Having the Upper Peninsula and ESPN in one blog is a little strange, to say the least. Honestly, what could the two have in common? The only notable sports entity up here is Northern Michigan University, which has a division one hockey program and faces off against the likes of Michigan State and the University of Michigan (and a varitey of other sports while competing in division two). But the college hockey season is long over with. Some of our golf courses up here have gained national recognition within the past few years ... maybe that's it? Maybe Tiger Woods is going to play and the Greywall's course in Marquette? Now wouldn't that be exciting. But unfortunately that's not the reason why the two are connected. Maybe it has something to do with the Detroit Pistons coming up to Marquette in June for a youth basketball camp, the first time they've ever done so. That ain't it, either. Getting sick of the guessing games? Alright ... here's the real reason why ESPN and the Upper Peninsula hold a bond:
Yep, the Upper Peninsula and Yoopers mentioned in an iconic Sportscenter commercial. The baseball player featured in the commercial is Joe Mauer, a catcher for the Minnesota Twins. As he said in the commercial, he's originally from Minnesota. Seems to me he's pretty familiar with the U.P. and it's people. Makes me wonder if he's ever visited? Have you ever wondered if any famous celebrities may have visited the area where you live? Or possibly they weren't famous before they became a celebrity. It's kind of fun to think about. I've heard stories about Madonna owning a camp out on Lake Michigamme, the Rolling Stones coming to Marquette to be at a funeral for a former band member, Detroit Tigers legend Kirk Gibson visiting the U.P. numerous times in the winter to go snowmobiling, and various other stories. Most people living in the Upper Peninsula are probably well aware that the classic 1959 movie "Anatomy of a Murder" was filmed in the Marquette and Big Bay area. Movie icons Jimmy Stuart and George C. Scott were among the cast that were part of the movie. Some of Marquette's famous landmarks from the past and present appeared in the movie, and some of those buildings exist to this day.
So yes, the Upper Peninsula receives a little bit more notoriety in this most recent ESPN Sportscenter ad. ESPN helped to make the Watersmeet Nimrods famous earlier in the decade for their most unusual sports mascot name. And now, they are helping to recognize the region as a whole. I know, for most areas of the country this 30 second ad wouldn't be that big of a deal. But for an area that's beautiful and great for the outdoors, yet population-challenged, this was fun to see. And the nice part is, we'll likely see that ad for quite awhile for the next couple of months until a new Sportscenter ad is created. We'll enjoy the notoriety while we can.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
American Idol 8 - Season Wrap-Up
It's been a little over a week in a half now since our newest American Idol was crowed, that being 23-year old Arkansas native Kris Allen. Going into the finale, I was happy with either he or Adam Lambert at this season's champion. And I'll admit, even though I picked Kris Allen to win, I was still rather shocked he won. And he was genuinely shocked as well. Well who can blame him, really? All season long, he's flown under the radar and truly fit the mold of being a dark horse. The judges and producers had pimped Danny Gokey and Adam Lambert right from the start of the competition and they both had peaked at different points. In my opinion, I never thought Danny Gokey lived up to the hype. He had a few decent performances during his run to the top three, but nothing that I would define as being memorable. As for Adam, he probably peaked earlier in the top 13 and was consistently good week upon week. As for Kris, he kept bringing it week after week and really created some memorable performances in the end. What vaulted him into becoming the newest Idol was his rendition of Kanye West's "Heartless."I like to think that this was this season's revenge for David Archuleta losing in season seven. For anyone out there reading and who's into American Idol, wouldn't you say Kris Allen and Archie have similar personalities and singing styles? Archuleta wasn't nearly as outgoing when he was on the show like he is now - and that might have turned some people off. Meanwhile, Kris Allen definitely is more reserved and quiet, and he even says he's a chill guy. However, I think he was more vocal on stage than Archueta. Whatever the case, it still came down to being a singing competition. Archuleta delivered solid performances week after week and even included some pretty memorable moments towards the end of the competition with "Stand by Me" and "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me." Kris Allen did the same with "Heartless" and "Ain't no Sunshine." Archie played on the piano - but only a couple of times in the Idol stage compared to Allen's multiple instrument-infused performances throughout the entire season. So Kris is much more instrument-trained than Archie is at this point. However, whatever the case may be, they both had similar singing styles and delivered solid performances week in and week out. However, as Archuleta rose to front-runner status early on, Kris built a small amount of momentum early on and it kept building more and more each week. David peaked early on, much like Adam and Danny did, which may have cost him the competition in the end. Kris' building fanbase, the elimination of Danny Gokey in top three week, and his version of "Heartless" creating one of those all-time moments on Idol really vaulted him into winning the Idol crown. And the more I think of it, you know what would be an awesome duet? David Archuleta and Kris Allen. That is really something I would look forward to.
So where does this leave Adam Lambert and will he suffer from losing the title? In my opinion, this has the potential of helping him more than hurting him. If Adam had won the Idol crown, he may have been more restricted as to what he could make in an album. 19 might've forced him to go the pop music route. And he still might do some of that, however, I don't believe the entirety of his album will be composed of pop-sounding music. I guess the big question is - will his music be radio-friendly and will he achieve success like that of a Chris Daughtry who proved winning Idol isn't necessarily important? I definitely believe Adam has some challenges in becoming a music star. Now as he's proven even before his stint on Idol, he could become a major star on broadway. He's commented that he's never performed in New York - well with the right offer, he just might get that chance. I guess all that will depend on whether his music career takes off right away after the show has commenced.
Overall, I would say season eight ended up being much more enjoyable than I originally thought going into the top 13. A lot of talented singers emerged and much of them have potential to become successful in the entertainment industry. Obviously with his win, Kris Allen could become a big star. The music he created on Idol is radio-friendly and he is likely to incorporate the same sound into his debut album. Having him be the newest American Idol makes sense because the Idol-image fits him the most versus Adam Lambert. I already discussed Adam Lambert so I won't talk too much more about him other than to say he needs to hit the ground running right out of the gate in order for him to have a successful music career. Otherwise broadway might be calling or he'll become a reality show star other than for American Idol. As for Danny Gokey, I don't see him having a very successful musical career, other than singing gospel music. He came into Idol not knowing much mainstream music and even after Idol, he seems lost and hasn't defined himself musically. I'd be surprised to hear one tune from Gokey on the radio. Allison Iraheta definitely has some potential to be a radio success. She needs to be placed with the right people in order for her music to shine, however. Otherwise she'll just be another Idol alumni forgotten. For those individuals beyond the top four, it gets even trickier as to whether they'll experience success. Lil Rounds and Scott MacIntyre absolutely won't. Matt Giraud and Anoop Desai have a small chance. Megan Joy and Michael Sarver have very small chances to experience music success in my opinion. Megan may have a unique sound but she floundered towards the end of her Idol run. And Michael may have written a ton of songs during the course of his life, but that might be all he's good for. Maybe he'll become the next great songwriter. Only time will tell.
So that about does it for my wrap-up of the American Idol season that was. I can't wait to see who releases an album and who doesn't. If I'd have to predict, Kris (duh), Adam, and Allison will be signed to record deals. It's a crapshoot whether the rest will get signed or not. And for those lucky enough to see the Idols live in concert this summer - I am seriously envious. I think it would be worth a ticket just to see Adam Lambert perform. I just can't imagine what it would be like to see him sing Mad World or Black and White in person - two of my personal favorites from him. And then there's Kris, who flies under the radio and is totally laid back in his demeanor. But he performs killer song arrangements and does a wonderful job making a song his own. I'd definitely buy his first album. All in all, season eight ended up being great and and creating some pretty powerful moments on-stage. Despite the producer pimping, the show becoming more about the judges than the contestants, and the tabloid news headlines, this show is as good as ever and it remains the most-watched one for me. January can't come soon enough when it comes to Idol!
