Are You Missing Rock Star: Supernova?

I am too…I’ve been talking about going to bed for the last two hours, and where am I? Here blogging. This couldn’t be good. But if you’re here for the same reason – habit – welcome!

I will still be blogging, but now that Rock Star: Supernova is over, it’s time for me to get back to gigging to support my own Supernova CD. I’ll try to take the rest of this week off (I’m coming down with a cold, so I know better). Next week I start my Open Mic and Live Band Karaoke Tour of NYC which will last til I decide to finally book my CD release party.

I will have Rock Star: Supernova followups, and even transcripts if anyone is interested. But for now I’m going to bed. Really! I mean it!

Rock Star: Supernova ~~ FINALE

So it’s Finale Night at Rock Star: Supernova, and by the rocket’s red glare, Brooke Burke looks good in a leather dress. I’m gonna miss those outfits.

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Thanks so much for your comments on my Supernova CD (The relation to Rock Star: Supernova is purely coincidental). My SUPERNOVA CD is available on Amazon, iTunes, and CD Baby, and samples can be heard at CarlaLynneHall.com and MySpace.com/carlalynnehall
Upcoming shows:
Oct 6 New York, NY * Strata
Oct 19 New York, NY * Lucilles Lounge at BB Kings
Oct 23 Chicago, IL * House of Blues
My DIY Guide to the Music Biz eBook is also available at www.DIYGuide-MusicBiz.com.

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I’ll start with the official Bottom Two:

 Magni – Fire

 Hot and Sexy, that Magni! This was the perfect song for him, and yeah, I’d do him, but I still think he’s going home.

 Toby – White Wedding

Eager to start, Toby started right away. He had the crowd singing along, and at the end of the song, he jumped into the audience. Toby seems to be thiking again, I’m missing the “EVS”. But this is the finale, after all, How can anyone not think? But I don’t think he’ll take home the crown tonight.

Gilby explains that he’s not sure if Magni wants to be in the House Band, of if he wants to front Supernova. “Magni, you’re the next to go.”

 Magni: “Thank you to anyone who ever voted for me. Thanks to the House Band. Thanks to you guys [Supernova], and most of all of you [pointing to the Rockers]! And just like that, Magni was sent home.

Jason: “He’s off to become the King of Iceland, Dude!”

Farewell, Magni. You ARE a Rock Star, through and through.

 So the Final Three:

Dilana
Lukas
Toby

We were shown a video retrospective of each of their greatest moments on Rock Star: Supernova. So very cool! Each of the three Final Rockers also said last minute beautiful sentiments to Supernova to show why he or she should be chosen. After that, Tommy Lee then says that Supernova needs to see the finalists perform one last time, so we go to commercial.

Call me cynical, but the commerical shown is the  new promo for Survivor: Cook Islands (you know the one that everyone is talking about because the teams are being divided by RACE – this will be an interesting experiment, and no I won’t be blogging about it!) guess what song was used as the musical bed? HEADSPIN by Lukas Rossi, while also featuring clips of Lukas performing spliced with the Survivor promo video. Tell me that ain’t something!

 So we come back to the show, and see the Final three perform one last time. This time they’ve chosen their favorite song from the season:

Lukas Rossi – Bittersweet Symphony

 The Boy is HOT!!!

Dilana – Zombie

Glad she can make it around the stage again. She rocked and rolled, and sang her ass off.

Toby – Somebody Told Me

Saw poster for “Toby’s Aussie Posse” – adorable! Toby looked and sounded incredible. Great energy and power, Mate!

Jason speaks next: “Toby, you have the range that cuts through the guitars. You’re the next one to go home.”

Dave: “You already have a hit with your original”.

Toby: ” Thank you. It took me a while to get great. These guys were already that way. [To Supernova] You boys, it’s been a privilege to hang out.”

Farewell, Sexy Toby Rand!

Looking at Dilana and Lukas, Dave is ready: So it’s down to the edgy ones? Down to these two? Oh my God! It looks like you’re about to perform a Goth wedding. Probably not a bad idea…”

Gilby: “It’s been a tough summer”, he starts, and THEN proceeds to ask for a commercial break.

