Yes, I was in LA. Yes, I was at the Nokia Theater. Yes, I saw it all live. Yes, I was freaking out. Okay, now to the serious stuff.
Show opens with a fight night (shout out to Cindy) theme. The David's are portrayed as boxers in the ring, ready for a duel. What was obvious is that this was a match. Not a great star against a wannabe. This was meant to be a fight. And as most people felt in the room, both David's had their fans. Looking back on past seasons, this kind of energy was probably not felt since Ruben and Clay or Bo and Carrie. But ultimately, no other season has been this hotly contested.
From the very first appearance of the duo, it was clear what the roles were. Cook was the big brother, guiding Gaspy around the stage, even at one point in the night whispering in his ear to take it all in, the room, the stage, the 7000 people. Cook understood what the night meant for these two and Gaspy was in awe (and gasping a lot).
ROUND 1
Cook goes first with Clive Davis's choice U2's "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" Phenomenal choice. Cook ruled the room. He was focused, his voice soared and the anthem of a song allowed him to sweep everyone in. The upturned collar on his grey jacket and his new all up do looked phenomenal. As Ed said, he managed to sing to a room of 7000 as if he was just singing to one -- he delivered an intimate anthem in the biggest venue he has ever performed in. The judges like it - Simon says it is phenomenal despite seeing him start with nerves and tension.
Gaspy gets Clive's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me." Don't quote me on this, but I believe Clive also picked this song for Clay and Bo -- he must be Elton's BFF. Gaspy really nails this -- good energy, focused and he is in the best voice I have ever heard, or maybe this is how he sounds live (yeah, cause I was there). I liked when he was bouncing a little bit up and down. Simon calls this round for Gaspy which I disagree with. I've heard the Elton song many a time, but to be able to rule on U2? Cook wins for me.
ROUND 2
First of all, Lord ALW is really funny - I like that they brought him back. Cook does his pick of the original songs - "Dream Big". Let me begin by saying that all of these original songs sucked. Cook either picked a more upbeat one or most likely transformed a song (in a week, while preparing 2 other songs). Just read from Cook that they had very little time to pick the song. He went with his instinct. To be honest, it was not that emotional of a song as "This Is My Now" or "Inside Your Heaven" or "A Moment Like This", but it was Cook pure and true. Love the black leather jacket and that Randy acknowledged that he "sang his face off." I still remember this one compared to Gaspy, so does that mean something? Simon says Cook did the best with what he had but didn't create a winning moment. Aha.
Gaspy picked "In This Moment" - actually I don't know the name because it was hard to hear the films with the children screaming in the audience. He closed his eyes and sang his heart out. And all of his breath too. Simon called it a better song because it was more in keeping with the theme of the show -- in other words, the original song should be an emotional inspiring ballad. Gaspy did that. Simon gives round 2 to Gaspy. Gaspy almost fell over. I don't know, from the man who calls songs gooey, he does want the finale song to be typically cheese? It is a hard pattern to break out of -- I mean can you imagine confetti falling on Cook's original song choice? Tricky.
ROUND 3
Here is some background I just read from the David's themselves. Cook did pick a new song for him - Collective Soul which he has wanted to do all season. Gaspy actually could not get clearance rights for the songs he wanted to do so he went back to Imagine. Interesting.
Cook begins in a great black button down shirt with a tie - classy. He sings the Collective Soul song which I like, but I know is not universally appealing. When he is finished, the emotion of it all hits him. Let me reiterate that if for the first time I was singing in this auditorium in front of 7000 people, I would have been a mess. But Cook's way of crying is so manly and strong and classy. I was moved. So happy that Randy spoke of his sensitive side and Paula called out his integrity and Simon said Cook is one of the nicest, most sincere contestants ever. Check, check and check. And as to picking this song? As I said above, it is a song Cook loves and is a song that will sound like what Cook records. Also, as he eloquently stated, "I viewed each week as a progression so why would I go back and do something again?"
Gaspy performs Imagine -- his highlight of the season. He hit a lot of runs but had a beautiful voice. It was really good. Simon calls this one of the great finals of the show (I say the best personally) and that Gaspy delivered a knockout. Umm not so fast Simon.
Before the final analysis, let me give a shout out to Ruben for closing out the show with class -- I have never been a fan of that Celebrate Me Home song, but Ruben can sing, man - for sure.
I think those who watched will feel the same way I did watching LIVE (yeah, had to rub it in again). It is really hard to compare these two. They are in different leagues - that of a man (Cook) versus that of a boy (Gaspy). And I don't say that in a condescending way. But Cook performed as he would - with the choices that he would make and the emotion that he shows, with strength and poise and rocker charm. Gaspy is 17 and his wide-eyed amazement of it all was mixed with a fantastic night of vocals and emotive song choices. The kid looked like he was about to fall over out of shock -- Gaspy needed oxygen stat! But he sang really well. That combo for Gaspy led to a fantastic performance night. A knockout? No, not in my opinion, but what a duel.
Bottom line is this -- I voted for Cook 30 times. If the winner was based SOLELY on tonight, Gaspy wins (god help him, he really might need some oxygen tomorrow). If it is based on the season (as it is for me) Cook wins by a landslide. But I am really happy that Gaspy did do well tonight, because if was going to win and hadn't done this well, I would have been really upset, but now, I won't be unhappy. I will be happily, impatiently awaiting Cook's album release. And in the meantime, listening to all my downloads of his songs from the season, again and again.
Oh and I am going to the after party after tomorrow night where I intend to hunt Cook down. Seriously. Hunt him down.
Even from LA my friends,
don't be ashamed of your obsessions...
Mine are making me SUPER HAPPY.
