S10: Top 9 Performance Taping

I figured since I failed to blog about Top 12 Performance & Result Shows, that I owed you this one...even if it is a week later.

I apologize for writing a book. I sometimes get carried away when I write, and go off on a lot of tangents. I try to give you all the details that I can remember.

IN LINE
Christy & I met in front of CBS Studios about 12pm. Later than we planned, but to our luck we were 5 & 6 in line! [Arriving there at noon 3 weeks ago landed us in the 60s.] However, through our experiences this season, we have come to realize your placement in line is worthless, unless you get there too late & don't make it in.

I overheard a conversation a few weeks back that they only let in about 200-300 people from the OCA waiting list. The other 400 people are friends/family of those who work for Idol/19/CBS/Fox/etc, the contestants and celebrities. Lame.

While finishing up our awesome posters (Paul McDonald is on "Top of the World" & "Casey Play my Bassy") we heard this man's voice yell from a car, "Make it dirty!" We look up and lo and behold it is Steven Tyler leaning out the window looking right at us. "The sign, make it dirty...for me!" Dirty old man.

For the Lee DeWyze fans: Mike DeWyze randomly drove by & got stuck at the traffic light. That was an awkward moment for us all. Ha.

COUNTDOWN TO SHOWTIME
To our fortune & misfortune we received 'Section Y.' At least it wasn't the dreaded Section X (where sound & view become irrelevant). Section Y is located right above the band, where the backup singers often stand when not on stage. It is a relatively good view of the entire studio & stage. The sound is 'meh' since you are above the band...vocals tend to be more difficult to hear.

For some odd reason, which I can't complain because it is better than being stuck in the sun, they brought us in an hour till showtime. In our section there are 10 seats. The two girls in front of us were diehard Scotty fans. They were adorable. I had to remind them to breath when he came out. You can see their "Scotty is a Hottie" sign hanging during his performance later on. The girls behind us...didn't know when to shut up (as most of the audience couldn't either). They were fans of...everyone. The couple sitting next to us were quiet. I don't think the guy cared to be there as he had never seen the show before. Then there was Christy & I. Need I say more?

Speaking of the audience...could they be more annoying on Wednesday night? Not sure how much you could hear on TV (as I haven't watched it back yet) but they kept yelling out the judges names during the "critique" (aka "everyone is all peaches & cream") time. About half way through the show, Corey (the MC guy) had to scold the audience for interrupting the show so many times. One girl screamed so loud for Jennifer that I thought she might pass out. Keep it classy Idol fans....

Casey & Haley's families seem really tight. They chatted together for a significant amount of time before the show began. Pia's family just sat there in their neon shirts. Paul's family was quiet, too. His dad made notice of my sign a number of times & kept trying to get my attention with his. :) They had a huge sign from his Elementary School, but I'm not sure they showed it on TV. I only saw them wave it once. Julie Zorrilla was there & chatted with the Casey & Pia's family before getting seated way in the back.

Scott McIntyre & fiance were also in the audience again. I doubt Ryan will ever point him out. So sad. I didn't notice Christian Slater till about half way through the show, and had my first starstruck moment.

SHOWTIME
One of the two perks of our seats is that we can see behind the doors/screen on the stage. So before the show started we were making contact with Casey & Stefano. Stefano had a hard time making a heart from his hands & Casey kept teasing us.

Debbie gave us some instructions for the opening of the show but I was too distracted watching the boys behind the stage to hear anything she said. Everyone kept tripping on the mini staircase (See Stefano's performance) waiting in the back.

Finally, the infamous words "This is American Idol" and the show begins!

JACOB
Jacob starts us off and I was flipping out during his video segment. First, he wants to do a Matt Giraud song, and then ends up doing a Kris Allen song? Thank you for reminding us how awesome season 8 was, is, and always will be. (Kradison FTW) I don't know what Miles was thinking but that outfit was not enduring, and I had to stare at Jacob's butt during the whole performance. No. Standing during his performance was almost a forced feel, though I noticed Nigel was NOT encouraging the crowd on...for once. I think this was when the one girl let out a deafening scream for Jennifer, and Jacob thought it was for him.....

Who else thought it was Naima on stage as the extra backup singer?

HALEY
I was a tad worried with Haley being in the "death spot" tonight. I've actually liked her since her audition. She was my original pick for winner, until I discovered Pia's 'Sing For Your Life' performance. (so much for that...) She was a bit interactive with the crowd beforehand. Her performance had people on their feet in seconds! By far my favorite Haley performance, even if I had a hard time really hearing her vocals (again, the band).

I have no idea what the judges said about Haley because I was slightly distracted by the events occurring behind me. All we hear is this country accent, "Oh, I like your dress!" Turn around and there is Lauren & (to Christy's delight) Casey, just chilling on the staircase. Of course, by this time everyone around us had noticed (and as the annoying crowd they were, made note of it vocally...mind you most of those flipping out where the cougars). Christy showed Casey her sign and he gave her a grin & a fist pump.

After they walked down, the usher responds: "See, I told you these were the best seats in the house!" My response: "Liar!" [Sit me right next to Brad Pitt in Section X, and I'd still call the seats crappy, I want to see & hear the performances].

CASEY
I went to grab my phone from my purse when I saw the upright bass wheeling in from backstage, then I realized my phone was in a plastic bin outside with security. I couldn't be more excited to see Casey finally bring back the bass. He's been all over the place for me, and though this was not the greatest performance, I'd take it over "Smells Like Teen Spirit" any day. I like when Casey doesn't scare me. He loves to take in the crowd, making sure to face every section of seating to wave hi. And his parents are the most adorable of them all. (I did meet his dad afterward and he's too nice).

LAUREN
Lauren was anxiously waiting behind the stage during her video package. You could tell she was reviewing the song in her head while she waited. My biggest note to Lauren....don't ever let Gwen Stefani dress you ever again. You are too old/too young for diapers. I was actually watching the screen in the back during her performance & I kept thinking they were ruining the shots since you could see the cameraman walking in front of her, but I guess they don't show the actually TV footage on that screen, just one camera shot. (sometimes it isn't even on so people in Section X can't see anything.)

James appeared behind us during Lauren's critique time. His presence kind of startled me. I knew he'd be standing in front of our section for the cut to commercial. He just stood there in silence, and the girls behind me starting flipping out. Again, making too much commotion while the cameras were rolling. He did his thing in front of us...I may be on camera, I dunno, but I definitely had a fake smile on. Christy got a high five on the way out, she said he has soft hands.

JAMES
It's amazing to see what happens when the cameras stop rolling for commercial breaks. Suddenly, the doors are opened and the strings were wheeled in & some of the stage guys do the "Turban Slide" towards it to lock it into place as fast as they could. It's fascinating! High fives to all the behind the scenes folks at Idol, you rock! As soon as I saw the strings, I knew this would be a toned down James...which I prefer, if I prefer anything of James. [Sorry, I just can't.]

If my memory serves me right, this is the performance where Nigel stands in the middle of the audience and tries to get them to start up the sway bots. Uh no, Nigel, I refuse to diminish myself to a sway bot with or without the sway pits. He is so aggressive about it, too. It's like he is saying with his arms, "Do it! Do it now!" Then he gives that fully accomplished grin he wears when he knows he succeeded.

SCOTTY
Scotty peeked out from behind the stage before his performance and the two girls in front of my squealed. "Don't forget to breath, girls," I had to remind them often. They were adorable. They hung their sign from the railing. Scotty knows how to work the audience during his performance and off camera. They love him. Biggest cheers no doubt about it. Girls have signs for him everywhere....most of them being some version of "Scotty is a Hottie."

Besides the girls in front of me, I may have been the first on my feet. I loved every ounce of Scotty's performance, though listening back I realize it wasn't his best vocals. But performance wise...this guys has got it all down pat.

