," "Crazy" — but, I will say, that I like to see growth and I like to see risks."

Uh. Not to slap on my music nerd hat here or anything, but "Dream On" is one of Aerosmith's earliest hits. From 1976. "Cryin'"? 1993. "Crazy"? 1994. Just sayin'.

"I know that this was a tricky genre for you," Paula says. "I am a huge fan of yours. ... It wasn't my favorite choice of song, but I give you an A plus plus for going for it."

"The last note, it was like watching a horror movie," Simon says. "It was just like this scream. It was actually a little bit over the top. Where I think with Adam it kind of worked, with you it didn't work so much. I still think you're going to be safe tonight, though."

And can you believe that Danny actually has the gall to look ticked that the judges offered him criticism? "I'll have to watch it back," he says. Dude, it sucked. They were kind to you. It was Valentine's Day. Don't get huffy.

OK, so the judges are backing Danny to take on Adam. There's no way, just no way, that Simon wouldn't have eviscerated another contestant for a performance like Danny delivered.

Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta on American Idol courtesy Fox

ADAM LAMBERT AND ALLISON IRAHETA
Our final duet of the night is "Slow Ride" by Foghat. And Allison and Adam's vocal chemistry turns out to be the opposite of Danny and Kris'.

Separately, they seem to feed off each other in a symbiotic way. Together, though, the sound strikes me as similar to "All For Love," a sonic assault released in the mid-'90s featuring Sting, Rod Stewart and Bryan Adams, which packed in more rasp than a room full of Bonnie Tylers.

The song's good, don't get me wrong. Allison and Adam rock. They even, you might say, rawk. And they seem far more at home on stage together than Danny and Kris did.

"You guys are our two seasoned rock stars in the house," Randy says. "That was da bomb, baby."

"This is when a duet is right," Kara says. "When you're pushing each other to be better. That's what you just did on that stage."

"The two of you are a perfect blend, a perfect marriage," Paula says.

Aaaaaaand that's when my DVR cuts off again. Now, to the Internet.

"In the battle of the duets, you win the show tonight," Simon says. "And actually, Adam, you may have given this one a chance to stay in the competition because of that."

FEARLESS PICKS
Here comes the tough part. Before I pick the contestants apart, though, I should say that this is as talented a slate as I think the show's ever had at this point in the competition and any one of them could, with the right gust of wind at their backs, make a strong push for the Idol title.

That said, the clear winner of the night was Adam, who had both a good performance and good reviews to help him, including continued reinforcement by Simon, who made sure to point out how each succeeding performance wasn't as good as Adam's was.

Barring a huge surprise, he should survive this week handily.

The rest of the field isn't so clear. The judges are in Danny's pocket, and Simon declaring him safe could either help him (by reinforcing to fans that he's worthy of their vote) or hurt him (by indicating to denser fans that they don't need to dial or text their little fingers down to nubs to keep him in the competition).

If the world was fair, Danny would be going home this week. His performance was just godawful. And whether rock is his thing or not, he should be judged just a stringently as everyone else. An A plus for effort? As John Stossel might whine, give me a break.

Allison's in her usual spot — the discomfort zone. She sang well. She earned some praise from the judges. And she did well last week. Whether her luck will hold out is anybody's guess.

But by far the most nervous contestant this week should be Kris. Simon didn't miss an opportunity to take potshots, and unexpected criticism from Kara didn't help Kris' case. Add to that the fact that rock isn't Kris' strong suit and you get a very wobbly week. If he ever needed his fan base, he needs it now.

Who will go home: I'm guessing it's Kris. I don't want to pick Kris. I think he's a spectacular performer and could win the whole thing if the cards fell his way. But I'm not sure, given last week's results and this week's commentary by Simon, if he's going to make it.

I really hope I'm wrong.

» WEDNESDAY NIGHT: The "Idol" four become three as another contestant takes his or her leave. Plus, performances by Daughtry, No Doubt and — if rumors are right — "Idol" judge Paula Abdul. Heard any interesting stories about her lately?

