Adventures: The American Idol LIVE! Concert in Portland

Hello World. As I'm sure you already know, my mom and I traveled from Colorado to Portland, Oregon, JUST to see the American Idol concert. I've already published a few posts about this topic, like with the awesome shirt I made based off of Paul's rhinestone cowboy suit.

Why yes, it is an awesome shirt.

Let's get onto the real story, though. You need a review of the American Idol concert (in my typical style) and the after party.

The Concert (these lovely pictures were taken by my mom)

So, my mom purchased Row Nine tickets for us (after already purchasing row 17 tickets, which we sold to the girl who cut my hair who originally had row 300 tickets, but that's another story), and we were so super close to the stage, it was ridiculous. We sat next to this girl, Madeline, and her mom who were just fabulous. Madeline was super pretty and had won the Miss Oregon Pre-Teen natural pageant. She got to meet and interview Lauren Alaina and Scotty the Body, Flute Extraordinaire before the concert because she came wearing her crown and sash (I'll post a video of that interview at the end). Also because she was wearing the crown and sash, some lady gave her and her mom Row Nine tickets when they were originally in row 100 with her dad and brother. (This is a crazy coincidence that she sat there, stay tuned, you'll see.)

So, the show opened with the girls singing "Born This Way," and then Perfect Pia sang and I tried not to fall asleep during her boring ballad and stand dancing.

Check out my stand dancing.

This is the best part of the concert....Paul McDonald sang fourth. My mom and I decided to stand up during his performance, and we were pretty much the only ones to do this. At one point I lifted my hands up in the air in the shape of a heart (this sounds stupid, but...) and he pointed at me! Straight at me. He pointed at me again later in the song and gave me the OK sign. Here is photographic proof of the point.

Rachel, you're awesome.

Stefano also performed at some point during the show. He was very dramatic onstage and just ridiculous. He also lifted up his shirt at one point, and also took off his shirt. For the ladies.

Before the intermission, Casey Abrams performed. He was so awesome! I also stood up during his song (again, one of the few), and so did these ladies on the other side of us, and Cabrams gave us a thumbs up! It was so awesome, and the ladies next to us freaked out during this and the PMcD point.

It was also funny watching Paul trying to do the choreographed dancing during the group performance of "Forget You." He hated it, and he looked ridiculous trying to dance. It was rather amusing.

After the intermission, Lauren Alaina performed (during her song "Like My Sister/Mom Does" my mom and I looked through the hilarious pictures she had taken of me earlier that day), and so did Jacob "I Gyrate for Jesus" Lusk. After those boring performers, James Durbin took to the stage!! He entered from the back of the stadium and came through the crowd on the floor, it was so cool. Also, everyone was on their feet for both of James' song, and he garnered more cheers from the audience than anyone, including Scotty.

Haley performed very well, she sang "House of the Rising Sun" and "Bennie and the Jets." After her came Scotty the Body, and he did relatively well, too. The only disappointment is that he didn't hold his microphone like a flute (they've broken him).

Now, here comes the best part of the story. When Scotty began performing "Gone," the song right before the finale, Madeline and her mom asked my mom and I if we wanted to come with them to the tour buses. Lauren told Madeline during her interview that they'll all be coming out to greet the fans at the tour buses after the show is over. Without hesitation, I said yes!

Me and one of my new besties, Madeline! (How cute is she?)

I know it looks like I have no hair...but I just got it cut really short, just a few hours after we arrived in Portland. Thank you for noticing.

Post-Concert: Meeting the Idols

So we got to the tour buses at the perfect time, right before a hundred people flooded the area. We waited for quite awhile, probably a little under an hour or something, for the Idols to make their appearance. (In the meantime, I flirted with the cute security-type guy who was watching us at the fence, he was an excellent listener. Haha.) Then, the Idols made their appearance. Let's break it down.

Stefano came out first, and lifted his shirt up for the screeching girls (he did this onstage once or twice too). He stayed out until it was time for them all to leave, which was really cool that he stayed out that long. Funny story: This one girl really wanted a picture with Stefano, and so I told her I'd help her get him back over to our area. He was just about to walk away when I yelled out, "Stefano! Stefano! Lorenzo!" (This is what my mom called him all season for some reason.) So he came over to me and this girl and said, "Why are you calling me Lorenzo?" It was classic. But we got the picture, and now that girl has a great story behind it!

Naima came out and she looked beautiful! She is even prettier in person. In concert she sang "On the Floor," by JLo, and when she signed my paper I said, "You sang that song better than Jennifer did." And Naima laughed and said, "I'll take that!"

Haley and Thia also gave me their autographs, so that was nifty. I saw PMcD come out of the tour bus at some point, but he went to the other side. Then after a few minutes he went back into the tour bus and held up one finger as if to say, "One minute," so I figured he'd come back out.

Lauren Alaina came out and greeted everyone, went around a few times, just to make sure she signed everything. This was so awesome, especially because she was limping. Apparently, before she was going to perform, she fell down some stairs (yes, again) and twisted her ankle. But Lauren was a trooper and went around and signed everything. Major props to that girl.

James Durbin came out and made sure he signed every little thing that his fans wanted, it was awesome. He even took someone's poster and sat down on the ground to sign it correctly and awesomely for her. This guy is so dedicated to his fans, it's amazing. There is no one better to be a fan of than Twitch because he really cares about his fans. When he came around and signed my ticket, I told him, "James, you did great tonight. And also, I think you should have won. Seriously." James got all humble and said, "Oh, thank you." I think he knew he should have won, but he was still humble about it. Then I got a picture with him and with Madeline's brother (he was also a huge fan)!

James looks awesome, Madeline's brother looks excited, I look a bit ridiculous. (It was from joy.)

Casey Abrams also came around. Fun fact about Cabrams: He went to University of Colorado which is in Boulder (this is important to our conversation). He was signing somebody's thing near me, and here's how our conversation went.

CA: "You can touch my hair." (He said this to somebody else, but I jumped in anyway.)

Me: "Can I have a lock of your hair?" (joking)

CA: "Yeah, totally, if you scissors." (joking)

Me: "Darn it, I don't have any scissors." (joking)

Crazy Lady Near Us: "I had scissors in my purse, but I took them out. I shouldn't have done that..." (not joking)

Me: "Hey Casey, I'm from near Boulder." (When he came over to sign my paper)

CA: "Really, you are? Where?"