I watched Nigel gather the group of girls from the audience. Yes, it was not a "random" happening, it was a Nigel manipulation moment. He had them waiting there (they looked ready to pee their pants) and then motioned for them to rush the stage. Cue Nigel's fully accomplished smirk. [I noticed while watching his performance back you can see Nigel walk behind the judges at one point to grab two girls from the far corner].

PIA
I read that Pia suffers from stage fright, especially when performing more upbeat songs. No doubt about it. She was standing right below us and no matter how loud the girls behind me called her name, she was oblivious. She walked behind the stage and you could feel the tension as she ran through her performance in her head. I caught her eye, and she finally looked up, smiled & waved. So I got the girls to yell her name again and she heard them.

The stage guys worked on getting the smoke machine going, and literally pulled away the tube & ran off stage seconds before her performance began. I was digging it. I love Pia. She was suppose to win....(I demand a recount, it was the hanging chads.)

There was one moment, where tragedy could have struck. After the cameraman walked around her, the cord got wrapped around her heels, and the cameraman jumped off the stage. Luckily, the chord guy noticed and did not pull the chord with him, otherwise, she would have ate it. Not sure if she realized it either but she gracefully stepped over the chord after awhile before walking to the judges' table. Tragedy adverted.

[Last time I was in attendance Paul & Stefano almost suffered the same tragedy, only Paul did stumble slightly (the cameras did not get that shot).]

Note the adorable daughter of Christian Slater. Her & her dad were jamming during the whole show. Seriously, Christian Slater was always up on his feat, rocking his head to the beat. Who knew he was such a fan?

STEFANO
Random staircase in the middle of the stage. I watched the stage crew bring the staircase in from the elephant doors to the backstage area before the show started. That's not a light staircase. But why, it is so random? Maybe it's just me. It was my 2nd least favorite performance of the night, and I feel the audience may have agreed with me. Slow song or not, people get up on their feet....but only a few people made it to their feet by the end of his performance (usually those in front).

Randy, thanks you for at least giving Stefano something to work with. While the audience booed, I nodded my head in agreement. Come on judges, not everything is rainbows & unicorns. Let's actually critique the singers, no matter how good they were. Give them something so they can grow! [This goes for all the contestants, not just Stefano.]

PAUL
Note: I am a big fan of Paul, though I do not want him to win idol nor do I think he will win idol. So I am a bit biased when it comes to him. :)

It's bad enough that I always grin from ear-to-ear when Paul performs but this performance was just awesome in every way. When he gets on stage, he always acknowledges the crowd. Waving hello, reading signs, doing his "oh, just stop it" hand gestures (in a humble way, not cocky). He was laughing at himself during the video package, and so ready to jam.

It didn't take less than one note for the audience to be on its feet dancing along. You forget you are watching idol in a moment like this. You become engulfed by the music and the atmosphere, and you don't want it to end. Well, at least I didn't...and from the jamboree afterward, I'd say nobody else did either.


HOEDOWN
The hoedown alone made this the best taping ever. It lasted through the entire recap video. We didn't even get to hear the recap because the band just kept on playing and the idols kept on dancing. Well...all of them except Pia. She tried to avoid it all the best she could. Debbie had to keep jumping on the stage and redirecting them to the middle because they were all over the stage. Paul & Lauren did their twitvid routine. He started dancing with his guitar in hand before one of the stage crew grabbed it for him. Casey & Haley were practically attached at hip. I didn't even know the show had ended. They went on playing & dancing for about 2 minutes after they cut.


The idols stuck around on stage for awhile saying hi to fans. As Paul exited around back, he made one last intentional glance in my directions & waved goodbye. <3 Scotty came towards us and pretty much made the girls in front swoon.

Then out of nowhere, the band starts playing "happy birthday." I want to say the guys name was Steve? But I don't recall. He came out and there was a birthday cake, everyone was singing. Then the idols came rushing out and the boys literally attacked the guy with hugs. It was one of those "aw" moments that America missed out on (like Lee DeWyze's speech after he won last season, an "aw" moment not caught on camera).


That's when you realize how special it is to be in the audience. To experience the idols off camera moments, and see true personalities shine. You also learn to appreciate those behind the scenes, and notice the relationships they build with the contestants. Not to mention the amazing MC, Corey, who pumps up the crowd & passes out idol merchandise all night. Didn't get anything this time, but I do have my Paul McDonald t-shirt from Top 12 night. :)


CHEESECAKE FACTORY
Afterward, we had dinner at The Grove's Cheesecake Factory. I heard it is an Idol hot spot, as the idols often go have dinner with their families after performance shows. Sure enough, while sitting out on the patio, we saw Lauren speed walking (by herself) thru the mall in her bright blue sweatshirt & sweat pants. She got stopped a couple times, and even did a quick dance move for a group of girls who were at the show.

I guess she eventually made way to the CKF. We had seen her family waiting outside. Someone said she kept going in and out of the restaurant. We walked by her as we were exiting, she was eating and chatting with the cute male waiter. You go girl!

Someone tweeted me while we were there that Scotty and his family were also at CKF. We actually ran into him on our way out, as he was leaving, too. So I stopped and said hello. We talked about how great everyone did tonight & how it would be a hard vote. Then he held open the door for us. True southern gentleman! :)

Then I spent the next two hours driving home. Ha.

THE END

Another great taping, another adventure for the books. Until next time....
(David Cook anyone? Me!)

S10: My Top 13 Picks

My Dream Team
Paul McDonald
Casey Abrams
Scotty McCreery
Tim Halperin
Brett Loewenstern
Pia Toscano
Thia Megia
Lauren Turner
Haley Reinhart
Lauren Alaina

Wild Cards:
Robbie Rosen; Kendra Chantelle; Ashton Jones

Reality
Paul McDonald
Casey Abrams
Scotty McCreery
James Durbin
Jacob Lusk
Lauren Alaina
Pia Toscano
Thia Megia
Haley Reinhart
Karen Rodriguez

Wild Cards:
Brett Loewenstern; Lauren Turner; Ashton Jones or Stefano Langone

S10: More from Top 12 Guys Taping

Based on some Qs I have been asked, here is some added notes from the Boys Top 12 taping on Friday:

NIGEL
A lot of people have asked about Nigel's interaction with the judges and to clarify some comments about him whispering to the them after performances.

Nigel was all over the place. It was the first taping and things were going wrong (hence why it took 4 hours to tape), so he was intervening everywhere. During "commercial breaks" he did often chat with the judges, as well as Ryan, Debbie & the contestants. Only once did Nigel run up to the judges table after a performance, but prior to the judges' comments.

When Brett finished singing, Nigel approached Randy and whispered in his ear and quickly ran off. Obviously, I don't know exactly what was said, but during Randy's critique he says something along the lines of..."Someone counted 14 hair whips from you. Do you do that on purpose?" So the assumption was that Nigel whispered that count in his ear and nothing more.

He did interact with the audience quite often, trying to get people excited about the performance. Not that is was hard...but there was a hesitant on what you are allowed & not allowed to do. Like I said before, Debbie told us NOT to clap during performances but Nigel was often in the back corner clapping above his head, so people joined in.

THE BAND
The band was small...well, I guess the normal size expected during the semi-finals. Though, unless they use the stage, I don't see where they could involve more instruments. There are three back-up singers, one male & two females (mixed races).

The new band leader is Ray Chew. You can follow him on twitter at @RayChewLive. The MC only introduced them at the end, though Jacob gives props to them after his performance, so you should get to see them all.

THE GIRLS
The girls were sitting on the opposite end of the stage from me, so I didn't get to observe them much. For the most part they were pretty mellow while just sitting around. During the performances they were out of their seats giving the boys their love. Throughout the performances some went missing here & there. Not a lot of attention was made towards them, except a couple times when Ryan reminds everyone the weeks schedule (like after ever commercial break).

INTERACTIONS
I would say for the most part everyone was as comfortable as they could be after performing for 700 people & cameras. Some more than others but there were no real awkward moments during the interactions (no Ryan/Didi or Simon/Ryan moments). Jordan may have been the only uncomfortable moment but he didn't exactly get handed roses after his performance and he was disappointed in himself.

