I tried finding the name of the trumpet player I'd heard at Swingers Grille to no avail....more research needed but I will find it...I'm on a mission now.

Until then, I'm planning to check out PopGun5 at Cowboy Monkey this weekend. Have you heard them? They're playing on Saturday (Sept 8). I caught their show at the Iron Post a few weeks ago and it was pretty entertaining. I know two of the guitar players so although I came to support them it was fun to watch how the audience reacted to their performance and they seemed to really enjoy it. So I'm anxious to see how they do with their next 12 songs.

I saw the audition for Fox Idol on a local news channel...that's when I decided to try out. I tried out in Springfield first, and was disappointed when I didn't make the cut there. My parents actually were the ones to push me to try out in Champaign the next weekend. Thankfully, I made the cut. They don't have the local fox Channel that Springfield and Champaign have in Peoria; therefore, I didn't even know until about 9:40 p.m. if I made it or not. It was nerveracking, all of the wondering! But a friend I made at the Champaign Idol called me and congratulated me.

Two weeks later, the other 5 winners (combined from Champaign and Springfield) and I auditioned a final time at the Fox Studios in Springfield to see who would be the lucky winner. I was anxious, nervous, yet excited to sing in front of the judges once again. Everyone was so wonderful, and when they called my name as the winner I was in shock! I felt so blessed to have the opportunity to go to the "big" American Idol auditions!

I prepared by buying a new dress, working out, and practicing whenever I had the opportunity! I was so excited for the next step...!

 

~*Kim*~ 

Fox gave me the opportunity to take one guest with me; I chose my sister, Tracy. As our limo pulled up (paid for by Fox Springfield/Champaign, what a lovely corporation they are!), we were so excited! Feeling like celebrities, we wanted to be SEEN! We requested that the limo driver stop at a local gas station, and as we got out, everyone stared. It was so funny, and we relished every minute of it!

Next, our flight (also paid for by Fox!) took us to our destination of Omaha, Nebraska. Expecting cornfields and farmers, I soon realized my expectations were wrong. The city was a melting pot, there were so many types of people there! Everyone was so nice and proper as well, it was very strange at first how kind they were!

Because we arrived late, we just crashed at the hotel (paid for by you-know-who!), and feasted on what Nebraska's known for: good steak. It was impressive, but a good steak restaurant in Illinois is just as good! I went to bed early, so anxious for my audition in front of Idol producers the next day!

~*Kim*~

Lucky me, I didn't have to wait in line with the other 15,000 contestants because I won Illinois Idol, and was given a pass to the front of the line. I met so many people, from so many places at the audition: a family from Florida who spent over $2,000 for their daughter to audition in Omaha, people who came all the way from California, and even a few people from Chicago, IL. There were only about fifteen Fox affiliate winners like me who got to go to the front of the line. Immediately upon arriving at the auditions, we were escorted to a special holding room, and didn't have to wait outside in the hot and humid weather.

About three hours later, around 10 a.m., the fifteen of us and the other 15,000 contestants piled into the stadium at the Qwest Center (a huge convention center). For the next hour, we were all told to memorize "Born in the U.S.A." because we had to sing it for the cameras. This was the longest part...if one audience member in the part being filmed didn't put their hand up the right way or if they were sitting while filming, the entire crowd had to sing it all over again. After filming that, along with several takes of us all shouting, "OMAHA, OMAHA, OMAHA, OMAHA..." auditions began. My group was the first to go, since we were the Fox affiliate winners from around the country.

Four at a time, we went in front of two judges each. I was third in line. The first contestant, a short, blond and country-looking girl sang Martina McBride. She was O.K., and could carry a tune, but I wasn't extremely impressed. The second contestant sang a Beyonce song and it was really, really good. She was the only person in my group who made me nervous! I was unlucky number 3, and performed Christina Augilera's "Hurt". I was very pleased with my performance, I certainly did my best! The fourth girl sang more country very well, but wasn't as entertaining as the first. After whispering for about a minute, and shaking and nodding their heads, the judges told us that the first contestant got through to the next round. They looked at the three of us, and said, "Thank you for auditioning, you guys were good, really. You set the bar for what we expect. You may exit this way now." Disappointed and sad, we walked to two of the interns, who cut off our wristbands. After you audition, you get to go to one of two exits: either the "Loser" exit (what the producers called it), or the "Winners" exit. Walking to the lesser of the two, in front of all 15,000 people was slightly embarassing, as it was a long walk, all the way from one side of the stadium floor to the exit door.

I held my chin up high, and chatted with the two other contestants who were in my group who didn't make it through. "Wow, she was definitely the worst of all of us," one of them said. "You were so good, I thought you'd make it," the other one said. I congratulated them on their talents as well, and then we all met our parties outside. My sister was shocked and appalled as well, and vowed never to go to another American Idol audition again because she thought the whole judging system was ludacris.

