It seemed to take forever to get to this stage, where talent abounds. From 100,000 acts (most of the dumbest talent I've ever seen) down to 10. But they couldn't have started the show with a better opening.
I believe that some people simply feel deeper than others and they absorb all the emotion that vibrates throughout our planet. There is no better example of what I'm talking about than Michael Grimm, last year's AGT winner.
He opened tonight's show with "Stay With Me" and I could feel the song, because he sang it with every fiber of his being. He doesn't sing, he experiences a song - lives it - in such a way that his audiences are drawn into his time in space.
To perform a heart-wrenching song with such emotion, when you're sitting on top of the world, just goes to show how talented he is and how much he really deserved to win last year. And I knew it from the first time I saw him perform. :D
Fortunately, they didn't follow his opening with another singer. They opted to bring out the Miami All Stars, who blew me away last week. This week, not so much. The football theme in honor of NFL Kick-Off Week, felt more like a cheer than a dance. The mascot, a chicken, was just cheesy.
But they weren't the only talent to take a risk. A gigantic risk was taken by Lys Agnes, a singer who last week fused rock with opera, did it again this week with an Arrowsmith song, "Dream On." Love the song, love her, but not too sure I liked her switch from soprano to contralto. Frankly, I wish she had sung the song in her normal register, which is fantabulous. The dream catcher she stood in was awesome cool, though. And, no, Sharon, not at all like Cher, who has a one-octave range.
Whilst her performance had magical overtones, Landon Swank brought the real magic. In a New York style apartment setting, he appeared like a suave and debonaire gentleman, conjuring a tablet in his hand, that when put in his mouth, turned into a ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww goldfish. Yeah, he spat it in a glass. Double ewwwwwwwww. Then, he put his hand through the glass aquarium and released da wittle fishy. I've got this one figured out, but I can't give away the secret. :D
What I can't figure out is how an 11-year-old can sing with the same emotion as Michael Grimm, unless her soul is much older than her years. Anna Graceman, sang, sans piano, "True Colors." I don't think it was quite as good as previous performances, but she took a risk by separating herself from the piano.
Next up...Silhouettes, who hit the nail on the head this week by telling a story in dance, of why Americans should be proud. "Believe" which they spelled out at the end of their exquisitely picturesque dance earned them a standing O.
And from the beautiful to the daring, the Smage Bros. were next on stage. Frankly, I'm beginning to believe that the kid who doesn't ride is the bravest of all. Tonight he was hit in the head and leg, as the motorcycles zoomed around the stage, up and down the planks and wheelied across a slender, metal bar. Their act is nothing short of jaw-dropping, breath-holding entertainment.
But the one act that never fails to entertain me is Poplyfe, who also received a standing O, after their Michael Jackson medley. Both last week and this week, they took a risk by performing songs made popular by all-time great artists and amazingly turned 'em out even better.
The one act, who I believe, didn't even deserve to be there from the start - West Springfield Horror Dance Team - is finally getting old to the judges. Their gory, zombie routine tonight was, as the judges said, "predictable."
Now you might call Landou Eugene Murphy, Jr. predictable, as well. He's a crooner and there's not much a crooner can do, but croon. Of course when you croon with a voice like Sinatra and perform with the style of Dean Martin, all to a big band, it's more than just singing. He made the stage come alive with "Kick in the Head." Wonder if Vegas has any crooners? Even Piers said that the one act he'd shell out money to see is Murphy, to which Sharon said, that's saying a lot coming from someone as tight as Piers.
Last to perform, and an act which I've always viewed as "just another glow in the dark act" really lit up the stage tonight. iLuminate was electrifying, but I'm sure it doesn't translate as well via satellite.
There were 10 very talented and deserving acts tonight - well nine. But only four are going through and this time it's all on America's shoulders. *sighs* I'm just glad it doesn't rest on mine. Although, I know I'm voting for Poplyfe.
5 comments:
wow finally in the finals. i don't think the glow in the dark people will make it that far. the only ones i really saw were the smage (SsmaGEE?) bros and their act seemed good.
You be writing very vividly and awesome as usual missy...your writing be as high quality and uber awesome as the agt acts that are good themselves :) ♥
you prob pick the winner cause u usually pick the top 2 spot on (somehow lol)
I'm a big fan of Michael Grimm and probably for the same reasons you stated. He's awesome.
I also like Poplyfe and know they're going far. I hope they win this competition. Not too fond of crooners - that's like from my granny's era. lol But Murphy has a great voice. I think he might have hurt his chances with America by using the "N" word, though.
Great post and if you need me, you know where to find me. I'm always here for you.
What I find totally unbelievable is that after watching a whole season of acts, they've actually whittled it down to 10 pretty good ones.
I think Lys made a mistake. So did Miami All Stars, Anna Graceman and Landou Eugene Murphy, Jr. (not in his song choice, but in what he said when interviewed. Politically incorrect.) Landon Swank, meh!
Poplyfe, Silhouettes and Smage Bros. were awesome as usual.
What was so politically incorrect about what Landau said, Tinkerbell? Are you one of the people who misheard him? He said that his friends told him he should hit Nick upside the head or something like that, but I know a lot of people misunderstood the "Nick" part.
Tinkerbell, I'd like to clear up the reference you made to Landau's "politically incorrect" term. Please revisit the video and notice that he says "Nick", as in Nick Cannon. A lot of people misinterpreted his remarks and it's important to clear that up for someone who's not only a fine talent but a fine human being as well.
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