JUDGES
All around they gave some pretty good comments and then some vague ones. Randy disagreed with Jennifer & Steven twice, calling them pitchy. Tim & Jordan were the only ones to get overall negative comments.

To be clear, they told Tim there was nothing wrong with his vocals, but that basically it was the wrong song. And no, he didn't play the piano. Randy commented on how well his vocals were when he played the piano during Hollywood.

RANDOM
Before Jovany repeated his performance for us, he was just hanging on the stage. The girls kept shouting, "Take your shirt off!" So he gave the audience a fake-out striptease.

For some reason...Nigel & Debbie wanted us to do a "laugh" take. No idea why, but I'm sure all they got were cheesy "get me out of here" laughs. I think it has something to do with Steven. I guess we'll find out later.

FUTURE TAPINGS
No, I am not going to the girls taping on Monday. If I could, I would find a way to be there. I am, however, working on trying to get tickets to Thursday's live result show. Though I am not really sure I could handle all the emotions. I decided that if I had gone to last years Top 16 result show (where top 12 was announced) I would have caused a scene at Alex & Katelyn's dismissals. I have no doubt there will be some type of upset on Thursday b/c that is just how America likes to stir things up. :/

I have a number of emails on the waiting list right now, so hopefully, I will be able to attend a good number of shows this year. I'll let you know when I do. I will be at the finale (where there is a will, there is a way, and I will find a way).

S10: The New Idol Stage

Normally the semi-final shows are a small intimate stage with about 75 people. Not anymore. The stage you will see on Tuesday is the stage you will see all season long...and it is legit!

However....we were told before we entered the studio that the set was still being built.

Walking into the studio, I had no idea what to expect but let me tell you, my mouth dropped. Besides the fact that they truly were still building the set (putting panels on the stage, wiring the band's instruments & the judges mics, mopping the stage...) it looks awesome. Pure chaos but awesome.

THE STUDIO
Let's start with the stage. From my angle, it seems smaller than last season. There is only a small space between the main stage & the judges tables, with two steps that connect. The judges have a circular area surrounding them but it is small. The only steps leading to the floor are by the middle of the stage. The screen at the back of the stage is smaller, a modern rectangular shape. It still opens up in the middle, but not very wide from what I saw.

(Facing the stage) the band is to the left, slightly hidden but visible. To the right of the stage are 12 white stools, where the boys sat. Directly above & behind them, were 12 silver stools, where the girls sat. On both sides of the stage they have balcony seats (I assume these are the "on stage" seats the guy told us about). Then directly behind the stage (where the band was last year) is an entire seating area (Section X).

Section X: Apparently, they didn't realize until today that those seated in the balcony cannot (or barely) see the stage. Most can only see the judges. If you go to a taping & are seated in Section X, you will receive a voucher to come to another taping & get a guaranteed, stage visible seat.) Oh, they are also not allowed to stand during the taping...in case the fall???

Directly in front of the stage (the former pit area) is the floor seating. 6 rows, split into 4 (or 5) sections. That is right...No more pit. No more swaybots. There are also 3 random seats on either side of the judges table. The family section is to the right of Steven Tyler, directly in front. In the back you have the normal arena type seating but it also has a balcony now. There is a large screen in the back so those in the front balcony can still watch the show. Nigel said it holds about 700 people (I believe the studio held about 450 last year).

Also, there are two pillars on either side of the room, parallel to the judge's table, with the American Idol emblem rotating. The whole stage & balconies are decorated with light up panels. Right above the front balcony is a massive "American Idol" sign. You will not mistake this show for another. Ha.

Seating is literally 360. You'll see at the top of the show. Ryan has the cameras do a 360 around the room. Debbie made us do the wave twice. Once for fun, a second time for Nigel.

S10: Top 12 Guys Taping

Top 12 Guys
This was a phenomenal show! These guys did amazing!

NOTE
There are about a million thing buzzing through my head right now, so I apologize if I get into tangents & if this blog goes on forever. I'll try my best to explain things in detail from what I remember, and to the best of my ability....(I wrote this at 3am, so don't mind my grammatical errors)

I'll write a second post when (if) I remember more....

BEFORE THE SHOW
Last season I attended a number of American Idol shows, including 2 semi-final rounds. Needless to say, I'm familiar with the routine...however, Idol decided to change things up.

For those familiar with the semi-final format, it is generally a small stage with a small audience (about 75 people) and the red room (otherwise known as the Coca-Cola Room). I had a gut feeling when I heard OCA issued more tickets on Thursday, & invited the press, that this would be no ordinary semi-final. I was right. The stage you will see on Tuesday is the stage you will see all season long...and it is legit! (but more on that later).

If you have ever attended a show (which I imagine most of you haven't), you know that arriving early is key (though really guarantees nothing). They cattle you in & certain rows in the outside holding area relate to certain sections in the studio. However, Idol has gone all fancy & now passes out tickets as you enter the studio grounds.

I should note that Scott McIntyre & his fiancee were in the audience. They came and sat right in front of us in the holding area. (Why they made him sit in the holding section with the audience members I have no idea). I would have sparked a conversation but there were people standing between us. I also met some friends of Tim Halperin. Nice guys!

We were told before we entered the studio that the set was still being built. They also noted that they didn't realize until today that those seated in the balcony section would have a poor view (anyone who sits in Section X gets a voucher to come back to another taping w/ guaranteed better seats).

Walking into the studio, I had no idea what to expect but let me tell you, my mouth dropped. Besides the fact that they truly were still building the set (putting panels on the stage, wiring the band's instruments & the judges mics, mopping the stage...) it looks awesome. Pure chaos but awesome.

THE STUDIO
Let's start with the stage. From my angle, it seems smaller than last season. There is only a small space between the main stage & the judges tables, with two steps that connect. The judges have a circular area surrounding them but it is small. The only steps leading to the floor are by the middle of the stage. The screen at the back of the stage is smaller, a modern rectangular shape. It still opens up in the middle, but not very wide from what I saw.

(Facing the stage) the band is to the left, slightly hidden but visible. To the right of the stage are 12 white stools, where the boys sat. Directly above & behind them, were 12 silver stools, where the girls sat. On both sides of the stage they have balcony seats (I assume these are the "on stage" seats the guy told us about). Then directly behind the stage (where the band was last year) is an entire seating area (Section X).

Section X: Apparently, they didn't realize until today that those seated in the balcony cannot (or barely) see the stage. Most can only see the judges. If you go to a taping & are seated in Section X, you will receive a voucher to come to another taping & get a guaranteed, stage visible seat.) Oh, they are also not allowed to stand during the taping...in case the fall???

Directly in front of the stage (the former pit area) is the floor seating. 6 rows, split into 4 (or 5) sections. That is right...No more pit. No more swaybots. There are also 3 random seats on either side of the judges table. The family section is to the right of Steven Tyler, directly in front. In the back you have the normal arena type seating but it also has a balcony now. There is a large screen in the back so those in the front balcony can still watch the show. Nigel said it holds about 700 people (I believe the studio held about 450 last year).

Also, there are two pillars on either side of the room, parallel to the judge's table, with the American Idol emblem rotating. The whole stage & balconies are decorated with light up panels. Right above the front balcony is a massive "American Idol" sign. You will not mistake this show for another. Ha.

Seating is literally 360. You'll see at the top of the show. Ryan has the cameras do a 360 around the room. Debbie made us do the wave twice. Once for fun, a second time for Nigel.

MC
I was fortunate to have priority tickets, so we got floor seats, 4th row. We probably sat there for 45 minutes while they finished putting together the stage before Chris, the new MC for commercial time & crowd pumping, come out (I miss Corey, he was much funnier). He kept asking where all the rowdy people were. There was a 'Single Ladies' dance competition, oldest person & youngest person got t-shirts, he made the cheerleaders do cheers, got people dancing....

CASEY, IN OR OUT
The taping was suppose to start at 5pm, but it didn't till after 6pm.

