This IS American Idol!

This season's American Idol really seemed to take it up a notch - at least for me, and many people I know. The top 10 (at least the top 8) - really drew me in, I cared for them, knew them by name, and felt for them when they blew it - or had the night of their lives.

The conclusion of the season turned out exactly how I would have wanted. I loved both Davids - but, thought David Cook deserved the title - and there you go. It was storybook - so sweet.

So, when, "American Idol Live On Tour" tickets were advertised via a "pre-sale" email, John and I talked about it - mentioned it to Michael and Michele, and decided to go for it. John called the minute the pre-sale began, and, while our seats were good, I just don't know how everybody else got such amazing seats. But, no matter, the experience was phenomenal. Spirits were high among us four adults, happy that Mom and Dad were allowing us to have such a divine double date.

One of the only "unfortunates" of the evening (outside of Portland rush-hour traffic - how do people do that day in and day out?) was sending John off to get the binoculars that we got for "just this occasion" - that I left in the car. Stupid me wasn't thinking straight, and for some reason I thought that the performer after Ramielle was the rocker-chick "Amanda" -and, therefore, it was safe for him to miss it. Instead, he missed one of the best perfomers/ances of the night from Michael John's singing "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions". I tried to get Michael and Michele to go along with me and pretend it never happened, but had to 'fess up by the end of the evening. What a bummer. Fortunately, though, John used that opportunity to grab his camera and take the following excellent shots.

Some evening performance highlights (beyond the above described) was Christy Lee Cook singing "God Bless the USA". She was alive that night, with a confidence that has grown considerably since the tv show, and made even more vibrant with her thrill of performing in front of her home state. She knows how to move without looking or coming off as trashy - she did a great job. David Archuletta's "Stand By Me" was awesome as well - you just get the feeling that he'll never quite figure out why all these girls have tears in his eyes just upon seeing him. And finally, David Cook commanded the show - he is a star. When he dedicated a song about heroes to his brother, yes - that was priceless. A few things that weren't so hot were Ramielle. She does NOT know how to move and perform with quite the same professionalism. And, sadly, Syesha's two outfits had us all looking at only two things - and they weren't her eyes. I didn't feel like that was necessary at all - she has enough talent without having to go to that level.

The evening ended with a near midnight stop off for treats at Red Robin. It was fun, festive - a fantastic-birthday-celebrating-double-date if there ever was one!