It’s Cinco de Mayo and the fiesta has begun. So, are you ready to party?
Nah, me neither. But dust off your leather pants and pyrotechnics displays because the “Idol” house is gonna be rockin’ this week. Curly-tressed legendary Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash will be accepting celebrity mentoring duties (which I pray turns out as bizarre as it sounds) and No Doubt and Daughtry are scheduled to perform on Wednesday’s results show.
Even the most cynical of “Idol” naysayers — and feel free to cast me among this lot if you like — can expect a good show tonight. When Ricky Minor and his band let loose, the joint often jumps, despite being trapped in this commercialized, slickly produced, family friendly package that Fox has meticulously crafted. The top four this season are truly talented, and last week’s playlist of classic songs from the Rat Pack era was a gem. In this competition, ballads can fall flat and quickly stray into the corny “karaoke” category, but the performances demonstrated that these singers actually have substance.
For fans who skipped to the final chapters of the book to discover the ending, welcome aboard. You’ve picked a good time.
Adam Lambert, 26 (Los Angeles)
The shock of last week was when Golden Boy Adam — who has been hailed after every performance and is widely considered a shoo-in for the crown — had his first brush with disaster by finding himself in the bottom two. Sure, anything can and will happen on “Idol,” but consider this anomaly a blip on the radar and nothing more than a wake-up call for this season’s future king.
Rock it or sock it? Adam will be back in a big way this week. His stratospheric, high-decibel vocal gymnastics were personally tailored for this. He’s a born rock star. Were tonight the finale, Adam’s competition wouldn’t have a snow-cone’s chance in hell. ROCK IT.
Danny Gokey, 28 (Milwaukee)
Danny is a brilliant singer. His performances are very good. You can’t expect the guy to do much better — he’s likable, lively and singing his guts out — but when stood next to his toughest opponent, Danny’s flashlight is out-blazed by Adam’s luminous sun. Talk about a tough act to follow.
Rock it or sock it? Danny comes out guns firin’ each week, and if there’s one guy to keep pace with Adam, this is your cowboy. But Danny won’t be able to out-power Adam with fireworks; he’ll have to eek it out with raw, genuine emotion. What Adam possess in showmanship he lacks in authenticity. Danny is the real deal; he has three weeks left to start yanking on heartstrings and really connect with the audience. ROCK IT.
Kris Allen, 23 (Conway, Ark.)
Kris slightly turned the corner in my book with “The Way You Look Tonight.” Sure, it’s an all-time great tune. But Kris was cooler than expected, a little more suave than your average teeny bopper heartthrob. And get this — the guy actually sang really well. For the first time, I could see how, if I had a 13-year-old daughter, she would be googly eyed. I still think Kris is a first-class cheeseball with the personality of a desk chair, but I finally I get the magic. I feel the mojo. I understand the aura. I recognize now that dismissing Kris as a afterthought in this competition is a huge mistake.
Rock it or sock it? Kris gets a tough draw this week with rock ‘n’ roll music because, talented as he is, his Level 8 voice is outmatched by the Level 12 powerhouses he is up against. But Kris is a talented, clever musician who has pulled some crafty performances out of his hat in past weeks. He’ll need something special to stay afloat. There is no margin for error. SOCK IT.
Allison Iraheta, 16 (Los Angeles)
Oddsmakers give Allison an ever-so-slight advance over Kris to advance into next week. Also working in her favor is that rock ‘n’ roll songs are the ideal vehicle to show off her smoky, set-the-roof-on-fire set of pipes. That’s the good news. The bad news is that last week revealed her youth: While her rendition of “Someone to Watch Over Me” was technically flawless, her performance was cold and mechanical. She steamrolled her way through a tender song, dynamiting any moments of sweet, understated innocence. She remains an odd nut to crack, very undeveloped not only as an entertainer, but as a person, really. (She is only 16, after all.)
Rock it or sock it? Allison has the talent to endure, but her charm is lukewarm. Like Kris, she has no margin for error, and barring a top-of-the-line, gold-star showing — which is not impossible, given her
rock ‘n’ roll tendencies — after this week, I predict we will be left with an all-boys club. SOCK IT.
Scott Fuller’s Idol Chatter runs every Tuesday. E-mail [email protected].
OnTV
“American Idol”
» 8 to 9 p.m. today, Fox
The remaining four singers perform during rock ‘n’ roll week.
» 9 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Fox
One finalist will be eliminated in a results episode.