Ryan Seacrest finally came out, as well as 11 of the boys. I counted & noticed Casey was missing. Noooooo! Not a huge fan of him, but I would hate to see someone forced out of the competition for health issues. The boys started lining up for some shots for the elimination episode, when Casey finally came out. My sigh of relief was actually a loud, verbal..."CASEY!" To which caught his attention and everyone cheered. I realized during this time that not many people knew about his hospital stay (surprisingly, not everyone keeps up-to-date tabs on idol...who knew?)

THE BOYS
The boys did a few group takes, then individual takes for Thursdays show. Those dramatic shots of them all serious. Casey's face in the group shot cracks me up. Apparently, Clint does not have a serious/mean face?

I think at this point the nerves weren't too extreme. The boys seemed comfortable when they walked out, mostly all smiles. They were taking it all in though. This was their first show, first real audience. A lot of people yelling out names, "Paul!" "Brett!" "James!" and the boys trying to find who said it and waving with big grins. Reading signs in the audience and chuckling. Too adorable.

Eventually we taped the opening of the show where Ryan talks all dramatically and the boys are lined up on stage. The judges come out (lots of cheers) and cue Ryan's famous phrase: "This IS American Idol!"

THE JUDGES
Ryan starts the show introducing the judges. He gives Steven Tyler his own "bleep sign" on a stick to use in case he has the need to drop some F-words, "In case you find a duck..." Randy talks about how it feels like Jennifer & Steven have been doing this forever & it all just works great. At one point in the show Ryan talks about Jennifer's video premiering on Thursday's show. But the show isn't about the judges, it's about the contestants (and for the first time in awhile, I feel like this is a true statement!)

INTROS
I am really hoping they give us more than the 30 second clips we saw today. It basically stated their name, showed a quick piece for their audition & Hollywood, a comment from a judge (usually Jennifer's) and a quick line from the contestant. I was hoping for a little bit more to get to them a bit, beyond what we have seen.

PERFORMANCES
Ryan said the theme was...whatever they wanted? So broad.

I am assuming that the idea for the semi-final performances was to keep it simple & straightforward. There were NO instruments used by the contestants & no instruments joining them on stage (the band stayed put...a very small band). There were no unique entrances. They all started from the same spot and for the most part, stayed center stage. Very few took advantage and moved around beyond 3 steps. Hoping for more once the Top whatever starts.

They didn't announce the song or artist it was sung by, so it all just takes you by surprise when the music starts.

Important note: What you hear live in the studio and what you hear on TV never sound the same. Your TV has a direct feed from the mic, to counter balance the music. In the studio the music is often so loud, that the vocals are hard to hear. So it makes it difficult to critique sometimes. Also depending on where you sit in the audience can effect what you hear.

There is always a hesitation on whether or not you are allowed to stand during performances. We were even hesitant to clap because Debbie told us we shouldn't because nobody claps on beat & it messes up the contestant. We clapped anyways. Nobody really stood during performances. :/

Nigel: "If you don't agree with the judges, let them know! (He wants opposition).
Randy is trying to be the mean one still…and he used pitchy at least twice.
No F-Bombs from Steven Tyler. He did use his bleep sign at least once.

CLINT
I don't want to like Clint. He seems...well, my vibe from him is indifferent. His song choice, "Superstition" (I had an inkling this might bother some Siobhan fans) is well over sung on idol, but I have to say it was a great way to start the show & he did good. I was impressed! The judges loved him, their responses were vague. He has great stage presence & a lot of confidence. He moves around some & really got the crowd going. [Of course, there was Nigel in the back waving his hands up in the air & clapping, trying to get everyone into it.]

JOVANY
Jovany was one I was still trying to figure out. I very much enjoyed his performance, "I'll Be." I was swaying along (with my hands in my lap) and it kind of caught me in the moment. It was good but not a stand out performance. The ladies love him. Kept yelling for him to take off his shirt. The judges enjoyed it. (Randy may have said pitchy, but I don't remember).

After the show was "over," Jovany had to redo his performance. One of the shots was soft, and they couldn't use any other camera footage because it was the one that ran across the stage. So he redid it and...it was a lot better than the original. The boys were off stage & the judges gone. Nigel & Debbie sat in the judges seat and NIGEL started up the entire studio in swaybot action! (except for me & Clara). Then he got this huge standing ovation (I think everyone was super excited they could finally go home after 4 hours). They are going to show the 2nd performance with the judge's original critique. Personally, I think it is unfair.

JORDAN
OMG....that is really all I have to say. Ha. Well, I never expected anyone to sing Usher & honestly, I couldn't stop laughing because all I could think about was Big Mike at the Idols Tour. His vocals were not bad. His dancing, um, woah?! Pelvic thrust? Maybe. It was quite an entertaining performance. Oh, yes...and he strips off his jacket. I actually enjoyed it. The judges were like, "umm, what? This is not you" Jennifer asked him if this was the kind of artists he wanted to be, "No." Then why the song? "It was offered to me." Say what??? I'm not surprised but I felt awful for him. They never said he was bad vocally but they knew this was not him, and they were disappointed.

TIM
Tim was the only contestant that got a sit down with Ryan before his performance. He talked about how, despite it being a competition, everyone is real supportive of each other & they are all like brothers. He point to the boys & they all show him love (Cue the collective "AWWW"). Jacob & Tim have been roommates since day 1 & they are like best buds, (and again... "AWWW"). Unfortunately, Tim's performance "Come On Over" was just alright. The judges collectively agreed it was a poor song choice & it didn't show America what he was capable of doing. Randy mentions how outstanding he was on the piano [during Hollywood.] Vocals were on track but was it good enough to get through?

BRETT
Personally, "Light My Fire" was not my favorite Brett performance. He was kind of awkward on stage but apparently, it works for him. Nerves were evident. He started with the mic stand then tore it off, attempted to move around and almost knocked it over, it then collapsed down. Ha. But he remained focused and his vocals were great. He likes to whip his hair around [I want to see him sing "Whip My Hair"!], Nigel counted 14 whips. Brett doesn't realize he does it. Judges loved him. I can't remember specific comments. He walks off the stage before Ryan goes to commercial, then after realizing his error runs back and hugs Ryan. Commercial. (Someone always does it)

JAMES
Faux Hawk. Scarf hanging from his butt (this he apparently asked for Christmas....?) I wanted to go rip it off. Sings some Judas Priest. Screams some. Randy says he noticed he contained his high notes, not to over do it. This was a first on Idol. Ryan & Randy make a joke that Clay Aiken a Judas Priest song once...oh no, it was Rueben. Cue cheesy laughter. I really couldn't hear much of the vocals, the music was drowning him out. But to be real here, I am not a fan...the judges, however, love & adore him. "This is what it is about." Oh, he jumps a lot, gets on his knees & I saw his stomach.

ROBBIE
Aladdin, I mean Robbie, was SO GOOD! I loved it. I know, "Arms of an Angel," really? But it was just so beautiful. The falsetto...wow. He changed it up just slightly. He actually got about 3 lines & had to restart because there was feedback on the mic. Poor guy was nervous. It was quite evident, so the start, stop, restart seemed to shack him up a bit. Steven & Jennifer loved it. Jennifer said he made it a story. Randy called it pitchy & that he seemed like he wasn't all in it. Robbie disagreed, said he "had fun with it." ("fun" the idol bloggers' favorite post performance word).

I guess Robbie's grandma was not pleased with Randy's feedback, so Randy insisted that it was the ghost of the former occupant of the chair. Ryan: "I don't know who you speak of." Ouch. (wait, Simon who?)

SCOTTY
"Baby lock them doors..." I held my breath hoping he wouldn't sing that song or a Turner song. Whew. "Letters to Home" was a perfect choice for him. He sat on a stool and it was so good. So good. He goes for a higher note at the end. Caused quite the applause. Rave reviews from the judges. Steven commented that he is glad he is not trying to cross over genres (yes, Scotty on pop radio...um, no). Apparently, Scotty, after they picked him for Top 24, said that he would not have picked himself. Jennifer, "This is why!" Points to the crowd, "You were made for this, for country music."

