America's Got Talent 2014 - Live Blog and Recap - Quarter Finals 2 (VIDEO)
Welcome to the live blog and recap of America's Got Talent 2014, "Quarter Finals 2"! The next group of performers from our Season 9 Top 48 perform for your votes! The acts competing tonight are:
Jaycob Curlee
Aerial Animation
Livy, Matt and Sammy
Mat Franco
John & Andrew
Loop Rawlins
Andrey Moraru
Darik Santos
Acte II
Juan Carlos
Hart Dance Team
Mara Justine
Which of your favorites will advance? Keep it locked right here, as I'll be updating with my live, running commentary, in addition to adding videos of each performance as they become available! Let's get this show on the road!
Credit: Eric Liebowitz/NBC
RECAP
-We open with a brief recap of last week's performance show, including the dramatic results show that sent through Emily West, Dan Naturman, Miguel Dakota, David and Leeman, and Baila Conmigo. We then get introductions for the judges before getting right into the show...
HART DANCE TEAM is up first!
-There are 26 girls on this dance team, and they eat, sleep, and breathe dance. They describe themselves as typical teenagers who are all about boys and other teen girl things; however, they don't mess around when it comes to their performances. We get to see their reaction when Mel B tells them they're going through to Radio City Music Hall, and it's kind of adorable.
-The girls are dressed in silver space-looking leotards, and perform an intricate dance routine set to a medley of songs including "Team" by Lorde and "Burn" by Ellie Goulding. The girls dance around a diamond-shaped apparatus, with another performer dangling from a ring overhead. It didn't blow me away, but it was certainly impressive in its own right.
-Mel B thought it was a stunning performance, while Howie talks about how inspiring this show is. He says people at home are going to want to do what they do. However, Howard was less impressed, calling it a "flat" performance, and arguing that they need to differentiate themselves more if they advance. Heidi somewhat agrees with Howard, saying she was hoping for something more original that didn't feel like a retread.
-Nick interviews the girls about their costumes, and they explain that they wanted to be able to camouflage into the props. So the silver design was inspired by the concept of broken mirrors.
VIDEO: Hart Dance Team performs on America's Got Talent 2014
LOOP RAWLINS is up next!
-Loop talks about bringing wild west rope tricks into the 21st Century, and how he intends to use this as a platform to take care of his wife and two kids. "This could turn my struggles upside down for me and my family. I need to put everything I have into this performance." Well, I would hope so.
-In a performance set to "Love Runs Out" by OneRepublic, Loop performs in a ring of fire, setting a pair of whips ablaze and whipping them around in style until the flames go out. He then gets out a huge lasso that he proceeds to leap through, among other things. I mean, it's not the most dynamic act in the world, and it probably plays far better live than on TV, but Loop has a lot of talent to be able to pull all that off.
-Howie feels Luke delivered by making it bigger and more exciting. "Whips, ropes, and fire. Some would call that a dream date, I would call that a lot of fun," he adds. Howard calls Loop an athlete in his prime, although he worries about how Loop will keep America interested. "You really are superb and superior, and I hope America does vote for you," he says. Heidi thinks Loop is fabulous, and she wants to see more of him. Mel B, however, doesn't know if this act could comprise an entire show. Loop responds that he thinks he would make a great act in Vegas, with a high-energy show that might not be an hour long, but would still be enjoyable. Howard explains that this is what Mel B isn't getting, that Loop doesn't have to be a one-man show for 90 minutes. Mel B takes umbrage with Howard trying to speak for her, and we end with an argument over what Mel B would or wouldn't like in a show.
-When asked about what else he has in store, Loop states that he has other tricks up his sleeve for a potential Loop Rawlins show. I like Loop, but I don't really expect him to go through.
VIDEO: Loop Rawlins performs on America's Got Talent 2014
JOHN AND ANDREW are up next!
-The guys talk about how they get strange looks when they walk into the club -- until they start dancing. They've been dancing all their lives. Although one is straight and the other is gay, they explain that it doesn't matter whether it's a dance between a man and a woman or a woman and a man, it's all about the dancing. They had the judges on their feet last time, but now they want to have America on their feet.