Show opens with a fight night (shout out to Cindy) theme. The David's are portrayed as boxers in the ring, ready for a duel. What was obvious is that this was a match. Not a great star against a wannabe. This was meant to be a fight. And as most people felt in the room, both David's had their fans. Looking back on past seasons, this kind of energy was probably not felt since Ruben and Clay or Bo and Carrie. But ultimately, no other season has been this hotly contested.
From the very first appearance of the duo, it was clear what the roles were. Cook was the big brother, guiding Gaspy around the stage, even at one point in the night whispering in his ear to take it all in, the room, the stage, the 7000 people. Cook understood what the night meant for these two and Gaspy was in awe (and gasping a lot).
ROUND 1
Cook goes first with Clive Davis's choice U2's "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" Phenomenal choice. Cook ruled the room. He was focused, his voice soared and the anthem of a song allowed him to sweep everyone in. The upturned collar on his grey jacket and his new all up do looked phenomenal. As Ed said, he managed to sing to a room of 7000 as if he was just singing to one -- he delivered an intimate anthem in the biggest venue he has ever performed in. The judges like it - Simon says it is phenomenal despite seeing him start with nerves and tension.
Gaspy gets Clive's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me." Don't quote me on this, but I believe Clive also picked this song for Clay and Bo -- he must be Elton's BFF. Gaspy really nails this -- good energy, focused and he is in the best voice I have ever heard, or maybe this is how he sounds live (yeah, cause I was there). I liked when he was bouncing a little bit up and down. Simon calls this round for Gaspy which I disagree with. I've heard the Elton song many a time, but to be able to rule on U2? Cook wins for me.
ROUND 2
First of all, Lord ALW is really funny - I like that they brought him back. Cook does his pick of the original songs - "Dream Big". Let me begin by saying that all of these original songs sucked. Cook either picked a more upbeat one or most likely transformed a song (in a week, while preparing 2 other songs). Just read from Cook that they had very little time to pick the song. He went with his instinct. To be honest, it was not that emotional of a song as "This Is My Now" or "Inside Your Heaven" or "A Moment Like This", but it was Cook pure and true. Love the black leather jacket and that Randy acknowledged that he "sang his face off." I still remember this one compared to Gaspy, so does that mean something? Simon says Cook did the best with what he had but didn't create a winning moment. Aha.
Gaspy picked "In This Moment" - actually I don't know the name because it was hard to hear the films with the children screaming in the audience. He closed his eyes and sang his heart out. And all of his breath too. Simon called it a better song because it was more in keeping with the theme of the show -- in other words, the original song should be an emotional inspiring ballad. Gaspy did that. Simon gives round 2 to Gaspy. Gaspy almost fell over. I don't know, from the man who calls songs gooey, he does want the finale song to be typically cheese? It is a hard pattern to break out of -- I mean can you imagine confetti falling on Cook's original song choice? Tricky.
ROUND 3
Here is some background I just read from the David's themselves. Cook did pick a new song for him - Collective Soul which he has wanted to do all season. Gaspy actually could not get clearance rights for the songs he wanted to do so he went back to Imagine. Interesting.
Cook begins in a great black button down shirt with a tie - classy. He sings the Collective Soul song which I like, but I know is not universally appealing. When he is finished, the emotion of it all hits him. Let me reiterate that if for the first time I was singing in this auditorium in front of 7000 people, I would have been a mess. But Cook's way of crying is so manly and strong and classy. I was moved. So happy that Randy spoke of his sensitive side and Paula called out his integrity and Simon said Cook is one of the nicest, most sincere contestants ever. Check, check and check. And as to picking this song? As I said above, it is a song Cook loves and is a song that will sound like what Cook records. Also, as he eloquently stated, "I viewed each week as a progression so why would I go back and do something again?"
Gaspy performs Imagine -- his highlight of the season. He hit a lot of runs but had a beautiful voice. It was really good. Simon calls this one of the great finals of the show (I say the best personally) and that Gaspy delivered a knockout. Umm not so fast Simon.
Before the final analysis, let me give a shout out to Ruben for closing out the show with class -- I have never been a fan of that Celebrate Me Home song, but Ruben can sing, man - for sure.
I think those who watched will feel the same way I did watching LIVE (yeah, had to rub it in again). It is really hard to compare these two. They are in different leagues - that of a man (Cook) versus that of a boy (Gaspy). And I don't say that in a condescending way. But Cook performed as he would - with the choices that he would make and the emotion that he shows, with strength and poise and rocker charm. Gaspy is 17 and his wide-eyed amazement of it all was mixed with a fantastic night of vocals and emotive song choices. The kid looked like he was about to fall over out of shock -- Gaspy needed oxygen stat! But he sang really well. That combo for Gaspy led to a fantastic performance night. A knockout? No, not in my opinion, but what a duel.
Bottom line is this -- I voted for Cook 30 times. If the winner was based SOLELY on tonight, Gaspy wins (god help him, he really might need some oxygen tomorrow). If it is based on the season (as it is for me) Cook wins by a landslide. But I am really happy that Gaspy did do well tonight, because if was going to win and hadn't done this well, I would have been really upset, but now, I won't be unhappy. I will be happily, impatiently awaiting Cook's album release. And in the meantime, listening to all my downloads of his songs from the season, again and again.
Oh and I am going to the after party after tomorrow night where I intend to hunt Cook down. Seriously. Hunt him down.
Even from LA my friends,
don't be ashamed of your obsessions...
Mine are making me SUPER HAPPY.
2 comments:
Where's Ed's comments? He promised a blurb from LA!
Thanks Rachna for a fun season for a non Idol watcher.
Todd
I told you to bring an Oxygen tank!
and if u find cook tell him Jay says hi but that daughtry is better :p i'll give cook's album a thorough listenin-to tho (actually i cant wait!)
p.s. totallyyy jealous
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