Argh!!!! I hate when they make us wait. those of you sneaking this column in later time zones should really feel the suspense in real time – just once. It SUCKS, I tell ya!

When we come back, Tommy Lee says sweet stuff about loving them both, yadda, yadda, yadda, but ended with,

 “Lukas, you’re our boy. Welcome!”

Amidst the applause I think there was a little shock registering, but immediately you remember how Lukas has been under the radar much of the show, keeping his head down. He’s got the vocal chops. He’s got style, and can switch it up.

But there was still a piece of business yet to be done.

Dave: “Dilana, I absolutely adore you. You’re a phenomenal singer.”

Gilby quickly stood up to offer to co-write and produce her solo record, being very clear that she was the ONLY Rocker to get that offer. Me being cynical again, he’d be DUMB if he DIDN’T make that offer. Dilana is a HOT PROPERTY, and by claiming her solo record, Gilby will stand to gain even more studio cred. I think Gilby is the mastermind of Supernova, and I’d invite him to a pajama party anytime!

Enough of all that, Dilana’s face was not happy. Dave offered to play guitar on this record, “if you’ll have me,” he says drippingly. Man, if Carmen Electra is watching Dave Navarro moon over Dilana like this, the divine “CE” is probably cutting up old photos with his picture in them. Next, Dave offers Dilana the lead gig of the House Band on the tour. Dilana smiles and all, but her disappointment silently bled through my tv screen. She did end on a positive note: “I’m gonna kick ass!” And later Dilana told Lukas, “Lukas, kick ass, Bitch!”

And Dilana now rides off into the sunset (for now). Love you, Mama! Your time is coming!

After Supernova hugged Lukas, the new Supernova, fronted by Lukas Rossi, did the Supernova originals (their band, not my CD) “Be Yourself” and  “It’s All Love”. Lukas even had Magni come out on guitar.  Lukas’s tone was awesome, and he looks great.

Welcome to Supernova, Lukas Rossi! See you at the top!

Rock Star: Supernova Recap ~ Week 11

It’s almost Finale time for Rock Star: Supernova, can you believe it? The night had a fun beginning. Ryan Star had been voted by the fans for an Encore of “Back of Your Car”, so there he was, doing his thing. He looks good up there, and it’s the perfect step up for his solo career. This song is already available on Rockstar.msn.com, and for his appearance, Ryan won his own Honda Element SUV and a chocolate phone from Verizon. Go, Ryan, Go!

Also somewhere in the audience was Paula Abdul. Yes, Paula Abdul from American Idol. Weird.

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Thanks so much for your comments on my Supernova CD (The relation to Rock Star: Supernova is purely coincidental). My SUPERNOVA CD is available on Amazon, iTunes, and CD Baby, and samples can be heard at CarlaLynneHall.com and MySpace.com/carlalynnehall
Upcoming shows:
Oct 6 New York, NY * Strata
Oct 19 New York, NY * Lucille’s Lounge at BB King’s
Oct 23 Chicago, IL * House of Blues
My “DIY Guide to the Music Biz” eBook is also available at www.DIYGuide-MusicBiz.com.

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So the final performances:

Toby – Karma Police (Radiohead cover)
Throw it Away – Toby’s original

I really liked Toby’s voice on “Karma Police”. He even brought up Magni to play guitar on “Throw it Away”, his original tune, which everyone knows by now. At one point Toby draws “EVS” on the back of Magni’s head, and a few beats later, Magni’s head is to us as he holds the guitar up for Toby to play. It was actually quite cool to know that Toby was so well-coordinated. Fans carried signs saying “The Rand Wagon”.

Dave: “Not a whole lot I can say. You know I love the original”.

Gilby: “You are so great in that range.”

Jason: “That is the most energy generated in three minutes. Did you feel it?” Of course, the crowd agreed.

