American Idol Says Goodbye To Didi Benami

I can't say that I am shocked that Didi Benami got sent home. She just has been a letdown the past few weeks after starting the competition so strong. Yeah, it sucks that she went home because she is the hometown Knoxville girl - so naturally I wanted her to do really well. My take on it is that when she started the competition she was very good, but her and Crystal's style was way too similar. After Lilly Scott got sent home, I think it sent a message to Didi that she better try to differ herself from Crystal as much as possible because nobody in the competition is better than Crystal. So the moral of the story is that it doesn't matter when you get voted off because sooner or later they all will be because Crystal is too damn good.

American Idol Review: The Top 10

Siobhan Magnus - Through the Fire by Chaka Khan
The song was a bit old for her and I just couldn't get into it. It wasn't anywhere close to being good and I expect a lot more from her based on how strong her previous performances were. I am so damn sick of her trademark scream that it is actually making me like her even less. She can't just keep doing that and expect to win, because sooner or later people are going to get annoyed. I'm at that point now.

Casey James - Hold On, I'm Comin' by Sam and Dave
This was the happiest Casey looked up there. He said he liked Blues and R&B and it showed in his performance. He played a sick guitar and it was an overall great job for Casey tonight.

Michael Lynche - I'm Ready For Love by India Arie
It was nice to see Michael chill it down at little bit up there. I was tired of seeing him jumping around like a damn gorilla so it was a breath of fresh air to see him sitting and playing an acoustic guitar. He did a great job showcasing his voice with this song. It was in my opinion his best performance of the season and the first time I actually could get into one of his performances. Just chill out with those damn bear hugs.

Didi Benami - What Becomes of the Broken Hearted by Jimmy Ruffin
It was a little underwhelming for me. It was sung very nicely, but it was just kind of boring for me.

Tim Urban - Sweet Love by Anita Baker
It wasn't his worst performance.

Andrew Garcia -Forever by Chris Brown
It was a long time coming for Andrew, but he is back.

Katie Stevens -Chain of Fools by Aretha Franklin
This was a huge song to take on. Katie made it work to near perfection. She has a hell of a voice, not to mention she is only 17. This was one of the strongest performances of the night.

Lee DeWyze -Treat Her Like A Lady by The Cornelius Brothers
This was badass. If anybody had any doubts about Lee, they should be believers now. He was in the zone tonight.

Crystal Bowersox -Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight
A new side of Crystal and it was nice. I could dig the piano playing at the start and if she can add that to her repertoire, she could be damn near unstoppable.

Aaron Kelly -Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers
The problem is never Aaron's voice or vocals. That part of the game he does okay. He is just so damn boring to watch.

Knox Animal Performance of the Night: Lee DeWyze
Knox Animal Bubble Watch: Didi Benami, Tim Urban, Aaron Kelly

Dog the Bounty Hunter Captures Knoxville

In case you didn't hear, Knoxville was graced by the presence of one of TV's biggest stars on Monday. Duane "Dog" Chapman was in town with his family at the Books-A-Million on Walker Springs promoting his new book, "Where Mercy is Shown, Mercy is Given."

My dad is a huge fan of Dog the Bounty Hunter, so the goal was to go and get a book signed for an early father's day present. Here's is how the events of the evening transpired:

7:00 p.m. - My wife and brother-in-law grabbed a quick bite to eat at Texas Roadhouse to prepare for the big night ahead. My mother-in-law was already at Books-A-Million reserving our spot in line, so I took my time dominating my meal.

8:30 p.m. - The three of us arrived at Books-A-Million and took our place in line. We were numbers 141 and 142 even with my mother-in-law grabbing spots in line an hour earlier. The place was a mad house with "Dog" fans everywhere. This was no doubt going to be an epic event.

9:15 p.m. - Dog and his family were supposed to arrive at 9:00 p.m., but there is still no sign of them. The waiting was killing me, but I had a feeling some other people were even more anxious than me. An announcement came over the loud speaker that their tour bus was stuck in traffic and they were 45 minutes away. I'm not sure what kind of traffic they were stuck in at 9:00 p.m., but I wasn't going to argue.

10:00 p.m. - The tour bus pulls into the parking lot and the crowd is once again pumped. Dog and his family enter the bookstore to loud cheers and craziness. Dog is a rockstar. He immediately does T.V. interviews, and Dog Fan Club members are allowed to go to the front of the line. Damn, I didn't even know about the Dog Fan Club.


