Worthy to be called Idols

MANILA, Philippines - It was a fitting finale for a concert that featured as many genres as there are Grammy award categories.

The last words sung by the 2011 American Idol finalists — “Any way you want it!” — captured perfectly one of the reasons why their live concert was one of the most enjoyable shows to have graced Philippine shores this year.

With such a diverse gathering of talent, the two-night American Idol Live Tour could not have failed to please even the pickiest of musical palates. The AI Top 11 performed country ballads, rock hits, soulful melodies, jazzy numbers and a range of pop songs — there was literally something for each and every person in the audience at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

But, as in the Idol contest itself, fans had their own favorites among the five girls and the six guys voted into the show’s 10th season early this year. No text votes here, though — it was a contest of who could receive the loudest cheers and the most thunderous applause.

Among the ladies, bluesy singer Haley Reinhart, who finished third on the show, received the loudest clapping from the audience from the first to the last time she stepped onstage. She sang only two of her best songs on AI, House of the Rising Sun and Benny and the Jets, to the disappointment of fans who were eagerly waiting for her rendition of Adele’s chart-topping single, Rolling in the Deep.

Haley’s short segment left many wanting more, but her frequent returns to the stage as a backup singer and dancer during her fellow finalists’ sets were enough to mollify her die-hard supporters.

Another crowd pleaser was the shockingly early eliminated belter Pia Toscano. Her first appearance in a sparkly, slightly see-through dress, drew compliments from fashionistas in the audience and painted smiles on every straight man’s face. While her performance of Alicia Keys’ Empire State of Mind and Rihanna’s California King Bed were wildly applauded, it was her own single, This Time, which impressed the most.

From left: Pia Toscano, Haley Reinhart, Naima Adedapo and Thia Megia

Like Pia, seventh-placer Stefano Langone was welcomed onstage by frenzied cheering from his fans. The excited shrieking continued during his performance of Bruno Mars’ Grenade and increased a hundredfold when he danced and stripped off his shirt while singing Usher’s DJ Got Us Falling in Love.

Casey Abrams, who finished one notch ahead of Stefano, drew just as much applause with his upright bass version of Santana’s Smooth (who would have thought it was possible to replace the electric guitar riffs — with an upright bass, no less — without ruining the song?) and a redo of his AI performance of Maroon 5’s Harder to Breathe, which he also changed up by replacing the guitar riffs yet again, this time with his own voice.

Hardcore followers of American Idol also appreciated his duet with Haley of the jazz song, Moanin’.

Kenny Loggins look-alike Paul McDonald was also surprisingly popular despite his early exit from AI. Channelling his inner Rod Stewart, his rendition of Maggie May was a big hit with the crowd, as was his swagger and odd, drunk-like dancing.

A much better dancer who was also eliminated early from the competition is Naima Adedapo. Like Paul, she was well-received by the dance-loving largely Filipino audience which enjoyed her performance of Idol judge Jennifer Lopez’s club hit Get on the Floor. Her short, one-song set was enough to bring the crowd to its feet and transformed the concert into a giant dance party during the five minutes that she was burning up the stage.

Making just as big an impact was rock singer James Durbin who came in fourth place in AI. Wild cheering greeted his grand entrance: Passing through the crowd as he sang the opening lines of Sweet Child O’ Mine. His equally crazy antics on stage — nearly lying down, and his trademark high-pitched belting — received just as much applause.

Kababayan Thia Megia was, of course, welcomed with loud applause. The 10th placer and youngest of the finalists sang Selena Gomez’s bubblegum pop anthem Who Says and often played backup in her fellow contestants’ sets. Unfortunately, Thia didn’t seem to have as many performances as the others.

Gospel singer and fifth place finisher Jacob Lusk didn’t perform as much either. He sang the karaoke favorite Never Too Much and was joined by Pia and Naima in his well-loved rendition of You’re All I Need to Get By.

Runner-up Lauren Alaina, whose debut album Wildflower, is set to be released in October, brought the antebellum south to the Philippines, singing country hits and her own soon-to-be hit, Like My Mother Does. But, the ever perky Lauren gave some local flavor too — she actually spoke more Tagalog than her Filipino co-finalist Thia!

But, while all the contestants had their fair share of adoring fans, there could only be one American Idol. And, as AI is wont to do, the concert made fans wait until the very end.

Season 10 winner Scotty McCreery was hidden from the crowd for most of the show until his performance set which included many of his best songs from the show. Like Pia and Lauren, he also sang one of his own songs — I Love You This Big, from his debut album, Clear as Day, which is scheduled to be released on Oct. 4.

The girls in the audience went crazy over the deep-voiced teen, especially when he flexed his foreign language skills, saying, “Mahal kita.” The lower Scotty’s voice went, the higher-pitched the cheering became.

However, even American Idol Scotty didn’t draw the loudest applause. It was the whole group together that really made the crowd happy.

The most fun performances included the show opener, a rendition of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way, which was sung by the five girls. Another favorite was Neon Trees’ Animal performed by the boys sans Scotty.

But, by far the most adorable group song was Cee-Lo Green’s unapologetic single, Forget You, which was performed in matching red suits by everyone (again, sans Scotty — no wonder the girls were starved for the boy!).

The American Idol Live Tour is one of those rare concerts where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. As a show, it can best be described as a combination karaoke party-variety show. In many ways, it’s similar to those shown on local television — very personality-oriented, but fortunately, all the talents are actually talented.

With an audience as varied as the performers, it’s no small feat that most, if not all the people who lined up outside the Big Dome, went home satisfied and a little hoarse from singing (it’s impossible that there was one person in that building who didn’t know any of the songs!).

Definitely one of the most fun concerts of the year, the American Idol Live Tour experience proves that the show that started it all hasn’t lost its luster.

Scotty, Lauren, Haley, James, Jacob, Casey, Stefano, Paul, Pia, Thia and Naima certainly performed just the way their fans wanted it: With heart and soul. Scotty may be the American Idol, but all 11 finalists really showed that they all still deserve to be called idols.