Monday, May 25, 2009
No Time These Days
Do you ever feel like sometimes you don't have enough time in your day? I think I've felt that way for a good week now. There has been a lot going on lately for me and I've been finding it difficult to fit in my normal activities. I am actually rather relieved American Idol is over because I just don't know how I'd be able to fit that into everything. It actually ended at a perfect time. And even though it's only been a little less than a week since I last blogged, I feel like I could've been able to blog every day, but just couldn't get the opportunity. Anyways, this is why I been feeling so overwhelmed this past week.
The first significant undertaking in my life these days is the hunt for a house. I actually started working with a realtor a few weeks ago and went to see a few houses in person. This is basically how the tour went: the first house was a complete dump, the second house was better, but the home needed to be connected to the township's water system, which would've cost $15,000. So obviously you could tell that was out. The first impression of the third house we visited: smokey, VERY smokey. Obviously someone needs to install some air fresheners! The fourth house was decent, needed some work, but the taxes are very high in that particular area. So it was way down the list. The fifth house was the big winner on the tour. The house had been updated very nicely and the price was actually pretty reasonable. Right now, it's the front runner. And last but not least, the sixth house on the tour was pretty much run-down. It had a lot of land but the house needs some pretty extensive work. I just don't know if I'd be willing to continuously work on it at this point in time. Tomorrow I am looking to get pre-approved on a loan and hopefully take another tour of the fifth home (along with my parents who were absent the first time around) and then get the ball rolling on making an offer on the place. I was a little discouraged to learn that the next day, the same realtor I am working with showed the house to a young couple and they really liked it too! So needless to say, if I am serious about actually buying this house, I need to get things moving. More updates to come on this in the future.
Also on my plate - work! Yes, mingled in with the search for a home and the other assorted activities I plan on discussing, I am still busy with work. Believe me, I am very thankful to have a job, particularly in times like these. The same holds true for the area where I live, where good jobs are hard to find. It's just that on the weekends where I work 12 hour shifts, it's hard to do much of anything else except for sleeping, eating, and going to work. On Saturday I had to fit in my niece's birthday party after I slept until roughly 2:30 PM (currently working midnight shift) - and only getting about four hours of sleep. My sister from Wisconsin was also up for the party and the disappointing thing is that I didn't get to spend as much time as I would've liked thanks to my schedule. However, I did get to spend about three hours with her on Friday night and then a bit at the party on Saturday. So all was not lost there.
And that's not all - I am also the main project planner for the improvement projects we are going to be making on my parents' house this summer. We're going to be replacing four windows, install plenty of vinyl siding, and try to make the house weather and energy efficient as much as we can. At this stage of the game, I am figuring out our supplies list which is a pretty time-consuming task. And sometimes, I run into motivational issues to get this done. I don't have much more to go and probably after I'm done writing this blog, I'll get working on that and try to finish this up. I have a feeling we'll be making a trip to the big-box hardware store sometime the end of this week because a lot of the supplies we need for this project are on sale. My dad also wants us to go to the place where we ordered windows and siding from last year and get all that ordered. So as you can see, I have a deadline! But that's not always a bad thing, either. I tend to work the best when under pressure.
You add those things, plus trying to keep up with this blog, and other normal everyday activities like spending time outdoors and running errands - and you can see I have a lot going on. To some I'm sure it doesn't seem like much. But for me, where I tend to lead a pretty low-key life, it's suddenly turned to quite a lot. And that's fine in all honesty. It's better to be busy running around than living a completely boring life.
The first significant undertaking in my life these days is the hunt for a house. I actually started working with a realtor a few weeks ago and went to see a few houses in person. This is basically how the tour went: the first house was a complete dump, the second house was better, but the home needed to be connected to the township's water system, which would've cost $15,000. So obviously you could tell that was out. The first impression of the third house we visited: smokey, VERY smokey. Obviously someone needs to install some air fresheners! The fourth house was decent, needed some work, but the taxes are very high in that particular area. So it was way down the list. The fifth house was the big winner on the tour. The house had been updated very nicely and the price was actually pretty reasonable. Right now, it's the front runner. And last but not least, the sixth house on the tour was pretty much run-down. It had a lot of land but the house needs some pretty extensive work. I just don't know if I'd be willing to continuously work on it at this point in time. Tomorrow I am looking to get pre-approved on a loan and hopefully take another tour of the fifth home (along with my parents who were absent the first time around) and then get the ball rolling on making an offer on the place. I was a little discouraged to learn that the next day, the same realtor I am working with showed the house to a young couple and they really liked it too! So needless to say, if I am serious about actually buying this house, I need to get things moving. More updates to come on this in the future.
Also on my plate - work! Yes, mingled in with the search for a home and the other assorted activities I plan on discussing, I am still busy with work. Believe me, I am very thankful to have a job, particularly in times like these. The same holds true for the area where I live, where good jobs are hard to find. It's just that on the weekends where I work 12 hour shifts, it's hard to do much of anything else except for sleeping, eating, and going to work. On Saturday I had to fit in my niece's birthday party after I slept until roughly 2:30 PM (currently working midnight shift) - and only getting about four hours of sleep. My sister from Wisconsin was also up for the party and the disappointing thing is that I didn't get to spend as much time as I would've liked thanks to my schedule. However, I did get to spend about three hours with her on Friday night and then a bit at the party on Saturday. So all was not lost there.
And that's not all - I am also the main project planner for the improvement projects we are going to be making on my parents' house this summer. We're going to be replacing four windows, install plenty of vinyl siding, and try to make the house weather and energy efficient as much as we can. At this stage of the game, I am figuring out our supplies list which is a pretty time-consuming task. And sometimes, I run into motivational issues to get this done. I don't have much more to go and probably after I'm done writing this blog, I'll get working on that and try to finish this up. I have a feeling we'll be making a trip to the big-box hardware store sometime the end of this week because a lot of the supplies we need for this project are on sale. My dad also wants us to go to the place where we ordered windows and siding from last year and get all that ordered. So as you can see, I have a deadline! But that's not always a bad thing, either. I tend to work the best when under pressure.
You add those things, plus trying to keep up with this blog, and other normal everyday activities like spending time outdoors and running errands - and you can see I have a lot going on. To some I'm sure it doesn't seem like much. But for me, where I tend to lead a pretty low-key life, it's suddenly turned to quite a lot. And that's fine in all honesty. It's better to be busy running around than living a completely boring life.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
American Idol 8 - Top 2
Well everybody, it all comes down to this. It's what Idol junkies have been waiting for all season - the pairing of the final two contestants, an even bigger stage, and an atmosphere that's almost as big as an event like the Oscars. You include that with occasional movie stars, a raucous crowd, and stellar performances from the contestants, and it's typically a night to remember. Last night was no exception, except maybe for the coronation song at the end that both contestants had to sing. Honestly, I think it sucked a lot of positive energy away from the people that were watching who've been commenting that last night's show was only mediocre. Now a better song could've produced the best performance finale night yet. Ah well, there's always hope for next year. Let's get started recapping last night's performances from the top two:Adam Lambert - "Mad World" : What incredible stage effects to start the show - dry ice creating moving fog across the stage and then Adam rising up through the stage floor. At least that is how it appeared to me. Truly good stuff and appropriate for a finale. What more is there to say about this performance? Adam sings it just as good as the first time around with the added effects and a larger studio audience. It's just like being at a concert - or a Broadway show for that matter. Adam powers his way through this song with such ease. Honestly, I never tire of hearing this rendition of a Tears for Fears classic. I believe that the contestants couldn't pick a new song for the final round and instead had to perform a song from any week during the top 13. To me, Adam picked the most logical choice. This one really solidified Adam's standing as a front-runner.
Kris Allen - "Ain't No Sunshine" : I think a lot of people were thinking Kris would come out and perform "Heartless" or "Falling Slowly" (in fact, many rumors were pointing in that direction earlier yesterday). But "Ain't No Sunshine" was another song Kris excelled on, so it's not really a big surprise for me that he picked this song. To me, he created a moment just as easily with this song earlier in the competition like he did with the other two. In addition, it's also that much better when he's performing the song on a piano as opposed to a keyboard like he did the first time around. The more I listen to this performance, the more I believe that this truly could be the best Kris has sounded all season. He soars to great heights with this song as his vocals are superb and his artistry is magical. Then you add in his performance skills and musicality and it's truly fitting of a finale performance.
