American Idle

It’s not the usual path that most Idols take, but for Allen, it might be the way he’s connecting to his fans.

Instead of trying to play to larger audiences, the Idol 8 winner is hoping his concerts at smaller venues, usually with acoustic setups, will pay off in the end.

I have news for him, though. This has been tried before, and it failed. Taylor Hicks won Idol and instead of going with a commercial feel, he went to the clubs he played once before.

Before Hicks knew it, he not only didn’t have a career, he had to go to Broadway to carve out any kind of occupation to speak of.

And that’s what is awaiting Allen and other Idol 8 contestants, if they don’t heed the warnings and get better representation.

Here’s Allen playing a more intimate setting, the “Live At The Vineyard” concert in Napa Valley, California. Don’t say we didn’t warn ya, Kris. Anyway, here’s his signature song, “Heartless,” as well as “Gangster’s Paradise.” Could it be his choice of song, as the judges say?

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American Idol 8 winner Kris Allen may not have the musical chops of say, an Adam Lambert or an Allison Iraheta, but he’s doing–as Randy Jackson would say–his thing.

Below he performed at the q102 radio Bosom Ball to help benefit breast cancer in Cincinnati, Ohio, and this was his latest single, “Live Like We’re Dying,” which he performed during his sound check.

It’s a rollicking tune for sure, but where is the audience? Are things as bad for Allen as they might seem?

Is Kris Allen the next Taylor Hicks, destined to play shopping malls to screaming teenagers? Things could be worse, but that’s where I see Allen playing in the not-too-distant future if he can’t write anything better than this (and this single is actually written by The Script).

American Idol 8 winner Kris Allen took little time releasing a new single, but he should have waited longer, in my view.

His newest single, “Live Like We’re Dying” is nothing new; in fact, it’s reconstituted from another band, if you really wanna know.

Kris Allen - “Live Like We’re Dying”

After listening to the song, which sounds like a Blake Lewis joint, by the way, I get the impression this song is gonna fade away.

The chorus is catchy, but the lyrics are too fast, as though Allen were trying to rap his way out of a paper bag.

Also, I think people will find the song a tad too poppy. Some pop is good, but this song take the bubble gum quotient and stretches it out forever. At least that’s what it sounded like to me.

So Allen’s first joint? Not too impressive if you ask me. There have been other Idols who still did alright after their first single tanked, however.

Kris Allen is set to release new music soon, and apparently he’s been awful busy during breaks in his current Idols Live! tour, recording some new material.

The Morning Call dishes all:

Allen, speaking in an interview Tuesday before his performance with the American Idols Live tour at Reading’s Sovereign Center, said he’s been recording tracks during stops on the tour, which started July 5 – a month after he signed his contract with 19 recordings and Jive Records.

 He said, for example, he was recording Tuesday in Philadelphia with Alex Band from The Calling.

“But I don’t know exactly how far we are,” he says, laughing.

He knows, however, that a single is being prepared for release right after the “Idols Live” tour concludes Tuesday, and definitely before the end of September. But he steadfastly refuses to release any details on it.

 “I know what it is, but I can’t say anything,” he said.

His album, now scheduled out Nov. 17, will be “soft rock, with a little singer-songwriter thing in it, but not too much,” he says. “It’s difficult to explain, but it’s cool. You’ll just have to listen.”

I think it’s gonna sound alot like Blake Lewis, or maybe even a little of Clay Aiken. What do you think? Do you think Allen has what it takes to stay in this industry? Or, will he end up like Taylor Hicks and be forgotten?

American Idols Live! visited the Boardwalk of Atlantic City this weekend, and from the sounds of it the crowd wasn’t as crazy as other audiences.

Nonetheless, the Idols put their all into the show, especially Adam Lambert, who sang five songs and busted out “Starlight.”

Blake Lewis was in the audience as well, giving the Idols some encouragement. I mean, it wasn’t the crowd’s fault; apparently security told the crowd to sit down at some point during the show.

Also, Boardwalk Hall is usually reserved for acts like the old Miss America Pageant and other old-ass acts. WTF were the Idols doing there?

Shouldn’t they have been playing somewhere larger? Some questions should probably be asked and will be asked after that show. Dear God, what were the producers thinking sending the Idols there?

Anyway, the tour rolls on and I’m cure it will be better at the next stop.

Get tour tickets while they last below.

A most unlikely trio took the stage today on ABC’s Good Morning America during its Summer Concert Series.

David Cook, Adam Lambert and Kris Allen (wha?) were on Manhattan’s Central Park for the concert series this morning and they shared their thoughts on Paula Abdul leaving the show.

Cook, Lambert, Allen - Interview

Needless to say, the trio were “heartbroken” that Abdul decided to call it quits. But Lambert said she’ll “bounce back.”

The other shocking news today was that the trio for together and sang a Fleetwood Mac song, “Little Lies.”

While “Little Lies” is a part of Cook’s repertoire when he performs at shows, it was surprising nonetheless to see the trio singing the song.

And, it actually sounded good, considering it was more of an impromptu thing.

David Cook, Lambert and Allen - “Little Lies”

Anoop Desai headed home to North Carolina last night, playing to a packed house in Charlotte.

He looked dapper and seemed deeply moved that he was performing back at home and that the fans were deeply into his performance.

There have been some really good shows that have come from singers going back to their hometowns; this one was also part of that elite group.

Anoop Desai - “Always On My Mind”

We also have a good video of Michael Sarver, the oil roughneck we haven’t heard from much on the tour, largely because the big three of Adam, Kris and Allison get all the kudos.

So here is Sarver singing his song in Charlotte last night.

Michael Sarver - “In Love With A Girl”

Kris Allen went back to his home state of Arkansas recently and the results were magical, as one would expect from the adrenaline rush you’d get going home. The fans started screaming well before Allen even took to the stage.

Kris Allen - “Heartless”

After the performance and the several minute ovation that followed, you could tell that the fans were genuinely moved by Allen’s performance, which bordered on genius at points.

The STAPLES Center has been a busy place in the past few weeks, with the Michael Jackson Memorial and all.

So now the American Idols Live! Tour sets up shop there, and all the national media converge on L.A., presumably to get away from the scorching temps going on in whatever city they reside.

Matt Giraud hasn’t gotten as much press as the others on the tour, so I thought it would be nice if we showed his performance.

Matt Giraud - “Georgia”

Anoop Desai is another singer who hasn’t received as much pub as Kris and Adam, but his songs are great, nonetheless.

So here he is, singing Bobby Brown’s signature piece de resistance, “My Prerogative.”

Enjoy, and remember that American Idols Live! tickets are still available and you can buy them here!

Anoop - “My Prerogative”

The Bay Area was the next stop on the American Idols Live! tour this past weekend, with Oakland being the first stop of two.

Oakland is of course the home to MC Hammer and to Keyshia Cole, so the town knows how to get down.

And Danny Gokey certainly can get down himself, as he shows in the Michael Jackson cover of “PYT (Pretty Young Thing)”

I think this is Danny’s best song on the tour and he should try to put a version of this on his album, even though there have been reports he’s doing a country album.

Danny Gokey - “PYT (Pretty Young Thing)”

Other than Gokey’s solid performance, there were scattered reports of anti-gay protesters bum-rushing the show outside. But it turned out that there were only 3 to 5 people protesting.