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GSNN
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Previous Episodes October 19 |
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The people who turned seven ordinary Americans into American Idols are looking to discover the next great band. Recaps by Chico Alexander, GSNN |
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Round of 12 Last time, sixty bands met in the desert, and in the end, 12 were invited back to compete for your votes. Tonight, we go live with the 12 bands. To remind you, the bands are... Tres Bien John reminds the bands to play together and convey a message. Sheila thinks that we have 12 of the most diverse bands in America today. Dicko reminds us of how the show works. Tonight, the bands will play two songs, one cover and one original song. They'll be tested on writing and interpretation as well as their sound. Tonight... they take on Bob Dylan, a man who changed the face of music history. His pioneering songs stand the test of times. The bands have nothing but the highest of regard for the man, and they hope not to screw it up. First band tonight is the biggest... Two saxes, two trombones, three trumpets, four in the rhythm section. It's Denver & the Mile High Orchestra with "Freight Train Blues" and their original, "One-Time Show." John thought they had fun with the presentation and the arrangement. They're going to have to bend and twist the rules, though. Sheila thinks they did an amazing job as well. She wants to see Denver interact with the band, though. Dicko thought it was the cheeriest blues song he ever heard. He thinks Denver should "take his clown suit on a one-way trip to the charity shop." He thinks presentation needs to be modernized. Next up is Sean, Gary, Jesse, and Austin... together known as The Hatch. They live together in Brooklyn. Their first number is "It's All Over Night, Baby Blue". Their original: "Stretch Out the Time". John thought the band beat on the Dylan song really hard. They play really great, but the original needed a hook. Sheila says that they need to have the same attitude with the cover that they did with the original. Dicko's wife loves the Hatch. HE, on the other hand, thinks that there is no dividing line between jamming together and really performing. "If you're going to be a pop group, show us the pop songs." Next up, the pint-sized guitar heroes of Light of Doom. Erik, Mitchell, Dillon, Daniel, and Lucas make up the band of 13 year-olds. One word.. Hanson. They're going with "All Along the Watchtower" for their Dylan cover, and for the original, a little ditty dedicated to Grizz and all the other victims of the fires in San Diego. It's called "Eye of the Storm." John loves the band. There's room to grow all around. "Wow. What can I say." Sheila thinks they did a fantastic job, BUT they need to continue to practice, because they have to finish the notes on the right note. "It's gotta be in tune." Dicko finds 13-year-old playing death metal "a little spooky", but agrees with Sheila. Rock'n'roll is about selling sex, but not at 13. "Put your shirts on." Next is Geoff Byrd, Joe, Jason, and Jesse of The Likes of You. They opened for Hall & Oates. They're sick of opening, though. They want to be the headliners. They start with "Blowin' in the Wind". They finish with "Love and Gravity." John likes this band a lot. They took the Dylan song and owned it. They've been together for five months, and they're already putting together songs that could be hits. Sheila thinks that they're great songwriters, but if you're going to hit the false, hit it till it hurts. Dicko needs to be convinced that they are a band instead of Geoff sneaking his way into a solo career. Geoff agrees with him, but he's thinking more about the band now than his own ego. Next is the only all-girl group of the show, Lauren Rocket and her band Rocket. The others: Roxie, Kelly, Lauren, and Kristin. They have to prove that they're just as good as any of the guys. First, they go "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." Then they'll finish it out by being "Mean to You". John likes the urgency of the band and that they take each other seriously as a band, but they're a far cry from Chrissie Hynde and Siouxsie Sioux. Sheila thinks that cover was great, and the original was as great as even that. Dicko's proud of the band for tightening up. But the voice needs a little more "grunt". Lauren sounds like "his teenage daughter having one of her tanties." Next comes some Southern comfort in the form of Cliff Wagner and his band, Cliff Wagner & the Old #7. The band: Devitt Feeley, Lucas Cheadle, and Craig Ferguson. They're playing bluegrass Dylan with "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" and bluegrass original with "Old Fire", a song about tender love and diesel fuel. No kidding. John really wants to hang out with these guys. They were really well on. Sheila says that they owned the song. Dicko didn't enjoy it as much as John or Sheila did. We've entered the second half of competition. Next up, a three-piece from Rock City. Danny Methric, Matt Rost, and Tony Denardo, collectively known as The Muggs. This is the band that stayed together through Tony's stroke. Tonight, they'll try to stick together with "Meet Me in the Morning" and "Slow Curve" for some greasy Detroit rock. John calls Danny his guitar hero. He can feel the bond between the three of them. These are one of Sheila's favorites. Dicko likes them as well, but they have to improve as singers. The best thing about this is is that this isn't Idol. Danny needs to get over his singing jibe and just blow. Ashley, Adam, and Austin Clark are next with their farm act, the Clark Brothers. Remember, their father was a traveling preacher and father of seven. We're starting with "Maggie's Farm" and ending with "Billy the Kid." John loves the guts and the dirt put on the Dylan song. He also loves the hook of the original, even though he popped a string and kept going. "And all the girls want it." Sheila praises their versatility. Dicko says that they were the standouts. Wasn't so keen on the Dylan song, messing up the melody. Next up, we're dealing with Mikey Bostinto, Mike Crowe, Cody Wilson & Ryan Metcalf, Très Bien!. They're what you would call a good-time band. They play together, and they'll play together right now with Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues." They'll also play "Easy to Love Me." John thought the cover was pretty good. He wishes that 60s Brit pop could be modernized. It couldn't, though. Sheila needs to remind them to hit the solos or quit the solos. Dicko likes the retro vibe, but reminds them not to fall into the kitsch of the 60s retro band. Next up, four brothers from Philadelphia, Franklin Bridge. Curt Chambers, Dwayne Moore, Ray Ray, and Darrell Robinson. They all played in church bands, but now they're going to rock the vote. Hopefully. They start with Dylan's "Tangled Up in Blue". They finish with another fire dedication with "Incredible," the song they sang at their audition. Sheila gives them a standing O. John calls them an event. "Everyone's chasing you guys." Sheila has nothing bad to say about this one. She's calling it right now. They're going to win. Dicko is proud to hear them, BUT... why have they not been signed? A clue came in the Dylan song. "That song was overarranged to an inch of its life." They need to keep it simple. Two more bands to see. The first is Dot Dot Dot, Adam, Rose, Lisa, Michael, and Stephan. Five really crazy people who just like to party on stage. They're just there to entertain. They entertain with "Like a Rolling Stone" and (C-Note: I love this title...) "Another Stupid Love Song." John starts out with a great front man, but they mangled the Dylan song bad. They're original. The lyrics need work on the original, though. He thought that the title "Another Stupid Love Song" was apt. Sheila didn't like the Dylan song either. "Everything was just loud. There were just no dynamic." Dicko still states that they need to tone it down, coming off as "an exec's idea of a rock band." One more band to go, and it's Sixwire. Andy, Steve, Robb, John, and Chuck got together seven years ago. They made their first album themselves, but didn't really get it out there. This is another shot at redemption. Hopefully they don't blow it. They start their set with "Mr. Tambourine Man", and then close out the show with "Good to Be Back", yet another audition recycle. John can tell that they've been together a long time and it shows. They showed a lot of respect for the Dylan song, and the original is a crossover hit. Sheila may have to change her prediction. She's entitled. This band is consummate professional. Less is more, she says. Dicko? "You guys are a fabulous addition to this competition. You have to get people to vote for you." So to recap... Headliners: Clark Bros.,
Franklin Bridge, Sixwire But that's just what we think. It's all about you. Remember, two of these bands will NOT play next week. What did your votes do? We'll find out next time. |
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