The season opener will be the traditional “Ford Motor Company Day” luncheon on
Thursday, Sept. 27 at the Ford Conference and Event Center in Dearborn. In what
has become a spectacular Adcraft tradition, the Ford Day blockbuster will feature
a mini-concert by Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis, winner and first runner-up in this
year’s American Idol competition.
*Blake Lewis - This Love and You Give Love a Bad Name
*Jordin Sparks - Broken Wing and This Is My Now
*Duet - You Were Meant For Me
Blake Lewis may be an American Idol with thousands of rabid fans throughout the world, but his heart is still in Seattle.
Sanjaya Malakar and Blake Lewis, the two Seattle-based runners-up on "American Idol," are coming home tonight. "American Idols Live," the three-month, 56-stop tour, featuring the top 10 contestants from last season's show, will be at the Tacoma Dome tonight and back on the road Saturday morning.
Blake Lewis is coming home.
He captured the hearts and ears of Americans across the country as he climbed into the finals on "American Idol" with his remarkable, unique and clever sound, but only the greater Seattle area can lay claim to the Bothell resident, and he'll be the one all eyes are on when the "American Idols Live" tour stops tonight at the Tacoma Dome.
Hoop earrings, sparkly eye shadow and ponytails might as well have been mandatory at Friday night's "American Idols Live" concert at the Tacoma Dome.
For almost three full hours, more than 10,000 fans were on their feet, screaming — no, squealing — as the top 10 contestants from season six of "American Idol" crooned, shimmied and strutted like the newly anointed rock stars they are.
Yesterday, I covered “American Idols Live.” I’m not a fan of the show. In fact, unlike the majority of America, I’ve never watched one single episode. I don’t even really own a television. (Okay, my roommate has a television, but we have no cable and she doesn’t watch it that much either except for her Planet Earth DVD set.)
I’m so out of the pop culture loop, I even had to ask for help on the cutlines. I really had no idea who these people were, but apparently, two are from the Seattle area.
All the finalists played to their vocal specialties, especially Blake Lewis, whose beat-boxing brought the crowd to its feet.
TV Guide: Have any of the other guys written for you?
Phil: Yeah! Chris Richardson and I have been writing a lot. He's just a phenomenal writer. He may end up with tracks on Jordin's record and Blake's record. Who knows, you know? Chris Sligh has written me some songs....
The next segment was one of the show's highlights, as Doolittle and LaKisha appeared in long white gowns and sang a medley of the Supremes' "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Baby Love." The Motown mojo continued once Richardson joined the fray for a solid take on the old Marvin Gaye hit "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."
Lewis, as expected, showed off the one main thing that separates him from the crowd -- his beat-boxing skills. The first dose was impressive.
Second-place finisher Blake Lewis seemed to be the only one working without some kind of guide vocal, occasionally straining for a note and at one point experimenting with a looping device. Consequently, his performances were among the best, with a natural connection with the screaming masses -- and enough beat-boxing to fill a "Fat Boys" album and two "Police Academy" sequels.
The stars, Jordin and the Cake boys, gave the fans what they wanted.
Chris Richardson proved to be the workhorse, appearing in nine of the first 25 numbers. What Chris lacks in outright star power, he makes up for in versatility. He gave us pop ("This Love"), soul ("Ain't No Sunshine"), country (a duet with Jordin on "What Hurts the Most"), played acoustic guitar twice and manned the drums for "Crazy" and "Hey, Jude."
Runner-up Blake Lewis got a three-song mini-set at the end of the first act. The opening "Time of the Season" fell flat and the closing "You Give Love a Bad Name" was fine.
But it was the middle song, Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved" that provided the evening's most interesting moments. Armed with an acoustic guitar and a foot-controlled playback unit, Blake built the song layer by layer into a dense fugue, topping it off by injecting a phrase from U2's "With or Without You."
If he can write songs as well as he can rethink them, Blake will be the one member of this year's Idol crowd we'll recognize 10 years from now.The stars, Jordin and the Cake boys, gave the fans what they wanted.
Chris Richardson proved to be the workhorse, appearing in nine of the first 25 numbers. What Chris lacks in outright star power, he makes up for in versatility. He gave us pop ("This Love"), soul ("Ain't No Sunshine"), country (a duet with Jordin on "What Hurts the Most"), played acoustic guitar twice and manned the drums for "Crazy" and "Hey, Jude."
Runner-up Blake Lewis got a three-song mini-set at the end of the first act. The opening "Time of the Season" fell flat and the closing "You Give Love a Bad Name" was fine.
But it was the middle song, Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved" that provided the evening's most interesting moments. Armed with an acoustic guitar and a foot-controlled playback unit, Blake built the song layer by layer into a dense fugue, topping it off by injecting a phrase from U2's "With or Without You."
If he can write songs as well as he can rethink them, Blake will be the one member of this year's Idol crowd we'll recognize 10 years from now.
The crowd erupted as the sounds of someone beat boxing was heard and the second Blake stepped on stage everyone seemed to get out of their seats and go absolutely insane. Blake began his three song set with the Zombie’s “Time of Season.” Blake sounded great live and the more I looked up at the big screen the more I realized, not only an this boy work the crowd, but he sure as hell knows how to work the camera as well.
