Tag Archives: guitar

Kris Allen, Adam Lambert And Allison Iraheta Reunite Onstage In NYC

After individual sets, the ‘American Idol’ trifecta come together for a cover of Gnarls Barkley’s ‘Crazy.’ By Jim Cantiello Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta and Kris Allen (file) Photo: MTV News NEW YORK — The “American Idol” stars aligned Friday night (February 12), as Allison Iraheta, Adam Lambert and Kris Allen took the stage for an exclusive live event. Ryan Seacrest’s “Rock My Town” concert brought out hundreds of lucky ticket winners, all of whom braved the cold for hours to make sure they got the best possible spot in the intimate Highline Ballroom. Performing in the order in which they were eliminated during the eighth season of “Idol,” fiery-haired Allison Iraheta rocked out first in a dizzying set that showed off her raspy pipes and her criminally overlooked pop/rock songs. Iraheta — in two punky pigtails and a black-and-white rocker-chic dress — and her enthusiastic four-piece band ripped through fan favorites like “Holiday,” single “Friday I’ll Be Over U,” show-opener “Don’t Waste the Pretty” and “Robot Love” with plucky aplomb. (The latter song even featured Iraheta busting out a quick robot dance move, much to the delight of the audience, made up of teenagers, their parents and a host of baby boomers with glitter face-paint, presumably there for Mr. Lambert.) Iraheta’s set hit a few bumpy patches — including some technical hiccups with a bum mic — but she made up for it with her rough-around-the-edges, self-deprecating charm. After flubbing a few lines in the title track of her album, “Just Like You,” she offered a silly mea culpa to the adoring crowd. “I’m sorry for being an idiot. Let’s see if I can get this next one right.” (She did. “Trouble Is,” an achingly tender ballad, was a set highlight.) Later, on another ballad, “Scars,” Iraheta stopped her band when she realized she began in the wrong key. During take two, Allison changed the lyrics to “Don’t turn away, I won’t go off key this time.” All was forgiven by her set closer, a stompy fuzz-rock cover of Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly” that was so strong, it’s easy to imagine Iraheta making it to last year’s finale had she had the chance to sing it on “Idol.” It’s a shame Allison’s self-confidence was on the fritz as she exited. “Sorry about sucking tonight,” she sighed. (For the record, she did not suck.) Self-confidence wasn’t a problem for Adam Lambert , who sported more glam and glitter in his hair than all of Las Vegas combined. During the explosive 11-song set, he owned the stage with his blend of raw sexuality, campy theatrics and, most importantly, vocal agility. Lambert effortlessly glided through octave-jumping, voice-testing songs like “Music Again,” “Strut” and the heart-stopping ballad “Soaked,” originally a Muse demo. Adam easily whipped the crowd into a frenzy with his Mick Jagger-meets-Alice Cooper-meets-Elvis Presley presence, but Lambert quickly stopped his set as soon as he noticed a fan in front had passed out from all the excitement. Once the situation had been resolved and the sick woman got some water, Adam suggested she take a seat away from the stage. “You can rock out from back there,” he politely suggested, before busting out “Sure Fire Winners,” which appropriately features the line “Give ’em something to pass out about.” Any “Idol” fans who expected Lambert to put out an album of hard-rock songs should start saving their cash for when Adam goes on tour later this year. Songs like “If I Had You,” “For Your Entertainment” and the Lady Gaga-penned “Fever,” which each have a dance/pop vibe on his RCA/ 19 Recordings debut, were given a rough, badass makeover thanks to his backing band. Lambert and his crew were just as effective on quieter tunes too. Current single “Whataya Want From Me” and the Ryan Tedder collaboration “Sleepwalker” were both high points for the passionate singer. But it was the one-two punch of his last two songs that really kicked the set to new heights. First, Lambert busted out the rare bonus track “Down the Rabbit Hole,” and even though not everyone knew the song, Adam had the entire crowd in the palm of his spiky-gloved hands thanks to his electrifying performance, complete with knee-falling, ear-monitor tossing and plenty of cozying up to his bassist, TommyJoe Ratliff (who your parents probably remember as the dude Lambert kissed on the American Music Awards ). “I got a little carried away,” he meekly said. Lambert then busted out his iconic cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” and the crowd erupted. It was a genius set-ender. Not only did it allow for his talented band to get some arena-ready rock solos, but the risqu