I'll have a post Thursday morning recapping all the thrills, chills and carnage at ExpressNightOut.com/idol.

Till then, what did you think of tonight's performances? Were the judges too hard on Kris? Too easy on Danny? Did Kara join the world's wussiest biker gang? Join the conversation in the comments section below.

Photos courtesy Fox

ALSO IN ARTS & EVENTS
COMMENTS (17)

  • ROCK GOD = ADAM ...He, as always, owned the stage tonight. I hope the votes, too. I am not a fan of hardcore rock music so I honestly cannot say I liked any of the songs (even the Beatles' song). But I LOVE ADAM, and he does make a great rocker. At least he dresses for the part. On him, it doesn't look so "TH" (trying hard). Unlike Gokey who more than ever looks like the Queen of Lame! Blood-red button-down shirt with the silver bling2 for the duet, then a lilac (purplish) shirt for the solo and the bling2 -- heck, he looked girlier than Adam tonight! He looked like a sleek bookie (?), or even Adam's pimp! He was so out of the zone. He really should GO and bring all his phoniness with him. ...Poor Kris! He wasn't really bad. The quartet just turned on him tonight. I hope he stays. (Btw, I think he has been to B3 even before last week.) ...Allison's hair is still weird, but nicer. She's really got great rapport with Adam. I AM JEALOUS of the hugs Adam gave her! (Yes, Greg, I think I'll finally drown my unrequited feelings in a gallon of ice cream! LOL) I hope she stays, too. ...I read how Slash is an impressive rock artist. I wonder why he always wears sunglasses though? The Elton John vibe?Hmmm ...You asked about Paula. I saw a headline how she's been to rehab. Don't know when this was, but it might explain some of her moments during judging! Belatedly, too, I read that she was once married to Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen's bro. I thought it was Prince?! I think they'd look cute together. ...Kara is annoying! Can she not renew her contract? ...Lastly, I read that Cook and Archuleta are heading to the Philippines this month for a concert. Good luck to them! Maybe boxer Pacquiao will be their front act! LOL (Sisters, if you had voted for ADAM, thank you!!!)

    By Shin Goon , Posted May 6, 2009 12:38 AM

  • How much more 'in your face' can this show get? Simon's comments about Adam and Randy's comments about broadway? Adam and Allison performing a duet (first & 2nd)? This year's show has been a blatant display of favoritism and don't think for 1 minute what Simon has to say doesn't influence the voting. Simon's comments were down right mean and hurtful. It is quite evident who has the target on his back and I think Simon owes him an apology. It doesn't matter who my favorites are but it does matter how these kids are treated. I have watched this show for years and this has been the worst season ever for unfairness, favoritism, and tatics used for ratings at the expense of these kids. No more 'Idol' for me...I'm done.

    By klpj , Posted May 6, 2009 12:57 AM

  • Great recap, Greg. Most of tonight was great tv.
    I agree with you about Adam. He sounded great but it wasn't his best.
    Allison had a hard row to hoe. It's Janis. You can't change it too much because it's Janis. And Allison has that Janis fog in her voice so she's going to be compared to Janis and come up lacking. She did a great job and I don't think she deserved the criticism she got.
    Kris and Danny's duet. I gotta disagree with Simon on this one. Kris was much better than Danny here. He was engaged with the audience and his singing partner; Danny stood there like a rock and looked way out of place.
    When I heard Kris was doing the Beetles, I had a flashback to Brooke White singing "Here Comes the Sun" and nearly hid under my couch. The Beetles do not fare well on the Idol stage usually. I liked his song. Was he Adam? No. Did he put his own twist on it without destroying it? Yes. The judges were unfair here.
    What was Danny thinking? He is not Steven Tyler and he is not Adam. Adam would have rocked that song backwards, forwards, sideways, and diagonally. It was awful-- burrowing-into-cushions-pressing-hands-to-ears awful. Cat-running-from-room awful. Just awful.
    Adam and Allison had a great time doing that duet. You could tell.
    I kind of like the duets. It's nice to see how contestants interact with each other and hear them harmonize. It tells you something about how they would be in concert.
    There is no way Danny should be staying. He's a good singer but he is not in the same league as Adam or Kris or even Allison.
    I'm going to trust that the voting public will have that last measure echoing in their ears when they pick up their phones.