-There's so much rapid-fire spinning here, I'm surprised they're able to make it through the performance without throwing up. It's a truly impressive dance routine with impeccable precision. The spinning gets to be kind of repetitive after a while, but the patterns these guys are doing with their feet is mind-blurring. It's not my favorite act, but it's definitely a good act.
-Howard notes that this is kind of a novelty act since it's two men, but says that since they're two fantastic dancers, they're not really a novelty act at all. He hopes America comes out in full force for them. Heidi loves them, and is impressed that they never seem to get "knotted up". Mel B didn't think there were enough exciting moments, and found it to be a little bit repetitive. "There's no doubt you're talented, but it wasn't as good as your last performance," she says, prompting Howard and Heidi to butt in and insist that John and Andrew will go through. Howie agrees with Howard and Heidi, and adds that America is about freedom and equality, which is what this dance says. He thinks it's a great statement for America, and a great statement for this show. He tells Mel B she's completely wrong about this act.
-Nick interviews the guys about their act, and they talk about the difficulty of some of their newer tricks, in addition to the struggle in lifting a fully-grown man. I like these guys a lot, even if the act itself isn't something I absolutely love.
VIDEO: John and Andrew perform on America's Got Talent 2014
LIVY, MATT, AND SAMMY are up next!
-They talk about meeting in seventh grade, and how they've jammed together plenty of times before, but hadn't really performed professionally together until their audition. They don't consider themselves professionals. However, while they admit they listen to a lot of modern stuff like Justin Bieber, they also like more traditional artists like Carole King and The Beatles. They're excited to perform at Radio City Music Hall where so many of their idols -- like Nirvana, Radiohead, and Ed Sheeran -- have performed.
-They perform "Fat-Bottomed Girls" by Queen. I don't love the song choice, but I do really like the arrangement. These three have serious talent, I just wish it had been directed towards more an unconventional song choice, since there's a very real possibility that this is going to get lost in the shuffle by the end of the show.
-Mel B thinks Livy is a very solid singer, but felt something went missing with these three tonight. She felt it was a very safe performance that was "just nice," and says "just nice" isn't what they're looking for. Heidi felt it was a very subpar performance, and calls it "snoozy" and a little "too mellow". Howard says when he hears "Fat-Bottomed Girls," he doesn't want to immediately think about how he can't wait to get home to hear the original. He felt they were an opening act tonight, and notes that it didn't feel fun tonight. Howie, meanwhile, believes Livy is a superstar, and feels the act deserves to get voted through. He feels America should "negate" this performance and vote them through on the merit of how good they've been.
-Livy explains that they wanted to sing an iconic song by an iconic band, and she vows not to disappoint the judges again if they get the chance to come back. I like this act, and I kind of hope they get through.
VIDEO: Livy, Matt and Sammy perform 'Fat Bottomed Girls' on America's Got Talent 2014
ANDREY MORARU is up next!
-Andrey recalls growing up in the Ukraine and being taken to the circus by his parents. He knew he immediately wanted to do what the circus performers did. He feels that people are capable of incredible things, and that the name of the game is "Believe." A very uplifting guy, with a very uplifting attitude. I like him.
-Andrey performs by balancing across two pole grips, and the way this man can contort his body is kind of insane. You'd think gravity would have its say and send him crashing to the ground the minute he tried to bend in one direction or the other, but he remains afloat, even mimicking swimming in one memorable section. It's hypnotic and graceful, and is pretty much the best act of the night so far. All the judges except Howard giving him a standing ovation.
-Mel B didn't want it to stop. She constantly wonders how he does it, noting that he has incredible grace and ability. She declares she would come see his show anytime. Howie says he's never seen a hand balancer with as much control or precision, calling him an amazing performer. Howard compares Andrey to a John Sargent watercolor painting come to life. He says if Andrey doesn't get through, this entire show is a sham. Heidi agrees and says she'd be heartbroken if Andrey didn't get through.