10:30 p.m. - Dog takes a smoke break. Duane Lee Jr. walks the line to make sure everybody is in an orderly fashion. Also keeping a lookout for possible trouble I am sure.


10:45 p.m. - Dog returns from his smoke break as his wife Beth walks around giving everybody high fives. But we all know she was scoping out the crowd for possible trouble as well.


11:00 p.m. - Dog made it to me, I got the book signed for my dad while Dog tried to convince me to be a cop. I asked him for a job, but he said that Knoxville needed me. So I guess I will stay in Knoxville not as a cop.

Mission accomplished.

Phish: Coming To A Movie Theater Near You in 3D

 

[press release]

Los Angeles, CA – Phish 3D, a 3D concert experience, is opening nationwide on Friday, April 30th for an exclusive one week run. The more than two hour movie, presented by Action 3D Productions in association with Network LIVE and Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp., highlights Phish’s Festival 8, a three-day, eight-set, 16-hour concert in the Southern California desert.

In advance of the nationwide roll-out, exclusive preview screenings will be shown in nine cities - Boston; Burlington, VT; Chicago; Denver; Houston; Los Angeles; New York; Raleigh/Durham, NC; and Washington, D.C. - on April 20th. In addition to experiencing this special screening, fans in attendance will take home a Phish 3D movie poster. The fully immersive music and visual experience, featuring state-of-the-art 3D technology, gives viewers the sense that they are not only at the event, but on stage with the band that Entertainment Weekly has called “the biggest cult band in America.” Phish 3D features fan favorites, never before seen cover songs, and intimate footage of the band backstage and in rehearsals.

Filmed in October 2009 at the band’s Festival 8, more than 40,000 devoted fans watched as Phish combined two of their most beloved traditions - the multi-day festival and the Halloween album “costume.” The band’s highly anticipated "musical costumes" are concerts involving the performance of an entire album by another artist—in this case, Phish covered the Rolling Stones’ album Exile on Main St. Phish 3D also features songs from the band’s first ever full-length acoustic set, as well as performances taken from the six additional sets.

Ticketing information is available at www.phish3dmovie.com.

Vols Lose Heartbreaker; Still Impressed

The University of Tennessee men's basketball Vols may have lost a heartbreaker to Michigan State Sunday, but their efforts still warrant celebration. I know that this is sports and if you don't win a championship it is perfectly acceptable to look at the season as a bit of a failure. However, you must first look at what the Vols were able to overcome this season.

In early January, Four Vols basketball players were suspended after a routine traffic stop ended up unveiling firearms and marijuana. Tennessee leading scorer Tyler Smith was one of the four and he was booted from the team, leaving the Vols without arguable their best player for the remainder of the season. A few weeks later, Cameron Tatum, Brian Williams and Melvin Goins, the other tree arrested Vols were reinstated to the team after charges were dropped. However, before that happened, the short-handed Vols knocked off No.1 Kansas - no big deal.

Nearly a month later, the Vols defeated then No. 1 Kentucky to mark the second time this season the Vols defeated the nation's top team. Needless to say, the Vols were rolling. Seniors Wayne Chism and J.P. Prince were emerging as the team's stars and this team that had already surpassed many expectations was set to make a postseason run.

After winning two games in the SEC tournament, the Vols lost to eventual SEC Champion Kentucky handily, 74-45. It was a minor setback, but the Vols have been there before and they were not about to call an end to this season. They still had one more tournament to make a name for themselves. It is after all, March Madness.

After receiving an unfortunate draw at the No. 6 seed in a bracket featuring Kansas and Ohio State, the Vols didn't let it bother them - it was time to get to work. An opening round game against No. 11 seed San Diego State could have proved costly, but the Vols knocked them off and rode a mini win streak into the Elite 8 after notching wins over Ohio and Ohio State.