    By Oedi , Posted May 6, 2009 1:12 AM

  • Spot on description of Kara, Greg. Gawd, that was awlful. Bikerchick/1980's...and the hair, what was with the hair? Ew.
    At one point during the show, I am surprised the producers didn't ask Kara to give Paula her jacket. That had the possibility of being another Janet Jackson peep show. Sorta uuugy also.
    Can I say without offending too many people, I really didn't like Adams performance all that much. I absolutely agree with you on your assessment. Had the possibility, but fell short. Not on vocals, just performance.
    I thought Allison was fabulous!
    I also liked Kris' rendition of The Beatles. I think he tanked the duet, however.
    Danny, not so much. Just not a good song.
    The judges were SO busy last night promoting Adam that I don't think they cared what anyone else did.
    At the end of the Adam/Allison duet did Simon really say that ADAM may have SAVED Allison? Single handedly, eh? WOW. That Adam!
    I guess Adam can do just about anything, eh, Simon? Tonight AdamIdol continues.

    By Virginia , Posted May 6, 2009 7:37 AM

  • This is a tough week. I'm kind of so unsure of who will go after last week's results. I totally agree that Danny is the bottom of the 4 left. I've said it several weeks in a row though...the judges think he can walk on water!! It angers me to listen to them praise him week after week when he's been so middle of the road. I noticed that when he and Kris did their duo...the cameras never show lower than Danny's face when he's singing...he has no stage presence...especailly in a rock song like last night! If he makes it to the finals, his strength in making an album will most likely be in gospel music.
    Who's going home tonight...either Allison or Kris. Who should leave...DANNY!!!!!

    By Pat , Posted May 6, 2009 8:11 AM

  • Ah, Greg. I pretty much agree with every word. But of course, I will add my own comments. Don't want to be a copycat. But I do have to say that this is the most talented top 4 they've had, even taking Danny into consideration.

    Adam -- Totally agree. He sang wonderfully, but was in no way original. I guess you could say the song didn't need it, but then later, Simon claimed to another contestant (Allison, I think) that her version wasn't original like Adam's.
    Allison -- Wow, how underrated by the judges. No surprise there. I do agree that she might be a tad young to pull off the song's emotional weight, but man did she sound great.
    Kris -- Again, severely underrated. I think I would have liked to see the song pared down a bit, Kris style, with the Mraz thing he does, but obviously, he needed to keep the blazing guitars so as not to be accused of being soft. But I loved his vocals on this -- very Kris.
    Danny -- OMG. That was...wow. That last note was probably the worst sound I've heard, ever. Scary. And yet, he gets an "A" for effort? What? Danny doesn't have to, like, hit the notes?
    Duets: Kris and Danny. This is where we part ways, Greg. I'm with you on the harmonies -- they were gorgeous. But the rest of the song was an utter mess. Danny may have OVERsang Kris, but Kris outsang him. Neither really had the voice for the song, though, and there was no chemistry. It was just two guys singing the same song. HATED Simon praising Danny at Kris' expense, when it was just plain not true.
    Adam/Allison: Loved it. Their voices went well together, for me, and I enjoyed their palpable affection for each other.
    Going home tonight: Ugh. Probably Kris. But it should be Danny. I can only hope that Middle America was either horrified by what occurred or felt so complacent that they didn't vote, and that fans of Kris and Allison were so incensed that they voted their fingers down to little stubs. Who knows -- maybe that was Simon's intent?