Adam Lambert - "A Change is Gonna Come" : Next up we have song picks from the creator of American Idol, Simon Fuller. And this is really a bold pick considering the message the song emotes. However, it really fits Adam well. He puts so much emotion and vocal intensity into this performance. He starts off with restrained vocals and leaves out the rock wail. Then he gradually builds into his higher range and there we have Adam's rock wail. It's like he's building a story - the way that he's able to sing. It's like we get a taste for just about everything Adam is able to do vocally in this song. At this stage of the game, would be expect anything less for Adam to do his rock wailing? I mean, if he didn't perform in such a way, it would be a let down to many of his fans. So this song really fit Adam well, even though it wasn't technically a rock song. Truly a masterful performance from Adam as his vocals are out of this world.
Kris Allen - "What's Going On?" : When I first heard this performed from Kris last night, I wasn't that impressed. The performance left me feeling kind of empty as I was hoping for more. But the big reason why I probably felt that way last night because I was being distracted at that moment, so I was able to enjoy it like I could've. However, I was able to listen back to his performance and I think Kris' interpretation of the song is amazing. He certainly made it his own and it fits his style perfectly. So what that it didn't have a lot of power and huge notes - that's not Kris' style anyways. He was able to strum on the guitar and the song fit his vocal style like a glove. I loved the part where he stopped the instrument accompaniment during the lyrics "this war is not the answer." He's also standing up for his beliefs! I thought it was a wonderful performance from Kris but at this stage, I wouldn't expect anything less.
Adam Lambert - "No Boundaries" : Ick, what a terrible song these poor contestants are forced to perform tonight. Why do these coronation songs have to suck so badly? And you would think with Kara helping to write the song, it would sound better. But I think it's one of the worst the show has ever had! Kara is supposed to be such a great songwriter, after all. Anywho, Adam made the most of this song. Much of the song was in Adam's falsetto range, particularly once the tempo picked up. I just didn't like Adam's voice with this song as it just didn't suit him that well. I noticed a few pitchy notes, especially in the beginning. And I couldn't quite tell if Adam had the mic up to his face too closely in the beginning where he would bump into it or it was a beat in the song. All in all, it wasn't the greatest performance from Adam, but I blame the song.
Kris Allen - "No Boundaries" : So Kris gets his chance to shine on this retched song next. Again just like Adam, Kris made the most of this song. I thought it might have suited Kris a bit better than Adam, however, the key of the song was definitely much too high for his voice. You could tell he was struggling with the higher notes in the song. All in all, I actually liked Kris' rendition of the song just a bit more than Adam's. Still, there were a few botched lyrics from Kris. I couldn't tell if he brought the mic too far away from his mouth earlier in the song so that we couldn't hear him or if he forgot a word. Personally I thought it was a mic issue more than anything. I am not going to criticize Kris for botching lyrics because from the sounds of it, the contestants didn't get a lot of time to practice the song. Anyways, it's a terrible song. Why would they want to spend a lot of time on it?
Oh brother. This is probably going to be the most difficult performance rankings yet this season. And I thought last week was tough. Anyways, here is how I thought the final two contestants did:
ROUND #1:
Kris Allen - best (THE WINNER! - 5/20/09)
Adam Lambert
ROUND #2:
Adam Lambert - best
Kris Allen (THE WINNER! - 5/20/09)
ROUND #3:
Kris Allen - best (THE WINNER! - 5/20/09)
Adam Lambert
MY PICK TO WIN AMERICAN IDOL: Kris Allen
Yes, you read that correctly. I am picking Kris Allen to win American Idol season eight. I think the fan support for Kris has been growing and growing as the season has progressed. You also consider the fact that Danny Gokey had a tremendous fan following. Some of his votes will be going to Kris more than Adam. For awhile, it was Adam and Danny duking it out for fan support. So you think Danny's fans were going over to support Adam once Danny got voted out? I certainly don't think so. Plus, I believe the backlash has been growing in regards to Adam being gay as more people learn about it from the press (even though he's never confirmed it publicly yet) and that doesn't go over quite as well with conservative America. Those are reasons why I believe Kris will become this season's American Idol by just a slim margin. I really do believe the vote tally will be close, much closer than last season's finale. But Kris will take the crown by just a hair.
So there you have it, folks. The final performance recap of the season from me. I thank those of you who've been coming to the blog to read my thoughts on the show all season long. I know you're out there! I plan on doing a few more American Idol blogs for this season before officially wrapping it up until next year. In the meantime, be sure and enjoy tonight's finale. From what I understand, a lot of awesome singers are expected to perform. It should be a fun show.
KRIS ALLEN IS THE WINNER OF AMERICAN IDOL 2009!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
American Idol 8 - Top 3
The grand finale of American Idol season eight is one week away. This season seems to have flown by a lot quicker than last for some reason. Nonetheless, it's almost over and tonight is typically the night that makes it or breaks it for all three finalists. Obviously one gets sent home and at this stage of the game with all three singers highly qualified, it's going to come right down to the wire. One little flaw, flat note, or forgotten lyric could prove to be the death knell. At this stage of the competition, you want proven winners and people that will stand out from the rest of the pack. I think in this season's top three, they are all very talented people. Tonight is a very fun show because the contestants themselves get to make their own song picks and in prior seasons, their picks get scrutinized by the judges. Meanwhile, the judges attempt to make a song pick that suit their genre of music and their voices. Some are brilliant picks while others fall flat. This is the first season where Clive Davis or the producers won't get to make a third pick for the contestants (not really a big loss) due to an extra judge yakking and eating away precious performance time. So what's gonna happen tonight? Let's find out what went down on that Idol stage!
Danny Gokey - "Dance Little Sister" : Interesting song choice from Paula in that it's very obscure - or at least I've never heard it before. It's a fun, upbeat little ditty to open the show. Danny's all shouty right from the get go. And then we get the saxophone solo and he's scatting along with the saxophonist. Not finding that to be all that great. I will say this, his stage presence is quite good - he's moving around on the stage pretty freely, dancing, and showing a ton of confidence. Maybe he's having too much fun on stage because it's throwing off his vocals some. Overall, this was just an okay performance. I actually agreed with Kara in that this performance is pretty forgettable. Heck, I really don't remember much about the performance as I'm typing it and I don't really feel like watching it back again. More major pimping from Randy and Paula - they desperately want him in the finale. Danny talks way too much.
Kris Allen - "Apologize" : What on earth was Randy and Kara thinking when choosing this song for Kris, especially when David Archuleta did a killer version with One Republic themselves on last season's results finale? These judges are so clueless. Really loved the start of Kris' performance - playing on the piano where we hadn't seen him play all that much. I feel the song is a bit too high for Kris to handle - at least he doesn't seem comfortable going that high and he kind of drops an octave while going through a run on the first chorus. Despite that, it doesn't throw him off too badly. I thought the band drowned him out too much, particularly when Kris was attempting to hit those higher notes and this might have been nicer if it had a more acoustic sound to it. I didn't really pick up on the one bad note that Paula mentioned. Overall, I thought it was a decent performance from Kris.
Adam Lambert - "One" : You know, I was actually digging Simon's song choice for Adam when I first heard the news. But after the performance, it kind of landed a bit flat for me. Maybe "Wicked Games" would've been better - I dunno. I really liked the set-up for Adam in the beginning; him at the center of the stage with the blue mood lighting. Kind of reminded me of his "Mad World" performance. Manic Adam is in full effect a lot sooner than I was expecting. I don't know if I am enjoying the wicked-high vocals and shoutiness for this particular song. For me, I like it as more of that ballad sound. Adam is turning it more rock-ish towards the end. I've got nothing bad to say about his vocals because for what he did, they were spot on. But the song arrangement left me a tad bit disappointed. It might have worked better if he was toned-down throughout the entire song.