The Vols were so close to a final four dream, but a heart-breaking 70-69 loss to Michigan State prevented it. Sometimes dreams must come to end, but this in fact was no dream at all - It was just a Vols basketball team unwilling to accept the bad hand it was dealt this season.

photo by: (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Movie Releases for Friday, March 26

How To Train Your Dragon
A hapless young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons becomes the unlikely owner of a young dragon himself, and learns there may be more to the creatures than he assumed. (Voices by: Craig Ferguson, Gerard Butler, Jonah Hill)

Hot Tub Time Machine
Four guy friends, all of them bored with their adult lives, travel back to their respective 80s heydays thanks to a time-bending hot tub.(John Cusak, Craig Robinson)

Chloe

A doctor hires an escort to seduce her husband, whom she suspects of cheating, though unforeseen events put the family in danger. (Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson)

Greenberg

A New Yorker moves to Los Angeles in order to figure out his life while he housesits for his brother, and he soon sparks with his brother's assistant. (Ben Stiller)

*plots from IMDB

Gym Accident of the Day Video

 

American Idol Says Goodbye To Paige Miles

Really, nobody should be shocked by this. Paige Miles was beyond terrible and I don't think there is a breathing person in this world that would disagree. It sucks for her that she didn't make the Top 10 and won't be able to go on the famed American Idol tour. But, then again maybe she is spared the embarrassment of being on a stage and singing in front of people. Because she obviously doesn't excel at that type of thing.

American Idol Review: The Top 11

Lee Dewyze - The Letter by the Box Tops
Not bad. His voice sounded pretty good, but that's not the type of song I like hearing Lee sing.

Paige Miles - Against All Odds by Phil Collins
Really, really terrible... Holy shit, that was bad. I would be shocked if she survives this week.

Tim Urban - Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen
His voice was good and he did a good job performing the song. It didn't showcase his vocals the way he needed to in order to solidify his spot in the competition. But following Paige, he didn't have to do much to be better.

Aaron Kelley - I Don't Want To Miss A Thing by Aerosmith
The little kid strikes again. He belted it out and didn't let his laryngitis and tonsillitis get in his way. Fantastic performance by the youngest contestant.

Crystal Bowersox - Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin
Once again, she is by far the best. That was one of the best performances ever on American Idol. Just crown her the winner.

Michael Lynche - When A Man Loves A Woman by Michael Bolton
He nailed this one. I am not Michael's biggest fan, but he did a good job tonight. He made it his own and at this point I can really appreciate that.

Andrew Garcia - Heard It Through The Grapevine by Marvin Gaye
Not good. It was just awkward and very unnatural.


Katie Stevens - Big Girls Don't Cry by Fergie
She has such a big voice. For a 17 year-old to belt that song out the way she did is incredible. It was a great performance.

Casey James - Power of Love by Huey Lewis & The News
Casey did well tonight. He brought it all together tonight and it was very solid.

Didi Benami - Your No Good by Linda Ronstadt
She brought it again. She is getting more confident each week and she is really making a statement in this competition. It was one of Didi's best performances so far.

Siobhan Magnus - Superstition by Stevie Wonder
Another good week for Siobhan. She is very talented for sure and she could be a dark horse in this competition.

Knox Animal Performance of the Night: Crystal Bowersox
Knox Animal Bubble Watch: Paige Miles, Andrew Garcia, Tim Urban

New York Knicks Cheerleader Fail

I know how much we all love fail video's, so here is one involving a New York Knicks cheerleader. I know their basketball team sucks, so it's only fitting that their cheerleaders would be equally as skilled.

CD & DVD/Blu Ray Releases for March 23

CD
Autechre - Oversteps
Justin Bieber - My World Part 2
Jonsi Birgisson - Go
Bonobo - Black Sands
Cam'ron - The U.N. - Gunz N' Butta
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis
Goldfrapp - Head First
Jane Krakowski - Live at Feinstein's At The Regency
Love Is All - Two Thousand and Ten Injuries
Monica - Still Standing
Pet Shop Boys - Pandemonium Live (CD/DVD)
The Scorpions - Sting In The Tail
Bettie Serveert - Pharmacy of Love
She & Him - Volume Two
Social Code - Rock 'N' Roll
Quadron - Quadron
Woodhands - Remorsecapade

DVD/Blu Ray
The Blind Side
Brothers
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Men Who Stare At Goats
Mad Men: Season 3

How Does Your Bracket Look?

After the first two rounds of the 2010 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, I can officially say that my bracket is busted. My final prediction of Kansas State and West Virginia is still in tact, but I don't feel to good about it anymore. With only 16 teams left, it truly is anybody's bracket to take. Here is what I think of the Sweet 16 matchups:

(9) Northern Iowa vs. (5) Michigan State
I couldn't be happier that Northern Iowa knocked off Kansas. In fact it was my most memorable game of the 2010 tournament so far. Who wouldn't want them to knock off Michigan State and keep rolling?

(6) Tennessee vs. (2) Ohio State
The Vols looked like crap against Dan Diego State and looked pretty good against Ohio. Ohio State has looked good in both of their games. If the Vols bring their best game into this one, they could shock the Buckeyes.