Me: "Just outside of Denver."

CA: "Where?"

Me: "The city I live in." (I don't want the blogosphere to know what city I live in.)

CA: "Oh, I've heard of that place."

Me: "Yeah, it's really nice. So, I flew all the way out here just to see you and Paul."

CA: "You did?"

Me: "Yes! And look at my shirt!" (I show him blingified shirt.)

CA: "Whoa!"

Me: "Yeah, I made this. I put on every rhinestone."

CA: "No way, that is so cool. I gotta get a picture of that." (He pulls out his cell phone.)

Me: "Oh, okay!" (I pose, and Casey literally took a picture of me in my shirt with his cell phone. I swear to Mumford & His Sons that this happened.)

My Mom: "You should text that to Paul and tell him to come out here!"

Me: "Oh yeah, can I get a picture with you too?"

CA: "Yeah, of course!"

Me: "Thanks, Casey!

CA: "Did you want to touch my hair or my beard?"

Me: "Can I do both?"

CA: "Of course!" (So I touched his hair and his beard.)

Me: "Wow, thank you for that."

CA: "No problem," (Then he started signing someone right next to me.)

Me: "Wait, Casey, do you like Mumford & Sons?"

CA: "Yeah, I love them!"

Me: "Sweet! I thought so." (Because of the whole stand up bass comradery thing.)

Obviously, me and Casey are like besties now. Don't believe me? Check out this picture of me and my new Idol Best Friend.

Me and my new bestie, Casey!

So there you have it, folks. I had a full-on conversation with Casey Abrams, and I got picture with him and James Durbin. It was overall a successful night.

But PMcD never came back out of the tour bus (I'm convinced he was talking to his skank Nikki Reed, that's what I told my mom). I was disappointed that I didn't get my shirt signed, but I was more disappointed that he didn't come out to greet his fans. We pushed him through the season when so many people didn't like him. Paul has lost me as a fan of him, but I'll still like his music. Sorry PMcD, you just lost your former biggest fan. If you had just come out to greet us, then I would have been your fan.

Scotty never came out either, but he was recording something.

Overall, this was a fantabulous night! I can't even describe the awesomeness that was July 9th in Portland. My mom and I were greeting the Idols until about midnight, and we had dinner at 1:30ish. It was so much fun, and if anybody gets a chance to go to the concert, GO! And find out where the tour buses are and miss the last two songs to get there, because it was so worth it.

PS: More pics coming tomorrow! Check back for that.

Here is the video of my new friend Madeline interviewing Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery (this country radio station liked her so much, they're making her a new correspondent! How cool is that?):

Adventures: American Idol LIVE! Concert Pre-Show

Once again, I felt ridiculous typing that title.
This is just a post to fill the necessary space. Tonight I will be attending the concert in Portland, Oregon, and I am ready to rock and roll. I have my earplugs for when Pia Toscano performs (seriously, that girl will bore me to death), the same earplugs for when Jacob Lusk performs (I should probably also bring an eye mask, just in case he gyrates for Jesus again), and my rhinestone cowboy shirt to catch Paul McDonald's attention. We are in Row Nine seats, and I am super pumped.

I could do without seeing most of these people.

I'm really only going to the concert to see PMcD, James Durbin, and Casey Abrams. I'll sit through Scotty McCreery (hopefully he reverts back to his fluting ways), Haley Reinhart, and the other average performances.

To get all of us pumped up, here are some videos from PMcD, Twitch, and Cabrams (how I've missed using those nicknames...):

 

There you have it, folks. The pre-show to the American Idol Portland Concert. If you're going, I'll see you there (it will be hard to miss the girl in the rhinestone covered shirt). If you're not, I'll let you know all about it upon my return.

Preparing for the American Idol LIVE! Concert

First of all, I felt really stupid typing that LIVE! part of the title. But hey, at least I know that all of the contestants are alive.
Secondly, (I'm sure) everyone here knows about the crush I used to have the fabulous Paul McDonald. He was in line to be my Future Fiance until he proposed to that slut Nikki Reed (just kidding, she's not a slut...completely), so I've moved onto Winston Marshall of Mumford & Sons. That's all beside the point. I'm still a huge fan of Paul McDonald and his awesome band The Grand Magnolias. Being the huge fan I am, I decided to bling-ify a shirt I got that is a replica of Paul's rhinestone cowboy suit. It took over 530 rhinestones and quite a few hours of hard, hard work (which was eased by the humor from How I Met Your Mother). But the results made it all worth it.

Here is Paul's original Rhinestone Cowboy Suit:

Next comes my replica of the shirt. I have before and after pictures.
BEFORE the blingification. There are black dots where I put the rhinestones. Front, back, detail.

So those are the before shots. Still a totally awesome shirt, but not as cool as....

AFTER the blingification. Front, back, detail.

How totally rad is that?! I think my shirt is so super awesome.

Mine and my mom's original plan was to (try to) find Paul McDonald in Portland and my shiny shirt would catch his attention. I may or may not continue with this semi-stalker plan, as long as I don't get arrested for it.

Here is a video to remind you all of PMcD's awesomeness.

I'll do a post on the concert when I return! Until then, enjoy my pre-planned posts through Wednesday.

Toodle-oo!

Attention World: New Mumford & Sons Song

Look, this is the highlight of my day, and possibly my week. Just now (literally, this just happened), I was gandering at Paul McDonald's Twitter, something which I haven't done in quite awhile, and he posted a link to a new Mum & Sons song! How excited are you? Super, I'm sure.

Here's the quick lowdown:
This song is called "Home," and this magical band recorded this song while on the radio, KBCO, in Denver (represent). After listening to this beautiful song, I realized that they sang this at the concert I attended in Denver (I'm pretty much 90% sure of this fact), and I was super excited. So anyway, this song is amazing. Marcus' voice sounds like an angel, and Winston's harmonies with him are breathtaking. Truly breathtaking. The instruments are soft, but they support the lyrics to a T. Here it is, folks! By the way, you're welcome (we should also thank Paul McDonald, who not only first got me to buy a Mum & Sons song, but also posted this link).
Click HERE to weep.
Did you weep? I bet you did.