-Andrey says he's so overwhelmed by the comments from the judges, but hopes, more than anything, that the audience gets a sense of unity and inspiration from his performance. I would be absolutely stunned if Andrey doesn't get through. STUNNED. This guy was sensational.
VIDEO: Andrey Moraru performs on America's Got Talent 2014
-Back from break with Nick announcing that Season 5 contestant Lindsey Stirling will perform on the results show tomorrow night.
JUAN CARLOS is up next!
-He lives in Houston, but was born in Columbia. He declares himself the greatest rollerblade dancer in the world, and says that he always knew, in his heart, that he would be famous. "I love to make people happy all the time," he says, detailing how he's been a hairdresser for 20 years, but hasn't been happy doing it. He tells Radio City to look out, because "Juan Carlos is here!" Yeah, he's basically Jesus from The Big Lebowski. Except on rollerblades.
-Right off the bat, Howard gives him an X. However, Howie is on his feet the entire time. Juan Carlos has an army of background dancers that do most of the work of making this thing seem as dynamic as it does. That said, the video screen in the background is distracting and awful, as it projects images of Juan Carlos giving the crowd his best "sex face." This routine is set to "Vogue" by Madonna, and while the judges are loving it, I just can't be anywhere near as enthusiastic.
-Howie loves it because Juan Carlos shows up and everybody smiles. "Not me," Howard argues. Howie, meanwhile, asks if Juan Carlos gained weight for this performance, creating "a bigger look for this bigger stage." Howard, however, doesn't appreciate Juan Carlos, or the fake laughter that comes out of Mel B and Howie. "I wish I could say this was silly and fun, but the God's honest truth is I was bored out of my skull." He thinks it's ridiculous that they sent home some incredible talent to give Juan Carlos this spot. Howard says Howie is ruining the show every year by putting through acts like this. Howie defends his choice by saying Juan Carlos makes him smile. Heidi says she loves watching Juan Carlos, even though he's not really as good as his background dancers, nor is he the best rollerblade dancer in the world. She doesn't even necessarily think he's a million dollar act either, but Juan Carlos makes her smile. Mel B loves that Juan Carlos is just plain entertaining, prompting Howard to announce, "Make him join the Spice Girls then!" This draws an "Oh shut up!" from Mel B. WAR AT THE JUDGES' TABLE!
-Nick and Juan Carlos go over his intricate outfit, and how Howard is a good guy who can "barely walk." Um, okay. If there is any justice in the world, Juan Carlos won't go through.
VIDEO: Juan Carlos performs on America's Got Talent 2014
MARA JUSTINE is up next!
-Mara talks about how amazing and supporting her family is, while her mother explains that they don't have a whole lot of money. Mara doesn't care though, breaking down in tears when talking about how much she loves her mother. She thanks her mother for all she's sacrificed, and now I'M starting to get a little misty-eyed. Not even gonna lie.
-Mara sings "Unconditionally" by Katy Perry, and she sounds SO MUCH older than her years. Such a rich, full-bodied voice. I mean, it wasn't perfect or anything, but it was better than a sizable portion of the vocals we do end up hearing on this show. The things she can do with her voice are kind of crazy for a 12-year-old. This was one of the best of the night so far, in my opinion.
-Howard is amazed that this is a 12-year-old girl. He says he's a fan and hopes she goes through, but has one note: he wants her to take it down a little bit and sing with more subtlety, saying she doesn't have to belt it out all the time. Heidi thinks Mara has an incredible talent, and loves the growl in her voice. But she doesn't think it was the right song, suggesting something by Adele or Christina Aguilera (which is the worst possible advice Heidi could give, in my opinion). Mel B thought it started out a bit shaky, but she nailed it by the end. Howie, meanwhile, feels Mara was able to rise to the occasion in a way that not many people have in this competition, and under this pressure.
-Mara talks about how cool it is to perform in Radio City Music Hall, and how much she loves everyone in the room. This girl is ADORABLE. Seriously, she can have all my votes.