(1) Syracuse vs. (5) Butler
The big orange is one of the three number one seeds remaining. They have looked good and I look for them to roll over Butler in this one.

(2) Kansas State vs. (6) Xavier
Xavier has been impressive, but Kansas State has been too. Kansas State is the better team, so they get the edge.

(1) Kentucky vs. (12) Cornell
Kentucky has been the most impressive team in this tourney. Cornell has been the second most impressive team in this tourney. The Wildcats better not take this team lightly or they will beat the hell out of them. Just ask Temple and Wisconsin.

(2) West Virginia vs. (11) Washington
Washington has been one of the surprise teams in this tourney thus far. They take on a well coached West Virginia team. Both teams have been playing well, so this one is a toss-up.

(1) Duke vs. (4) Purdue
Duke is always good, hence the number one seed. Nobody gave Purdue a shot without Robbie Hummel. While the critics have eaten their words up to this point, you can't help but think they won't be able to knock off a number one seed without their best player.

(3) Baylor vs. (10) St. Mary's
St. Mary's is rolling right now. I like them in this match-up.

Boxing Kangaroo Video of the Day

Bryce Brown: 'Not A Part Of The Team'

There have been rumblings as of late about whether Bryce Brown would be a part of the Vols football team under new head coach Derek Dooley. The answer right now is no, but that isn't set in stone.

According to coach Dooley, "Bryce Brown came to me and indicated he's dealing with a lot of personal and family problems right now. Concerns that, I believe, stem from what he told me stem from number one, some of the reasons why he came here. Number two, his experience over the first six months when he was here. And as of right now, he's not a part of the team."

Nobody knows for certain if this is the last time we will see the former five star and No. 1 overall recruit in orange - but it does sure seem that way.

NCAA Tournament Day 1 Disappointments

After an opening day of upsets and surprises, here are my disappointments from Day 1.

Georgetown
I can't say that I am disappointed that Georgetown lost to No. 13 seed Ohio. Frankly I never have like watching the Hoyas and they seem to always choke away big games. This time they were never even close enough to choke it away. Let this be a message to the committee the next time they want to give away a No. 3 seed to Georgetown.

Vanderbilt
What the hell Vandy? The team from Nashville looked like crap and lost to No. 12 seed Murray State on a last second buzzer beater. First of all, it should have never been that close, but then again it's Vanderbilt. They can never be trusted.

Villanova
Yes, Villanova won, but holy hell did they barely hold on. For a No. 2 seed, Nova looked terrible. I don't know if I can remember a time where a No. 15 made a No. 2 look that bad for most of the game. Seriously, they needed overtime to beat Robert Morris? The Wildcats better get a lot better before their next game.

Marquette
Seriously? I expected better.

Movie Releases for Friday, March 19

The Bounty Hunter

A bounty hunter learns that his next target is his ex-wife, a reporter working on a murder cover-up. Soon after their reunion, the always-at-odds duo find themselves on a run-for-their-lives adventure.(Gerard Butler, Jennifer Aniston)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Live-action adaptation of Jeff Kinney's illustrated novel about a wise-cracking junior high school student. (Zachary Gordon, Steve Zahn)

Repo Men

Set in the near future when artificial organs can be bought on credit, it revolves around a man who struggles to make the payments on a heart he has purchased. He must therefore go on the run before said ticker is repossessed. (Jude Law, Forest Whitaker)

The Runaways

A coming-of-age biopic about '70s teenage band The Runaways. (Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning)

*plots from IMDB

Best BBQ In Knoxville?

Who has the best BBQ in Knoxville?

Car Drives Into Rockslide

 

Photojournalist Jerry Owens was shooting video of the rockslide when a car comes around the curve and drives right into the rockslide aftermath.

Thanks to thinklia for sending this over.

American Idol Says Goodbye To Lacey Brown

In a little bit of a shocker, Lacey Brown is sent packing. It wasn't that she is great or anything, but there were a couple other people that should have gone home before here. But anyway, that's how America voted - so that is the way it is.

St. Patrick's Day For Dummies

American Idol Review: The Top 12

Rolling Stones Week for the Top 12...

Michael Lynche - Miss You
Well, he made it his own and I thought it was a bunch of crap. Why does everybody keep humoring this guy by saying he is good? What a joke.

