stevie wonder night: the top 12...

So Stevie Wonder is visiting the teary-eyed kids on opening night of the finals. The kids are introduced in order and it's clear what a stylist can accomplish. The kids cleaned up quite nicely.

I love the first night of finals. There's always that intangible electricity that just is not there during the semis. But I can't help but think how totally cruel it is to subject the kids to both opening night jitters, a big stage with a big crowd and forcing them to sing Stevie.

I love cruelty.

Well, here they are, written as I'm watching, my early impressions, and, as usual, subject to rewind, review and revision and, as always, from worst to first.

Kellie Pickler chooses Blame it on the Sun. In everything that is Idol, what in the hell was that? She points out that she bought her shoes on sale and that she's wearing false eyelashes. When that's the most memorable thing about a performance, things are not good. Randy says he likes the shoes. Simon likes the shoes. Paula likes the shoes. I don't even like the shoes.

Kevin Covais keeps the "I'm this year's sex god" theme alive by thanking all of the sign carrying fans and announcing he's a Part-Time Lover, complete with moving feet and indescribable dance moves. It's a cute and decent performance, in tune without forgotten lyrics. It was not appalling, as Simon described, but what is appalling is a 16 year old smart ass who is believing his own hype. Grannies do not appreciate freshness, and when you're depending on the granny vote, well...

Ace Young decides to Do I Do. He's all over the stage, the catwalk, avoids falsetto overload and yes, cute brother is there to cheer. Paula applauds his entertainment value, but the others criticize the vocals. Me? That was an unrecognizable version of a good song.

Melissa McGhee is adorable in her apologetic forgetting of the lyrics to Lately. Actually for awhile I seem to forget that I was not terribly impressed with the beginning of her performance, but the end was enough to let me forgive the front. Randy say meh. Paula tells her she should wear dresses more often. Simon says it was her best performance so far. Not so sure about that, but it was certainly not the worst one tonight.

I knew somebody would just feel compelled to sing Signed, Sealed, Delivered, considering it's been performed on pretty much every single season, and Lisa Tucker doesn't let me down. And, as much as I love this song, she doesn't show me anything new with the song, except for the fact that she's now proven she can actually move her feet to do something other than walk. It's not the best performance, as Simon suggests, but it's certainly not the pits.

It's touching how deeply moved Elliott Yamin is by meeting Stevie Wonder. His choice is interesting, considering he could probably eat up half of the Stevie catalog. But his rendition of Knocks Me off of my Feet, especially right after Pickler's shoes, is adequate. Randy says decent. Paula says we'll be seeing Elliott for weeks to come, and Simon tells him he needs to find his wow button.

Bucky Covington admits he's never heard Superstition and now that he has, he wants to run out and buy all Stevie Wonder products. Looks like Bucky has had a whole lot of products put into his hair; I never thought I would wish for his ponytail. I think I am falling more and more in love with this guy. He knows he's so far away from his zone, but he obviously grabs the experience just for the joy of the experience. And I think he's terrific. But for once I will agree with Simon; the curls have got to go.

Simon tells Paris Bennett she reminds him of a wind-up doll. Bratz dolls are not wound up. But she does an adequate job with All I Do, even though everything but the lyrics and the melody pretty much remind me of her Midnight Train to Georgia performance a couple of weeks back. I am not terribly impressed, but I'm not going to throw up. She's just Paris. The doll.

Mandisa has gotten my hall of fame forever and ever award for shedding her shoes (and even getting Ryan to remove them for her) for her peformance of Don't You Worry About a Thing. She's looking spectacular, but, ahem, she sounds really weak. She's fine in her upper voice, but her lower register almost makes me wonder if the band is playing in the wrong key. The judges tell her she's the best so far (having followed Ace, Kellie and Elliott), and she is, but after her blistering performance last time, I'm a little disappointed.

Taylor Hicks says Living for the City hits home for him. And he overcomes being virtually drowned by the band and his signature dance steps to bring the audience to its feet and the judges to acknowledging his talent.

Randy tells Katharine McPhee that her version of Until You Come Back to Me is da bomb. It is more than that. Simon says she's reminding him of Kelly Clarkson at the early stages of AI 1. The girl is fabulous. She's effortless. She's tremendous. But she needs a new clothing advisor. I hope they put that selection on the CD. Wow.

Chris Daughtry is lucky enough to merit the pimp spot, which, in and of itself, assures him a pass into next week. But Chris has proven he doesn't really need any manipulative assistance, choosing Higher Ground, the only Stevie song that would fit him like a glove. The smoke and the sparks light up the stage, but Chris doesn't need the pyrotechnics either. Simon says his was the best performance by a mile. Well, it was great, but I put him more in a deadlock with Katharine and Taylor.

Tomorrow Stevie will sing a Stevie song. Gee, I wonder if he'll make it his own. Guess we'll see.

C'mon. Who were your favorites? Who's toast?



tag: american idol