Danny Gokey - "You Are So Beautiful" : We're back for round two, where Danny makes his own song selection. He actually makes a pretty decent pick in "You Are So Beautiful" by Joe Cocker. The performance starts at first with no instruments, then an acoustic guitar, and gradually more instruments, but from the stage floor. I wouldn't say it was pitch perfect because I detected a few bum notes here and there. I am finding it to be a generally nice performance. Once again, is it something we're going to remember at the end of the day? Now the Danny we've all come to love - the shouty version! I am finding this much less enjoyable than the first part. I just prefer Danny when he's not trying to over-sing. I actually think he could've done more with the song than what he did. He made a few tweaks here and there and even injected some gospel into this classic song. But all in all, another average performance from Danny.
Kris Allen - "Heartless" : Well I'll be - Kris is actually getting some awesome lighting effects as he begins his performance. This is starting off really, really nice. It's just Kris and his guitar - the rest of the band is silent. The audience is just getting to focus on Kris and his guitar playing and it's pretty spectacular. I've got to admit, I wasn't sure if this song was going to work for Kris but he certainly made it his own and he put a completely different spin on the song and it's superb. It kind of reminds me of David Archuleta last year picking "With You" and while he made a great choice picking a contemporary song, I don't think it worked quite as well as he hoped. Now with Kris and this selection - it totally worked. The judges loved it, he was getting a great reaction from the audience, and this performance is one of many that we've come to love from Kris Allen. Best moment of the night right here with Kris' second song.
Adam Lambert - "Cryin' " : Ah, Adam tackling an Aerosmith song ... didn't somebody want Adam to perform an Aerosmith song? I'm thinking Melinda Doolittle - but she's obsessed with Aerosmith as a whole. Right from the get-go, his voice and one of the background singers is not meshing. I think that background singer is REALLY pitchy. But Adam Lambert is a pro - it's not throwing him off in the least. This is another strong rock-style vocal from Adam. I am actually liking this much more than his first performance and I agree with Randy that this is more of what works the best for Adam. What more can you say? This is Adam at his best being a rock star. It's a high energy performance; showing off his killer vocal skills. He truly nailed this song and he displayed great vocal control. American Idol has born it's newest star in Adam Lambert.
Hmm, my spell check isn't working! So if you notice any misspellings, blame blogger, not me. Anyways, here is how I rank tonight's performances:
ROUND #1:
Adam Lambert - best
Kris Allen
Danny Gokey - worst (actual eliminee - 5/13/09)
ROUND #2:
Kris Allen - best
Adam Lambert
Danny Gokey - worst (actual eliminee - 5/13/09)
This is going to be an absolutely tough choice in deciding who gets sent home. I've become a big Kris fan, so I'd like to see him stay. I've enjoyed Adam for most of the top 13. And Danny has fallen out of favor for me. Based on tonight's performances, I've got to say that Danny should be going home. But I've got to take into account his massive fan base. Meanwhile, Kris is a regular, everyday, humble guy and his fan base has been growing. Adam is popular because he's flashy, theatrics, and has amazing vocals. I mean honestly, it's truly a toss-up. With that being said, here is goes. Adam is safe - and in a shocker, Danny goes home and Kris makes it to the finale. That's right, I said it! Let's see if it all comes true tomorrow night. I have a feeling tomorrow's results show is going to be extremely tense. Be sure to enjoy it!
YIPEE!! Danny Gokey gets the boot on tonight's results show! So that means our finale will consist of Adam Lambert and Kris Allen. What a great pairing! I love it ... it will be awesome.
Danny Gokey - "Dance Little Sister" : Interesting song choice from Paula in that it's very obscure - or at least I've never heard it before. It's a fun, upbeat little ditty to open the show. Danny's all shouty right from the get go. And then we get the saxophone solo and he's scatting along with the saxophonist. Not finding that to be all that great. I will say this, his stage presence is quite good - he's moving around on the stage pretty freely, dancing, and showing a ton of confidence. Maybe he's having too much fun on stage because it's throwing off his vocals some. Overall, this was just an okay performance. I actually agreed with Kara in that this performance is pretty forgettable. Heck, I really don't remember much about the performance as I'm typing it and I don't really feel like watching it back again. More major pimping from Randy and Paula - they desperately want him in the finale. Danny talks way too much.
Kris Allen - "Apologize" : What on earth was Randy and Kara thinking when choosing this song for Kris, especially when David Archuleta did a killer version with One Republic themselves on last season's results finale? These judges are so clueless. Really loved the start of Kris' performance - playing on the piano where we hadn't seen him play all that much. I feel the song is a bit too high for Kris to handle - at least he doesn't seem comfortable going that high and he kind of drops an octave while going through a run on the first chorus. Despite that, it doesn't throw him off too badly. I thought the band drowned him out too much, particularly when Kris was attempting to hit those higher notes and this might have been nicer if it had a more acoustic sound to it. I didn't really pick up on the one bad note that Paula mentioned. Overall, I thought it was a decent performance from Kris.
Adam Lambert - "One" : You know, I was actually digging Simon's song choice for Adam when I first heard the news. But after the performance, it kind of landed a bit flat for me. Maybe "Wicked Games" would've been better - I dunno. I really liked the set-up for Adam in the beginning; him at the center of the stage with the blue mood lighting. Kind of reminded me of his "Mad World" performance. Manic Adam is in full effect a lot sooner than I was expecting. I don't know if I am enjoying the wicked-high vocals and shoutiness for this particular song. For me, I like it as more of that ballad sound. Adam is turning it more rock-ish towards the end. I've got nothing bad to say about his vocals because for what he did, they were spot on. But the song arrangement left me a tad bit disappointed. It might have worked better if he was toned-down throughout the entire song.
Danny Gokey - "You Are So Beautiful" : We're back for round two, where Danny makes his own song selection. He actually makes a pretty decent pick in "You Are So Beautiful" by Joe Cocker. The performance starts at first with no instruments, then an acoustic guitar, and gradually more instruments, but from the stage floor. I wouldn't say it was pitch perfect because I detected a few bum notes here and there. I am finding it to be a generally nice performance. Once again, is it something we're going to remember at the end of the day? Now the Danny we've all come to love - the shouty version! I am finding this much less enjoyable than the first part. I just prefer Danny when he's not trying to over-sing. I actually think he could've done more with the song than what he did. He made a few tweaks here and there and even injected some gospel into this classic song. But all in all, another average performance from Danny.
Kris Allen - "Heartless" : Well I'll be - Kris is actually getting some awesome lighting effects as he begins his performance. This is starting off really, really nice. It's just Kris and his guitar - the rest of the band is silent. The audience is just getting to focus on Kris and his guitar playing and it's pretty spectacular. I've got to admit, I wasn't sure if this song was going to work for Kris but he certainly made it his own and he put a completely different spin on the song and it's superb. It kind of reminds me of David Archuleta last year picking "With You" and while he made a great choice picking a contemporary song, I don't think it worked quite as well as he hoped. Now with Kris and this selection - it totally worked. The judges loved it, he was getting a great reaction from the audience, and this performance is one of many that we've come to love from Kris Allen. Best moment of the night right here with Kris' second song.
Adam Lambert - "Cryin' " : Ah, Adam tackling an Aerosmith song ... didn't somebody want Adam to perform an Aerosmith song? I'm thinking Melinda Doolittle - but she's obsessed with Aerosmith as a whole. Right from the get-go, his voice and one of the background singers is not meshing. I think that background singer is REALLY pitchy. But Adam Lambert is a pro - it's not throwing him off in the least. This is another strong rock-style vocal from Adam. I am actually liking this much more than his first performance and I agree with Randy that this is more of what works the best for Adam. What more can you say? This is Adam at his best being a rock star. It's a high energy performance; showing off his killer vocal skills. He truly nailed this song and he displayed great vocal control. American Idol has born it's newest star in Adam Lambert.
