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AGT Recap: Semifinals Part Two
Hey everyone so thanks to my great schedule I had just one class today so I have extra time to blog!!! I found a video of last night's entire show so I can see what happened in between the performances. A lot of good acts are going tonight so I hope they do well.
Apparently the nights that some of the acts are performing. One of my faves,Eli Mattson, is not going tonight. We do still get Daniel Jens, the singer from the army Queen Emily and Paul, the Frank Sinatra impersonator.
The judges get their usual dramatic intro, and Sharon gets a hug from a random audience member. And of course Jerry brags about how this is the biggest show in America. Blah Blah Blah.
Jerry asks Piers how the acts did last night, and he thought most of them were great. I disagree. I thought they were mostly good but none of them really stood out except maybe Neal. Piers did signal out Neal saying how great he was. Sharon said she was surprised in a bad way by several performances. Ouch she's getting feisty tonight. David said it must have been tough for America to decide who to put through.
First up are the results. The four acts that got the most votes last night will go through, plus one act that the judges pick. This is new this season, and I like it, as it will prevent any shocking eliminations this early on. So if for some reason fans got complacent and didn't vote for Neal, the judges will be sure he will make it through.
In case anyone didn't read my blog from the previous show, I think Neal and Jessica are locks. After that it's up in the air but I think Extreme Dance FX was pretty good. I liked Cadence, (the drummers), DC Cowboys, and Shimshi (the magician) but the judges didn't seem to and that might hurt them. Derrick as Britney Spears might get through instead of one of these acts.
First of course we get a recap of last night. The James Gang stands by what they did last night despite the comments. Derrick wants to impress Piers next week. Cadence thinks they can add more and do well next week. Shimshi thinks he did great and was upset by the judges' comments. The DC Cowboys thinks Piers, who criticized them, has a limited palette of entertainment. Everyone else basically said generic stuff about how they want it more than anyone else and how great it was on the stage.
Extreme Dance FX and Ronny B. step forward. Only one of them is safe. Hopefully it's Extreme Dance FX or there is something wrong with this show. And indeed they are in the top 20. Good for them I didn't love their routine at first but compared to some of the later acts it was definitely one of the better ones of the night.
Next Shimshi and Jessica Price step forward. Nooo that means Shimshi is probably out!! Boo I liked him. Sure enough Jessica is safe, but maybe Shimshi will get the judges' vote later on.
Next are The Cadence and DC Cowboys. This one is interesting, as it is unclear who will go through. I liked both of them but The Cadence was overall better last night. Sure enough they are safe as well!!! Great I loved their act. I know it's similar to The Blue Man Group but I've never actually seen The Blue Man Group perform so I can't compare the two.
Now there are four acts left. Neal and Derrick step forward next. One of them is safe. Good that means Derrick the Britney impersonator is out (hopefully). Sure enough Neal gets through, and he just looks relieved. The judges clap approvingly.
So now Elite the girl who beats people up and The James Gang are left. They got fifth and sixth in the voting (not sure who was fifth and who was sixth). But the judges chose between those two acts which ones should stay. So I guess that means Shimsi is out!! Aw I liked his act- even though it was a card trick it was still cool. So of these two I liked The James Gang better last night (and overall) although I'm not a huge fan of either. The judges liked Elite better last night though so she might be safe. Plus she is crying so she'll get plenty of sympathy votes! First Piers votes for The James Gang, thinking that he has seen all of Elite but not all of The James Gang. That gets a mixed reaction from the crowd. Sharon goes next and also votes for The James Gang. I did like them better but I feel bad for Elite, who cries as she gets hugs from The James Gang. One of them even lifts her up and carries her around the stage so she can give kind of a curtain call. Aw they are such sweet guys. It seems like Sharon partially based her choice on the fact that The James Gang has families that rely on them, which might not be the best way to judge but oh well.