We are spectacular.

BREAKING NEWS!!!

For me, maybe not for you. But apparently I missed something HUGE while I was in Mexico (darn vacations, always getting in the way).

Paul McDonald and Nikki Reed are engaged... When I first heard this, I wanted to laugh. They've been dating for, count them, THREE months. Who gets engaged after three months? Crazy people (sorry P McD, that's just the way it is), that's who. Oh, they also have matching tattoos on their fingers. That's so stupid. Take a gander at this couple that will likely last only another three months (also, who holds hands like that? Come on Paul, be a man).

This tattoo will be removed soon enough.

So there you have it, folks, the engagement of my Future Fiance to his temporary Fiancee. Paul is just confused at this time of his life, so I get it, he needs to fill that empty void in his heart (for now). Oh, I should add something hilarious that Nikki Reed said (no, not her repetition of "He's the one...he's the one." The one what?).

"He was signing to me the entire time I was getting ready today. Most people would be like, 'It's enough. Put down the guitar!' I'm like, 'Listen, if you want to sit on the couch and drink a beer and play guitar all day every day, I encourage it.'"

So now she's encouraging laziness. Come on, Nikki! If you're going to be his wife, you need to encourage him to make music, not to just play his guitar on the couch. He needs to get a Grand Magnolias album out there (for his fans).

Look, I'm sure you guys are concerned about my emotional and mental well-being upon hearing this news. I just want to assure you, I am fine, so please stop with all the sympathy cards and bouquets of flowers (although they're much appreciated). I'm trying to move on to other guys, until Paul sees his mistake and moves onto me (it's only a matter of time).
Here is my new list:
1) Prince Harry (good news, he's not getting married anytime soon. I think I'm going to take a trip to England and change his mind about that...)

2) Marcus Mumford (my love for Mumford & Sons has moved to something more, Marcus has captured part of my heart)

Come play the banjo with me.

3) Move to Mexico to Court Adolfo (sounds sketchy, I know, but it's all kosher. Ask my father)
4) Paul McDonald (he'll move back up once this engagement joke blows over)

Rachel, wait for me.

I will Paul, I will.

The End.

New Music: The Quirky Bands

As I've tried to make fully obvious, I am a huge, giant, mega fan of Mumford & Sons and The Grand Magnolias. These bands are amazing (but, no offense to my Future Fiance, Paul McDonald, Mumford & Sons have a slight edge right now), and their music moves me.
Mumford & Sons eloquently combine beautiful and emotional lyrics with a banjo and array of instruments, and Marcus Mumford's stunning voice. The Grand Magnolias have Paul McDonald who writes his own lyrics and music, and you can just feel the emotion in his voice.

Seeing how much I love these bands, it was only fitting to find new bands like them. I did some searching into deep, personal records (otherwise known as Wikipedia) and found other bands that my favorites have done past work or collaboration with.
Here they are.

Coming from Mumford & Sons...
Noah & The Whale
Wikipedia shared with me that Mumford & Sons have done some work with this fellow, quirky, British band, and I just had to check them out. Warning: Their lyrics aren't nearly as emotional as Mum's, and their music may not move as much as Mum's moves me. But their music is fun and folksy, and you just may dig it.
Here is one of their songs, called "5 Years Time."

So there is no official music video (sorry, guys), but I think this song is so fun and it makes me happy. Noah & The Whale is one to watch! They just may become popular in time (probably due to links with Mumford & Sons), and you can say "I knew them when...Rachel introduced them to me." You're welcome, in advance.
Other Noah & The Whale songs to check out:
"Rocks and Daggers," "Life is Life"

Coming from The Grand Magnolias...
The Dirty Guv'nahs
Their name is cool enough as it is. But seriously, this band is pretty rad. If you love Paul McDonald and The Grand Magnolias, you will definitely appreciate these guys. Their voice is unique (and somewhat reminds me of Kings of Leon) and their lyrics are meaningful, just like their buddy band (The Grand Mags). I will definitely be buying some of their music on iTunes (when I have money).
Here is one of their songs, "We'll Be the Light."

Pretty good, eh? I'm definitely digging this band right now. Also, there is a video on The Grand Magnolias' video stream (or whatever the YouTube lingo is) of these two bands playing together. Would you like to see it? Alrighty then!

Well...they're on stage together, or something (that wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be). So check them out!
Other The Dirty Guv'nahs songs to look up:
"Blue Rose Stroll," "Oh Jericho"

Enjoy this new helping of music!

American Idol Finale: And the Winner Is...

James Durbin!! Oh, wait, I may have have forgotten that he's not in the finals... How disappointing...
So, in reality, Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina and her sister/mom are anxiously waiting to see who will win season 10 of American Idol. I don't really care who wins. I just hope it's not Lauren (she's way too annoying).

So let's get on with it! I can't wait to see Paul McDonald and Twitch on the stage again. I've been waiting for this since they got voted off.

Why are both Lauren and Scotty dressed in all white? Are they trying to seem pure and clean? But he's Scotty McHottie...

Who is it going to be?

The Top 13 are singing Born This Way. I'm just so excited to see Paul! He looks so cute. God I love that man... His jacket is so frickin cool, and so is Twitch's jacket.
Yeah, I'm not even going to comment on the singing (it sounds terrible). But seeing Paul was the highlight for me, and everyone else, I'm sure.

James Durbin is performing with Judas Priest. How legendary is this?? Wow this must be so cool for Twitch!! I'm pretty much amazed they got Judas Priest for him. He's so in his zone, I love seeing our darling James like this. Plus, his jacket is rockin' and so is Judas Priest's singer's jacket. What an awesome performance (he really sounds good too)! I still can't believe America sent him home... Lame.
I kind of wish James were singing with Iggy Pop.

America, you'll miss me.

Montage of Randy Jackson, The Dawg. It was pretty hilarious. He's in it to win it!! What, what.

"Now let's bring out the guy who took us to church this season," says Ryan. Jacob "I Gyrate for Jesus" Lusk is singing with his hero. Jesus?! Wait...it's some gospel singer I don't know. I haven't missed this guy one bit (actually I take that back, I've missed mocking him). Jacob stuck to his regular shtick and made hilarious faces (while preaching to us). The only redeeming part of this song was that they were showing the number to donate to Red Cross for the tornado victims. That is really awesome.

