American Idol Live Concert Tour

I've just returned from seeing the American Idol Live Concert tour at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.and I must say what an ecletic, enjoyable, rousing show it was. This season's tour was the best yet and featured a wide variety of songs and performances from contemporary rock, classic rock, blues and scat singing and down home country. The Prudential Center is a fairly new building costing 375 million dollars to build and can hold up to 17,000 people. It is the home of the N.J.Devil's hockey team as well as basketball events and concerts. Sunday's concert was sold out.

This year's winner was Scotty McCreery, a 17 year old North Carolina country boy with a deep mature singing voice and a cute aw shucks demeanor about him. During his auditions on American Idol, Judge Randy Jackson had to ask Scotty if that was his real voice because it sounded so mature for his age. Many teen girls had shirts saying "We Love You Scotty" written on them and signs saying the same of course as they waited with baited breath for him to appear.

Starting out the show were the female finalists consisting of Lauren Alaina, Haley Rinehart, Pia Toscano, Thia Megla and Namia Adeldopo all singing Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" which got the crowd cheering.

Following their set, the ever lovely and excitingly hot Pia Toscano came out doing a few ballads and outstanding perfomances. Her dark looks and beautiful smile can set many hearts on fire.

The bearded and curly haired Casey Abrams came out with his bass fiddle and laid into several blues tunes. Casey is the jazz and blues member of the troup and proved he can also wail with the best of them. He did a few bee bop scat singing jazz tunes with Namia.

Another Idol favorite, Paul McDonald did a rousing, hand clapping version of Rod Stewart's classic Maggie May as he jumped and skipped around the stage getting everyone clapping along. Idol hearthrob Stefano Langone followed Paul and after several tunes took his shirt off much to the delight of his female fans. He is quite buff and well built.

Saucy singer Haley Rinehart did a very sexy, sensual version of "The House of the Rising Sun." Her sexy, saucy come hither looks followed by a big bright smile and her long,wavy blonde hair can garner anyone's attention. Following that song she ended with Elton John's "Benny and the Jets." During the year it was rumored that she and Casey Abrams had a thing going.

James Durbin is the rocker of the group and was almost this year's winner. James has Asperger's syndrome and has a year old son with his girl friend who he is marrying soon. James did some really hard rock tunes that showed off his energetic style. He entered the stage from the rear of the auditorium down the center of the aisle with fans reaching out to him.

Following James the whole group minus Scotty who up until this time was being saved for the end, did a few more numbers together. Following their set, Lauren Alaina did a few songs and introduced her mother who was in the audience. The beautiful, blonde young girl of 16 who looks a few years older was rumored to be attached to Scotty, but in an interview said they were too young to be involved and were just good friends on tour together. They do make an excellent couple though.

Finally the moment came to introduce Scotty. They did this by showing you videos of each year's winning idol announcement from 2001 to 2010 and then introduced live on stage this year's winner Scotty McCreery. People cheered and clapped loudly as Scotty started in with several of his country tunes sung on the show. Scotty and Lauren Alaina are the two youngest members of the troup both being 16 and 17.

The band backing them all up was nothing short of spectacular and outstanding especially guitarist Tim Stwart who really let loose on the electric guitar at all the appropriate moments from soft tunes by Pia Toscano to the hard rock tunes of James Durbin.

All in all it was so refreshing to see a clean, entertaining show featuring young people with an abundance of talent and decent morals for a change. A good show bereft of any off color jokes or four letter words which are so prevalent today.