Now it's time for tonight's performances. First up are Beyond Belief Dance Company, who I remember liking in the early rounds. They are a huge act (21 dancers) so I fear the act might look a bit hectic. However it looked really good! I especially liked the blend of different styles, and dancing to a popular song didn't hurt. But I fear many might compare them to Extreme Dance FX, so if they make the top 20 too only one might make the next round. The crowd loved it though, which is a good sign. Piers says that the start was "ropy" whatever that means, but as it went on it was electrifying. He tells them to keep a bit tighter if they get through, which he thinks they will (as do I). Sharon thought it was sassy but thinks for the next level they need to take it to a higher level. David said their practice paid off and they nailed it. I don't think they will win and it will be hard for them to compete with the other dance groups but for this round they should be safe.
Next up is Paul Salos, the Frank Sinatra impersonator. I'm not a big Sinatra fan but he really sings just like the few Sinatra songs I've heard. Plus he has a great story, waiting his whole life for this chance. He sings "My Way" and sounds great. A little slow, but that's to be expected from someone his age. Plus the pretty backup girls won't hurt either. I didn't love the ending, but the judges must have, as they give him a standing ovation! Piers said Paul did it the way Sinatra would have done it and that he wants to see him in the finals. Sharon said he is a classy guy and that he was perfect. David said he is Vegas and that Sinatra would love it. Again I'm not a fan of Sinatra but this guy has the voice and the cool swagger. He should be a lock for the top 20 and beyond.
Next is Kazual, a boy band of three brothers and a cousin. I don't think they've been shown much on TV but I heard they were on Maury so they can't be that bad. David warns they need to do more than sing ballads to keep going in the competition. Indeed they do a fast song that I don't recognize. But the guy doing the low part doesn't sound that great, and Piers indeed buzzes him at the end of his early solo. Plus during the early harmonies all you can hear is his voice! The second guy sounds better but still not great. The third guy sounds great- he should be a solo act! The fourth guy stinks too- he's so soft you can barely hear him! They sound decently together towards the end and the dancing was good but the solos were a bit painful. David seemed to like it but the others don't look pleased. Piers agrees with me completely, saying they sound great together but they sound bad solo, except for the third guy. He tells them if they want to succeed the one guy should sing lead and the others do harmonies. Even the crowd hesitates a bit before booing, so they probably agree with him. Sharon agrees the one guy, who's name is EJ, was great but the others were not. David says he thinks they were nervous put pulled it together at the end (when they did harmonies). He hopes America will give them a second chance but I think they may have blown their shot.
After the break is the Zooperstars, guys who dress in giant costumes and dance. I never understood the fascination with this act, and I was shocked to hear they even made it this far. It takes skill to do what they do but it's just weird. Plus they do their backstage interviews still wearing those weird costumes! Piers seems to agree with me, but David says that's because he's British! So they come out on scooters, and of course Piers immediately X's them. Then they do a coordinated dance and one balloon rips off his balloon shirt. Then the duck purposely trips in front of the judges. And hey here's the YMCA! The beaver guy does the dance with his legs! Then a random guy comes out and gets "eaten" by another zooperstar. Am I actually laughing? This is ridiculous but it's actually somewhat entertaining. It was better than I thought it would be but I'm still not a huge fan. Piers can't get the crowd to shut up! Then he says he wants to shoot all of them with a harpoon! Ouch! Then the giant duck shakes his tailfeather at Piers! These guys are starting to grow on me. Sharon thinks it's great entertainment but doesn't think it will sustain a long act in Vegas, which may be true. David thinks they are funny and entertaining. This act is the wild card of tonight- it depends on if more of America agrees with Piers or David.
Next are The Wright Kids, a young trio that I also don't remember having seen before. They might get a lot of votes for being cute (like Kaitlin the four-year-old singer). One boy sings and plays guitar, a girl plays guitar, and another small boy plays cello. The singer isn't too bad for his age but still not amazing. And when they get to the harmonies it sounds painful- like they are screaming! Then I think the sound people made the background adult vocalists so loud we couldn't hear the kids. It's hard to judge them based on the audio issues but I'd they were okay but not great. Piers loves their charm but thinks they are not great singers. That sounds about right. Sharon says they are normally a bluegrass group so this was a big risk, and it paid off for them. David says it was like The Partridge Family and they did great. I'm not as enamored as the judges were but they were certainly better than Kazual.
