IDOL alum gather together for shows in CA

Lesser Idols launch cabaret tour in S.F.
Aidin Vaziri, Chronicle Pop Music Critic
Friday, June 13, 2008

At last, the "American Idol" losers can get out of the sun.

Beginning in July, 17 castoffs from the first six seasons of the popular Fox television singing competition will get a reprieve from the county fair circuit as part of the "Idols in Concert" tour, which settles in for a nine-week engagement at the Rrazz Room at Hotel Nikko in San Francisco. The city is the first stop for what producers hope will be a traveling cabaret.

Under the direction of "American Idol" pianist Michael Orland, finalists such as Gina Glocksen, Constantine Maroulis, Lisa Tucker, Christina Christian and Paris Bennett, plus a handful of less memorable names - most of whom placed between fifth and eighth in their respective seasons - will reprise the performances that got them the most votes on the series.

Each week, the Rrazz Room will host three acts. The residency kicks off July 1-5 with Anwar Robinson, Lakisha Jones and Jon Peter Lewis.

Calling from home in Los Angeles, Season 3 finalist Lewis said, "It's always fun to be onstage performing in front of a live audience."

He said the performers will each get 15-minute solo sets, which he plans to use to play material from his forthcoming album, "Break the Silence."

There is also some talk of closing each set with a couple of duets and ensemble pieces. "I was never a fan of the song-and-dance routines on the show, though, so I'm not going to dance," he said.
This tour should not be confused with the "American Idols Live Tour 2008," which features the Top 12 performers from the most recent season, including winner David Cook and runner-up David Archuleta. That show should feature plenty of singing and dancing and heads to HP Pavilion on July 8.

Idols in Concert: Jul. 1- Aug. 30. 7:30 p.m. Rrazz Room, Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St., San Francisco. $45-$55. (866) 468-3399, www.therrazzroom.com.
American Idols Live Tour 2008: July 8. 7 p.m. $39.50-$68.50 HP Pavilion, 525 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose. (408) 287-9200, www.ticketmaster.com.
E-mail Aidin Vaziri at avaziri@sfchronicle.com.
This article appeared on page E - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Idol boss's hit Archie's pop..one mo' time !

David A's Dad Still Can't Beat Idol Goliath

David Archuleta, American Idol: Season 7
Gina Serpe, eonlineThu Jun 5, 9:01 AM EDT

It's the thought that counts. Or at least, it's going to have to be in David Archuleta's case.

American Idol producers have put the kibosh on a planned charity concert in the runner-up's homestate of Utah, an event masterminded by Archuleta's father as a "thank you" to fans who backed the teen crooner.

The toe-tapping token of gratitude, however, apparently wasn't run through the proper channels (like, any) and has now been unceremoniously called off due to a little uncharitable thing called "contractual obligations."

Archuleta's agent, Roger Widynowski, said Tuesday that the concert, billed as "Back Home With David Archuleta" and planned for tomorrow night, would be a no-go because the angel-voiced 17-year-old was not allowed to perform at any non-Idol sanctioned gigs. Not even one whose entire proceeds were earmarked for charity.

"They're just going to reschedule the event for a later time," infamous papa Jeff Archuleta told the Salt Lake Tribune. "When all the minds met, everyone concluded this wouldn't work out for this particular weekend, and they just want to reschedule it for toward the middle or the end of the [American Idols Live! summer] tour."

Widynowski, however, said the Utah concert would more likely be postponed until after the Idol-powered road show comes to a close.

And, it follows, when the proposed gig wouldn't cut into the official tour's potential revenue.
Tickets were originally set to go on sale Wednesday for $1 apiece. A quarter would pay for service charges and the other 75 cents were to be divided between the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Hometown fans will still get a chance to see the star-in-the-making before then, as the Idol tour touches down in Salt Lake City on July 14 and 15.

Archuleta is in his hometown of Murray through the end of the week before returning to Los Angeles to begin rehearsing for the summer trek, which features champ David Cook and the rest of the top 10 finalists and kicks off July 1 in Glendale, Ariz.

© 2008 E! Entertainment Television, Inc. All rights reserved., http://www.eonline.com/about/copyright/index.jsp

Best-Selling Idol Alumni

SEPTUPLE PLATINUM (sold 7 million copies)
Some Hearts, Carrie Underwood (winner, season 4)

SEXTUPLE PLATINUM (sold 6 million copies)
Breakaway, Kelly Clarkson (winner, season 1)

TRIPLE PLATINUM (sold 3 million copies)
Daughtry, Chris Daughtry (4th place, season 5)

DOUBLE PLATINUM (sold 2 million copies)
Thankful, Kelly Clarkson
Measure of a Man, Clay Aiken (runner-up, season 2)
Carnival Ride, Carrie Underwood

PLATINUM (sold 1 million copies)

Soulful, Ruben Studdard (winner, season 2)
Merry Christmas with Love, Clay Aiken
Free Yourself, Fantasia (winner, season 3)
My December, Kelly Clarkson
Taylor Hicks,Taylor Hicks (winner, season 5)

GOLD (sold 500,000 copies)
I Need an Angel, Ruben Studdard
Josh Gracin, Josh Gracin (4th place, season 2)
The Real Thing, Bo Bice (runner-up, season 4)
A Thousand Different Ways, Clay Aiken
Small-Town Girl, Kellie Pickler (6th place, season 5)
Fantasia, Fantasia
American Idol: Greatest Moments (season 1)
American Idol: All Time Classic Love Songs (season 2)
American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics
American Idol Season 4: The Showstoppers
American Idol: The Great Holiday Classics (seasons 1 and 2)
Elliott Yamin, Elliott Yamin (3rd place, season 5)
Source: Recording Industry of America (RIAA).