Didi Benami - Play With Fire
Vocals were on point tonight. I could feel the passion she had behind the song and it was a very good performance. She was kind of missing the last couple of weeks, but she is back after that performance.

Casey James - It's All Over Now
Didn't do much for me, it just sounded very amateurish...

Lacey Brown - Ruby Tuesday
It was a pretty good overall performance for Lacey tonight. Her vocals were good, I'm not sure about the arrangement, but she made it work.

Andrew Garcia - Gimme Shelter
I'm not going to say it didn't have problems, but for the first time in a few weeks I can actually say that he had a good performance. He had passion and I felt like he connected with it despite what Kara said.

Katie Stevens - Wild Horses
She couldn't have picked a more perfect song to sing tonight. She nailed it.

Tim Urban - Under My Thumb
The reggae vibe will always get my attention, but it's gotta be special to keep it. His vocals were off throughout the entire song and it made it just awful.

Siobhan Magnus - Paint It Black
She kicked that song's ass. Probably my favorite Rolling Stones song and she did a good job with it. It was original and filled with drama. My only complaint was that it was too much like Adam Lambert.

Lee Dewyze - Beast of Burden
I actually was a big fan of this performance. He stayed true to himself and worked it out. It was a mellow performance and it was very welcomed.

Paige Miles - Honky Tonk Woman
It was alright. She does have a good voice especially for having laryngitis.


Aaron Kelly - Angie
The kid is like a fish out of water. This is a song that needs attitude and he doesn't have it. Aaron is like a less talented version of David Archuleta.

Crystal Bowersox - You Can't Always Get What You Want
By far the best again... She is in a league of her own.

Knox Animal Performance of the Week:Crystal Bowersox
Knox Animal Bubble Watch: Tim Urban, Michael Lynche, Casey James

CD and DVD/Blu Ray Releases for Tuesday, March 16

CD
The Disco Biscuits - Planet Anthem
Drive By Truckers - The Big To-Do
Tom McRae - The Alphabet of Hurricanes
Nas and Damien Marley - Distant Relatives
Neon Trees - Habits
The Superions - The Superions [EP]
The White Stripes - Under Great White Northern Lights [Live]
The Whigs - In The Dark
Gin Wigmore - Holy Smoke
Peter Wolf - Midnight Souvenirs

DVD/Blu Ray
Armored
Astro Boy
Bandslam
Did You Hear About The Morgans?
Ninja Assassin
The Princess & The Frog
The Twilight Saga: New Moon [Friday Release]

NCAA Tournament Bracket 2010

(Click to Enlarge)

 The 2010 NCAA Men's Tournament brackets are out. What are your thoughts?

*Bracket from ESPN

Click Here For The 2011 Bracket 

Movie Releases For Friday, March 12

Green Zone
Discovering covert and faulty intelligence causes a U.S. Army officer to go rogue as he hunts for Weapons of Mass Destruction in an unstable region. (Matt Damon, Said Faraj)

Remember Me
A romantic drama centered on two new lovers: Tyler, whose parents have split in the wake of his brother's suicide, and Ally, who lives each day to the fullest since witnessing her mother's murder. (Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin)

She's Out of My League

An average Joe meets the perfect woman, but his lack of confidence and the influence of his friends and family begin to pick away at the relationship. 

 

Our Family Wedding

The weeks leading up to a young couple's wedding is comic and stressful, especially as their respective fathers (Whitaker and Mencia) try to lay to rest their feud. (Forest Whitaker, America Ferrera, Carlos Mencia)

*Movie Plots From IMDB

American Idol Down To 12

We are finally down to the Top 12. The last three weeks seemed like an eternity based on the horrific performances given by this year's American Idol contestants. It's obvious right now that there are one or two people that are running put to a big lead right now on the show. Let's hope that now we are down to the Top 12, the rest will pick up the slack. It's go time now on American Idol and the real fun starts now.

The four contestants leaving American Idol this week are:
Katelyn Epperly
Todrick Hall
Alex Lambert
Lilly Scott

Alright, I couldn't help myself. I cannot believe that Lilly went home. She is the second best in this competition behind Crystal and I think it is ridiculous that she didn't make the Top 12. The voters made a mistake on this one,

WVLT News Reporter Loses It On Live TV

 

Nobody ever said being a news reporter was easy. WVLT TV Volunteer News reporter Gordon Boyd is shown here losing his temper after struggling to wrap up a story live on the air.

What Is The Best Chinese Restaurant In Knoxville?