    By EOC , Posted May 6, 2009 8:22 AM

  • Adam - Still not a fan. I like Led Zeppelin, and I like the original song. Adam did nothing new with it, but of course he got no "copycat" criticism. I wasn't impressed.

    Allison - Didn't love the song, but I thought she did fine with it. She shouldn't have been blamed for trying to sound like Joplin if Adam wasn't blamed just 5 minutes ago. And I still think her hair is whack.

    Kris - When he was singing it, I thought he did a really good job, and was totally surprised by the judges' reaction. Complete set up!

    Danny - Wow, that was painful! Those last few notes were ridiculously bad. He really needs a reality check.

    Duets - I agree with Oedi that on the first duet, Danny didn't try to work with his partner Kris at all. Low blow to Kris. But their harmony was impressive. As for Allison and Adam, I agree, their solo parts were better than their harmony. I thought it was just okay.

    I am hoping Kris doesn't go home. Danny deserves to go home, but for some crazy reason that probably won't happen. I am betting it's Allison this week.

    By AJ , Posted May 6, 2009 8:31 AM

  • ADAM. It has always been Adam and will always be Adam for me. I don't even like rock music, but he made me love it last night. His performance ability is just amazing. At first I was mad at you Greg when I read what you wrote about his performance, but now that I think about it, I guess I must admit that I agree. One of Adam's best qualities is his theatricality and I wish the judges wouldn't encourage him to lose that.

    Do you think the megachurches have been getting together to vote for Danny? Because he has deserved to go home time and time again. Hopefully poor little Kris won't be sent home tonight, and hopefully we won't have to tolerate another week of annoying Gokey. He really had some nerve- he couldn't possibly have thought that was good. Your description of his reaction to the judges was spot on- just shut up Danny!

    But you know what, as long as Adam is safe then I guess I don't care tooooooooo too much!

    By Lindsey , Posted May 6, 2009 9:59 AM

  • NOOOOOOOOOO NOT KRIS!!!!!!! I heart Kris! He was DEFINITELY better than Danny! I can't believe he was so criticized by the judges....WTF! Danny was AWFUL! Seriously!
    I'm sorta attached to each of these idols...except for Danny. I was over danny like 3 weeks ago. I don't want Allison to go! And of course I heart Kris and Adam is just incredible. So lets all pray that America picked correctly and sends judges favorite DANNY packing!

    By Lisa A. , Posted May 6, 2009 10:58 AM

  • First off, glad to read that I wasn't alone in stopping to think when Kara referred to Cryin and Crazy as Aerosmith's "earlier" work. For someone who is as entrenched in the music business as she is, a botch like that is surprising - it's fine that she doesn't have a grasp of the band's discography, but the fact that she pretended to is what bothered me.

    Anyway, regarding the competition: I'm a 27 year old male, my girlfriend is also 27, and we've been following this season more closely than prior seasons. I realize that we are out of the target demographic for Idol album sales. That said, from our perspective, and from a business, money-making perspective generally, I find it shocking that Adam is considered the front-runner on this season. He simply does nothing for me or my girlfriend - we find his high-pitched squeals to be jarring. He's a showman, to be sure, but I have no idea who would buy his records or want to listen to him on the radio. Certainly no one I know. Kris, as John Meyer-esque as he may be, has a much greater chance of being commercially successful, in the opinion of myself and my girlfriend. She in particular is a fan of Kris - I myself wouldn't necessarily get into his music, but I can appreciate it and recognize its potential for success. Adam, on the other hand, does nothing but annoy us.

    By AMCsoldier , Posted May 6, 2009 4:26 PM

  • AMCsoldier: To each his own, right? I respect your opinion re Adam, et.al. But definitely, there are those who'd want to see Adam come out with a CD someday. It can't be all "squealing" and banshee-like wailing for him, can it? I bet he'd sing/record songs like Mad World and Tracks Of My Tears. Just want to say it's NOT "shocking that Adam is considered the front-runner" because there are those (ahem!) who LOVE him. IMHO, of course. Thanks.