Hmm, my spell check isn't working! So if you notice any misspellings, blame blogger, not me. Anyways, here is how I rank tonight's performances:
ROUND #1:
Adam Lambert - best
Kris Allen
Danny Gokey - worst (actual eliminee - 5/13/09)
ROUND #2:
Kris Allen - best
Adam Lambert
Danny Gokey - worst (actual eliminee - 5/13/09)
This is going to be an absolutely tough choice in deciding who gets sent home. I've become a big Kris fan, so I'd like to see him stay. I've enjoyed Adam for most of the top 13. And Danny has fallen out of favor for me. Based on tonight's performances, I've got to say that Danny should be going home. But I've got to take into account his massive fan base. Meanwhile, Kris is a regular, everyday, humble guy and his fan base has been growing. Adam is popular because he's flashy, theatrics, and has amazing vocals. I mean honestly, it's truly a toss-up. With that being said, here is goes. Adam is safe - and in a shocker, Danny goes home and Kris makes it to the finale. That's right, I said it! Let's see if it all comes true tomorrow night. I have a feeling tomorrow's results show is going to be extremely tense. Be sure to enjoy it!
YIPEE!! Danny Gokey gets the boot on tonight's results show! So that means our finale will consist of Adam Lambert and Kris Allen. What a great pairing! I love it ... it will be awesome.
American Idol: Final Stretch
It's hard to believe next week is the season final of American Idol already! Even though I really didn't have a contestant I truly felt connected to this season compared to last, I have really found season eight to be rather enjoyable. Obviously there is a lot of talent amongst this group and many of them have a bright future ahead of them. I will say the elimination order this year has been fairly predictable. I'd have to look back to be 100% sure, but I believe I had the correct elimination order since the top 13 began, except for this past week where I thought Kris would be eliminated instead of Allison. Despite that, I still have been enjoying this season quite thoroughly. And after next week, all us Idol nuts out there will have to wait another eight months for the new season to begin!
There are a few things about the show that bug me; things that do not make it perfect in my mind. Clearly there have been front runners that showed their star power in the very beginning of the season. A couple still remain yet others have floundered. If all was right with the world, Danny Gokey would've been voted out last week if not sooner. I was a Gokey fan in the beginning. But I no longer find him to be all that appealing. I don't fault him for the producers pimping the backstory about his dead wife from the very beginning. I do, however, fault his inability to step up and deliver more memorable performances than he has. You compare him to Adam Lambert and you should be able to tell this season's winner based on that comparison. Yet for some reason, Danny has a strong contingent of fans. In their eyes, Gokey can do no wrong, especially butchering the last few notes in a classic Aerosmith song. In a perfect world, we would end up with a Kris vs. Adam finale. However, with the producers and judges behind him, Danny will more than likely withstand tonight's onslaught of voting to make it into next week's finale.
The whole Danny Gokey pimping by the judges has been just as puzzling for me than anything else. Kris Allen has proven to be a very versatile singer; changing arrangements and performing in a style unique to all of the others. He's the most musically inclined as well; mostly playing the guitar but also sitting behind a piano, too. Rightfully Kris should be up there with Adam in the finale next week. But get ready Kris Allen fans, he will most likely be thrown under the bus like he has been the past few weeks. Thankfully the fans stood up for him and voted him through to this very point. Instead of praising Kris for his musicality, he'll likely instead be criticized for not showing confidence, not displaying a more likable personality, or not connecting with the song. Meanwhile after Danny performs, if he lays an egg on stage, that won't matter. They'll praise him for taking risks and handing out A++ for effort. After all, Paula Abdul has visions of seeing Danny all the way through to the finale. Honestly, has Danny lived up to that early hype? Not by a long shot. But with a strong backing of fans and the judges absolutely drooling over his mediocre performances, the writing is on the wall that we'll see Danny next week. And that really makes me sad.
This, for me, is where the show gets frustrating. Last year I was upset at negative comments from people against David Archuleta. I hate to say it, but I am finding it to be a similar situation to what Danny faces this year, except that Archie was A LOT better. He put together a whole slew of memorable performances while Danny lays a large pile of mediocre crap. I just don't feel Archie got the praise and respect that he deserved and in my mind, he still isn't getting it. But I don't believe David got nearly the amount of pimping that Danny has gotten this year. I mean it's so obvious that it's ridiculous. And Danny isn't nearly as good of a singer as David Archuleta! Check out some of the videos out there of from Danny Gokey's hometown celebration this past weekend where he attempted to sing Micheal Jackson's "Billy Jean." He barely remembered the chorus let alone the rest of the song! I mean it honestly got embarrassing after awhile. This is going to be our season eight runner up or *gasp* the eventual winner? I shutter to think about that scenario actually happening.
So everyone out there in Idol land, please be sure to vote for Kris Allen or Adam Lambert so we can have the very best singers and performers in this season's finale. If there's going to be a shocking elimination this season, it has to be this week and it needs to be one of the prodigal sons from the start of the competition; the one who's wife passed away and whom the producers kept reminding us about it over and over again for several weeks in the beginning. I'll change my mind if Danny puts together a couple of memorable performances tonight. However, if Kris Allen is just as good if not better than Danny, then my support will quickly go towards Adam and Kris. I don't care how good Danny is tonight; if Kris is good if not better, then that's all she wrote. The only way, in my mind, for Kris to be a loser tonight is if he totally lays an egg for both of his performances and/or forgets his words. As I said before, if all was right with the world, our finale would consist of Adam and Kris. Danny needs to go after last week's horendous solo performance. Will we be in for a surprise tomorrow night? I certainly hope so!
There are a few things about the show that bug me; things that do not make it perfect in my mind. Clearly there have been front runners that showed their star power in the very beginning of the season. A couple still remain yet others have floundered. If all was right with the world, Danny Gokey would've been voted out last week if not sooner. I was a Gokey fan in the beginning. But I no longer find him to be all that appealing. I don't fault him for the producers pimping the backstory about his dead wife from the very beginning. I do, however, fault his inability to step up and deliver more memorable performances than he has. You compare him to Adam Lambert and you should be able to tell this season's winner based on that comparison. Yet for some reason, Danny has a strong contingent of fans. In their eyes, Gokey can do no wrong, especially butchering the last few notes in a classic Aerosmith song. In a perfect world, we would end up with a Kris vs. Adam finale. However, with the producers and judges behind him, Danny will more than likely withstand tonight's onslaught of voting to make it into next week's finale.
The whole Danny Gokey pimping by the judges has been just as puzzling for me than anything else. Kris Allen has proven to be a very versatile singer; changing arrangements and performing in a style unique to all of the others. He's the most musically inclined as well; mostly playing the guitar but also sitting behind a piano, too. Rightfully Kris should be up there with Adam in the finale next week. But get ready Kris Allen fans, he will most likely be thrown under the bus like he has been the past few weeks. Thankfully the fans stood up for him and voted him through to this very point. Instead of praising Kris for his musicality, he'll likely instead be criticized for not showing confidence, not displaying a more likable personality, or not connecting with the song. Meanwhile after Danny performs, if he lays an egg on stage, that won't matter. They'll praise him for taking risks and handing out A++ for effort. After all, Paula Abdul has visions of seeing Danny all the way through to the finale. Honestly, has Danny lived up to that early hype? Not by a long shot. But with a strong backing of fans and the judges absolutely drooling over his mediocre performances, the writing is on the wall that we'll see Danny next week. And that really makes me sad.