Let's hear your thoughts Knoxville... Who has the best Chinese food in the area?

Conan O'Brien To Perform at Bonnaroo!

According to Bonnaroo twitter, Conan O'Brien will perform at this year's Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

Bonnaroo is on Team Coco! @ConanOBrien is performing at Bonnaroo!

This is an awesome addition!

*OFFICIAL WEBSITE ANNOUNCEMENT*

by Bonnaroo

3/11/2010 10:39:26 AM

We are proud to announce the extraordinary comedy lineup for this year!  The festival will welcome some of the most hilarious personalities working today, including Conan O’Brien, who not only will be performing in the Comedy Theatre, but will also be MCing the What Stage on Friday and Saturday.

The 2010 Comedy lineup includes:

Conan O’Brien
Margaret Cho
Aziz Ansari
Jeffrey Ross Roasts Bonnaroo
Greg Giraldo
Bo Burnham
Doug Benson
Nick Kroll
Paul Scheer & Rob Huebel
John Roberts
Baron Vaughn
Chelsea Peretti

American Idol Review: The Top 16 (Men)

Lee Dewyze - Fireflies by Owl City
Not memorable at all. It was okay, but to say I am dissapointed with Lee this week would be an understatement.

Alex Lambert - Trouble by Ray LaMontagne
Not bad.. Ray is one of my favorite musicians and its obvious that I will have high expectations for anybody singing one of his songs. Alex did a good job with it.

Tim Urban - Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
Definitely not the best version of this song I have heard. It was just alright. However, he really connected with the song and it turned out to be a pretty good performance.

Andrew Garcia - Genie in a Bottle by Christina Aguilera
What a weird performance. I don't know man, if he makes it through I will be surprised.

Casey James -You'll Think of Me by Keith Urban
Casey is very natural up there on stage. Once again he proved that he is one of the best in the competition.

Aaron Kelly - I'm Already There by Lonestar
The little guy has some pipes. He did look a little awkward up there, so that part of his game needs some work. There is no question he can sing, but I didn't feel like he connected with the song very much.

Todrick Hall - Somebody to Love by Queen
I know the guy is a dancer first, but every time he sings I can't help but think he is performing in a play. I just do not get anything this guy does and frankly I think he is terrible.

Michael Lynche - This Woman's Work by Maxwell
Big Mike was exposed as the mediocre singer he really is. He does have a good stage presence about him, but I can't get over his terrible voice. It was an incredibly difficult song to sing and he didn't screw it up too bad so I commend him for that.

Knox Animal Performance of the Week: Tim Urban
Knox Animal Bubble Watch: Andrew Garcia, Todrick Hall, Aaron Kelly

Crystal Bowersox - Give Me One Reason

 

Crystal Bowersox singing "Give Me One Reason" by Tracy Chapman last night on American Idol. Crystal is by far the best contestant this season and every week she reassures that.

American Idol Review: The Top 16 (Ladies)

Katie Stevens - Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson

It was alright. Off pitch at times and didn't really do anything special.

Siobhan Magnus - House of the Rising Sun by The Animals
She kicked that song's ass. It was an awesome song and it actually suited Siobhan really well. She sang the shit out of it and she has really emerged over the last couple weeks were her ability to hit the high notes. She has the edge to be an artist and she has the voice to back it up.

Lacey Brown - The Story by Brandi Carlile
I didn't think it started great, but she turned it around big time. It was a very nice performance overall.

Katelyn  Epperly - I Feel The Earth Move by Carol King
This is what I have been waiting for from Katelyn. She looked comfortable up there singing and it was by far the best performance of the night so far. The judges are idiots, that was a good performance.


Didi Benami -Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac
Didi picked up the guitar again and performed the song quite well. She does well when the guitar is in her hands, so she should probably play it from here on out. It was a redemption from last weeks disaster.

Paige Miles - Smile by Charlie Chaplan
The song may be a classic, but it was boring as hell. She sang it well, but I don't think she could have picked a more boring song for this competition.


Crystal Bowersox - Give Me One Reason by Tracy Chapman
She knows what she is doing and once again she is so much better than everybody else. That was one of the best performances ever on Idol. They should just crown her the next American Idol and get a new cast and start the next season.

Lilly Scott - I Fall To Pieces by Patsy Cline
I dug the mandolin, but this performance didnt do much for me. She sounded fine, but following up Crystal didn't help her much.