Cabrams is performing! He looks rather sharp in his suit (but he grew out his hair and beard, not good). He's singing with Jack Black! This is so awesome and hilarious. This is a hilarious performance, and Casey and Jack actually sound rather good together. Especially when Casey starts scatting with Jack.
Best. Performance. Ever. (on American Idol)
I was so amused. I guarantee you I will watch that performance again after the show is over.

The Ladies of the Top 13 are performing next. Fun?
They have decided to destroy "Single Ladies." But, I can't help but feel like something is missing... Andy Samberg dancing in a leotard (that is necessary for any rendition of this song).
I guess this is actually a mash up of Beyoncé songs. All the girls look really skanky - stripper heels, short skirts, too many cut outs in shirts. My mom says they sound too "Glee," and my dad says "How could it not?" They really know what's up (seriously).
Whoa! Beyoncé is joining these lovely ladies to show (most of) them what talent really looks like. I love Beyoncé, she is too awesome for words.

Montage of Steven Tyler. He is nuts-o. They called him the loose cannon, but he was only like that during auditions and stuff, not the live shows. He is too funny.

Haley Reinhart is singing with Tony Bennett. My dad said, "He's about 180." Excellent. So this match-up is pretty awesome. I bet this wasn't Haley's first pick, but they sound really good together. Look, if I could've picked from the Top Three for who should win, it would be Haley (even from this performance, it's so clear she's more talented than Scotty and Lauren).

The most beautiful woman in the world, Jennifer Lopez, has a montage up next. She's excellent, and all the guys loved her (I'm pretty all the girls do too).

Lil Jon and the Top 13 girls! Guess who loves Lil Jon? Me. I know, it's shocking. But after seeing how awesome he is on The Celebrity Apprentice, I love this guy! That said, I'm not really a big fan of his music, but I like him as a person. This isn't entertaining with these two women I don't know. Weird.

Scotty da Body is singing "Live Like You're Dying" with Tim McGraw.

 This is gonna be awesome for our country boy (I want to see him wear a cowboy hat! Please). I realized Scotty has no clue what to do with his hands when performing, so he kind of does awkward things with them.
This is a really awesome performance. Scotty must be so excited that he's paired up with such a huge country star. I really like Tim McGraw.
My parents have been chatting about how he already has the makings of the star. It's very true! (He just needs to return to his fluting ways, it's undeniably awesome.)

We have that annoying announcer guy showing us clips of terrible singers we didn't see before. These people are hilarious.

Mark Anthony is performing. I'm guessing with JLo because she's not there. And I was right. I missed most of this performance, but it was pretty good for what I saw.

They're talking about being eliminated. Casey is hilarious, I adore this guy. Twitch and Cabrams "arguing" was super funny. I want to meet both of them. But not Pia, she's way too annoying (nice sash, sheesh).

Top 13 guys. Paul! I can hear his voice, and gosh I love him (sorry for all this gushing, I've just missed him). He's singing! My heart melted when he sang and did his charming dancing. Lordy I can't wait to see him in concert... Twitch sounds awesome, too. Why didn't this guy win? Please remind me?
I just remembered how much Paul hates choreographed dancing, and it's hilarious to watch him, because at times he just won't do it (or he'll look at the others to remember what to do).
Tom Jones is joining the boys. How fabulous. I could see him and Paul singing together. Speaking of PMcD, want to see a picture of him? You know you do.

How cool is this? Ford had the finalists invite their favorite teachers to the finale. That is super cool. And they got new Ford cars for their teachers! Really, really awesome. (As an aspiring teacher and someone who has been inspired by many teachers, this is amazing.)

Lady Gaga is performing live? This will be awesome. Look, I kind of love the Gagster, but what the eff is she wearing? That looks really heavy on her head. But, let me be honest, I really like this song... It's pretty catchy (and her voice is actually amazing!). She really knows how to put on a good show. This was awesome (and bizarre, but that's what makes her so appealing).

Lauren Alaina is up next with "Before He Cheats," probably singing with Miss Underwood.

Ugh, Lauren cannot sing this song correctly. I'm no music expert, but I know what sounds good and what doesn't. Carrie sounds amazing (as usual). To date, she's my second favorite Idol winner, David Cook is my first favorite. Or maybe they're tied...
This song was great. Why? Because Carrie Underwood was singing most of it.
Montage of the top 13 talking about Scotty and Lauren. Paul! They're all making fun of how old (or young) they are. Casey said we made him feel stupid, I'm sorry dear boy!

Beyoncé is singing again. And because she asked, I'll allow her to sing this song, "1 + 1" (or "One Plus One"). She informed us that doesn't know much about "algeba," and apparently not much about English, either. Look, I always adore Beyoncé because she's so awesome, but I had to mock her here.

I'm going to make a guess and say that I won't be seeing Paul sing with his idol (or his band, which I had secretly hoped for) tonight. Sad. Now there's really no reason for me to continue watching. But I will, for you, America.

Hey guess what! American Idol try outs are coming to my city. I think I'm going to try out, watch out for me.

I cannot believe they got U2. That is amazing. My friend just saw him in concert this past weekend and said it was awesome.
When Spiderman flew down, my dad said, "It's Bono!" And my mom said, "It is?" Classic. Spidey actually has a really good voice. But you can't match Bono, he has an amazing voice (it's just so stunning).

Steven Tyler is performing "Dream On." This is going to awesome! Guess what? If James hadn't been sent home in the top 4, he'd be on that stage with Mr. Tyler. But he's not. How disappointing. This was so awesome (I've always loved this song)!

Now it's time. The moment you've been waiting two hours (and a few months) for.
The winner is.......
Scotty McCreery
Thank the Sweet Lord Baby Jesus that Scotty da Body, Flute Extraordinaire is the winner of the 10th season of American Idol.
And guess who Scotty thanked first? The Lord. He got him to this place, not his fans, naturally.
Oh gosh, Scotty totally blew off Jack Black's hug. That was hilarious.

Whoa, whoa! I should add that it looked like Lauren Alaina kissed Scotty after they announced his win. I'm going to start the rumor that they're dating.

