Thursday, July 28, 2011

(6) Quarter-Finals Round 3 RESULTS

RESULT #1
Purrfect Angelz vs. Ian Johnson vs. Summerwind Skippers
MY GUESS: I am sort of surprised that any of them will make it but I will have to guess Summerwind Skippers
RESULT: No One
MY THOUGHTS: I am not surprised, but I am upset to see the Skippers go home, they were awesome!

RESULT #2
Poplyfe vs. Landou Eugene Murphy Jr.
MY GUESS: Since the last one was no one, this one has got to be both.
RESULT: Both
MY THOUGHTS: I certainly appreciate Landou Eugene and admit that he has a great voice. That one definitely doesn't surprise me. I guess after the praise that the judges gave Poplyfe last night I should have figured they would make it through. I am certainly not upset about it though, they were definitely in the top 6 last night.

RESULT #3
Mauricio Hererra vs. Captain & Maybelle vs. Lys Agnes vs. Monet
MY GUESS: Lys Agnes; America likes its opera singers
RESULT: Lys Agnes
MY THOUGHTS: She was one of my picks, so I am happy. I am not surprised that Monet and Mauricio didn't make it, and I guess Captain & Maybelle are just too gruesome for America, though I personally liked them.

RESULT #4
Seth Grabel vs. Sh'Boss Boys vs. Professor Splash
MY GUESS: Seth Grabel will be eliminated first; if not him then Professor Splash
RESULT: The Sh'Boss Boys
MY THOUGHTS: Wow, not what I expected; I thought America would find them too cute

          Seth Grabel vs. Professor Splash
          MY GUESS: I have a feeling the judges will choose Professor Splash
          (2 to 1, of course)
          RESULT: Professor Splash
          MY THOUGHTS: Doesn't surprise me, but I definitely don't see
          him winning, especially because his act is so limited to a ten
          second dive, regardless of if there's fire or not.

TOP 4:
Poplyfe
Landou Eugene Murphy, Jr.
Lys Agnes
Professor Splash

MY PICKS VS. AMERICA'S
1/4 : Not my best, but I didn't really expect America to agree with me this week. Overall I am content with the outcome, all the acts are decent enough. I am upset about the Summerwind Skippers though, they were really good and deserved to move on.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

(6) Quarter-Finals Round 3 REVIEW

Another great night full of talent! There were some really great acts and I am very curious to see who America votes through.


Summerwind Skippers
Their performance tonight was very cool and very fun to watch. I've never seen anything like that before. It was fast-paced and full of action, and the tricks they did were very cool. Their choice of music, costumes, and set were all great and really added to their show. (Click for YouTube Video)


SH'Boss Boys
When they first started, I got nervous that they were going to sing ABC the whole time and weren't going to do their own music. I was very glad to see them switch over halfway through. I agree that they have the cuteness factor but I wasn't overly impressed by their performance. Their voices are kind of annoying sometimes and I'm not sure they could really do well in a Vegas show. (Click for YouTube Video)


Mauricio Herrera
His voice was not very good at a lot of points during his performance, and I just wasn't impressed. It's not worthy of a headline show. I see him as more of a bar entertainer or something like that. He is really just not up to par with the other acts on the show. (Click for YouTube Video)


Seth Grabel
At first I was concerned because his act was moving a little slow, but after he dropped into the pit it started moving more quickly. The trick definitely wasn't what I expected, and he surprised me in a good way, doing something more than just 'escaping from the jacket'. He expanded on this idea and did something very cool. (Click for YouTube Video)


Poplyfe
I know the judges loved their performance, but I wasn't all that impressed by them. I won't deny that her voice is amazing and worthy of doing well, but the arrangement of the song was a little strange and I the background voices were not very good. I don't see the point of the band yet, but won't dispute that girl's voice. (Click for YouTube Video)


Ian Johnson
Ignoring what he did for a second, I have to mention that I did not like the background dancers. They distracted from the yo-yoing and made it more difficult to focus on him. Now, I will admit that they yo-yoing is very cool, but I think it is more close up entertainment rather than something that is entertaining from a far distance, especially if you have far seats. (Click for YouTube Video)


Landou Eugene Murphy, Jr.
He has a great voice and I think he gave a great performance tonight. He reminds me a little bit of Kevin Skinner because he comes from poverty and has a voice that you wouldn't expect based on the way he looks. I personally didn't like Kevin Skinner but this guy is good. (Click for YouTube Video)


Purrfect Angelz
I have to say that I think Sharon was right in saying that they are more of an opening act, and not necessarily worthy of headlining a show. They are good dancers and whatnot, but it really just wasn't anything special. I like how they tried to incorporate aerial work but I don't think it was enough to make them worthy of moving on to the Semi-Finals. (Click for YouTube Video)


Monet
Her voice really did not sound that good tonight. She sounded off key in a lot of places and I honestly just don't think she is ready for this type of competition. I'm not even sure how she got to the live shows in the first place. (Click for YouTube Video)