STEFANO
This kid is just adorable. Singing "Just The Way You Are," he sounded pretty close to the original. Not a lot of 'making the music your own' type issue. He goes for some high notes, makes a good attempt, but there were some rough ones. Randy pointed that out and Stefano's reply, "There just so high!" Randy's response killed me, "I know. But Ya know...that's not what it's about. The performance was just great!" (Um, really?) Ryan asked him if there was a special lady who the song was for. "Yes...it's for all the ladies. I love you just the way you are." All the Top 12 girls cheer.

PAUL
I am a little biased here because Paul is my favorite and if you haven't checked out his band The Grand Magnolias...then what are you waiting for. First of all, he has a smile that lights up the whole room, and he smiles a lot. Decked out in an all black suit, he repeated his audition song, "Maggia Mae." (Which I have no problem with since we only saw about 10 seconds of it). He waves to everyone & as the music starts, gives a shout out to the TV people. He is so quirky (and that is the term they use to describe him)! He moves all over the stage, since to the audience, does his quirky moves, and his vocals are stellar. Huge standing ovation & applause, takes a while for everyone to sit down. Jennifer commented on his smile and that she loves how much he just enjoys being on stage & doing what he loves to do. Randy says they have never seen anyone like him, that his voice is so unique, and he can't wait to see what will happen on idol.

JACOB
The guy brought tears to Steven & Jennifer's eyes...I was on the verge. His performance of "House Is Not A Home" brought people to their feet. The contestants were practically flying out of their chairs. It was powerful and moving. Standing ovation, all over the studio. Wow. I mean, wow. Jennifer, "We may no longer have Luther Vandross with us, but now we have you." Ryan asks him how he fells after that, "I feel so good inside."

CASEY
Poor guy was definitely out of it as you watched him. He went backstage a few times, but no worries, his health issues did NOT effect his performance. He put a spell on the audience (ha). He's almost an aggressive singer. Stares down this girl in the front row & the camera. Takes full control of the stage. He owns it. The audience was cheering the whole time. Another huge applaud & standing ovation from the audience. Of course, the judges loved him. Can't recall specifics. Ryan asked, "Who were you singing, too?" Casey looks at the girl, "I dunno. Some girl." Ryan does mention that Casey was sick and then backs away. For some reason, Casey sticks his butt towards Ryan...

I should note that during Paul, Jacob & Casey's standing ovations...I don't know if they judges were as well. (Also, the balcony people aren't allowed to stand)

THE BOYS
I'm telling you, these guys are full of personality. Full of talent. I mean, wow. I can't wait to see them take over the stage. Honestly, I have NO guesses who will make it through. Even the so-so performances were still good!

OBSERVATIONS
I am an observer. I learned a lot about the Season 9 contestants by watching them at the semi final tapings. The thing I loved about semi-finals was the intimate feel. Only 75 people in the audience, you had opportunity to chat & interact with the contestants. Not so much when there are 700 people. Maybe a little bit if you are up front...but not the same anymore. :(

Unfortunately, all the contestants were on the other side of the room, so they were harder to watch. The girls were constantly on their feet as the boys performed, dancing, clapping & singing along. The boys, too. Paul & Jordan were always rocking it out with everyone. Lauren seems like a goof (in a 16 year old kind of way). Most of the time the girls were pretty reserved, though Naima seems like a lot of fun.

The boys really liked interacting with the audience as much as they could. It was almost shocking to them that they already had fans.

I LOVE the judges. There were some great critiques, honest critiques. I was so glad that Jennifer straight up questioned Jordan's song choice. They really want the best for them & want them to reach their full potential. They are straight to the point. For once the focus remains on the contestants. They never ran away during 'commercial breaks.' They chatted with the audience instead.

Ryan is his normal self. When he is not reading the prompter, he spews off random quotes from E News/Red Carpet & KISS FM, and causally chats with the audience.

Nigel was all over the set. Picking on Debbie...Debbie picking on him. [Debbie is the stage manager] Picking on Ryan, Ryan picking on him....Nigel is very pleased with this season. No doubts about it.

It was a good thing they were not live yet. They have a lot of sound kinks to work out. Man oh man...so many redos for things, no wonder the taping took 3 hours. (yep.)

S9: Finale - "Beautiful Day"

“Tickets to the American Idol finale are just about impossible to get,” the security/stage guy informed me during Top 6 rehearsals. Hm...


The road to LA, it’s a road I have now driven 4 times in 3 months. It’s a road I have come to know quite well. If there was one thing I was determined to do this season, it was attend that Finale. The day after Crystal & Lee were announced the final two, I checked my email just about every five minutes, all day -not sure how much work I actually produced. I never did get an email with the ticket vouchers, but thanks to a dear twitter friend, Caitlin, I did receive that link!

Her and her family would also be helping two others girls get to the finale, one from Arizona & the other originally from Chicago, an old friend of Lee DeWyze. [Actually, they helped a number of people get to the finale including some of Lee’s close friends].

[This is how small the world is ... the girl who got me the ticket, I met her sister & mom back at Top 8 guys rehearsal, while waiting in the stand-by line to get in for the taping (neither of us did). When I started following her (& vis-verse), we had no idea of the connection until a few weeks later.]

My friend, Donna, & I drove up to LA Tuesday afternoon. We decided it would be in our best interest to spend the evening in LA, so we could be well prepared for what Wednesday had waiting for us. Our music choice for our 2 1/2 hour drive? Why the Season 9 Top 36, well at least those songs I had purchased from iTunes, and of course, “Slumberland!”

Upon arriving, we took a stroll down to the Nokia Theatre to get the lay of the land. It just so happened that Crystal & Lee were performing at the same time we wandered the area. We paced around the Theatre as I read the Twitter feed off my phone. Too be so close to the actual event but have to relay on twitter to get the feel of the show..... :/

While eating dinner at The Yard House, I saw a tweet from Christine, Andrew’s girlfriend (who I met the following day), that the idols were currently outside in the media tent. We quickly finished up our food (I downed a martini), paid and rushed out the door.

The only remaining idols were the Top 6 girls (minus Crystal), but I nudged my way toward the front of the crowd, grabbed my permanent marker, the front page of The American Idol magazine, my camera & my phone. First up was Siobhan Magnus, though I barely missed her. I was not aggressive enough in my endeavors to receive her autograph but I was able to snap a quick photo before she was pulled away for another interview. Katie Stevens was so intrigued by everyone's cheers she came over to chat, but again, I just wasn’t aggressive enough. Though Donna did keep shoving my arm forward to get Katie’s attention. [Mind you this is my first experience at such things]. Paige Mills was next, this time my torn out page caught her attention & she signed it [1 down, 11 to go]. I was never close enough to even suggest getting a picture with any of them, but I didn’t mind snapping shots of others getting their chance. I feel like Didi Benami wasn’t too sure what was going on. I got a little video of her running back & forth because she couldn’t figure out where she was suppose to be -this interview or that one. She decided to mosey on over to us since it appeared she was waiting for Lacey to finish up. She grabbed right for my page! [2 down, 10 to go]. I was starting to get the hang of this! Lacey Brown had to by my favorite. She is just so beautiful, sweet & cheery. She was so excited to see the magazine and asked if I even read it, “Great stuff in there!” [3 down, 9 to go]. I took a few more snapshots of Siobhan talking to some cameras and decided it was time to head back to the hotel to catch American Idol, west coast time. We would be back Nokia...just wait!

I’m not really sure I was prepared for what was to come. What I do know is that I could not sleep. My brain was going a 1,000 mph and I literally had “I’m leaving. I’m leaving. But the fighter still remains“ looping through my brain all. night. long. Needless to say, it was a long night and I had a long day ahead of me. The unfortunate thing about the whole occasion is that I was still recovering from a cold I got the Thursday before. Since I has been chatting it up earlier, by the time we got to bed my voice sounded awful.