This, for me, is where the show gets frustrating. Last year I was upset at negative comments from people against David Archuleta. I hate to say it, but I am finding it to be a similar situation to what Danny faces this year, except that Archie was A LOT better. He put together a whole slew of memorable performances while Danny lays a large pile of mediocre crap. I just don't feel Archie got the praise and respect that he deserved and in my mind, he still isn't getting it. But I don't believe David got nearly the amount of pimping that Danny has gotten this year. I mean it's so obvious that it's ridiculous. And Danny isn't nearly as good of a singer as David Archuleta! Check out some of the videos out there of from Danny Gokey's hometown celebration this past weekend where he attempted to sing Micheal Jackson's "Billy Jean." He barely remembered the chorus let alone the rest of the song! I mean it honestly got embarrassing after awhile. This is going to be our season eight runner up or *gasp* the eventual winner? I shutter to think about that scenario actually happening.
So everyone out there in Idol land, please be sure to vote for Kris Allen or Adam Lambert so we can have the very best singers and performers in this season's finale. If there's going to be a shocking elimination this season, it has to be this week and it needs to be one of the prodigal sons from the start of the competition; the one who's wife passed away and whom the producers kept reminding us about it over and over again for several weeks in the beginning. I'll change my mind if Danny puts together a couple of memorable performances tonight. However, if Kris Allen is just as good if not better than Danny, then my support will quickly go towards Adam and Kris. I don't care how good Danny is tonight; if Kris is good if not better, then that's all she wrote. The only way, in my mind, for Kris to be a loser tonight is if he totally lays an egg for both of his performances and/or forgets his words. As I said before, if all was right with the world, our finale would consist of Adam and Kris. Danny needs to go after last week's horendous solo performance. Will we be in for a surprise tomorrow night? I certainly hope so!
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Closure
Nearly four months after her passing, my Grandma Lillian was laid to rest at the local cemetery yesterday. I have to say, I was expecting it to be a lot harder than it was. Maybe I didn't let myself absolutely fall to pieces at seeing her carried out of the hearse and onto the spot where she was going to be buried. But then again, seeing that it has been nearly four months after her death, enough time has passed where I've accepted it. Don't get me wrong, I was still sad. She was my grandmother after all; the closest I was to the two. But she is in a better place and no longer suffering. There were a couple of moments where I was about to get teary-eyed; specifically when the priest referred to her as "our sister" and how she was "sent to be with the angels in heaven." We all had the opportunity to stand next to her casket, but I felt that would just be too awkward with the crowd that was gathered there. We also could've watched her get lowered into the ground, but my sister was already a wreck during the memorial so be opted not to.
I was glad and rather humbled to see the crowd of people that showed up at my grandmother's burial service. I was expecting a much smaller group of people; generally just the immediate family. I would say at least 40 to 50 people were there and it actually warmed my heart that my grandmother had a healthy crowd at her service. She definitely deserved it. I even got to see a former teacher from high school there and a former custodian that I worked with for three years and whom became like a second mother to me. Obviously it's not the greatest of circumstances to see these people again, but nonetheless, it was still nice to see them after all these years.
After the service concluded, we headed over to the local Lutheran Church for a small luncheon. My grandmother had told my mom before she died that she did not care to have a public service like a wake, but she was open to having a small luncheon after her burial service. And I've got to admit, it was a perfect thing to have. I would say there was a large-enough crowd at the church and plenty of food. I got to speak with a bunch of people that I hadn't spoken to in quite some time and I even met a few others for the first time. Actually there was too much food as some of the items weren't even touched. But at least there was more than enough food than not enough. Once the luncheon concluded, we headed out to my grandmother's farm.
It's not a big secret that my mom's side of the family isn't particularly close. My mom was the only girl in the family and with three brothers, she was the closest to her mother. And after a visit to the farm, I realized that we probably won't be making too many more trips out there in the future. For my immediate family, grandma was really the only reason to go out to the farm. And our visits there really were few and far between. Unless our relationship with my uncles and cousins should miraculously change in the future, I just don't see how we'll need to be out there, particularly me. I was never around them that much growing up and I think it's too late in the game to start caring now.
All in all, my grandmother's burial brought me some closure of her passing but also left me with a bittersweet feeling. As I walked the grounds of the farm, I remembered certain spots that brought back memories of my time as a kid and young adult at grandma's. There were plenty of fond memories and a few I'd rather just forget. But then those were likely all of the memories that would accumulate from that point on at the farm. Without grandma, there's really no need for me to visit the farm. And so it would appear that that particular chapter has thus closed in my life.
I was glad and rather humbled to see the crowd of people that showed up at my grandmother's burial service. I was expecting a much smaller group of people; generally just the immediate family. I would say at least 40 to 50 people were there and it actually warmed my heart that my grandmother had a healthy crowd at her service. She definitely deserved it. I even got to see a former teacher from high school there and a former custodian that I worked with for three years and whom became like a second mother to me. Obviously it's not the greatest of circumstances to see these people again, but nonetheless, it was still nice to see them after all these years.
After the service concluded, we headed over to the local Lutheran Church for a small luncheon. My grandmother had told my mom before she died that she did not care to have a public service like a wake, but she was open to having a small luncheon after her burial service. And I've got to admit, it was a perfect thing to have. I would say there was a large-enough crowd at the church and plenty of food. I got to speak with a bunch of people that I hadn't spoken to in quite some time and I even met a few others for the first time. Actually there was too much food as some of the items weren't even touched. But at least there was more than enough food than not enough. Once the luncheon concluded, we headed out to my grandmother's farm.
It's not a big secret that my mom's side of the family isn't particularly close. My mom was the only girl in the family and with three brothers, she was the closest to her mother. And after a visit to the farm, I realized that we probably won't be making too many more trips out there in the future. For my immediate family, grandma was really the only reason to go out to the farm. And our visits there really were few and far between. Unless our relationship with my uncles and cousins should miraculously change in the future, I just don't see how we'll need to be out there, particularly me. I was never around them that much growing up and I think it's too late in the game to start caring now.
All in all, my grandmother's burial brought me some closure of her passing but also left me with a bittersweet feeling. As I walked the grounds of the farm, I remembered certain spots that brought back memories of my time as a kid and young adult at grandma's. There were plenty of fond memories and a few I'd rather just forget. But then those were likely all of the memories that would accumulate from that point on at the farm. Without grandma, there's really no need for me to visit the farm. And so it would appear that that particular chapter has thus closed in my life.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
American Idol 8 - Top 4
Ah, a rock theme on Idol. This is a first for the show and I don't think they've ever had a more reluctant mentor on the show than Slash. I don't really think he was all that thrilled in being a mentor, however, he made the most of it. I actually enjoyed that he had the whole band playing while the contestants sang. It truly was a nice effect. With that being said, we are getting closer and closer to the finale; only three weeks away! Hard to believe how quickly this season has come to a close. And with all things considered, we really haven't had a shocking elimination yet this season. Could that still be in the cards after this week's performances? Only time will tell. Let's get on with the recaps, why don't we?
Adam Lambert - "Whole Lotta Love" : For the first time this season, Adam is performing first. I think Adam is going to do quite well this week with the rock theme. I mean, people had the same thoughts going into disco week and he did well with that particular theme. He definitely picked the right song to fit his rocker-mentality and he absolutely knocked it out of the park. It's a very powerful performance with stellar vocals and he certainly has that rock star swagger. He's working it out tonight and this rock theme fits Adam like a hand fits a glove. I would say he's a bit more toned down than I thought he would be - not as many rock wails like he's known for. All things considered, Adam did very well tonight and it was a great way to start the night out.
Allison Iraheta - "Cry Baby" : No surprise here, but another one that should do quite well with this theme is Allison. I believe she's the first female rocker to make it as far as she has in this competition. Usually we have the R'nB Diva's to advance further, but not this season. Like with most of her performances in season eight, she had a few enunciation issues, especially earlier on in her performance. However, everything else about it was great. She's very confident on that stage and I will agree with Simon insomuch as to her growth from the beginning of her live performances to now. I mean sure, it's not the most familiar Janis Joplin song ever, but she really worked it out and made it her own. I believe she did a very smart thing in not picking "Another Little Piece of my Heart" because it had been done numerous times on the show. Well done Allison, well done.