Congratulations, young man, you deserve this. You're very talented and will be a huge country star. Soak it all in!

I'm your winner, America. And you will love me.

So that's how it ends, folks. With Scotty McCreery as our winner. I'll see ya'll this summer on tour! Good night.

American Idol Top 2: The Final Showdown

Alrighty, America. Let's get this thing over with. I don't even care who wins, so, I'm ready for this shindig to end.

I am so glad they called out a doctor to explain Lauren's vocal problems. I would've been lost without that.

Scotty da Body, Flute Extraordinaire
He is singing "Gone."
So my friend (who hates country) pretty much just said she doesn't want him to win. This song was a pretty good rendition, better than his previous. At least he didn't do drugs this time.
So they've ignored the judges. Which is fine, they don't do much anyway.

Lauren Alaina
Ugh I didn't like when she sang "Flat on the Floor," and I don't like this one either. But she did pop a vocal cord (thanks doctor!), so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.
But they give her way too much hair and makeup. She's 16!!

Scotty McCreery
George Strait picked his own jam, "Check Yes or No." Why'd you pick this, sir? This wasn't a great choice. It's way too hick-y sounding for this guy to be singing. Not a huge fan of this performance (but, hey, I'd prefer him to win over Lauren Alaina and her sister/mom).
By the way, sorry my reviews are shorter than normal. My friend kind of hates American Idol, so we're trying to speed through this for the sake of her sanity.

Lauren sans Sister/Mom
Carrie Underwood chose "Maybe it Was Memphis." Never hear this one before.
Ugh why is she in a cupcake dress?? She is 16 years old and on American Idol, not 6 years old and on Toddlers and Tiaras.
My poor friend is about to shoot herself in the head. And I don't blame her. This song is not great for her, it sounds like something Paul McDonald would have sang, and done a better job with. I really don't want this girl to win. She has a very annoying voice and personality.

Wait, there's some judging going on?
Randy is praising our voting skills (I'm not, I still despise some of America for sending home PMcD and Twitch). He thinks Scotty had a "slight edge" on Round 1, and Lauren won Round 2.
JLo loves Scotty and Lauren. She agrees with Randy.
Steven Tyler thinks they're all beautiful. Whoa, is he a semi-pedophile? Lauren won both rounds because she's prettier than Scotty. But the real question is: Who is prettier between them and Lauren's sister/mom?

Okay, Taio Cruz + Lasers = Not Good. I skipped through this.

Scotty da Body
This is his new single! "I Love You This Bit" is the title. He didn't even write it, it was outsourced. Boo.
Prepare yourself for emotions. I can already tell you this will be terrible when it starts with "I may be young." Yuck. I hate songs like this, I really do. But our darling Flute Extraordinaire sounds great, as usual. His voice is so country, and people seem to love it (but I love the violinist, I'd vote for him). So, Scotty Boy redeemed himself at the end with the great note. Those teenage girls that so happened to be at the front seemed to love it! Awesome.
The judges just adore him. Naturally. Oh, and he's in it to win it (thanks, Randy, this is the finale).

Lauren Alaina
Her single is "Dear Sister/Mom." Oh wait, it's not? Darn it. It's actually called "Like My Mother Does." (I think she should rename it what I suggested.)
There is some dude playing the mandolin! Awesome. These songs are seriously terrible. Whoever wrote them should be fired immediately, if not worse (I can't even imagine how much Paul is mocking these lyrics). I'm bored! How gentleman-ly of Ryan to help Lauren down the stairs.
The judges are setting this young lady up to win. And she doesn't deserve to. She's way too annoying to represent our country in the singing world.

So, I don't care who wins, as long as it isn't Lauren. If she wins, I'll be kind of upset.

Sorry there are no pictures tonight. I'll post more in depth tomorrow night. Off to watch Glee (and save my Idol-despising friend). Toodle-oo, America! Vote for Scotty!

American Idol Recap: And Then There Were Two...

Okay, America, it's time to see if you made amends for sending home the wrong person last week. Do me proud! And this.....is American Idol.

My choice to leave:
Lauren Alaina (please, please send her home)

Mom's pick:
Haley

Dad's pick:
Haley

They don't want to her go home, but they kind think she will. Unfortunately...

I saw P McD in the audience again. Guess who is missing from Paul's side? Nikki Reed. Wanna know why? Because he didn't want me to be jealous anymore. How sweet.

Gotta love "Super Eight" promotion, I love it when tv shows tell me what movies to see and products to buy (I'm easily manipulated). James Durbin was with the top 3! It's only been a week, and I'd missed him. The cool part of this montage? They got old school cameras! I really want one.

Wow Elle Fanning is annoying. She sounds like she can't breathe when she laughs. Cool, her 6 year old cousin is almost as obsessed with American Idol as I am (except I picked someone with talent as my favorite).

Haley's hometown visit is up next.

It's pretty cool that all those people showed up to support her in the rain. I love when Haley said to that one girl, "Wow, thanks for freaking out." Haha classic. Visiting her family was cute, as was visiting her high school (if I ever got onto American Idol and did that, I would have lost it). I love it when Haley performs with her whole family! My mom said, "They're talened like our famiy." This may or may not be true...
Haley's bodyguard was hilarious and huge.

Holy crap who the eff is Il Volo??

This is for real. This is actually happening on American Idol.

My mom asked if this real. Wow all these guys are super nerdy looking, and not in a cute way.
Okay, American Idol producers, what empowered you to invite these guys onto the show? Your audience isn't the opera enthusiast kind. My parents and I have many questions; Are they really singing? How old are they (the chubbier guy looks like he's 12, but he has a wedding ring on)?
I can't believe this is really happening. No one knows how to react to that. That was easily the most bizarre thing I've ever seen on this show (and that's not saying much).

Scotty returns home to prepare for the rapture.

How many girls between the age of 10 and 18 do you think showed up? I'd assume about 98% of the crowd was teen girls. Sheesh. (By the way, that larger girl who freaked out by seeing Scotty in the car may or may not be me in July when I see Paul McDonald.) Aww Scotty da Body is crying! How cute is that? He's a great kid. And Scotty makes a return to the grocery store.
Guess who surprised our Flute Extraordinaire when he was singing in front his thousands of weeping girly fans? Josh Turner! That was the best moment ever. He turned around like he knew who it was, then just about crapped his pants when he realized it was Josh Turner. Classic.