Lukas Rossi – Fix You (Coldplay)

Headspin – Lukas’ original

Here’s Lukas in his finest vocals. He saved this for last because the angels were crying. Jeff Buckley, if he could hear Lukas from his grave, would be crying too. Not in anger, but just from the sheer beauty of those soaring vocals. Lukas traveled the course of his range tonight and sounded beautiful. Dave Navarro was shown holding up an open cell phone in appreciation, new school style. On the beauty tip, I really loved the whole black and silver eye shadow color scheme on Lukas. He has totally changed my mind about guys in eye shadow. But could I date a guy who wore more eye shadow than I did? Hmmm, I dunno. But Lukas could make me consider it!

Oh where was I? So for the second song of the set, Lukas does his original Headspin again. Again. Isn’t this the third time we’ve heard this song in like two weeks? But he does it acoustic, and plays solo guitar. But geez, again? But hell, we see a pretty girl in the audience singing along, so EVS!

Dave, standing up begins, “It’s great to see that when Paula Abdul wants to hear good singing, she comes to Rock Star: Supernova!”

Tommy Lee: “Cool as hell. Good boy!”

Gilby: “That was great, Man. It’s so good that you’ll try something new.” What, like Headspin three times in a row?

Dilana – Roxanne
Supersoul – Dilana’s original

I liked Dilana’s version of “Roxanne” very much. She can sing so well, and she showed off medium range tones tonight that she doesn’t use often enough. And for the “Roxanne” refrain part, Lukas, Magni, and Toby came out to sing backup harmonies. Sweet!! It was powerful, and overall, Very Nice!!!

I like how Dilana has adjusted quite quickly to her circumstances in a really good way. She had a black cane that she used to maintain her stance on stage, and instead of jumping, she seemed to turn her energy inward, giving a more solid and intense performance.

For her original song, she went through the crowd, and up to the Supernova judges box, then back through the crowd, stopped by to touch Paula Abdul, and went to the very back of the audience. Dilana basically sang the mess out of this song, and ended it on the Supernova judge box.

Dave: “You know I love you. This was 1000 times better. And it’s smart, having your competitors back you up.”Tommy: “Loved. Loved it all. We love you.”

Jason: “One thing I’d change – matching outfits for the guys, and Lukas you have to work on choreography.”

Gilby: “Can’t wait to see how it all goes down tomorrow!”

Magni – Hush
When the Time Comes – Magni’s original

Great vocals, as always. Magni played electric guitar on Deep Purple’s “Hush”, and worked the mic on his original. “Hush” had great energy, but on his original, Magni seemed like he was ready to move on to the next thing, whatever that was.

Dave: “The Deep Purple song was very exciting. Great job, Dude!”

Tommy mentioned that Lukas’, Toby’s, and Dilana’s songs were memorable, but “I don’t remember anything about that.” The audience boos, of course.

Gilby: “You sang great. You performed well.”

The Vote as of the first five minutes?

1st: Dilana
2nd: Toby
3rd: Lukas
4th: Magni

Tune in tomorrow!!!

Rock Star Life Lesson: It Ain’t Over Til it’s Over

Here we are in the final days of Rock Star: Supernova, and who would have thought that Dilana would have had a rough patch in the competition? Who would have thought that Toby Rand was going to make such a fantastic showing in the last few weeks? Who would have guessed that Magni would outlast Ryan Star? We all have our favorites and our predictions, but in the end, when you’re dealing with people seeking to succeed, there will always be surprises.

When it’s your turn to compete, keep your eye on the prize, and focus on your race with yourself. By the time you approach the finish line, you might be the one left standing. Never, never, never, never, never give up!