Kris Allen & Danny Gokey - "Renegade" (DUET #1) : Now we come to the very first duet ever performed during a live performance show, other than the finale results show. And I've got to say, this will be a very interesting pairing, considering that this genre doesn't fit Kris or Danny all that well. They are more known for the Christian Contemporary music. I will agree with Randy in that their harmonizing together was wicked good. But their solo efforts in the song fell particularly flat. I heard a few off-pitch notes from both Kris and Danny at times. I didn't think they complemented each other that well on this duet. Maybe another song would've suited them both better. And Danny just might have taken the lead and picked this song without much input from Kris, seeing as they were having a difficult time choosing a song. And I didn't think Kris was that bad - he was probably about equal to Danny's performance.
Kris Allen - "Come Together" : It's kind of unfair how Kris had to sing back-to-back like this. The song order was especially odd and Kris is at a bit of a disadvantage this week because of it. I remember Carly Smithson's version of the song last year and she did an absolutely phenomenal job with it. Will Kris leave the same impression? I agree that this hard-rock genre doesn't fit Kris all that well. However, I really think he worked it out and it wasn't as bad as the judges made it out to be. I really loved his electric guitar playing skills and he is truly this season's musician. I didn't really notice a lot of pitchiness except for one note about two-thirds of the way through. I really enjoyed it when he slowed the tempo down for a brief moment and sung at a lower octave and encouraged the audience to clap along. Yes, this isn't the type of music suited for Kris, I get that. But quit throwing him under the bus just because he's not a judge's favorite.
Danny Gokey - "Dream On" : We are getting a lot of repeat song choices from season seven this week. Danny picks a classic Aerosmith song chosen by Michael Johns in season seven; the song that got him booted out in a shocking elimination. Could the same fate be set in stone for Danny? If that last note in the taped piece with Slash is any indication, this could be a total train wreck for Danny. I love the song but I think it's simply too big for Danny. He does a classic interpretation of the song from the start; as it's supposed to sound. He doesn't make a whole lot of changes with the melodies. He gradually builds the song up to its classic rock-sound. And then he sings the chorus over and over again. Finally, we get to the last few notes and oh my god ... my ears! It's like a combination of a fire alarm going off and a chorus of cats screeching. It really is that bad. I believe he should be eliminated simply because of that horrendous performance.
Adam Lambert & Allison Iraheta - "Slow Ride" (DUET #2) : Thank god for this last duet; I can't imagine the show ending with Danny's horrible performance. The Adam and Allison pairing is like a match made in rock heaven. These two had the best solo performances of the night and I agree with Kara in that they complemented each other very well and pushed each other to do better. It was an outstanding vocal from them both and honestly, what more is there to say? They are truly in their element with this theme. I think the addition of duets this season is an interesting change and it obviously worked well for some contestants and not for others. It all comes down to being paired with the right people and the producers knew exactly what they were doing with this pairing. It ended up being the perfect way to end the show. Adam basically book-ended tonight's performance show!
Ah yes, now to the all important performance rankings. Who was the best and who did the absolute worst? Here are my picks:
1.) Adam Lambert (officially eliminated - 5/11/09)
2.) Allison Iraheta
3.) Kris Allen (eliminated)
4.) Danny Gokey (bottom two)
I included a space between Kris Allen and Danny Gokey in the rankings because Danny was just that bad. I think if he didn't push that final note, it would've been a little tolerable of a performance than it was. Obviously he had to know it wasn't going to work. I mean, even while Slash was mentoring him, it sounded horrendous. How could he be so misguided? Taking all things into consideration, I don't believe Danny will get voted off even though he was horrendously bad. The judges threw Kris Allen under the bus for a second consecutive week - in fact, I think overall they all were rather harsh with him. And of course, they are still pimping Danny for the finale even though he had a pretty rough night. They could've told him it was his worst performance to date or even said they simply did not like it. But no, they have to tell him they'll give him an A+ for effort and they commend him for taking risks. What is that all about?! Obviously I'm not very happy because I have a strong feeling Kris will get the boot and Danny will be saved. I HOPE I AM WRONG!
Please be sure to enjoy tonight's results show! Unfortunately I cannot watch it live and will have to watch it back later. Here's hoping Danny finally gets the boot!
Adam Lambert - "Whole Lotta Love" : For the first time this season, Adam is performing first. I think Adam is going to do quite well this week with the rock theme. I mean, people had the same thoughts going into disco week and he did well with that particular theme. He definitely picked the right song to fit his rocker-mentality and he absolutely knocked it out of the park. It's a very powerful performance with stellar vocals and he certainly has that rock star swagger. He's working it out tonight and this rock theme fits Adam like a hand fits a glove. I would say he's a bit more toned down than I thought he would be - not as many rock wails like he's known for. All things considered, Adam did very well tonight and it was a great way to start the night out.
Allison Iraheta - "Cry Baby" : No surprise here, but another one that should do quite well with this theme is Allison. I believe she's the first female rocker to make it as far as she has in this competition. Usually we have the R'nB Diva's to advance further, but not this season. Like with most of her performances in season eight, she had a few enunciation issues, especially earlier on in her performance. However, everything else about it was great. She's very confident on that stage and I will agree with Simon insomuch as to her growth from the beginning of her live performances to now. I mean sure, it's not the most familiar Janis Joplin song ever, but she really worked it out and made it her own. I believe she did a very smart thing in not picking "Another Little Piece of my Heart" because it had been done numerous times on the show. Well done Allison, well done.
Kris Allen & Danny Gokey - "Renegade" (DUET #1) : Now we come to the very first duet ever performed during a live performance show, other than the finale results show. And I've got to say, this will be a very interesting pairing, considering that this genre doesn't fit Kris or Danny all that well. They are more known for the Christian Contemporary music. I will agree with Randy in that their harmonizing together was wicked good. But their solo efforts in the song fell particularly flat. I heard a few off-pitch notes from both Kris and Danny at times. I didn't think they complemented each other that well on this duet. Maybe another song would've suited them both better. And Danny just might have taken the lead and picked this song without much input from Kris, seeing as they were having a difficult time choosing a song. And I didn't think Kris was that bad - he was probably about equal to Danny's performance.
Kris Allen - "Come Together" : It's kind of unfair how Kris had to sing back-to-back like this. The song order was especially odd and Kris is at a bit of a disadvantage this week because of it. I remember Carly Smithson's version of the song last year and she did an absolutely phenomenal job with it. Will Kris leave the same impression? I agree that this hard-rock genre doesn't fit Kris all that well. However, I really think he worked it out and it wasn't as bad as the judges made it out to be. I really loved his electric guitar playing skills and he is truly this season's musician. I didn't really notice a lot of pitchiness except for one note about two-thirds of the way through. I really enjoyed it when he slowed the tempo down for a brief moment and sung at a lower octave and encouraged the audience to clap along. Yes, this isn't the type of music suited for Kris, I get that. But quit throwing him under the bus just because he's not a judge's favorite.
Danny Gokey - "Dream On" : We are getting a lot of repeat song choices from season seven this week. Danny picks a classic Aerosmith song chosen by Michael Johns in season seven; the song that got him booted out in a shocking elimination. Could the same fate be set in stone for Danny? If that last note in the taped piece with Slash is any indication, this could be a total train wreck for Danny. I love the song but I think it's simply too big for Danny. He does a classic interpretation of the song from the start; as it's supposed to sound. He doesn't make a whole lot of changes with the melodies. He gradually builds the song up to its classic rock-sound. And then he sings the chorus over and over again. Finally, we get to the last few notes and oh my god ... my ears! It's like a combination of a fire alarm going off and a chorus of cats screeching. It really is that bad. I believe he should be eliminated simply because of that horrendous performance.