VIDEO: Mara Justine performs 'Unconditionally' on America's Got Talent 2014
AERIAL ANIMATION is up next!
-Abigail loved comic books as a kid, and loved telling stories even more. When she got into aerial performing, she realized she could combine her dancing with her drawings to create a story. She says the judges inspired her to take this farther and to do more with the act. She's excited to see where her dreams will take her.
-Any attempt at doing this justice would be impossible. It's an absolutely stunning act, set to "Wake Me Up" by Avicii featuring Aloe Blacc, that tells the story of Abigail's boat getting stranded on a sandy, desolate beach just as an impending tornado approaches. She's able to simulate walking across the land (with the aid of another dancer holding her feet), before simulating riding a horse away to safety. This is absolutely INCREDIBLE. I don't know any other way to say it. She gets a standing ovation from all four judges.
-Heidi loved it, and thinks the act is great. Mel B thought this performance was even better than last time, saying she went from "amazing to incredible." Howie wonders if this story was a continuation of the last one, noting that the boat she starts the act in is the same boat they left her in at the end of the last one. He said that's how memorable she is, that they could remember the stories she tells. Howard says she came up with something new and fresh, and says we need to see her go all the way through to the final.
-Abigail explains that all of this started with a spark of imagination, but adds that a lot of it was also the support of awesome family and friends. I love her and will be shocked and heartbroken if she doesn't advance. She's SO good.
VIDEO: Aerial Animation performs on America's Got Talent 2014
JAYCOB CURLEE is up next!
-Jaycob recalls being put in foster care with his sister when he was five and she was one. She slept in a crib at the foot of his bed, and any time she cried, he would sing to her. His parents say that from the first moment, they knew the kids were meant for them. Jaycob says he feels love when his adopted parents tell him they love him, and he feels he's meant to be here, even though he never imagined that a boy taken from his birth parents could go on to do this.
-Jaycob sings "Beneath Your Beautiful" by Labrinth featuring Emeli Sande, and I wanted to like this so much more than I did. But he was barely audible for at least 60% of the performance. The music just swallowed him whole, and that's a shame, because he has a terrific voice. Maybe a different song could have gotten the job done better.
-Heidi felt that there are peaks and valleys with Jaycob's performances, but says that this felt like all valleys and no peaks. Howard says it was a nice performance but no passionate, and passionate is what will win this thing. Mel B says she likes Jaycob, but notes that if she put his story aside, she didn't like it all that much,, saying it was flat. Howie disagrees with everyone on the panel and says he enjoyed the performance. He says the big takeaway is that Jaycob is "beautiful."
-Jaycob talks about how amazed he is to be here, noting that he was just a kid who played guitar in his room, but is now "headlining" a show at Radio City Music Hall. He's a nice kid with a pretty voice, but I don't know if that was good enough to advance. But hey, five acts are going through, and really, only two acts killed it tonight. Maybe three. So there's room for surprises tomorrow night.
VIDEO: Jaycob Curlee sings 'Beneath Your Beautiful' on America's Got Talent 2014 (VIDEO)
MAT FRANCO is up next!
-We see Mat performing for his grandmother in an adorable moment, as she talks about how he's been interested in magic since he was a little boy. Mat talks about his love life, and says he feels girls would walk away from him immediately if he walked up and told them, "I do magic." But his grandmother doesn't know how girls couldn't like it. Mat says his grandma is his biggest fan, so tonight's performance is for her. This was insanely cute.
-So this was kind of puzzling, to me. It involves having Heidi pick a card, with Mat revealing his guess spray-painted on a white board. It's wrong, so he blowtorches the guess away...revealing another card underneath, which is closer -- but still not right. Then Mat turns to Howie and says that while he didn't pick a card, a card picked him. To Howie's amazement, he checks his left back pocket and finds the 2 of Diamonds, the initial card on the white board. The question of what the point behind Heidi's card was, beyond a big red herring, is never explored. [EDIT: Never mind, I'm apparently shortsighted as hell. Heidi's card WAS the 10 of Spades, which Mat revealed with the blow torch. Mat didn't screw up, nor was it a red herring. I just got Heidi's card wrong. I was seized by a temporary burst of "Being A Moron" Syndrome. My apologies] That said, Mat is a consummate showman, so this was kind of impressive all the same.