    By Shin Goon , Posted May 6, 2009 4:35 PM

  • AMCsoldier and his lame gf have obviously never listened to any of the iTunes studio recording versions of the songs Adam has done. Adam's "Mad World" is the most downloaded, by a mile. So clearly there are millions and millions of people who would listen to Adam on the radio and ALREADY ARE listening on their ipods! >:-o

    By Lindsey , Posted May 6, 2009 4:48 PM

  • To each his own, absolutely. Lindsey is dead on - I've never downloaded an American Idol track off iTunes, and never will. Clearly, American Idol isn't geared towards my particular tastes, and I accept that. If Adam wins and goes on to sell a million records, then my assessment was wrong. I'm still confident that no one in my social circles (or even my demographic generally) would get into him.

    And Lindsey - no need to call my girlfriend lame - she's actually great. She just doesn't like Adam.

    By AMCsoldier , Posted May 6, 2009 9:01 PM

  • I COMPLETELY agree with AMCsoldier.. maybe it's because I'm 26, almost 27, and also out of the demographics.. I never understood the appeal to Adam as well.

    By AJ , Posted May 6, 2009 9:59 PM

  • AMCsoldier: Don't know if you'd still check this forum again (as a new one will come out tomorrow), but just want to share with you that you might be surprised that "demographics" really do not necessarily define something. It's not very airtight; it's really just an estimate of what "sells" within specific parameters. And, without revealing much about myself, I have to tell you though that I am also not in the demographic you've outlined, but I still find myself enthralled at the sensation that is ADAM. (Smiling!) Personally, I'm not really into a lot of modern music so when I join this forum I most likely would comment on personalities and other petty stuff. I can't really pretend to know a lot of the technicalities of their performances. Anyway, I agree with you and your GF, Kris is really special. He could make it in the music scene. He's cute, personable, and is even gifted (he plays a guitar; something Adam does not do, I think). BUT, for some inexplicable reason, I actually find myself infatuated with Adam. I'm not gender-confused either! I'm straight. (I could prove this, too! LOL) ...I'm not here to argue with anyone. So, good luck to Kris, and to Adam (of course). May the best performer win. (They really shoudl've sent Gokey home tonight!)

    By Shin Goon , Posted May 6, 2009 10:57 PM

  • AMCsoldier and AJ- guess what? I am 26! And ALL my friends who are 24-27 are all Adam fans! So there goes your theory on that.

    So sorry to your gf, I'm sure she is nice... I just kind of take it personally when someone criticizes my Adam! ;-)

    By Lindsey , Posted May 7, 2009 12:09 AM

  • Shin - I think you have a fair point. When it comes to something as subjective as musical tastes, it is very difficult to pigeonhole a group of people and define their tastes. I may not like Adam (although I acknowledge his talent, showmanship, and energy), the people I associate with may not like Adam, I don't think he'll have much success with the 25+ crowd (relative to other groups)... but clearly a lot of people do love him, and there's nothing wrong with that! It's fun to get behind a contestant and root him or her on!

    That being said, I still am not convinced that he has enough widespread, diverse appeal to be commercially successful. Don't confuse success on the show with success after the show - on the show, a small but sufficiently devoted fanbase can prop up a contestant and create the illusion of wider-spread popularity. However, while you can vote for a contestant dozens or even hundreds of times during the show, you only buy one copy of the album.

    Bottom line - Adam's a character, he has amazing energy, great showmanship, and has separated himself from the pack - I still just don't see his style translating into mainstream commercial success.

    By AMCsoldier , Posted May 7, 2009 9:46 AM
POST A COMMENT
All comments on Express' blogs will be screened for appropriateness, spam and topic relevance, so there is likely to be a delay before your comment is displayed. Thanks for your patience.
Remember personal info?
(you may use HTML tags for style)