Adam Lambert & Allison Iraheta - "Slow Ride" (DUET #2) : Thank god for this last duet; I can't imagine the show ending with Danny's horrible performance. The Adam and Allison pairing is like a match made in rock heaven. These two had the best solo performances of the night and I agree with Kara in that they complemented each other very well and pushed each other to do better. It was an outstanding vocal from them both and honestly, what more is there to say? They are truly in their element with this theme. I think the addition of duets this season is an interesting change and it obviously worked well for some contestants and not for others. It all comes down to being paired with the right people and the producers knew exactly what they were doing with this pairing. It ended up being the perfect way to end the show. Adam basically book-ended tonight's performance show!
Ah yes, now to the all important performance rankings. Who was the best and who did the absolute worst? Here are my picks:
1.) Adam Lambert (officially eliminated - 5/11/09)
2.) Allison Iraheta
3.) Kris Allen (eliminated)
4.) Danny Gokey (bottom two)
I included a space between Kris Allen and Danny Gokey in the rankings because Danny was just that bad. I think if he didn't push that final note, it would've been a little tolerable of a performance than it was. Obviously he had to know it wasn't going to work. I mean, even while Slash was mentoring him, it sounded horrendous. How could he be so misguided? Taking all things into consideration, I don't believe Danny will get voted off even though he was horrendously bad. The judges threw Kris Allen under the bus for a second consecutive week - in fact, I think overall they all were rather harsh with him. And of course, they are still pimping Danny for the finale even though he had a pretty rough night. They could've told him it was his worst performance to date or even said they simply did not like it. But no, they have to tell him they'll give him an A+ for effort and they commend him for taking risks. What is that all about?! Obviously I'm not very happy because I have a strong feeling Kris will get the boot and Danny will be saved. I HOPE I AM WRONG!
Please be sure to enjoy tonight's results show! Unfortunately I cannot watch it live and will have to watch it back later. Here's hoping Danny finally gets the boot!
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Road Construction
Spring is here and with it comes road construction. Here in the Marquette area, there is going to be plenty of road work this spring and summer. Call me crazy, but I get rather excited to hear about roads in the local area being worked on. It's a mentality that has been with me ever since I was little - but I will admit that waiting through a construction zone can get pretty aggravating, especially when you don't plan enough time to be waiting at a construction zone and end up being late for your destination. Obviously road construction is a headache while it's going on, but the finished product makes all that worth while.As I mentioned, there is lots of road construction activity taking place this year within the Marquette area. The majority of the projects are being funded with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These are projects that have been on the back burner and were "shovel ready," meaning projects ready to begin at a moments notice except they lacked the needed funding to start. The ARRA helped many of these projects get off the ground. I am a big supporter of the infrastructure-portion of the ARRA because much of the nation's roads and bridges need work. The last time such a project took place was during the last major economic crisis around the time of the depression. But I don't believe enough money was allocated towards infrastructure improvements in our country with the ARRA and was wasted on other areas. That's just my opinion; take it with a grain of salt if you disagree.
One of the first road projects to get started this season is along US-41 and M-28 in South Marquette and in the nearby community of Harvey. The road crew there is replacing concrete joints and fixing potholes by pouring new cement in these areas. This is a five-lane stretch of road that was originally built in the 1960's. The cement used to build this highway is 40-50 years old. Obviously it's nearing the end of its life, but the state department of transportation is hoping to "extend the life" of this stretch of pavement by fixing joints and potholes. A similar repair was last done in this area only three years ago, yet here we go again. And I remember the incredible traffic back-ups that existed when the highway was shrunk down to two lanes. I had never seen the traffic backed up as badly as it was; and there were no accidents that day! What does that tell you about the condition of the road surface itself - in that three years later, more joints are being replaced. Obviously the Michigan DOT is doing the most proactive thing it can do by replacing the joints and potholes and extending the surface life of the road. I imagine if they would've let this road deteriorate even further and not done any repairs for two or three years, it could've been in much worse shape. It's clear to me these sections of roadway are in need of a total overhaul sooner rather than later. But like I've said in previous blogs, the state of Michigan is facing major budget obstacles and it's not likely to get any better in future years. Moneys for roadway repairs will continue to dwindle further and further.
Another project being funded with ARRA money is the eastbound lanes of 41/28 right along the busiest stretch of highway in the Upper Peninsula - between Wal-Mart and the Holiday Inn. MDOT doesn't want to cause massive traffic back-ups on this stretch of road during peak driving hours, so they are going to perform the majority of the work at night. The last time this roadway was resurfaced was at least ten years ago - and it certainly needs the work. Underneath the layer or two of asphalt is an old concrete highway. Along with the asphalt, the cement is also deteriorating. So the road crews have to repair the joints on the old cement portion of the highway along with resurfacing the asphalt to make for a more smoother ride. I cannot say exactly when this portion of highway was originally built, but my best estimate would be in the 1960's and '70's. It, too, needs a total overhaul but that's something we'll likely not see for sometime. And I've got to admit, the last resurfacing held up pretty well within ten years-time. Here's hoping the next round will last just as long.
The next project is a complete resurfacing of state highway 553 from the junction of US-41/28 to the junction of County Road 480 at the Crossroads. It's a little over six miles of roadway and again, this resurfacing is sorely needed. This is a project that MDOT has funded on its own as it is not using any ARRA money. Roughly ten years ago (if not more than that), this roadway was classified as a county highway with no state jurisdiction. MDOT took over this roadway from the county after K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base closed and the county moved the airport to the former air base. At the time, a major state highway was not designated in and around the former air force base. Seeing that the airport was moving out there and people needed to be familiar with a route to and from the airport that they could find on a map, they took over this and another highway from Marquette County. Minor repairs have been undertaken on this stretch of roadway since MDOT took over, but no major repairs (except for the installation of a new bridge after the spring floods in 2002). I travel part of this route on a daily basis, so I am looking forward to a much smoother ride.
Last but not least for this construction season is a major reconstruction of an intersection within the community of Harvey and the resurfacing of US-41 south of Harvey to Beaver Grove. The intersection in question is where M-28 heads east towards Munising and US-41 heads south. North takes you to Marquette and west takes you to County Road 480. It's a busy intersection that has a six-phase traffic signal. Much of the traffic either heads east or north and during busiest peak travel times, the one lane of traffic designated for these traffic movements usually is inadequate. The surface of the intersection is also in bad shape - again it's that 1960's-era concrete that has outlived it's usefulness. I know MDOT has tried to patch the worst spots at the intersection, but it hasn't been enough. The road surface is crumbling and MDOT is taking the initiative to completely reconstruct the intersection with asphalt and to erect a new modernized traffic signal there. I am hoping as part of the intersection's reconstruction, two lanes of traffic will be designated for the eastward-moving cars traveling on M-28. That is where I can see the biggest improvement existing for this intersection as well as a better timed signal, too. And typically I never have to travel east from this intersection but I can just imagine the frustration that some people must feel of waiting and waiting at this signal daily due to the congestion that exists. Hopefully the work planned this summer at this location will alleviate some of the frustration of drivers here.
Along with the work at this intersection is the resurfacing of US-41 south of M-28 for approximately three miles. This stretch of roadway is two lanes and underneath the three layers of asphalt is a crumbling concrete roadway. Again, I don't know the exact age of the original roadway, but I would guess at least the 1950's. MDOT again will do a quick patch and fix of this highway that needs a total reconstruction. I believe the last time they resurfaced this road was only four years ago. But already, it seems much older with the surface crumbling at the joints in the old concrete road. If they ever do decide to reconstruct this roadway in the future, I am hoping they at least put in a two-laned highway with a center turn lane. It has become a busy stretch of highway that is in need of expansion and reconstruction. Here's hoping the latest resurfacing last much longer than the last repair did.
I feel as if I may be boring some people with the subject matter of road construction. Can you tell that it's a passion of mine, even though I am sitting on the sidelines? If I was smarter at math, one of my dream jobs would've been to become a roadway engineer. But, it wasn't meant to be. At least in regards to roadways here in the Upper Peninsula, they usually do not hold up for that long. And that is why road construction will always exist!
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