-Heidi says it was amazing, and she says she's always trying to catch magicians in the act. She says Mat blew her mind. Mel B has no idea how he did it, but says "you do make magic really hot. Just want to get that out there." Howie says, "Wow. That's all I can say." Howard, meanwhile, says that Mat is a really cool magician who makes magic cool. He feels it's time for a magician to get to the Top 5. Wait, a magician has never made the Top 5?! Holy hell, it IS time for a magician on this show to make the Top 5.
VIDEO: Mat Franco performs on America's Got Talent 2014
-Nick asks, but Mat can't reveal his secrets on how he pulled off the trick. Either way, we don't have time for details, as it's time for our next act...
DARIK SANTOS is up next!
-Darik has been trying to be a comedian for three years. He says he's made zero money from comedy, and instead makes his money as a security guard, which allows him time to work on his jokes (dude, don't say that on the air. Your boss will think you're slacking off!). Darik's parents are hoping he'll win America's Got Talent so he'll finally be able to move out.
-Darik makes a lot of terrible, corny Dad jokes, such as getting a "Stern" talking to from Howard, or wanting to realize his dreams in NYC before realizing it's the "City That Never Sleeps." He also talks about hanging out with his grandma, the weather, and other topics that have me wondering how many nebbish, awkward comedians this show could possibly have. This was just awful, and about as far away from funny as I am from Zanzibar.
-Mel B says she's disappointed because she didn't laugh once, prompting Darik to ask "If you wanna Mel B my lover," which gets a smirk, at least. Heidi thinks he's cute and adorable...but not that funny. Howard is a fan of Darik and his material, and agrees with Heidi's assertion that he's a lot like Emo Phillips. However, Howard feels he needs to open up and show them who he really is. Howie says the difference between a comedian and a comic, saying that a comedian says funny things, and a comic says things funny. He doesn't appreciate the judging panel being so harsh on him, and applauds Darik for his efforts.
-Darik talks about wanting to quit his security guard job, leading to some awkwardness with Nick as he tries to leave before his segment is over. I don't get this guy. Like, at all.
VIDEO: Darik Santos performs on America's Got Talent 2014
ACTE II closes the show!
-The girls go into their backgrounds a bit, talking about the places they've traveled and what it's been like being a duo. It's the usual platitudes about giving it all they've got and wanting to advance, and I just really hope these two are able to deliver. I enjoy the act, but so much of it depends on song choice that I worry they might not get through if they pick the wrong tune.
-They sing "I Will Always Love You" and it's...well, it's not their best. At all. I'm not sure if there was an issue with their microphones or with the backing music, but this felt incredibly off. Both women are talented, but this just never came together, for me. That said, I still expect them to go through, since this act is practically loaded with potential. Will they go all the way? I doubt it. But I do think they have a good shot of making it through this week anyway.
-Heidi thinks the two are spectacular, as she loves opera music yet doesn't even know how they make these sounds come out of their bodies. Mel B was dreading the song when it first started, but was sold as the performance rolled on. She said their voices filled the whole room, to where you could hear a pin drop from how everyone was on the edge of their seats. Howie felt he was surrounded by their voices, and could sense the power and the tone behind their voices. Howard, however, felt this performance was a bit strange, saying it was a bit off and was not nearly as dynamic as the other judges seemed to think. He's worried about whether or not they'll go through. And I'd argue he's right to be.
VIDEO: Acte II performs 'I Will Always Love You' on America's Got Talent 2014
-And that's a wrap! What did you think of tonight's performances? Which five acts will go through to next week? Sound off in the comments! I'll see you tomorrow night to find out which five acts will advance to the semifinals!