David Cook - Cookey "Chikezie" Report #2 - Detroit, MI - 07/24/08

(Here's Desi's Cookey Chikezie Report from Detroit, MI! Desi was one of our cellcasters -- she did Chikezie and Ramiele. Woohoo! Thanks Desi! One of our best reports ever.)

The American Idol Experience
or, how chikezie eze almost killed me.

I arrived in Detroit SUPER early because every road is under construction (and because I woke up at 6am and couldn't sit around the house.) I wanted to get to the busses around 11:30 but I got to D-town an hour early, so I went to the coffeeshop, called Rickey, killed time until Kristen (my amazing Idol partner for the day from rickey.org) arrived. She got there around 11:30 and we darted down to the busses. There weren't any barriers up yet and only like. 40 people were out. So we stood around with the gift bags I made some of the Idols and the barrier started to get up. Blah blah. It's all boring banter (and a lot of me singing "You're The Voice") until... 1ish? 1:30? Time lost all meaning under that damn sun. I was on the corner and I saw the buses come through the Cobo underpass thing first and I was already so nervous all I could do was scream "BUS! BUS!" I couldn't even get my fingers to work correctly to photograph. I recovered use of them and started clicking away. Brooke and KLC came out first and Brooke had a bright pink piece of tape taped to her chest: "Hi! I'm on vocal rest!" Too cute. Kristy Lee followed... You know, a strange thing happens when you see them live. You suddenly love them all. I hated Kristy on the show, and I really believe that there are subliminal messages in her single, because there's no earthly reason that I should enjoy it. I digress. Picture with her. And suddenly I'm telling her how excited I am for the album.

I'm as confused by this as you are.

Then the blood-curdling screams began because Archuleta had emerged. We were pretty far down the line, so. You know. After awhile he made it down. I think Chikezie passed him in the line at some point, because I know Archuleta came out first but Chikezie signed my journal first. Whatever. When I finally notice Chikezie, I first a) lose my shit screaming and then b) notice a red baseball hat that can only belong to David Cook walking to the line. David went through the line like an Olympic sprinter, but that's another.. another blog entry. Ha. So Cook runs through and then Chikezie is right behind him. So I'm all fangirled out, because I'm secretly a Chikezie girl at heart. He signs our stuff and then I say (this is really the only interaction I remember) "Can I give you a present?" and he says, "Only if you give me a hug first."

SQUEE does not begin to cover it.

So I lean forward, and he squeezes me so hard that I cannot breathe. Because I try to say something in his ear, I don't really remember what, but I know that I cannot because my lungs are not moving air through my mouth. Seriously. Like a snake squeezing a mouse. AMAZING. Oh, and the man sweats. SWEATS. It's okay though.

And then Archuleta is approaching, and he had said no pictures, but he was doing them anyway. He's been around MJ too long. Anyway, the picture of us with him is maybe the cutest of the day. And seriously. The kid is tiny. I look at the picture even now and I feel like I'm standing next to my best friend's high school brother. And he's just so chill. But I don't remember if I said anything to him. I was batshit nervous at this point.

Sooo, then. Who else. Oh, Syesha. Also on vocal rest. HOT yellow dress. All I have to say.

Dadchuleta happened too. Haha. When he was over by us, Archuleta finished signing autographs and I had my hand resting on the balcony and I guess he was running down the line doing high-fives and he got to my hand and since I was not paying attention he squeezed my hand. Aww. Monchichi. Too cute.

Then people start saying oh, busses have been here for an hour or so, if anyone else was going to come out they'd be out by now. And I'm like, I'm not leaving until Michael Johns gets out here. Because I have faith that he will not let me down, and I've been going batshit thinking about him all day. And shit if I am leaving to go do something like eat or hydrate and risk missing him. We've stood around for a half hour, forty-five minutes or so, I've called Phil to pick us up and whisk us to dinner, and I'm ready to collapse under the heat. And then.

And then. I hear people start to chant, and I just assume they are hoping like I am. But then I see this black hat walking toward us, levitating really, and it's Michael Johns. I LOST MY SHIT. Srsly. Went apeshit. So the handlers are telling him, you only have fifteen minutes, but you know he's a rebel. So he weaves his way down the line, and he gets to me. And I'm a pool on the floor. And I remember almost none of what happened next. I know that I gave him my present, and then he hugged me, then signed my stuff, then picture time (which I have no memory of, which I think explains the look on my face in said picture.) and then.

THEN.

(It just keeps getting more epic, doesn't it?) We say how we loved Dan Band. AND Michael Johns AND I BOTH START SINGING. AND IT IS GOOD.

Except that my camera battery died so there is no video. But I was there, and I heard it, and you know that that is what matters.

So Phil arrives, we have dinner, I drink five glasses of water. And it is good.

We go back to our car, listen to some Idol tunes and weave our way into the venue. The bacon Pop Tart is something I don't need to see in Charlotte or G-Rap. Shudder.