The morning of the finale, I got a tweet from one of the girls that they would be on Good Day LA, so I tuned in just in time to see Caitlin holding cupcakes with Lee’s face on them. Ha ha. Not too long after, the station showed a glimpse of the line [this line was for those with voucher, to pick up tickets for the show] ... it was LONG and it was only 9:30. Last call for tickets, if they were still available, was 2:00. We quickly finished getting ready, packed up our stuff and headed down to the Nokia. We got there shortly after 10:00 and the line was wrapped around the block. I would say at least 500 people or more were in front of us.

We didn’t wait too long before they started passing out tickets. It truly is completely random. There are about 3 people who pass them out. You walk up to one guy, give him your voucher [that has been checked once for validity and once crossed checked on their list of names] he calls out the number in your party and waits till one of the ticket holders calls out “I got two tickets.” Then you walk up, grab them and your on your way for the day until doors open at 3:00.

For as far back as we were, we got pretty decent tickets: Orchestra section (floor), Row AA (27 rows behind the judges) and seats 318/319 (dead center). This would normally be absolutely amazing seats had the the middle section not been taken out for the cameras. We could not see the far right of the stage and while sitting, Donna often had to lean in to see center stage. Either way though, they were great seats. I can’t complain.

As for the girls we got the tickets from, they were first in line. Caitlin’s mom got in line at 2:00am. It was definitely worth it, they got 4th row seats. They sat right behind Kris Allen’s family & were surrounded by Idol alumni. I know I was jealous! We did have Nigil Lythgoe (So You Think You Can Dance) in the row across from us.

I did get the opportunity to briefly meet the girls when they were waiting in line, but we had to get a place ourselves, so it was a quick “hello.”

At this point we had time to kill, but since we were checked out of our room (dressed and ready to go), we didn’t really have anywhere to go but hang around The Nokia. Most of the red carpet and barricades had been laid out. I saw one of the Texan ladies we met at Top 6 rehearsals hanging out in front of the TV Guide set up, so we wandered over to chat some. Standing on the red carpet is actually blinding. You need sunglasses when you stand on it. Eventually we got kicked off since we were not special nor had a pass. There were quite a few people standing around the barricades so we decided that if we wanted prime spots, we needed to hunt them out & claim them now. Mind you, it was only a little past 11:00 and the red carpet wasn’t opened till 3:00. That’s four hours of waiting...

Donna went to get food while I scouted out for a spot. Security was ruthless. They wouldn’t let us stand or sit anywhere. I stood calmly a slight distance away and was never bothered. We switched out and I went to grab food. I got tea & 2 slices of banana bread, in which I ended up only eating half of one. Something about this excitement left me unable to eat. We ended up sitting outside of Starbucks for a while. It appeared useless to wait near the carpet since they kept kicking us out. We met a family who comes to the show every year. They were 2nd in line, arriving around 5:00 & got Row 8. Not too shabby.

Eventually I got impatient just sitting around, it was nearly one and I wanted a prime spot near that carpet! People had gathered where we had been earlier, apparently the security guard gave up on pushing people away. Psh. The only problem now was that they started putting the final touches of the red carpet up and that included an 8-foot wall right where we had access. Really? The area beside the media tent was getting setup for a winding line for us regular folks to enter the theatre come time for the doors to open (we had to be inside no later than 4:30) so that put a large gap between us and the red carpet which was about to be lined with media.

I noticed in the distance a small group of people lined up by a couple of barricades to the right of the front of the red carpet. We headed over there and staked our claim. It looked to be out best bet. Of course, one of the suited security guards insisted that we make are way across the street to the Staples center to watch from there because we would soon be kicked out by security. No, that was not going to be the case for me, I would wait to be kicked out. This became our focus for about 30 of us standing firm in our spots for the next 2+ hours.

Security eventually came but those to the left of the pillar were allowed to stay, those to the right had to go. We were on the left and I was at the front of the barricade. Bring it on! It was the best spot possible for viewers. The media LOVED us. I’m pretty sure my face graced numerous TV stations and cameras. My hair even made the actual American idol website! Ha. The coke girls came over and spoiled us with cokes & water.

While we waited, the group often erupted in “Lee” and “Crystal” chants. It became a battle of the idols...and Lee kept winning. :)

A few times, the suited security guy kept telling us that we would still have to leave eventually, but we stayed anyways. We were a rather stubborn group of people. This one lady seemed frustrated that she couldn’t get a better spot for a picture. Who was the lady? It was Momma Bowersox, and I don’t mean ‘Mamasox’ herself, but Crystal’s mom, and her brother Timmy. They didn’t get access to the red carpet and she really wanted a picture of Crystal walking the carpet. I ended up giving her my spot so she would have a better shot. Except, she was too impatient to wait and left hoping another lady with a professional camera would be able to snap one and send it her way. Her and her two kids ended up switching spots with Crystal’s mom. So much for my prime spot but I was still in a good spot with a great view.

Until....the sign! I swear the suited security guy had it out for us. He purposely placed the sign “This area is closed for a private event” directly in our view. He refused to move it or turn it. So what did we do? We started chanting “Move the sign. Move the sign. Move the sign.” Yes, we did. All the media were set, ready to go but stopped to stare at us. Eventually some nice guy came and turned it in such a way, we could see again. The suited security guy was not happy. He kept giving us the evil eye and he would walk past the sign in such a way he taunted us. I’m not lying. He did not like that we were there even though all the other security people said we were perfectly fine where we were. He would talk into his headset (which we all deemed was fake) and would just stare us down.

A little after 3:00, when some celebrities started arriving, other security came over and insisted we move. Not one of us turned to look at them. We had been standing there for 2 hours, told we were fine by numerous people, and we were not about to make a move and having someone else take our spots. We formed a solid union. And as one lady said, “You can’t change the rules of Poker in the middle of the game.’ After much failed instruction to get us to move, they gave up and let us be! We prevailed!

Some of the first to arrive on scene were Matt Giraud (S8), Michael Sarver (S8) & Scott MacIntyre (S8). Justin Guarini (S1) & Kimberly Caldwell (S2) were on site at the TV Guide area doing interviews. Most of the early arrivals were people no one recognized. They would come out of the nice cars and wave, yet nobody cheered for them. We noticed a lot of limos kept on driving by. My guess is they contained some surprise celebrities that would appear on the show. The Bee Gees, Hall & Oats & Alice Cooper all arrived on the red carpet around the same time. About this time the first celebrity/idol alumni - Michael Sarver (S8) came over to us to sign some autographs. I just missed getting his autograph, but we did chat a bit while he was signing the girl in front of me’s sign. I told him I enjoyed his new single “Ferris Wheel” and he asked if I had seen the video yet. “Yes! It is absolute beautiful.” I new he really wanted to sign my page but he was getting pulled away to go back to the media line.

In a rather large group and from the opposite side of the entrance came a slew of Idols, Kris Allen and his wife Katy, Allison Iraheta, Anoop Desia, Lil Rounds (all S8) and David Archuleta (S7). Allison caught wind of us and really wanted to come over but they would not let her. Those that broke that barrier... Constantine Maroulis (S4), Michael Johns (S7), and Bo Bice (S4). The only of the three’s autographs I got was Constantine before they were all pulled away from us again. Carly Smithson, Elliot Yamin & Blake Lewis (S7) tagged along with the idol alumni.

We were paying attention to those coming from the cars b/c few people were coming from our left, since it wasn’t really an entrance. Though Megan Joy & Norman Gentle (S8) slipped by us almost without notice. One former idol did not! In the corner of my eye, walking right in front of us, I saw this purple jacket & a head with a slight mullet.

“ALEX LAMBERT!”

Yes, I actually screamed it! Ha ha... He turned and look, and yes, it was! Alex Lambert, the one who should have been Top 12 this season! As soon as the crowed noticed him, they went crazy. He came over and signed my page, purposely over Ellen’s face, and I let him know how much I love his voice & music he has put out on “If I Can Dream.” He is one down-to-earth guy! He probably spent the most time with the fans out of anyone that stopped by.