Captain & Maybelle
I must say that I usually hate these types of side-show / danger acts, but I was actually very entertained by these two. Their 'stunts' were fairly simple and it was just so hard to watch that I literally screamed out loud, but I still found myself entertained by the things that they did. It was a cute little 'story' to go along with it and I really enjoyed their act. (Click for YouTube Video)


Lys Agnes
She has a really great voice and I could really tell that she was emotionally into the music. She reminds of Barbara Padilla because they both sang opera and had sad stories, so I wouldn't be surprised if she made it to the finale just because America seems to like opera singers and/or people with sad stories. And if this is what happens I can't complain because she is no doubt very talented. (Click for YouTube Video)


Professor Splash
I can't help but think his act just doesn't come off as amazing on TV as it does live in front of you. When I watched it I wasn't overly terrified or amazed, but when Piers talked about how he could look up and see him however many feet above, I sort of got the idea that in person this act is probably very amazing. Overall it is cool but I'm just not that impressed. (Click for YouTube Video)


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MY PICKS FOR THE NEXT ROUND:

Summerwind Skippers: very cool
Seth Grabel: I want to see more
Captain & Maybelle: gruesome but entertaining
Lys Agnes: great voice and very passionate

Thursday, July 21, 2011

(6) Quarter-Finals Round 2 RESULTS

Silhouettes
A fantastic act that I'm sure will make it even into the Finals. They are one of my favorites in the whole competition so I'm very excited they made it through.

Daniel Joseph Baker
He is an amazing singer and has a great personality. I'm glad America is not turned off by his exuberant personality; he deserves much success.

Steven Retchless
I'm very shocked to see him go through, although he was one of my top 4. It's great that America is embracing his unique talent.

Smage Bros. Riding Shows
When I was choosing my Top 4 it came down to Landon Swank and them, just like it did with America's votes. So, although it is not Landon, I am happy to see them through. They are a fairly exciting act that I'm sure has much more to offer.

3/4! That's pretty awesome! I'm running at 7/8 so far! This is fantastic!!!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

(6) Quarter-Finals Round 2 REVIEW

Again I find myself somewhat disappointed with the talent tonight. The judges always say "this is the best talent we've ever had" and then the acts just don't deliver. I won't deny that some acts were brilliant, but some were just so sub-par.

Attack Dance Crew
I tend to really like dance groups, but I will admit that I was not particularly impressed by this performance. I think it's great that they tried to include some stunts, but they needed to work on being more tight and together in a few places. Overall, I thought it was pretty cool, but definitely not better than Studio One Young Beast Society from last year or even other groups I've seen on this show before.

Dani Shay
I agree with the judges that she didn't pick the greatest song to sing. She should have chosen something more popular but also something that showcased her voice better; there were only a few parts in that song that really let her belt it out and show how good of a singer she is. It got better when she stood up and started singing without the guitar though. In general, she is a very pure person but this performance was not as good as it could have been.

Geechy Guy
Some of his jokes were funny, and some weren't. That in itself is the problem with comedy; it's too subjective, especially for a show like AGT. I highly doubt he will advance.

Daniel Joseph Baker
This guy is a really, really great singer. He has an amazing voice and really put on a great show tonight. The song choice, costume, and choreography were all very well chosen and I was really impressed. He has a fierce personality and I think it will take him far.

The Rhinestone Ropers
BORING! This was too big of a change from the danger that we saw in their first performance. They really stepped it down a notch. That performance would not even get them past the first round of auditions. I was very disappointed and it was not very cool to watch. I understand that the horse was intimidated, but Piers is right in saying that they did not need to use the horse if they thought there was any chance that it might not perform to its fullest ability.

Dylan Andre
He's really nothing special. He's got a good voice and looks the part, but he's really nothing special. Usually America falls for the young male singers (like Michael Grimm, Season 5 winner for example), but I don't think Dylan is good enough.

Landon Swank
His illusion was certainly very cool, but the WOW moment only lasted for like 5 seconds before it was over. The build up to the trick was a little slow and I think he needed to do something that caught the audience's attention the entire time.

Smage Bros. Riding Shows
First off, I don't like there name. It is too cheesy and should just be 'Smage Bros.' or something. Anyways, in terms of their act, it reminds me a lot of Jeremy VanSchoonhoven from last season except with one more person and motor bikes instead of regular bikes. For this reason, I am not particularly impressed because the motor bikes give them more power to jump on the things than if they had regular bikes. Also, it feels more dangerous when they are jumping around the guy on the floor rather than when they are just jumping on top of those platforms. Maybe it just doesn't come of as good through the TV...

Thomas John
The act was kind of funny at the beginning and made me smile, but you simply cannot drop anything at this stage in this competition. It's unfortunate that it happened but what can you do.

Steven Retchless
His act is really pretty cool. It's a little weird to watch at first but it looks like it takes a lot of strength to do something like that and I applaud him.