So then I call Rickey after the show starts super late and I'm listening now and it doesn't sound so great. Sorry. You can certainly hear me scream for Chikezie and you can also hear my contributions to "Caught Up." It's fine. And I have nothing to say about the man that's not been said. He's an entertainer, he's amazing, he's amazing. Music is what he needs to be doing. Between his first and second songs, he takes off the jacket (I begin to go crazy hoping he will strip) and puts on a Wings jersey. YES.

I read a review a few weeks ago saying something like "Chikezie gets the crowd going. Ramiele kills it." It's pretty true. I was never a Ramiele fan but I didn't realize my distaste is as deep as it appears to be. Hmm. Anyway. I was disappointed because "Love Will Lead You Back" sounded great on the last cellcast we heard it on, and live it was not so good. Also. What are you wearing. I'm really sorry but if I never see your face again, I do not mind.

And then Michael Johns comes out. I do not believe I heard it because I screamed and screamed. You all know the man is a god. There's nothing else I can say. I took no notes on him. (Oh, wait, one note: PLEASE stop making that joke about "Dream On." It's already old.)

Tonight made me think that Kristy Lee Cook is the smartest woman in America. Because really. No one is there to see her until she waves the patriotic flag. I had to look around to see if I was the only one not standing. (I wasn't.) I have to say though, she is a performer. She's great at what she does and she'll do really well with her album (which, she told me as I sang her praises [SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES] is now finished and will drop in September.)

Carly was fantastic as well, and I promise the outfit isn't that horrible in person. Just the glove things. The arrangements sound much different live, even from what we hear on the cellcasts or in youtube vids. That woman. Not only is she perfect, she can BLOW. I was in the back of the arena and I still think I would have heard her without a mic.

Brooke made me cry, and I knew it was going to happen, so I was prepared and I just let it go. I was SO happy to finally make it though her set without a crashing computer or something. "1, 2, 3, 4" was one of my favorites of the night. Everyone knows I love her, though. I think I liked "Yellow" live even more than the album version if it's possible.

Then Michael Johns and the American Idol Backup Singers did "Pride." Which I keep hearing on the radio, when I'd not heard it since. You know. The 90's. He just sounds amazing when he's singing Bono. Maybe it's the accent. I don't know.

I'm apparantly the only person in my section who knows anything about the tour, because with the last note I am standing up, down the stairs, out the arena, and in a bathroom stall. Faster than you can say Michael Johns. Halftime is the WORST IDEA EVER. I don't know why it was nessecary. The Guitar Hero commercial was funny. I wanted to shoot that Corey guy in the foot. Someone spilled water on the floor and our purses and feet got soaked. Thank you.

Jason was good. I'm not a fan of "Over the Rainbow" because I just feel that it's overdone as a song. I didn't expect to like his version of "Crazy," but I did. I'm just such a piano girl that I didn't think anything could beat Archuleta's version from Utah. (Not that Jason's did. But whatever.) In this moment I'm very happy that his fans are not sitting around me, and seem to be pretty chill and not screamy anyway. "Daydream." Ugh. Amazing. This is when I begin to wonder how jealous everyone else is of him, because the wardrobe for the whole lot looks like they got a damn discount at a sequin factory, but there's not a sequin to be found on Jason. He's even in blue jeans. Naturally.

And.

Okay.

Dirty little secret confession time.

I voted for Syesha.

During girls night in the semis, I voted for her, Carly and Brooke. Because I do think she's talented, I'm just not a fan anymore. "Listen" was verryyyyy good though, I thought. I think I'm going to leave personal opinions out of this. Have I done that so far? Oh well. If not, I will stop now.

This is when the cameras start to die. I did tape a little of "Angels," but I think it's probably just the Archies behind me screaming and screaming. And then something very strange happened: David Archuleta almost made me cry. I've been listening to "Apologize" lately, cause you know, it's too late to apologize, but that's another blog too. "Stand By These Beautiful Girls" happened, and it seemed like more "Beautiful Girls" than I remembered hearing. I'm very over that song, though. I napped through the last song. I'm a Josh Groban fan, but Archuleta, find a piano. I'm never as happy as I am when I'm listening to someone play piano (or when I'm saying Michael Johns.) I kind of wouldn't be surprised if he's on vocal rest tomorrow because he really seemed to be straining to hit notes I've heard him hit before.

And David Cook, what can I say. I still don't know what version of "My Hero" I like more, electric or unplugged. He looked smug the whole way through "Magic Rainbows." He thinks it's as funny as we do. Umm. There was no "Billie Jean" sexiness and for this I was sad.

I mean. Really what else do I say about him? We've all heard the set every damn night. Haha.

The clothing change was nice, though. I loved Brooke's dress, and she obv did too. I don't like "Please Don't Stop the Music" as a rule, but it was cute. I waited the whole time for Mavid dance. And then I try to shove everything I own into my bag to dash out to busses and drop my phone down the stairs in the process (that's what happens at the end of that video.)

We end up not doing busses because we met pretty much everyone we wanted to meet anyway except Carly, my girlfriend. So I guess it's not the TRUE, COMPLETE Idol experience. That's what the next two shows are for :)

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