Knox Animal Performance of the Night: Crystal Bowersox
Knox Animal Bubble Watch: Paige Miles, Katie Stevens

Iverson Responds To Alcohol, Gambling Allegations

Former NBA star Allen Iverson has had a hell of a time as of late. His wife, Tawanna, filed for divorce, his daughter is ill, he lost his job as a NBA player when he basically took a leave of absence. On top of that, he recently has been called an alcoholic with a gambling addiction.

Here is how AI responded to his fans and critics on twitter:

To my fans: You all know that my life isn’t perfect. I am going through some very tough times right now, like I am sure that we all do from time to time. However, I will stand tall like always with “rhino” thick skin.
Even though I have become used to hearing people say things about me that aren’t true, it still hurts. I encourage you to continue your ongoing support and I want you to trust that this is another obstacle in my life that, with God’s help I will overcome. God Bless You All.

Best of luck AI.

Stupid Kid Lets Train Run Over Him

Race Car Hits Deer

Movie Releases For Friday, March 5

Alice in Wonderland
19-year-old Alice returns to the magical world from her childhood adventure, where she reunites with her old friends and learns of her true destiny: to end the Red Queen's reign of terror. (Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska)

Brooklyn's Finest
Three unconnected Brooklyn cops wind up at the same deadly location after enduring vastly different career paths. (Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes)

*movie plots from IMDB

American Idol Down To 16

The first contestant to leave this week was John Park. He actually didn't sing Gravity by John Mayer too poorly, but it was evident that John didn't have the fan base that some of the other contests have. John's problem was that he tries way too hard in his performances and it came across as very dull and boring.


Jermaine Sellers was the next to leave the show. He is one of the cockiest contestants the show has ever had and frankly he isn't good enough to have confidence. It was only a matter of time before he went home and it just happened to be sooner than later.

The first girl to go home was Michelle Delamor. She sang With Arms Wide Open by Creed and it wasn't great. It was a nice twist on a rock song, but it wasn't anything special. It came down to her and Didi Benami and I actually think that Didi had a worse week, but she has the support of a growing fan base.

Haeley Vaughn was the final contestant to leave the show tonight. She is young and has plenty of potential for a singing career in the future. It was a good experience for her going forward, but her time was not now.

Bonnaroo 2010 Lineup Additions

 

Adding to an already impressive 2010 lineup, Bonnaroo has added Ween, Galactic, Umphrey's McGee, John Butler Trio, The Gossip and Circa Survive to the festival. Very good additions if you ask me.

The Hangover Movie Clip of the Day

American Idol Review: The Top 20 (Ladies)

Crystal Bowersox - As Long As I Can See Light by CCR
She followed up her great performance last week with an even better performance this week. Crystal has emerged as one of the strongest performers this season. She is comfortable performing in front of people and that enables her to just do her thing.She is so far ahead of the other contestants, it's ridiculous.

Haeley Vaughn - The Climb by Miley Cyrus
Terrible, just terrible.

Lacey Brown - Kiss Me by Sixpense None The Richer
Better than last week, but still not very good at all. It was just alright.

Katie Stevens - Put Your Records On by Corrine Bailey Rae
Fantastic song choice and Katie did a great job singing it. It didn't blow me away, but it was very solid.

Didi Benami - Lean On Me by Bill Withers
It wasn't that she sang the song bad or anything, but it was the wrong song choice for her. I love Didi, I really do, but I didn't feel the performance at all.


Michelle Delamor - With Arms Wide Open by Creed
Not my favorite of the night, but it was a good performance. Last week she played it boring and safe by doing Alicia Keys, so she changed it up this week. She threw her own twist on a rock song and it was good.

Lilly Scott - Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke
Lilly did really well tonight. She was beat out slightly by Crystal for performance of the night, but she was awesome. Her uniqueness is what is missing from the majority of the other contestants and it is precisely why she will do very well in this competition.

Katelyn Epperly - The Scientist  by Coldplay
It was very slow and boring, but that was just the song. She performed it really well for what it was, but it still didn't do much for me as far as making me remember her.

Paige Miles - Walk Away by Kelly Clarkson
The judges thought she was good last week and I thought she sucked. This week she showed me that she was actually very good. She did a great job both singing and performing the song. She had fun up there and it was evident.

Siobhan Magnus - Think by Aretha Frankrin
Fantastic. Not many people can sing Aretha, but she showed that she can. For an American Idol contestant that is pretty damn impressive.

