Crowd worships 'Idols' at The Joe

Adam Graham / Detroit News Pop Music Writer


In a massive ode to consumerism, populism and everything else that America holds dear, the juggernaut that is "American Idol" steamrolled through Joe Louis Arena in Detroit on Wednesday night.

Besides being peddled $20 programs, $30 T-shirts and endless plugs for tour-sponsoring Pop Tarts, the sold-out crowd was treated to karaoke performances from nine of the fifth-season "American Idol" finalists. Most were passable, though some left you wishing Simon Cowell would appear on stage and deliver the singers a stern tongue-lashing.

After five seasons, "American Idol" has gone through enough cycles that fans know they'll probably never see most of the performers on a stage this size again.

That seemed to be OK with the audience -- mostly made up of parents and their children -- who heartily gave it up for "Idol" also-rans Ace Young, Paris Bennett, Lisa Tucker, Kellie Pickler and even clueless, rhythmless southern rocker Bucky Covington.

(No one seemed to mind much that Mandisa was sick and unable to make it, though cheese ball Denverite Young assured the crowd she "sends her love.")

Young got the crowd excited early -- when he removed his jacket and made puppy dog eyes at the audience, it elicited more cheers than any of his shrill notes -- but the evening's biggest showcases were saved for the four finalists: Elliott Yamin, Katharine McPhee, Taylor Hicks and Chris Daughtry.

Judging by the wild screams of preteen girls in attendance, Daughtry, the bald rocker whom many thought deserved to win this year's competition, gave Hicks a run for his money as the night's most popular performer. Rolling through Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive" and Styx's "Renegade" with an icy cool confidence, Daughtry was at ease on stage and managed to deliver the goods vocally. His rocker poses seemed unforced and natural, whereas Ford pitchman Hicks' spastic dance moves and pained facial gestures were even harder to watch live than on television.

Runner-up McPhee, battling a public image problem since sacking the first section of the tour due to a supposed bout with bronchitis, performed two songs, lazily taking on KT Tunstall's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" and impersonally running through "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

Though under "strict orders" to give her voice a rest, she managed to make it back out for the finale, singing James Brown's "Livin' in America" with the rest of the gang while hobbling on-stage on her broken left foot.

McPhee was outclassed Wednesday by the nearly forgotten Tucker, who surprised the audience by performing and playing piano on two Elton John classics, and good-time gal Pickler, whose vocals may be limited but whose enthusiasm is utterly contagious.

You can reach Adam Graham at (313) 222-2284 or agraham@detnews.com.