Nicole Sherzinger and 50 Cent are up next. So Nicole is trying out the solo thing again. I can already tell you that this song will be terrible right after she opens her mouth. Could Nicole sound worse? I think not. Also, the poor girl also never learned proper English. "Me like the way..." no, sweetie, it's "I like the way..." If you're going to sing a terrible sing, please do it with correct grammar. I missed the end because I was getting cake. Sorry.
So, tonights two performers couldn't have been more different. I don't understand who they were trying to appeal to. Because, as someone with impeccible taste in music (I've been told, by myself), neither of those performances appealed to me in the least.

Lauren Alaina and her sister/mom are headed on down to Georgia.

Jim Jim is taking me to prom.

Lauren's going to jail! It's probably because she sang that song with "evil"
in it. Hey, if this girl got a day, can I get a day for me, too? I chose my birthday.
Wow the wreckage was devastating, and I can't even imagine how hard it must have been for her to see her hometown like that. That little boy was amazing (and adorable in his tie)!
What a cute hometown montage. That might have been my favorite one because of the emotional stuff from the tornadoes. Terrible.

Who's getting the boot?
Damn you Ryan! Make us wait until after the commercial break? Evil.
Okay, for real this time:
Scotty da Body, Flute Extraordinaire has made it to the finale (duh, I could have told you that from the first time he auditioned).
Leaving us tonight is: Haley Reinhart.
Well darn it. America, you've let me down again.

Haley's final performance was great. I hope she does good things with het career. Guess who we got to see again? Jacob "I Gyrate for Jesus" Lusk. I can't help but wonder how he'll prepare for what may or may not happen this weekend (spoiler alert: Jesus ain't coming to visit).

So it looks like Lauren Alaina and her sister/mom will be competing against Scotty, Flute Extraordinaire next week for the crown. Who will win? Who will lose (hopefully Lauren)?

Tune in next week to see my awesome recap of the Finale. Adios, amigos!

American Idol Top 3: Idol Post Durbin

Dear America,
I'm still pretty mad at you about what happened last week. You've really made it hard for me to trust you again. First, you break my heart by sending home Paul McDonald (I'll forever miss him), then you further break my heart by sending home James Durbin. I may or may not ever forgive you.
Love,
Me

I should officially start by saying that this post may be extra snarky. There is no one left to root for! A flute extraordinaire who doesn't know geography? No thank you. An annoying teenager who has a sister/mom? Double no thank you. A semi-talented, unique singer who isn't consistent? Maybe, thank you.
I'm sure you can tell that the only one I'm rooting for is Haley. If Scotty or Lauren wins, I'll be rather upset. (Just to be clear, I don't want any of these Idols to win, I'm just picking the best of the worst.)

Let's begin.

I liked the beginning montage of hometown visits. Scotty da Body was eating a donut, and seemed too cool for his fans. He isn't. Sheesh. I just told my parents that I want someone from hometown to be in the Top 3 American Idol next season so that I can go to the celebration.

Dude! They kept Durbin Day! Good. Twitch deserved to have a day dedicated to him (remember: Twitch is a term of endearment!).


First Round: Contestant's Picks

Beyoncé is their mentor. How rad is that? She was super cute. But guess what? Whenever I hear her song "Single Ladies," I think of this lovely clip:

Hahaha classic (I love Andy Samberg, I want to be like him one day. And Justin Timberlake is awesome).

Scotty da Body, Flute Extraordinaire

I really love this plaid shirt.

 "Amazed" by Lonestar
So, Beyoncé pretty much loves the young Scotty, and would break up with Jay-Z for him. Look at this country boy, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé both flirted with him.
Hey Scotty, stop wearing that plaid shirt every week. Wow I'm bored. Again, Scotty McCreery's voice is shocking to me, but it's not the best of his tonight. He over pronounces his words (that's the best way I can think of putting it), and he doesn't have much stage presence. Plus, in this performance, the background singers upstaged Scotty. Come on, man, step it up a bit! You won't win with just a decent song like that. I'm yawning.
Hey JLo...what does bravado mean? Because I couldn't hear whatever that is in his singing.

Lauren Alaina

"Wild One" by Faith Hill
Beyoncé pretty much just said Lauren is boring when she doesn't sing fun songs. Amen, sister! Lucy Lovelace needs to loosen up.
Why the giant earrings?? Stop that, Idol stylists! My mom and I think the stylist needs to be fired (I'll do it myself if I have to).
So let me start by saying the beginning wasn't great. She was a little shaky with her notes and it just sounded off. Lauren kicked it up in the middle, but then she faltered again. She doesn't have much confidence in her abilities, and it shows. This was a rather mediocre (verging on bad) performance. Hit the notes correctly!
Why the eff are the judges sugar coating her performance? They're sprinkling her with compliments she doesn't necessarily deserve. Jennifer seemed like she wanted to say something critical, but she was probably zapped by the producers so she wouldn't say anything honest.
My parents and I have agreed that we don't want Lauren Alaina to win. That would give me a heart attack.

Okay, Steven Tyler keeps mouthing random things to the camera. Weird.

Haley Reinhart
"What is and What Should Never Be" by Led Zeppelin
Beyoncé pretty much said that Haley probably won't do very well with this song, but that she might be able to pull it off. She also digs her raspiness and tone (as do I).
Whoa Haley sounds great at the beginning of this song. Her voice is stunning, and sounds beautiful a Capella. How cute! Her dad is playing the guitar, when she sang, "my daddy," she pointed to him. Adorable. Oh my gosh!! The poor thing fell! But she pulled it off pretty well. So, I know a lot of people are going to be critical of this performance. But I loved it. Haley has such a unique tone and a stage presence that helps her performance. I thought this was one of her best to date. That was great. And Haley's dad was rocking out. They were great together, and it was super neat she got to have that moment with her dad.
I loved that Randy and Steven stood up for her, how sweet. As Randy (and my dad) said, "You're in it to win it!"