Next is Jonathan Arons, the weird trombone player and dancer. Another guy I wasn't a fan of early on. His act was just too weird for me. He plays a weird disco song with a marching band and cool lights. However it was a bit too much weird dancing and not enough trombone playing for my taste. Plus the trombone sounded off for some reason. Another good but not great act. Piers said he was "one sandwich short of a picnic" but thought he was entertaining. Sharon said he's a great showman but the trombone sounded out of tune. I thought it sounded a bit off but I couldn't figure out why. David thought the trombone playing was horrible but it was still entertaining. I agree it was somewhat entertaining but the bad trombone playing might cost him, since that is half of his act.
Next is one of my favorites, Daniel Jens, the army singer. I was so happy he got through a few weeks ago despite forgetting his lyrics. He sings "Every Breath You Take" a great song. He sounds great as always! I know he's not the best singer but I love his story and he seems like such a sweet guy. Piers says everyone knows his story and he likes how he chose to go sans-uniform. He thinks he sang pretty well but not good enough for Vegas. I agree, and that's why I think he won't win, but he's certainly one of the best of the night so far. Sharon loved the song choice and the passion in his voice but warns him to work on his breathing. David says he is a real man and is inspiring to others. I hope he makes it through, and I think he has a good shot.
Next are The Slippery Kittens. I don't really remember them either but based on their name I'm guessing their act is more geared towards men. Indeed they are a burlesque act. They dance pretty well but it's a bit boring compared to the other dance acts. And here comes the stripping! It's clear this is the focus of the act, not the dancing, and this is just not my thing at all. Even Piers buzzes them! You'd think he'd like an act of attractive women but I guess not. Piers says he buzzed them because he wanted them to put their clothes back on, possibly because of the tattoos on one of the girls. I didn't notice them at first but they are a bit distracting. But still you can't deny they have great bodies. Sharon says she can see them performing in Vegas. David said they look like the next generation of Baywatch. Again, it's not really my thing but they should get votes from the horny guys in the audience.
Next is George the Giant, one of the weird novelty acts in this year's bunch. His acts are a bit too odd for my tastes but maybe he'll be better tonight. I actually couldn't find video of his act online. Apparently he turned himself into a giant pinata, and Sharon thought it looked silly. That does sound kind of stupid although it's hard for me to judge without seeing it.
Lastly is Queen Emily, another one of the singers AGT raved about in the promos who somewhat disappointed me in the early rounds. She sings "Ain't No Mountain" which is a hard song to do solo but she does a great job. I think I liked her better this week when there was less of the show forcing her down our throats in the promos. I think she might even be my favorite of the evening. The crowd and judges agree, giving her a standing ovation. Piers says that they have found a superstar. He thinks she could beat Michael Phelps aka Neal Boyd (if you are confused, read my recap of last night's show) I too wonder if she has a chance to beat out Neal for the title. Sharon says she has it all- confidence, style, and voice. David says she has thrown the contest into disarray, and he says she is the frontrunner. I still think that distinction belongs to Neal but she too should be there at the end.
So tonight's show had a bunch of odd acts that weren't really my thing. I think Queen Emily, Paul the Frank Sinatra guy, and Beyond Belief Dance Company should almost definitely make the next round. After that it's a bit up in the air. I hope Daniel Jens makes it, and he might because of his great story. I honestly have no clue who the fifth act might be, but I think the cute Wright Kids have a chance. See you all next week!
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Aug 28, 2008 4:16 PM
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Mel - I definitely thought the groups this week were weaker. It will be interesting to see the results. I can't imagine Queen Emily not making it. She is good enough to be there for a long time. The Frank Sinatra guy has an amazing voice and I was standing in the kitchen listening to him - he really does sound like Sinatra. That is a real impersonator IMO, not just some one who looks good in a costume.
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Aug 28, 2008 4:36 PM
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Hey CinderAngelkc! Yeah this week just had a lot of weird acts that maybe weren't as talented as others. I like Queen Emily and the Sinatra guy too, along with Sgt. Jens.
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Aug 28, 2008 6:46 PM
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