The Fantastic Five

So, I got invited this week to attend the dress rehearsal before last nights show with a friend, her friend and her kids... Basically, they do a full run through of the show prior to the taping of the live show. Similar to when I have gotten to go to the live tapings, we were "herded" into the waiting area outside the soundstage. We were eventually led inside, this time not in the pit, but in the seating area. The Idols came out and they spent about 20 minutes shooting some footage for the results show which airs tonight. Basically, they shot the opening sequence and then some individual shots. We are told that all of the footage will last for just a few seconds tonight. Another little interesting thing that I learned was that the "recap" prior to the phone lines opening is shot during the dress rehearsal. So the 10 second clips you see with the voting numbers is actually not taken from the live performance but from the rehersal. It was fun watching for that and I actually noticed some big difference in Danny and Adam from the way they performed it live.
Finally, Ryan comes out, clad not in suit and tie, but rather, jeans, a country cut plaid shirt and baseball cap. Ryan is very social with the crowd, very laid back.
They talk about how they are going to shoot the opening "THIS is American Idol shot"...Ryan offers his suggestions. Ryan actually has more influence than I would have expected. Throughout the rehearsal, Ryan changes several times the way things are shot (I would have expected it to be a "director" thing, but they seem very open to his way of doing it...maybe its in his contract).
Finally we get to watch the performances (I'll talk about that in a moment). I knew from reading earlier that it is the music of the rat pack. This should be a good night. The Idols all look so great on stage. Kris looks especially cute. Incidentally, I should mention that the crowd is overwhelmingly pro-Adam. All of the girls are yelling for him...a few for Allison, but not really much for anyone else. At one point, Ryan is positioned in the crowd, I think right before Adam...maybe Danny. The crowd of kids in front of us are going crazy getting his autograph. Ryan is so cute, he takes the Sharpie and autographs in huge letters on each of the kids arms. They are going crazy. One kid wants Ryan to sign his forehead, Ryan says, nah....your mom would kill me....but he signs his arm instead.
Just a couple of other things. Its fun watching the final five interact. Adam is much more interactive with the crowd this time, waving and responding to the people calling his name. Allsion, we are told, cannot act serious for more than 5 seconds without busting out laughing. She seems to be having a great time with the guys.
Danny makes a comment about them looking like a boyband...which prompts Ricky and the band to improv a little "Backstreets back" and Matt does his rather talented version of N'Sync's puppet dance (Don't remember what song that is). Matt is obviously in his element and enjoying it...he is constantly snapping his fingers and dancing throughout the rehersal. Finally, before we talk performances, one of the young girls that was with us made a CD for Adam, she created what she thought should be Adams first CD, with pictures and labels. She has a note inside the CD and wants to get it to Adam. Prior to the show, they were able to move into the pit with the other young kids and we can see that they are positioned right up to the stage. As the rehersal was ending, we see Ryan by them. Apparently they got Ryan's attention and asked him to give the CD to Adam. Ryan hands it to Adam, Adam is perplexed by "What is it"...he looks at it quizzickly with Allison and then gets it....he gives the girls a wink and a "OK" hand signal...making the girls day!!!!
Anyway....on to the performances. For the most part they were the same live as at rehersal with the exception of Danny, who was incredible at the rehearsal, much better than on the live show, on the live show he was a little more over the top and I thought it came off as trying too hard....and Adam....who was much more over the top in the live show, but for him, I have to say it worked because of the type of performance it was.
I thought they were all really good. Ranking in order: 1. Danny - I am going to give him the edge tonight based completely on the vocals. THIS is the Danny that we haven't seen for a month. Finally. 2. Adam - What can I say that hasn't been said before, the guy knows what he is doing, he's got an incredible voice and incredible control and he knows how to perform. Tonight's performance was pure Adam...if you like Adam, you would LOVE this performance, which I did. If you don't like Adam, you would hate this one. 3. Allison - It was great seeing this side of her and to see her do it so well. 4. Kris - Excellent, but just not on the same level as the front runners. If he wasn't so dang cute, I doubt he would be where he is..and I think he knows it. In his intro he says that vocally he is not in the same league...and he seems apprehensive when Simon tells him that he doesn't have the confidence that he can win. 5. Matt - It should have been more Matt's night than it was....but hey....Matt being in the top 5 was somewhat unexpected.
The obvious bottom 3: Matt, Allison and Kris
Kris is safe and Matt goes home.

3 more weeks until the inevitable Danny v. Adam Finale!

---Rubbertoe....out!