Knox Animal Performance of the Night: Crystal Bowersox
Knox Animal Bubble Watch: Haeley Vaughn, Didi Benami, Katelyn Epperly

American Idol Review: The Top 20 (Men)

After last week's pathetic showing by the guys, the pressure is on. Can they live up to the expectations of being in the Top 20? Let's find out:

Michael Lynche - This Is A Man's World by James Brown

Better start than last week for sure. Michael did his thing up there and it was really good. The big guy showed some passion tonight and even though he doesn't have the best voice in the competition, he did a hell of a job.

John Park - Gravity by John Mayer

Great song, very average performance. John just tries to hard and it doesn't seem natural at all. It was better than last week, but it wasn't that good. Very boring.


Casey James - I Don't Wanna Be by Gavin DeGraw

Casey once again showed why he deserves to be in this competition. He picked a good song and he was able to showcase his electric guitar playing abilities. It was a good overall performance and he has been the most consistant guy in the competition so far.

Alex Lambert - Everybody Knows by John Legend

Night and day from last week. Alex actually went from being one of the worst to one of the best in a matter of a week. Playing the guitar definitely helped his nerves so if he has a guitar in his hands from this point on, he could be tough to beat.

Todrick Hall - What's Love Got To Do With It by Tina Turner

Todrick toned it down a little this week to showcase his voice a little bit and he did an alright job. His strength is dancing and he didn't do it this week. In order for Todrick to succeed in this competition, he is going to need to put his dancing back into it because his voice isn't that great.


Jermaine Sellers - What's Goin On by Marvin Gaye

I didn't feel the performance at all. It ended a lot better than it started, but the whole product was not good.

Andrew Garcia - You Give Me Something by James Morrison

Andrew ditched the guitar after last week's horrific performance and went with the seated vocal approach. Parts were shaky, but he did a good job for the most part. I'm still expecting more out of Andrew.

Aaron Kelly - My Girl by The Temptations

The kid has a good voice. He showed it off on one of the greatest songs in music history. I have to admit, it was one of the best of the night.

Tim Urban - Come On, Get Higher by Matt Nathanson

Tim went back to his comfort zone and busted out a top notch performance. He officially redeemed himself and proved to everybody that he does deserve to be on this show.

Lee Dewyze - Lips Of An Angel by Hinder

Lee put together another good performance. He is a true artist and its really starting to show. He has a ton of potential and should get better as the competition goes on.

Knox Animal Performance of the Night: Alex Lambert
Knox Animal Bubble Watch: John Park, Jermaine Sellers, Todrick Hall

Trey Anastasio and Classic TAB Rocked the Tennessee Theater

2/28/2010

Tennessee Theater

Knoxville, TN

Set I: Push On Til the Day, Valentine, Small Axe, Burlap Sack and Pumps, Night Speaks To A Woman, What's Done, Cayman Review, Gotta Jibboo, Tuesday, Money Love and Change, Sultans of Swing, Kill Devil Falls^*, Waste^*, Strange Design*, Backwards Down the Number Line^*, Chalkdust Torture*, Wilson^*
Set II: Shine, Last Tube, At the Gazebo, Spin, Alaska, Mozambique, Sand, Goodbye Head>Mr. Completely, Black Dog
Encore: Sweet and Dandy, Moesha, First Tube

*Trey solo acoustic


The show was the last on his February winter tour with Classic TAB, so to say Trey and company were going to go out with a bang would be an understatement. Everything about it was great about the near four-hour set. Trey talked about how much he loved the Tennessee Theater and Knoxville and that is always a good thing for the locals to hear.

CD and DVD/Blu Ray Releases for Tuesday, March 2

CD
Citizen Cope - The Rainwater LP
Benjy Davis Project - Lost Souls Like Us
Peter Gabriel - Scratch My Back
Groove Armada - Black Light
Jamie Cullum - The Pursuit
Jamie Foxx - Body
Little Boots - Hands
Natalie Merchant - Leave Your Sleep
Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
Rogue Wave - Permalight
Sharam Jay - In My Blood
These New Puritans - Hidden
Josh Wolf - Jet Lag


DVD/Blu Ray
2012
Where The Wild Things Are
Ponyo
Bitch Slap
Cold Souls
The Beaches of Agnes
Gentlemen Broncos
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee
We Live in Public

It's Official: USA Dominated 2010 Winter Olympics

 

Here is the Final 2010 Winter Olympic medal breakdown for each country. As you can see, the USA dominated with 37 medals.

*image from ESPN