Rock Star: Supernova Recap for Week 11

 (New York, NY) It’s Finale Week of the Rock Star: Supernova reality TV show competition, and musician Carla Lynne Hall, also known in music circles as “The DIY Diva”, is counting down the last days until the new lead singer is crowned for Supernova, the all-star rock band featuring Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses) and Jason Newsted (Metallica). Hall’s Rock Star Life Lessons blog, located at http://rockstarlifelessons.spaces.live.com/ has become THE site to visit post-show for her passionate commentary, and related headlines tracked in the media. Now that the original 15 Rocker contestants have become the Final Four, Hall says that anything can happen.According to Hall’s Rock Star Life Lessons blog, the competition ain’t over til it’s over. “Who would have thought that Dilana would have had a rough patch in the competition?” writes Hall, “Who would have thought that Toby Rand was going to make such a fantastic showing in the last few weeks? Who would have guessed that Magni would outlast Ryan Star? We all have our favorites and our predictions, but in the end, when you’re dealing with people seeking to succeed, there will always be surprises.”

Hall’s advice to the Rocker contestants are actually universal: “When it’s your turn to compete, keep your eye on the prize, and focus on your race with yourself”, ‘The DIY Diva’ continues. “By the time you approach the finish line, you might be the one left standing. Never, never, never, never, never give up!”

Carla’s opinions on the remaining Rockers:

Toby Rand: “Known as ‘The Thunder from Down Under’, Aussie Toby Rand is a crowd pleaser, especially with the ladies. Running around the Mansion’s pool naked in order to sing the song of his choice hasn’t hurt him a bit either. With his good looks, impressive voice, and wicked sense of humor, Toby brings a well-rounded battle to the Rock Star: Supernova stage.”

Magni Asgeirsson: “From Reykjavik, Iceland, Magni Asgeirsson has a confident stage presence, and vocal abilities from years of being a well-known rock star in his homeland. Also a new dad, Magni is one of the ‘well-adjusted’ Rockers, and appears to have favor with the Supernova judges.”

Dilana Robichaux: “After a strong start in the competition, Dilana is the favorite for many fans. She’s a great performer, and her recent rough patch in the competition may only serve to make her well-rounded. Still it’s up to the fans and the Supernova judges.”

Lukas Rossi: “Don’t let his eyeshadow and skunk haircut fool you. Described as a cross between Freddy Mercury and Jeff Buckley, Lukas Rossi is a mesmerizing stage performer with versatile vocal chops. Lukas can handle an angry punk rock song or a rock power ballad with equal skill, and his spontaneity onstage keeps the audience on their toes.”

At this point, “Tommy, Gilby, and Jason are each looking for the winning Rocker to fill some very special shoes”, continues Hall, “Gilby is looking at musicianship, and how the contestants perform their songs. Jason is very interested in musical technique – how the rockers approach their instrument, and their career. Tommy is especially interested in stage presence, that “It Factor”, as well as audience response. The Supernova judges have many years of stage and touring experience between them. Tommy, Gilby, and Jason have been the perfect musical gurus for the contestants. The judges are having fun, but it’s obvious that they’re taking their job seriously.  Add Dave Navarro as host, executive producer, and Spiritual Leader, and Brooke Burke as the show’s hostess and Resident Goddess, and I can’t think of anywhere else to be except in front of my TV on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.”

Carla Lynne Hall is a Brooklyn singer/songwriter, and Supernova (no relation to Rock Star: Supernova) is the latest CD release on her Moxie Entertainment label. Described as Norah Jones meets Sade, with a touch of The Beatles, “Hall’s velvet voice and heartbreaking songs draw you in with their richness” says Rockrgrl Magazine. Supernova is available on CDBaby.com and iTunes. Known as “The DIY Diva”, Carla Lynne Hall is also the author of The DIY Guide to the Music Biz, and her columns appear in Vibe Magazine, MusicDish.com, and other publications around the globe. Carla’s eBook, The DIY (Do It Yourself) Guide to the Music Biz is available at http://www.diyguide-musicbiz.com/. For more information on Carla Lynne Hall, visit http://www.MySpace.com/carlalynnehall.

Tune into CBS Tuesday and Wednesday nights for Rock Star: Supernova.