But their was a bright side after the auditions. One of my favorite contestants from season 6 of American Idol was filming something for the TV Guide Channel (see photos!). He definitely turned my frown upside down. I waited twenty minutes for him to get done with shooting to take a picture. He was so sweet, and looks much better in person than he does in photographs! He even gave me a hug, it definitely brightened my day!

My sister and I wanted to go back into the building to watch the rest of the contestants audition, but we weren't allowed back in, because we had exited the stadium already (when the "losers" exit, they are ushered out of the building, and can't get back in).

Although I was disappointed, I still felt very blessed to have the opportunity. So many people dream of even getting to the auditions, let alone having a chance to audition for this show! I did my best, and felt proud and fortunate to have won Illinois Idol 2007, a title I will always hold! In retrospect, Carrie Underwood auditioned once and didn't make it through the first round either. The next year, she auditioned again, and look where she's at now! As one of the producers said before auditions, "American Idol is a TV show before it is a talent contest." Later, I found out from my mom who read an interview of one of the main producers, Patrick Lynn, that they were basically looking for country singers in Omaha. It now makes sense that a guy dressed as a cow got through the first round at auditions, along with anyone who was wearing a cowboy hat, and a lot of people singing country.

I will definitely try out next year, as I realize to make it in this business, I will hear a lot of "No" before I hear the one "Yes." This is what I want to do with my life, and I already feel I'm accomplishing at least a little. Last year, as a matter of fact, I won Illinois State University's Idol competition, as well as McLean County Idol, and now Illinois Idol! Who knows, maybe next year will be my chance to win a spot in American Idol? I know I'll never get there if I don't keep trying!

~*Kim*~

Fact: Geddy Lee is the best bass player of all time.

 

 

 

Fact: Neil Peart is the best drummer of all time.

 

 

 

Fact: Alex Lifeson is without a doubt one of the most underrated guitarist of all time.

 

 

 

Fact: Rush is the best trio of all time and the best Progressive Rock band of all time, and their performance on August 24, 2007 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in St. Louis is all the evidence one would need to support such bold claims.

 

 

 

My 127th concert was quite a lengthy one due to Rush playing a 28 song set list that clocked in at over 3 hours. I can’t think of a band that plays for over 3 hours except the last two times I have seen Rush when they did the same exact feat. I can barely play guitar for 30 minutes at a time without my fingers hurting, and neck requiring an aspirin because of the weight of the guitar. Therefore, any band willing to perform for 3 hours obviously loves their job and their fans.

 

 

 

The near sell out crowd erupted in pandemonium when Rush opened with Limelight. This would be one of the few radio popular Rush songs that the band played. The set list was definitely meant to appease the diehard Rush fans since it was full of obscure album rock, instead of the signature Red Barchetta and Working Man. Entre Nous, Digital Man, A Passage To Bangkok, Circumstances, Mission, Between The Wheels, Natural Science and Witch Hunt had me continuously repeating “I can’t believe they just played that.”

The great thing about Rush is they can literally play any song from their extensive career and still hold an audience in the palm of their hand. I found myself rediscovering certain Rush songs because I had never heard them live. Mission for example, came across as beautiful, symphonic, raucous and enlightening, and has become a new Rush favorite for me. The new album Snakes and Arrows also sounded brilliant in concert. It is so refreshing to actually want to hear a classic rock band’s new material and songs like Far Cry, Armor and Sword, Spindrift, The Way The Wind Blows and Workin’ Them Angels were just as memorable as the legendary Rush favorites. And only Rush can get away with incorporating three instrumentals in a set list. YYZ, The Main Monkey Business and Malignant Narcissism are so extraordinary musically, words were not necessary to keep a huge crowd entertained.

 

 

 

The highlights of the show were Dreamline and the visually stunning green laser show that accompanied the song, Mission, Entre Nous, A Passage To Bangkok, The Spirit of Radio, Freewill and Tom Sawyer.

 

 

 

Geddy, Alex and Neil are such a musical phenomenon that even though I know it is only three musicians onstage, the signature complex songs sound like they are being delivered by an entire orchestra, not just a trio. This is a band that plays so well together it’s almost scary. To put it simply; they are too good to be true. Rush’s music possesses an intellect that places them ahead of the pack, and is one of the reasons they are so underappreciated. St. Louis is a haven for Rush fans and it felt awesome to be around so much adoration. The crowd praised their beloved band and exhibited why St. Louis is one of Rush’s favorite cities to play. I look forward to future jaw dropping Rush shows since they are on my list of bands to always see when they tour.