Mona Lisa
Something about the way they sounded when they sang together sort of bothered me but their separate voices were pretty good. I also liked their song choice and the set behind them. They are good singers but there is really no WOW factor here and I've heard better singers.

Silhouettes
This is one of my favorite acts! I liked them from the first time I saw them and was so excited for this performance. I have no doubt they will go far in the competition, and I am so excited to see what they bring next. Their performance tonight was so cool, unique, and clever. It was fun to watch but also graceful at the same time.



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My Top 4:

Daniel Joseph Baker
Landon Swank
Steven Retchless
Silhouettes

Thursday, July 14, 2011

(6) Quarter-Finals Round 1 RESULTS

Snap Boogie
Great dancer! He is very talented and unique!

Sandou Trio Russian Bar
Very dangerous. I'm sort of surprised to see them beat the Fearless Flores Family but I'll take it.

Anna Graceman
Very talented singer! America does love its singers and its talented kids so this one is not a surprise.

Miami All Stars
I completely agree with the judges; the Miami All Stars gave a better performance last night. It was also nice to hear them say that they do all sorts of dance.

WOW! I got 4/4 acts! That's the first time that has ever happened in the past two seasons. Very happy to start off at 100%!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

(6) Quarter-Finals Round 1 REVIEW

Overall, I am a little disappointed in this first quarter-finals round. The talent wasn't all the that great and I was sort of disappointed with the acts they chose to stick together in this first round.

Miami All Stars
I tend to like dance groups a lot, but I don't think the Miami All Stars are as cool as some of the other dance acts that have been on the show before. They are not particularly precise or together in their movements and the staging seems to be off balance at some times. I do like the cool flips they do and how they are a different style of dance than is usually on the show.

Dezmond Meeks
It is a plus that he also plays the piano, and his voice is pretty good. However, I don't think it was a good song choice for him because it sounded a little screechy sometimes. I also agree with Sharon and Howie about it being a little too cheesy/cabaret.

Those Funny Little People
I still don't understand how they made it to the live shows in the first place, but I am confident that America will not send them through to the semi-finals. The problem is that they don't really dance or sing so there's not much talent involved. It's just a bunch of people in suits who move around.

Fearless Flores Family
It is very cool but it is somewhat boring to watch after a while because they just go around and around. I like how they took it to the next level by adding another rider but I do see it being somewhat limiting as to where they can take it from here and how long they can actually go around and around.

Squonk Opera
It was really just too weird for me. The girl not have a good voice, either. It was too screechy and the music was not good. It was sort of cool with the effects but nothing else.

J Chris Newberg
Having those kids there was kind of random, and I thought only some of his jokes were funny. Overall, I'm really not sure what to think. It was OK, but not worth a million dollars in my opinion.

Snap Boogie
The beginning was a little boring to me since he did a lot of basic movements but it definitely got better towards the end. The dancing is very cool and I liked the whole thing with the backup dancers.

Echo
That bird is very cool and very funny, but I'm not sure how much more he can really do, especially considering he already repeated some of his tricks. I'm also worried about him not pulling through again like in Las Vegas. Overall, it was very entertaining to watch and I like this act.

The Fiddleheads
The main guy is a very good singer, but I agree that it is not a very good song choice. I like when they do current songs in a different way like in their first audition. I'm just not sure, however, that they are good enough to make it through.

Duo Aero
It is very cool what they do but it is definitely somewhat boring after a while. I also agree that it was too dated and should have been more modern.

Anna Graceman
I have no doubt that she will go far in the competition; America usually likes talented child singers. She is a really good singer and it is great that she plays the piano as well since that adds to her abilities.

Sandou Trio Russian Bar
That is so scary to watch! Every time she jumps I get scared, but it is definitely a good entertainment act. It is, however, a bit repetitive and I'm not sure how long I could watch her jump, flip, and land.

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Here are the four acts I think deserve a spot in the Semi-Finals:

Miami All Stars
Snap Boogie
Anna Graceman
Sandou Russian Bar Trio

Monday, July 11, 2011

SEASON 6 Begins!

The Preliminary Auditions and Vegas Week are over and the Top 48 have been announced! It looks like there is some awesome talent this year. Here are my comments on Vegas Week and the Top 48:

The Group to Advance Directly to the Top 48:
I was very happy to see Silhouettes and Team iLuminate go on. Lys Agnes, Melissa Villasenor, and the Rhinestone Ropers were good picks too. However, I was a bit surprised to see Captain & Maybelle and Squonk Opera go through. We didn't even get to see all of Squonk Opera's audition. I was not surprised to see the three danger acts (Flores Family, Splash, and The Ropers) go through but I'm not sure I like them all that much.

The Top 48:
Some of the decisions really surprised me, and I was disappointed to see certain acts go home. Overall, I think it will be a great season and I am excited for the Quarter-Finals!