Winner of Round One: Haley Reinhart
Congratulations, you get my stamp of my approval. Plus, she is the pick to win at my household (well, we want her to win).
Guess who agrees with me? Randy. And JLo. And...not Steven? I couldn't understand what he said.

Round Two: Jimmy Iovine's Picks

Scotty McCreery

Haha nice audition clip. They've polished  him up, no more sandals and longer hair = more young girls falling in love. Steven Tyler's comment was the best moment ever on this show.
Jimmy picked "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not?" by Thompson Square. I'm sorry....who?? My dad pretended like he knew them (he doesn't).
Scotty is busting out the old guitar for this one. He sounds so ridiculously country in this song, and I guess it works for him. But if he continues making ridiculous faces, then people will get annoyed. I really hate how Scotty says P's, D's and other letters such as that. He's trying way too hard at the end to sound authentic country! He's Mr. Consistent. This may be good for him, but I don't like that.
I think the judges love him (duh). JLo wants him to shave his head again. Why? He'll look even more like Alfred E. Neuman.
Scotty's in it to win it! Thanks Randy Dawg.

Lauren Alaina
Audition clip: Guess what? This was pretty much the first and last time I was a Lauren fan. Actually I really only liked her when she was singing with Steven Tyler. As my dad pointed out, she hasn't sang that well since. And, uh, the judges were wrong about Lauren being the best of Nashville. I think we ALL know Paul McDonald was the best (obviously).
Jimmy's pick for Lauren: "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry. Guess who loves this song? Me. Guess who is tempted to fast forward through this in case she ruins it? Me, again.
Blech! Lauren made the beginning of this song boring. She doesn't sound nearly as good as the original, and that makes me upset. She can't hit the same notes as The Band Perry. Plus, Lauren's tone isn't nearly as interesting as the original. The ending was better, but she hit some notes harshly (like "knife" and "put" and etc.). I'm not a fan of this performance. Not very good, Missy. I realized that Lauren's not as polished or as soft as The Band Perry (I don't know how to word it, but she's almost harsh and soft at the same time).
JLo, what the eff? Lauren has the most beautiful tone of the rest of the contestants? Is that a joke? Because, uh, that's not true.
Lauren's sister/mom seemed to love that. She just can't stop smiling. Botox?

Haley Reinhart

Haley's audition was good. Hey, how cool that she was told to come back and audition again, and now she's in the top 3. This performance is exemplary of her true talent and uniqueness. I love her tone and attitude. I hope she wins.
Jimmy's pick (I want it to be Mumford & Sons): "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac. Whoa, good choice, Jim Jim. Let's hear her bust it out.
Wow she sounds beautiful at the beginning. Her voice is haunting and stunning in the slower parts. So, the wind was kind of cheesy. After the win kicked in, I'm not as impressed with the rest of Haley's performance. There are parts I really liked, and I guess those would be the beginning and the end. Those last few words were good. My parents felt that Jim Jim picked the wrong Fleetwood Mac song (I guess I kind of agree), and it couldn't top the first performance. I agree, but I still liked it.
She's in it to win it!! Haley should really beat out these children.

Winner of Round Two: Haley Reinhart
Sorry, guys, but it's true. And it's not just because I'm her new biggest fan, I really think this.
My parents think Scotty. Dad said "He slayed it." Yeah, dad, you're too cool for school.

Beyoncé semi-premiered her new video for "Who Run This World (Girls)". I'm not even sure what to say. It's a really strange video, and I'm not a big fan of all the weird sounds in the background. But Beyoncé is an awesome dancer. She's empowering girls everywhere (I'm going to take over the world now).

Round Three: Judges' Picks

Scotty da Body
Let's take a trip to Garner with our boy Scotty. The judges chose "She Believes in Me" by Kenny Rogers.
A slow song? Really judges? Do you want him to lose? Sheesh. I love the orchestra in the background. So, the beginning of the song was good, I was actually entranced in his voice. But when Scotty kicks it into gear, I get a little annoyed. Again, I think it's because he powers through P's and D's and such. I don't know, America. Scotty will naturally be a huge country star, but his performances are blah (really blah). I could maybe listen to his record, but I might not be able to watch him. The upside? McCreery packed tons of emotion into this song.
My parents think JLo is cute. But she's the most beautiful woman in the world!
Just throwing this out there, but Scotty and his dad should do a duet of babylockthemdoors.

Lauren Alaina

I love prom.

Let's head on down to Rosfull, Georgia with Lauren and her sister/mom to find out her song selection. Giddy up! Their pick: "I Hope You Dance" by LeAnn Rimes. So, this is mine and my mom's song (yeah, it is), so she's gonna ruin this one for me, too.
Guess who's going to Prom for the second week in a row? Lauren Alaina!
Ugh, America, I almost don't want to listen to this. The beginning was terrible, she hit the notes all weird and I was disappointed. Then at the end, she tried to change up some of the notes by going high and low and kind of raspy (I think that's what it was). Lauren tried to be too original, and she wasn't. Sorry, honey. The other big problem? Lauren didn't back this performance with any emotion. I didn't feel the emotion in her voice, which you can feel in LeAnn Rimes' version.
Randy says Lauren slayed it and is in it to win it. But of course! All the judges are wrong. JLo, I doubt she won the round (I don't care if you got "the goosies"), and Steven, she is not comfortable with herself. Ya dumb.

Haley Reinhart

In it to win it.

 I hope you slay it, diggity dog! In Chicago, Haley learned her song is "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette. Do it up, chica.
So, it isn't starting off too strong on the stairs. Then it seemed like Haley forgot some of the words, but it's mostly because she had to sing so fast. But this girl definitely kicked it into gear in the chorus! She has so much energy, and she definitely did better at the end. I almost feel this was a cruel pick by the judges, because it must have been hard to sing those really fast parts. But she pulled it off! Haley fo sho nailed the ending. As the judges have repeated, the choruses were great. She has tons of soul and rocked it out.
She's in it to win it! It was beautiful! Golly gosh, judges, thanks for your awesome and helpful judges.

Winner of Round Three: Haley Reinhart or maybe Scotty McCreery
I figured I should throw some of da Body in there because it was solid (duh), but I just really like Haley.
See how Lauren didn't win a single round? That's because she ruined two of my favorite songs. Go home, Lauren! And take your damn sister/mom with you.

