Posts Tagged Change is Gonna Come

American Idol – Finale (Performance Show)

Good Evening, America! This is it! Tonight is the last night for our Final 2 to perform. This is the last night for them to court your votes. This is the last night where I’ll show my complete and total bias for Adam Lambert-Martin… okay, next to last night. Whatever way you look at it, this is a big night. It’s more excitement than I can stand… which is why I’m sitting. This… is American Idol!

Seacrest tells us that tonight is the battle of: the Acoustic Rocker versus the Glam Rocker, Conway versus California, the Guy Next Door versus the Guyliner. He might as well have just said: Good versus Evil or Straight versus Gay, because that seems to be what all internet discussions/hateful comments have come down to. Kris is talented, but at the same time he is a safe and comfortable choice for Middle America. Adam is talent personified, but he himself is quite polarizing. It really will be interesting how this all plays out tomorrow… and in the media.

Each contestant will be singing 3 songs: their favorite performance of the season, one song chosen by the show creator Simon Fuller, and the Winner’s Single co-written by Kara Dioguardi. Seacrest warns us now to set the DVR to record past 10:00, because they already plan to run long. Thanks for the heads up, Shortstuff!

***Round 1: Personal Choice

Adam Lambert-Martin is up first with “Mad World”, my favorite performance of his from this season. (Look, we both agree this is our favorite. If that’s not a sign, I don’t know what is.) There’s a teal glow back-lighting him as he slowly descends a staircase. His voice is wonderfully subdued. Adam’s dressed like he stepped right out of “Twilight”, which if anyone knows me, they know that I automatically love it. His performance is deliciously chilling.

Kris Allen is singing “Ain’t No Sunshine”. He’s at the piano instead of the keyboard this time, and it makes it so much better. It’s got a soulful and intimate feel. I can’t deny that it’s a beautiful performance. I have nothing negative to say about it.

Simon calls Round 1 for Kris. I tend to disagree. At best, I would call this round a draw.

***Round 2: Simon Fuller’s Choice

Adam Lambert-Martin is singing “Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke. The “Twilight” coat is gone. In its place is a stylish gray suit. Adam starts the song with a few notes acapella, and then is very subdued again on the first verse. (I’m hoping this is just so he can ramp it up and kill it at the end.) In a minute, he begins to tear it up, and it’s a signature Adam Lambert performance. That last note… wow! Loved it!

Kris Allen is singing “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye. He’s rocking the acoustic guitar, and we’re back to Coffee House Kris. (This is why I don’t think he should win. We’ve already got two of him on the music scene right now: John Mayer and Jason Mraz.) It’s very nice, but just middle-of-the-road vocally. I think it’s too laid back for the finale.

Round 2 goes to Adam Lambert-Martin!

***Round 3: Winner’s Single – “No Boundaries”

Adam Lambert-Martin is the first Idol to sing “No Boundaries” by Kara Dioguardi, Cathy Dennis, and Mitch Allan. I have to say that it’s on par with most finale songs, but it took 3 people to write this? Kara, you’ve disappointed me more than usual. Climbing mountains? Weathering

hurricanes? Seriously? At least it gives Adam a chance to show off his upper range (and his shiny pants). It’s not my favorite song for Adam, but I think he did well with what he had.

Kris Allen is closing Round 3 with his version of the craptastic “No Boundaries”. The verse sounds great on Kris’s voice, but the chorus does not. The song is definitely out of his range. I’m shocked he didn’t bring it down a key. When Kris does the song, compared to Adam, it sounds more like the typical Idol Finale song. It lost any of the spark Adam gave it.

Well, that’s our show for tonight. (Oh, and Carrie Underwood sang. So not focused on that right now. Must text for Adam.) Kris Allen definitely did an amazing job on “Ain’t No Sunshine”, but as a whole, I think Adam Lambert-Martin won the night. We’ll see how the votes go down. If you haven’t voted yet, and you are reading this while the lines are still open, PLEASE VOTE FOR ADAM!!! Only one more day of me obsessing about this, promise! Tune in tomorrow night to see who wins. (Please let it be Adam!) Same Steve Time. Same Steve Channel.

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