Some other celebrities that we saw arrive were Chilli (formerly from TLC), Andrew Lloyd Webber, Dr. Drew, Lori Loughlin (Full House) & Nigil Lythgoe. Will Young & Janice Dickenson came over to say hi, they were the only 2 none American Idol to greet the fans waiting on the side.

One of the biggest reactions from the crowd was when General Larry Platt got out of the car, along with William Hung. Everyone broke out in some “Pants on the Ground,” as Platt showed of his new belt.

About 4:00 the current Top 12 finally arrived! Crystal Bowersox was pulled up in the Ford vehicle she designed, with Lee DeWyze trailing behind in his. The crowd over at the Staples Center, us, and all those around erupted in huge cheers as they existed. The crowd near the front of the carpet was so crowded it was hard to get glimpses of them. The remaining 10 followed after in various Idol designed Ford vehicles. Here are some photos of the Top 10 on the red carpet: Siobhan Magnus, Lacey Brown, Lee DeWyze, Lee DeWyze, and Casey James

By this time, it was necessary for us to get in line to enter the theatre, a line that was already wicked long. Try herding in 7,000 people at last minute because everyone was watching the celebrities come in. Despite my attempt to hide my camera & phone in my purse pockets, the lady seemed determine to find something in my purse reaching in every nook & cranny. :/ So I had to turn it in. Donna got hers through, as did MANY others. I didn’t plan on using them, I just didn’t want to deal with getting it back afterward.

Walking into the theatre was almost surreal. If you didn’t know, this would be my 4th American Idol taping/rehearsal this season. I saw two shows during semi-finals which are taped on a small circular stage surrounded by approx. 75 people. Very intimate. Then I saw Top 6 which is in the same studio but it was completely transformed with a large stage, massive staircases and seated approx. 450 people. Then to walk into the Nokia Theatre with 7,000 in attendance...I can’t imagine how the Idols felt after each transition.

I was very anxious. Perhaps it was a good thing there were no idols or celebrities within my surrounding area because I was hyped up. It was the finale! The last show! Tonight someone would be crowed the new American Idol! And then it would be over, but I couldn’t think about that...I had to think Lee or Crystal. I was nervous. I think a lot of it comes with the vicinity you are in, you can’t help but be involved.

With fifteen minutes till we were live, out comes the MC, Cory! Me and Cory? We have history. We go all the way back to the Top 20 result show where he mocked me all night and asked if I was putting on lip gloss to look good for “The Gokey.” We even go back to the Top 6 performance show were he gave me a personal shout-out in the studio & on twitter. Even that night I would get a simple shout-out at the end of the show, simple because I cheered. Let’s be friends, Cory, and hook my up next year!

Back to the finale, Corey gets the party pumping. We are up on our feet dancing in the aisles. He even brought on a few people to show off their dancing skills. He then introduced the judges, always in the same order: Kara, Randy, Ellen...and then usually with seconds to spare, (this time minutes) Simon. This would be Simon’s final entrance to American Idol. It was a bitter-sweet night. Ryan pops out and with that we are introduced to our Final 2: Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze. The crowd goes W.I.L.D. Debbie hops on stage and gives them each a hug and then starts a 10 second countdown while Cory lets us know we have 1-minute till were live. Huh? What? “6-5-4,” why is Cory still talking, [I don’t think they are ready] “3-2....” never-mind. False alarm. Debbie scared herself, yes, Cory was right, we still has 1-minute to live. I think everyone was anxious.

“Look to the screen.” Here we go. This is it. Crystal, Lee & Ryan wait at the top of the stairs.

“This IS American Idol!”

Despite it being a 2-hour (and 7-minute) show, it went by very quickly yet very slowly. The show was amazing. I remember when the boys came out to sing their songs with Hall & Oats ... Lee started singing and I jumped up and yelled,

“He’s got some swagger!”

I was very much involved in the night of performances. I would stand when no one else was standing. I would yell when no one was yelling. You can actually hear me when Ryan announces Kris Allen, I would be that first “Woo” that you hear! :) I was grinning, ear-to-ear when that boy was singing! When a song would start, I would be up on my feet (especially when Crystal & Lee were on stage). I would also be the one cheering when Ryan announced that Janell Wheeler was in Toledo with Crystal’s fans.

One thing I found interesting, during the commercial breaks, Cory would go around and chat with people, give away phones & ipod touches to 8-year olds (why?) and always ask, “Who’d you vote for?” Every since person he asked said, “Lee DeWyze.” The girls beside me would sigh in anger (they were Crystal fans). I knew at that point that if Lee did not win, the crowd would not be too pleased.

There was an interesting moment during Dane Cook’s song that was apparently not so planned. When the Idol rejects came out, the strange guy with the fur, sleeveless jacket (we saw him on the red carpet and nobody knew why), stole the mic from Dane. While him and Tatiana were fighting over the mic I heard in the backgroundAmerican Idol music in the background...yep, they cut to commercial early. Smart move. That guy did not want to give up the mic or get off the stage. Then adds Cory,

“Got to love live TV!”

I allowed myself to be distracted by the “seat fillers” during commercials. They would jump up from their seat, wanderer around for a new seat or some director would be calling those from the “crap” seats to move somewhere else. American Idol does not want an empty seat on TV. For instance, when the idol alumni had to get up for their song, they needed fillers. Not sure that would be fun. You never know where or if you’ll have a seat.

There are three girls who sit behind the camera section (where the only empty seats are cause you can’t see anything) with laptops. It took me a while to figure it out but they are at constant work with the pictures from the show. You see picture cards being passed back and forth. That way they have shots ready to go the moment the show ends. Pretty cool, huh?

One of my favorite performances was the Idol Alumni song. I knew something was coming, I just wasn’t sure what BUT that was amazing! You could feel the energy and emotion fill the room. What a moment! Kelly, then Rueben; Fantasia, then Carrie...and look, I see David Archie, Matt Giraud, Kim Caldwell...Awe, here comes the current idols (minus our Top 2). Wow! I’ll admit I almost got a little teary watching it. It would have been cool to have Crystal & Lee up there, one of them would be joining that elite group of Idol winners.

Though it seemed like it went by so quickly, it felt like it would take an eternity for Ryan to announce the winner. At one point, Donna asked for the time, but I didn’t have my phone to check. But I had this feeling at one point we were coming to a close. Sure enough, one more commercial and this was it! Crystal & Lee come out on stage. They share a beautiful moment hugging each other. The rest of the top 12 huddle up on the side. Andrew looked anxious from the distance. I was on the edge of my seat and my legs were bouncing. I would be happy either way...Crystal is amazing, but Lee was my guy! To be honest, I was kind of hoping it would be a tie.

Debbie starts to count it down ... “3, 2, 1...” and we are back. Here we go, the crowd is on its feet. I start to feel Lee’s anxiety. Poor guy looks sick. My head is going from the stage to the screen ... back & forth, not wanting to miss the reaction but wanting to see it actually happen. Ryan flips the card open, a piece of me starts doubting, but no, he’s got this! I know it! I can see Crystal mouth “Lee,” (Crystal knew it, too).

‘And the winner of American Idol is ... (the pause from eternity) ... Lee DeWyze!”

The crowd went nuts and I mean ... CRAZY! I literally leaped in the air (and got some height). He won! Uh oh, I think he still might pass out. The crowd does not stop cheering and the screens are flashing “Lee wins!”

That was an amazing moment to experience. Had I not had these tickets, I would have been sitting on my coach with my laptop in my lap watching a live stream, 3 hrs before it aired in California....not the same experience!

I caught a glimpse of his brother with the biggest grin possible! I imagine his mother was the same. Lee was emotional, but I don't think the camera even captured the real emotion. The atmosphere and feel of the theatre is indescribable. To be there in that moment! The song, the confetti, the tears, the cheers...It surely was a "Beautiful Day!"