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The DIY Diva’s Rock Star: Supernova Recap for Week 10

(New York, NY) It’s Week 10 of the Rock Star: Supernova reality TV show, and musician Carla Lynne Hall, has kept close tabs on this summer’s guilty pleasure via her Rock Star Life Lessons blog, located at http://rockstarlifelessons.spaces.live.com/  As the world tunes in to CBS on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to watch the Rocker contestants battle to become the lead singer of Supernova, Hall’s Rock Star Life Lessons blog has become THE site to visit post-show for her passionate commentary, and related headlines tracked in the media. Supernova, the all-star rock band featuring Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses) and Jason Newsted (Metallica), has reached the nail-biting stage as the 15 original Rocker contestants have now been whittled down to the Final Five.

According to Hall, the competition is just starting to get thick. “Basically, Rock Star: Supernova is Rock and Roll Boot Camp, says Hall, “The Rocker contestants can all sing, so the judges are looking at skills like stage presence, memorable performances, how much energy is generated onstage and in the audience, and most of all, how the Rockers handle being thrust into the spotlight.”

Carla’s opinions so far:

Storm Large: “Often a ‘Mama’ to the rest of the Rockers, Storm Large (her real name) is a fierce warrior on the stage with unlimited vocal skills and a penchant for stage dives. She’s a fearless performer, but she takes a lot of licks for her loyalty to her housemates.”

Dilana Robichaux: “Believed by many to be the favorite to win, Dilana has tons of stage experience and a wild and energetic stage persona. Lately, she’s had a bit of a ego meltdown, which has tarnished her image with her fans, but she’s still the one to beat.”

Lukas Rossi: “Described as a cross between Freddy Mercury and Jeff Buckley, Lukas Rossi is a mesmerizing stage performer with versatile vocal chops. Don’t let his eyeshadow and skunk haircut fool you. Lukas can handle an angry punk rock song or a rock power ballad with equal skill, and his spontaneity onstage keeps the audience on their toes.”

Magni Asgeirsson: “From Reykjavik, Iceland, Magni Asgeirsson has a confident stage presence, and vocal abilities from years of being a well-known rock star in his homeland. Also a new dad, Magni is one of the ‘well-adjusted’ Rockers, and appears to have favor with the Supernova judges.”

Toby Rand: “Known as ‘The Thunder from Down Under’, Aussie Toby Rand is a crowd pleaser, especially with the ladies. Running around the Mansion’s pool naked in order to sing the song of his choice hasn’t hurt him a bit either. With his good looks, impressive voice, and wicked sense of humor, Toby brings a well-rounded battle to the Rock Star: Supernova stage.”

At this point, “Tommy, Gilby, and Jason are each looking for the winning Rocker to fill some very special shoes”, continues Hall, “Gilby is looking at musicianship, and how the contestants perform their songs. Jason is very interested in musical technique – how the rockers approach their instrument, and their career. Tommy is especially interested in stage presence, that “It Factor”, as well as audience response. The Supernova judges have many years of stage and touring experience between them. Tommy, Gilby, and Jason have been the perfect musical gurus for the contestants. The judges are having fun, but it’s obvious that they’re taking their job seriously.  Add Dave Navarro as host, executive producer, and Spiritual Leader, and Brooke Burke as the show’s hostess and Resident Goddess, and I can’t think of anywhere else to be except in front of my TV on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.”

Carla Lynne Hall’s interest in Rock Star: Supernova came as a coincidence. Carla released her second CD, also called Supernova in February 2006. Described as a cross between Norah Jones and Sade with a touch of The Beatles, Hall’s Supernova is gaining a following in the Adult Album Alternative category. Hall auditioned for the Rock Star show eight days before the new band’s name was announced in March, but she didn’t get the callback. Still, Hall is undeterred. “I sang my ass off for the audition, and I’m sure I’m not the only possible Rocker who didn’t get the call. There were only 15 slots, and thousands of people auditioned. There’s such thing as the right time, and there’s such thing as the right fit. Now that I know who Supernova is, I have a better idea of what the producers are looking for. The point is, believing in yourself is the most important goal. It doesn’t matter what I say on my blog, or even what Tommy Lee says from the judge’s box. If success doesn’t come for a Rocker during this particular show, it doesn’t mean that success will never happen. A determined musician can take the pressure built from frustration and obscurity and transform it into a diamond. That’s the stuff of magic!”