American Idol Rundown: Ellen, Female Contestants, Guitars Rule Hollywood

Thank goodness it’s Hollywood week on American Idol . Goodbye embarrassing contestants, hello major talent! Before we get to that talent, however, let’s also greet Ellen DeGeneres… with open arms. Wasn’t she great on her first night as a judge? The comedian was funny (we loved when she had singers moving all around the stage before letting each one through), but also fresh and straightforward. Ellen won’t be Paula Abdul 2.0, sugarcoating every critique and covering up bad performances by telling the contestants how nice they look. She’ll bring the criticism, but in a humorous fashion, such as when she told one dude his routine “scared” her and resembled a leopard stalking his prey. As for the best of the night… Didi Benami has finalist written all over her. She came across as a more polished Brooke White, strumming her guitar and bringing an emotional singer/songwriter vibe. Probably our favorite performance. But the “infectious, real” Crystal Bowersox , as Simon put it, was a close second. She also relied on her guitar and had fellow contestants applauding before she even completed “Natural Woman.” The third impressive female was Haley Vaughn . Only 16, she offers a unique pop/country sound and a healthy dose of charisma. We were very happy to see her advance. Two men stood out, as well: Andrew Garcia proved that guitar-playing was a theme for the top performers so far, impressing the judges with a soulful acousting rendition of “Straight Up.” We wouldn’t refer to him as “genius” or compare him to Adam Lambert (closer to Kris Allen), as Kara did, but certainly someone to keep an eye on. The same can be said for Casey James , and not just because he took off his shirt for his initial, pre-Hollywood audition. We loved his bluesy number… played with the help of a guitar, of course. WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE?

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American Idol Rundown: Ellen, Female Contestants, Guitars Rule Hollywood

Didi Benami: American Idol Hopeful, Heart-Breaker

Darn you, American Idol ! We work so hard to remain numb during the early audition episodes of this show, as Fox aims to tug at heart strings more than impress viewers with actual vocal talent. While the singers and their skills will be on full display next week in Hollywood, these editions of the competition are typically reserved for joke acts (see Platt, Larry) and emotional backstories that leave us rolling our eyes like Katy Perry

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Didi Benami: American Idol Hopeful, Heart-Breaker

Taylor Swift Shares The Stage With Stevie Nicks At The Grammys

After ‘Today Was a Fairytale,’ Swift is joined by the former Fleetwood Mac singer for ‘Rhiannon’ and ‘You Belong With Me.’ By Eric Ditzian Little over an hour after accepting the Grammy Award for Best Country Album, comparing the win to an impossible dream, Taylor Swift took the stage at the Staples Center to perform a medley of her own tunes, as well as a song from one of her childhood heroes, who joined her onstage.

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Taylor Swift Shares The Stage With Stevie Nicks At The Grammys

The Roots Bring High-Energy Classics To Pre-Grammy Jam Session

John Legend, Mos Def, Jay Electronica, more join the hip-hop band onstage at their sixth annual event. By Ryan J

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The Roots Bring High-Energy Classics To Pre-Grammy Jam Session

Taylor Swift, Rihanna Shine On Pre-Grammy Gala Red Carpet

Swift and Ke$ha hugged it out before Russell Brand and Katy Perry stole the spotlight on Saturday night. By Gil Kaufman Taylor Swift Photo: MTV News BEVERLY HILLS, California — It was the ultimate good girl meets bad girl moment

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Taylor Swift, Rihanna Shine On Pre-Grammy Gala Red Carpet

Nick Jonas Says Jonas Brothers ‘Definitely Not Breaking Up’

‘We’ve got a lot of exciting things coming this year as the Jonas Brothers and individually,’ he says. By Jocelyn Vena Nick Jonas Photo: Rob Hoffman/ Getty Images As Nick Jonas wraps up his tour with the Administration, fans are wondering if his time with his brothers is coming to an end as well.

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Nick Jonas Says Jonas Brothers ‘Definitely Not Breaking Up’

Newcomer Freddie Gibbs Is ‘Trying To Put The Midwest On The Map’

The MC is representing Indiana via Los Angeles, in Mixtape Daily. By Shaheem Reid Freddie Gibbs Photo: Skee TV Fire Starter: Freddie Gibbs Words of wisdom from Freddie “Gibbs” Kipton: “It ain’t no 401K plan for no drug dealer or no robber.

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Newcomer Freddie Gibbs Is ‘Trying To Put The Midwest On The Map’

Taylor Swift Is Fearless In Her March To The Grammys

The country-pop crossover had the best-selling album of 2009. By Gil Kaufman Taylor Swift Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images Think back to what you did when you were 19

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Taylor Swift Is Fearless In Her March To The Grammys

Alex Lambert: American Idol Hopeful

Might the name Lambert get lucky two years in a row on American Idol ? As fans know, Adam Lambert made it all the way to the final two on season eight of the country’s most-watched program. Now, an upstart named Alex Lambert is hoping to follow in that singer’s talented footsteps.

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Alex Lambert: American Idol Hopeful