I think someone got a little confetti happy, for a few moments I thought it swallowed up Lee but then he appeared of nowhere, trying to make his way to the stage behind the judges. When the cameras were off, he still couldn’t believe it. He gave a brief speech thanking everyone over and over again. He even acknowledge Simon before the ushered him off to do his “I’m going to Disneyworld” advertisement. It appeared he tried to go hug his family first but they wouldn’t let him. I watched him tape the commercial about 3 times before he got it right.



And that was that.
Season 9 of American Idol was over.
Four months of my life ended with two words, “Lee DeWyze.” And that is just what I hoped for when he auditioned with “Ain’t No Sunshine” and I responded, “Hey, that’s Kris Allen’s song ... oh, but not too shabby!”

We walked out of the theatre and I went to pick up my phone & camera. [My phone battery was about dead because I did my best to keep my Twitter followers up-to-date with the red carpet happenings.] We walked out and a huge crowd was already over at the media tent waiting for the idols to come out to talk to the press. I insisted we sit down for a while, so I could catch up on my @replies before we headed home. My feet were killing me (4 blisters and wicked sunburn--> totally worth it). Not too long after we sat, I started to hear some screaming, “Casey! Tim! Siobhan!” I had no energy to head over there...but when I looked up I saw a familiar face!

Standing my the theatre entrance was Christine Conception, Andrew Garcia’s girlfriend. I couldn’t not say hi. So I walked up and introduced myself (using first name & twitter name, ha). She totally recognized who I was and we chatted briefly. She’s super nice and adorable! Glad I stopped and said “hi.” So though I have yet to meet Crystal, Lee or Andrew ... I have met and conversed with their family (Lee’s mom, Crystal’s mom & brother, Andrew’s GF).

We grabbed some Starbucks on our way out and then briefly stopped by the media tent just as Tim walked over to the crowd to sign some autographs. I tried snapping a few shots of the tent in general (you can see Siobhan, Big Mike, Casey and Tim) and got one of Tim Urban before my camera battery died.

So that would be it, except we first passed by Debbie and I told her “great show!” before we finally headed out and back to our car. The whole ride home (despite our 30 mins on the wrong freeway....) we kept bringing up miscellaneous moments from the past two days. Lee winning, the performances, Alex Lambert...! It was phenomenal! We played mostly Lee’s music on the way home, of course, in celebration of our new American Idol!

I only got three of the Top 12 autographs, but I got 2 of the most important for the time being (Lacey and Paige, seeing as they won’t be on tour). But I do plan to complete that during the tour! :)

That was the end to my Season 9 Idol adventures. Four great stories! So many memories! And approx. 860 miles of driving.... all worth it! Right? I’d say so!

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All my pictures from  The American Idol finale can be found here.

S9: Top 6 Rehearsal & Taping (unfinished)

This was my attempt at writing a recap from the Top 6 rehearsal & taping....I didn't get very far, so it is unfinished)

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, seeing American Idol live ... well, apparently not for you," commented my new pilot friend from Utah. Somehow in the midst of our laughters & idol enjoyment, we never did get each others names.

I thought the same thing back in March when I won the American Idol tickets for the Top 20 result show with Danny Gokey; however, yesterday I embarked on my third trip this season to see the show. I can't pass up a free concert, even if I have to drive 2.5 hours to get there.

On Friday, I got the email that I was less than expecting. Having already received tickets from ocatv.com last month (after I won tickets), I wasn't expecting to go again. It had taken a year the first time around, and I only registered the 2nd email a little over a month ago. But I was more than willing to go again.

My friend Melody and I (she went to the Top 8 Guys rehearsal with me) arrived at The Grove at 11am. We passed up getting lunch to make sure we were their early to get a good spot in line. Even two hours early, we were about 50th in line (the studio seats about 450).

One of my favorite things about the experience are the people you meet. One of the first questions always asked..."So who are you voting for?" Plus I'm a people watcher & I enjoy ease-dropping on conversations... What? People are entertaining and when you are standing outside for almost 2 hours, you need entertainment. It also makes for an easy transition to start up a conversation...

We met some Casey James fan (that, I am not). They are actually from his hometown in Texas and know his mother --> PTA connection, I believe it was. They were crazy ladies, but a ton of fun. I guess Kara isn't the only cougar fan out there.

Casey tidbit --> His family is selling t-shirts to help pay for all the trips out to Hollywood.

A little before 1pm they started checking tickets and herding us like cattle into the waiting area. Going through security, they took away my life line. No, not really, but they did confiscate my phone. I guess they don't trust me. Like I would spoil the show for anyone. Oh, wait... :)

The metal detector goes off Every. Single. Time. someone walks through it, yet they do nothing! What's the point...? I walked through & sat down next to the person who was in front of me. After a few good minutes I realized that the 'Lil Rounds look-a-like' was telling people where to sit (I never saw a pattern to their seating arrangements). With Melody's nudge, I got up to make sure we sat where we should have. She said we were fine where we were, so I went back & sat down. Not 30 seconds later, the 'Lil Rounds look-a-like' walks over to me and asks, "Well, did you guys want to stand in the pit?"

"YESSSS!!!"

In the moment I excused myself to pretend like I was a twelve year old fan. I was really excited. We were moved two benches back to sit with the 'cool kids.' To our right, was the Utah pilot & his wife. (Who I originally thought was very attractive till I saw the ring on his finger. The cute ones are always married). :/ It was at this point we sat... and we sat... and we sat. People continued to walk through the security and the place was packed full. Chaos, I tell you.

Yet somehow in the midst of chaos, they have order. And that order meant our row (and side) went in first. Yes! Prime-time spot, right in front/next to the stage! Bring it, American Idol!

The studio is much smaller than it seems on TV. I said this during semi-finals (which it really is smaller), but it's crazy to see the transformation from a 75+ seating, Red Room & smaller circular stage to a 450+ seating, huge stage, and an orchestra overhead. Wow! It's awesome. And it was all right there in front of us.

Of course, Idol doesn't want to disappoint, so they do some rearranging. I told the people around me to "think pretty;" however, it seems the lady rearranged based on height? Yet she stuck 2 boys (who happened to be taller than us) in front. Come to found out, they have never even seen an episode of American Idol. Lame. We still had a great spot, but still...

While we waited for Ryan to show up with chatted with the security/stage guy on our side. He was super nice! He tried to get some tickets for his friends on ocatv.com, but couldn't figure it out. I guess not everyone connected to Idol has access to free tickets. Though, he does get Finale tickets for the performances (which I totally tried to get from him). He said tickets for the finale are IMPOSSIBLE to get. :/ This is why I have entered every contest that comes my way.

He mentioned something about a lunch break and I said how we skipped lunch to get in line early. He later shared his Nutter Butters with us! He even hopped on stage during a segment taping of us cheering to give them to me. Score! Yes, that one Nutter Butter cracker & the adrenaline rush held me over for 12 hours. The best part was trying to hide it when we were taping. :)

Debbie let us in on an interesting fact about the B.E.P performance,

Anyone notice that during the Black Eyed Peas Performance during IGB that the band was not quite complete until ... the middle of the song? Before cutting to the Pasadena Theatre, Ryan was told to stall because will.i.am was not even in the theatre (This is when he walked over to the contestants & started chatting)! will.i.am's car had broken down & he had to run on foot to get to the show & arrived just in time to do his little dance thing.

Finally, Ryan arrives and we can get the rehearsal started. He seemed tamer than he was a few weeks ago when we visited a rehearsal, but he was definitely still Ryan (especially when it came to him introducing the Idols). As the Idols came out on stage, the crowd went c.r.a.z.y.

Lee definitely does not take these moments for granted & a smile beamed from his face. You could tell he was soaking it all in. Siobhan & Crystal were

During the intro to the show, as Ryan was 'reading' the prompter, he decided to have a little fun. Instead of "Paint Salesman," Lee apparently worked at a yogurt shop. As the crows chuckles, Lee's face was priceless. The speakers on the stage don't workgood and often the Idols can't hear what is being said into a mic.