So is Carla Lynne Hall giving up promoting her Supernova CD to promote Rock Star: Supernova? “Hell, no!” she laughs, “I’ll be using Rock Star: Supernova like a study guide, noting what works and blogging about it, but I have a few gigs of my own this summer. I’ll be blogging about my own quest for rockstarhood as well. While it’s fun watching these talented contestants, I’m ready to rock the house myself.” Hall’s recent fundraising show for the Songs of Love Foundation raised money to create personalized songs for chronically ill children, and her next performance will be opening for Spin Doctors’ Chris Barron at BB King’s in New York City.

And what is Rockstarhood, you ask? “Becoming a rock star means that you can command a stage, and control the energy of a room with the sheer strength of your personal power and charisma,” Hall explains, “Achieving rockstarhood takes into account all of the rock star life lessons that you learned along the way,” explains Hall, “Dealing with personal demons, self-confidence issues, addictions, co-dependencies, and the usual obstacles like not having enough money are issues that all aspiring musicians have to work out for themselves. Achieving rockstarhood requires a lot of self-work that people don’t often address. When you see an awesome stage performance, there was a lot of work behind it. I’ll be the one digging for that story.”

Carla has opened for legendary bluesman Taj Mahal, and has performed at clubs and college campuses throughout the United States. Front & Center, Carla’s debut CD on Moxie Entertainment, was released in 2001, and rose to #3 on college playlists. In 2004, Hall’s “My First Child” lullaby was released as a single, and won raves from celebrity moms Courtney Cox and Debra Messing. Also known as “The DIY Diva” in music circles, Carla Lynne Hall is also the author of The DIY Guide to the Music Biz, and her columns appear in Vibe Magazine, MusicDish.com, and other publications around the globe. Carla’s eBook, The DIY (Do It Yourself) Guide to the Music Biz is available at http://www.diyguide-musicbiz.com/. Carla is currently working on a new eBook, Rock Star Life Lessons, based on rock star life lessons learned from the Rock Star: Supernova reality TV show.

Supernova is the latest CD release on her Moxie Entertainment label. Described as Norah Jones meets Sade, with a touch of The Beatles, “Hall’s velvet voice and heartbreaking songs draw you in with their richness” says Rockrgrl Magazine. Carla Lynne Hall blogs about the Rock Star: Supernova reality TV show, as well as her own quest towards rockstarhood on http://www.MySpace.com/carlalynnehall. Supernova is available on CDBaby.com and iTunes. 

Tune into CBS Tuesday and Wednesday nights for Rock Star: Supernova.

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RS: S Eliminations ~ Week 10

Ah, Wednesday night blogs are always so hard. The closer we get to Rock Star: Supernova choosing their new lead singer, the tougher the competition gets. And as we get to know more about the Rocker contestants, we feel closer to them, and were sad to see them go.

Okay, okay, *I’M* the one boo-hooing in front of the TV, stalling about blogging my commentary because I just dont have the same joy each time someone gets sent home. On one hand, this show has opened doors for the 15 rocker contestants. With the opportunity to perform each week for an international audience, wherever a Rocker lands will be that much more ahead of where they were before they joined the show. But geez, I get so attached!!!

Ill start with happier subjects: Brooke Burke, the resident Sexy Mama! When Dave congratulated her on her pregnancy, she joked, I didnt know how much longer Ill be able to hold it in! Brooke is expecting her third girl can you believe it?!

As the show begins, the Rockers are asked what it was like to perform their original songs on TV.
Lukas thought it was a nice change. He said, Im used to performing for empty ashtrays and beer cans. I love that Lukas is keeping it real here. Dave was curious about Tobys newfound stage power. I had been thinking too much, said the Aussie, Now, Im like Evs. I can believe people are clapping with me. And its great!

