David Cook - Cookey Report - Los Angeles, CA
(We have a Cookey Report from hessilou in Los Angeles! Great shots of the Staples Center here... thanks hessilou!)
Looks like Cindy did a nice recap of the show already, so I will try to fill in some of the gaps with a little more focus on David C since she dashed out to get a good spot in the autograph area...
The show started a little late but that’s to be expected what with trying to seat a sell-out crowd in the Staples Center. The entire top 10 performed spectacularly. (As my mom put it – “do they have magical microphones or something? Because all of them sound SO amazing!”)
Chekezie's show opening performance was impressive – he really has an powerful voice and his shout-out to his folks was sweet. Ramiele was such a firecracker! Her outfit looked like she came straight off the set of a sequel to “Barbarella” (I mean that in a good way).
Michael Johns was the first performer of the night to enter through the floor (many more followed suit). His set was very tight. He knew how to work the crowd and it was the first time during the show that the whole crowd got into it. He dedicated “It’s All Wrong But It’s All Right” to all the ladies in the house. Yowza.
Kristy Lee came on next. She looked great but her stage presence still needs some work. Carly was next and entered via the trap door in the upper part of the stage, in a blaze of green light (Go Ireland!) with the wind machine blowing her hair (fantastic). She looked and sounded the best I’ve ever seen her. Her first song “Bring Me To Life” was gorgeous. She was also the first of the night to introduce the next performer (Brooke). (The previous performers had just thanked the audience and walked off stage as the next performer was coming on.)
Brooke was awash is flow-y fabric and very curly hair. She actually came up from below the lower stage, sitting at the piano and singing “Let It Be”. Her next songs Feist’s “1 2 3 4” and “Yellow” were both lovely and she seemed very much in her element on both piano and guitar, despite the slightly intimidated-sounding comment “there’s so many of you!” that she half-whispered to the crowd.
The previous performers came back on stage for their group song and then we had intermission (which was too long but I suppose necessary – they need to work on the whole Pop-Tart opening & intermission stuff).
Jason opened the second half and I have to say his set was SO charming and his bubbly personality simply exploded in the arena. His love for music and his pure joy was infectious – the whole crowd really embraced him. Syesha was next and, wow, that was one sparkly dress. She looked and sounded incredible. Her version of “Listen” was a huge hit with the crowd and a great way to close her set. She introduced David A to an ear-shattering amount of noise from the crowd.
David A had the same piano-from-the-lower-stage entrance as Brooke with the addition of the smoke machine. He was sporting the regrettable dull black blazer with blinged-out collar. He sounded wonderful and his version of “Stand by Me” was an obvious crowd-favorite. His fourth song was a non-Idol performance of Groban’s “When You Say You Love Me”; it was sweet. (I kind of wish he had switch around the order of that song with “Stand by Me” but the set was great regardless). His intro for David C was hilarious. He must have said “gosh-darn” or “dang” or just “gosh” 3 or 4 times each – SO adorable. (The crowd was going nuts at this point.)
David Cook came on stage through the same lower trap door – just him and his guitar, rocking out to “Hello”.
Well hello to you too, Mr. Cook.
He was lookin’ good in white t-shirt and sparkly vest and the obligatory pointy-toed boots.
He followed this song with “Time of My Life” and then a rock version of “My Hero” – introducing it as a dedication to his brother – which he said he had been doing on all the tour stops that he will continue to do throughout the remainder of the tour. After this song, he introduced the next as one which he comment he had been fortunate enough to perform in front of the song’s author. He did a beautiful and heart-felt version of “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” and the stage went dark, with all of the musicians exiting. After a raucous applause from the crowd, David C came back on stage, doing a completely amazing and insanely rocked-out version of “Billie Jean”. Loved it. He is born to do this. Crazy good.
The whole group came out next and did a fun little version of “Don’t Stop the Music” – bringing the tally of Rihanna-related songs to 3 for the whole night.
Overall, the night was incredibly fun and the talent of those 10 performers is truly amazing. Hope everyone gets to go to one of these concerts. I love the way they’ve organized it, showcasing each individual personality and their musical genre.
All the best,
hessilou