So, tonight worked pretty well in Haley's favor. Scotty da Body did well, because he's consistent and too good. Lauren showed all of her weaknesses and will hopefully get the boot.

That's it, America! I'm still mad at you, by the way. Without James, tonight was pretty boring. The most excitement we got was Haley tripping on stage.
Good night, ya'll.

American Idol: 4 Becomes 3, and the Wrong Person Goes Home

Sorry this is late. Blogger was down for some reason. Lame. But here I am! Ready to rock and roll!

My Bottom Two:
Lauren - X
Scotty

Mom's Bottom Two:
Lauren - X
James (what the eff, mom? She doesn't want him to be, but she's nervous)

Dad's Bottom Two:
Haley - X
Lauren

So, guess whose favorite author likes American Idol? Mine. Tonight, Sarah Dessen mentioned American Idol about 3 times. I love her even more now! (I'll post a blog about my experience tomorrow.)

Here was a conversation between me and my parents:
Me: "They keep trying to play up Haley's legs, you notice that?"
Dad: "Yeah, well they can't do that with Lauren."
Mom: Gives him a look.
Dad: "What? They can't. She's always wearing boots and stuff."
Hahaha oh, Dad.

So, Scotty and James' song kind of sucks. Scotty annoys the crap out of me. If he keeps up this weirdness, hopefully he'll leave. Scotty has no natural stage presence, it all feels forced (that weird swatting at the camera? Stop that). James did as decent as he could, but his guitar was radical.

Haley and Lauren are singing Miranda Lambert's "Gun Powder and Lead." What is up with all these country songs tonight? Seriously. James and Haley don't sing country. This really isn't great. I mean, it's okay, I guess. But nothing exciting.
My dad liked it (he's loco).

Family montage (nice plug for Windows):
Lauren's dogs were ugly. Her brother looks like Justin Beiber.
Holy crapole James' son is way too cute. I love him (can I offer to babysit?)
Scotty hasn't seen his sister in a dern month. Yee-haw.
Haley's conversation was clearly boring, because they didn't show much of her.

First person in the Top 3:
Lauren Alaina.
Dammit. Her sister/mom seems excited, but me? Not so much. If James goes home, someone is gonna experience my wrath.

Here's the Idols watching Gaga. Scotty is praying for her soul, Haley is remembering when she sang "You and I" and feeling jealous, Lauren Alaina is thinking about her sister/mom (I just need another reference), James is admiring her craziness and artistry. By the way, I love Lady Gaga's piano. It is frickin rad.

We skipped through Enrique Igleasias (is that spelled right?), because we don't really care. And I have stuff to do.

Ford Music Video. They're singing "Fireflies"? This is seriously happening? Awesome job, Idol staff. That was terrible.

Jordin Sparks - fast forwarded through. Sorry, people of the blogosphere. But I just don't think I can ever listen to a Jordin Sparks song again without having Jacob Lusk gyrating for Jesus up there. It will never be the same (I just really loved Jacob)!!

Why is Steven Tyler hugging a sloth in his music video? That was weird, even for him. And a vulture? An elephant? Everything is melting? What is happening?!
But hey, this was actually pretty good. And I'm also pretty positive American Idol has officially lost its Family Show rating with that video. Most adults will small children will flip (understandably, I guess).

Haley is in the Top 3, too?
Holy crap, my mom is about to poop her pants. If James goes home, my mom will react the same way I did when P McD went home.
Scotty better be going home. Or else I'm organizing a boycott of American Idol!
Here we go, America......SCOTTY EFFING FLUTE EXTRAORDINAIRE McCREERY is going to the finals? Is this a joke or something? Because, uh, ya know, James deserved to win this whole show. Seriously.
Wow, America. You guys messed up big time. I may never forgive you! Guess who's responsible? Yeah, I'm looking at you tween girls (I hate you). You girls shouldn't have the right to vote. Scotty McCreery doesn't deserve to be here, sorry buddy.
This is ridiculous, America. I wish the judges could replace one of the others with James.

Yeah, I'm devastated too, James.

Yargh. What a terrible ending to a great day. I guess I'm boycotting American Idol now. Sorry, guys (actually, this probably won't really happen). But this season has just delivered too much heartbreak and disappointment for me to handle. First Paul McDonald, then James Durbin. Twitch, may you have a better career than the rest of the lame-o's in the Top Three.
And with that, good night.

Guess Who I Get to Meet Tonight?

I'll give you three guesses... But since you'll most likely guess wrong all three times (and if you're thinking it's Paul McDonald, it's not, unfortunately), I'll give you a hint.
Here's a picture of her, I'm sure you'll know now.

You know now, right? No? It's Sarah Dessen! Yipee. So, who is this lovely lady? She is an excellent author (whom I love) who writes amazing books. I've read all of her books, and a new one was just released (picture below), so Mrs. Dessen is promoting her book by visiting a bunch of bookstores. And she is coming to my local Tattered Cover tonight at 7, and I'm thrilled beyond words. Here's the cover of her new book, "What Happened to Goodbye":

Ooh I'm so excited! The main character is named McClean (mc-clayn). Sarah Dessen chooses the best names for her characters (I think I may do a post about that tomorrow).

So, you're probably wondering, "Why are you so excited to meet Sarah Dessen?" Well, let me answer your pressing question.
Not only do I adore Sarah Dessen's books and characters, she also knows how to relate to her readers. It's really great because the characters tend to have issues that readers can relate to, and if they can't, they're still enveloped in the story line (I can rarely put her books down). I've even read my absolute favorite of her books, "This Lullaby," about 7 times. Great book. Dessen has a very distinct style, which I love.
To add to that wonderfulness, Dessen's books and writing have inspired me to write. I am serious. I've always enjoyed reading, as well as writing, but Dessen's books truly inspired me to begin writing a book. I've started and stopped a few for awhile, but I finally started one I really like and I think it'll be good (unfortunately, it's so hard to write with school in the way! Summer is coming though, so I'll write a lot).

As you can see, Sarah Dessen is frickin' awesome. I am so pumped to meet her. I may or may not post pictures later!
By the way, check out her books. You won't regret it. You'll fall in love with her and her characters.