[Translation for those of you who missed earlier shows: Evs is Australian slang for whatever. As youll soon learn before the evening ends, that sexy Aussie may have sneakily, one-handedly, brought this phrase over to the States. Lets watch the teenage vernacular for the next few months, shall we, hmm? If evs becomes a big phrase here, then you heard it here first (well, second)!

Tonights original Supernova (the band, not my new CD) song was Its All Love with Magni. Magni played acoustic guitar at the beginning for a verse, before throwing it over to a guitar tech to continue on microphone. I liked this original song of Supernovas. Nice melody and sweet chord changes. You know, musical meat that a singer can bite her teeth into. So were talking about Magni, and hes doing his usual thing, powerful vocals, yadda, yadda, yadda. But at one point Magni was singing to Gilby on stage, and either Gilby didnt notice Magni, or Gilby was just into playing his electric guitar, and didnt acknowledge him. Dont know if anyone notices stupid little stuff like that but me, but Magni had better luck when he sang to Jason. Magni has great vocals, but I always want more energy from him.

Next we see how the Rockers arrived to tonights show: separately, in 5 Honda Element SUVs, Rock Star style. As they each got out of their SUVs, they signed autographs for fans waiting outside of the theater. It is then announced that whoever gets tonights Encore will win their own SUV. How exciting! Of course, they made the audience wait until after the break for the announcement. And of course, I wont make you wait as long (not even Anna in LA whos reading this blog to get the scoop on her friends ha, ha I think thats the funniest thing!)

Okay, it seems that I did make you wait because Im posting late tonight (its now 11:30 EST), and I happened to stop at the last sentence. I just checked out my 20 year old nephews first gig in NY tonight. Hes been hanging with me for the past couple of weeks, crashing at my pad til he gets himself settled. L did a great job tonight, playing solo guitar at Spoken Words in Brooklyn. Its been really cool to see NYC through his young and excited aspiring musician eyes. Ive been here 11 years now, and although NYC is still the most exciting place to me, theres nothing like being a newbie. And of course, as soon as his gig was over, he wanted to know who got the cut from the show tonight. Read on, and learn!

I may still catch Anna in LA before the show ends, or maybe before she goes offline! So who won the Encore AND the Honda Element SUV? Why, it was Toby! When he went onstage, he had the Australian flag in his hand, and he dedicated his performance to the recently late Croc Hunter Steve Irwin, who died this past Monday in a tragic stingray accident (Do I sound like Channel 4 News or what?). I thought that was a cool touch. Tobys vocals were even more expressive, and comfy onstage. The great thing about Encore performances is that theyre easier. Youre doing the song again because you obviously did a good job at it already. This time youre not being judged, so you can just sing your tail off. And that is what Toby did. He went to the Rocker Box, then to the Judges box, went through the crowd, and ended the song in the crowd singing with fans.

Toby really is a Man of The People, you hear me?

So next its time to finally get to the voting results. Brooke calls all five Rockers names because at some point of the voting, each of them was on the bottom, blah, blah, blah. But the actual Bottom Three?

Storm Large Wish You Were Here

She has such an awesome command of the audience. She asked them to be silent just by her hand movements, as she went into this beautiful Pink Floyd classic. I admit, though, that I was a bit confused that she chose to go vulnerable. I had been expecting her to go balls out, but instead she went inward, singing this gorgeous song while a lone tear slid down her face. A camera then showed Jason Newsted Supernova wiping a big fat juicy tear from his face. And then I knew

Storm ended the song, and then said, This is for you, Mom! Jason, looking visibly upset, had his head between his knees, although Gilby seemed a bit unmoved. Aside from that, I wondered about all the mama drama going on with the Rockers. But mostly, I knew

Dilana I Want You to Want Me

Dilana was cute tonight. And by the way, who had the job of pimping out Dilanas crutches?
She did Cheap Tricks I Want You to Want Me, punk style, and dedicated it to the fans. She rearranged it, so she got to show off a playful side. Its like shes accepted the fact that she needs to clean it up with the fans, and shes going to do whatever it takes. This is what I mean about a little Bottom Three desperation being good for you. It makes you bring your A game to the table.

My only cringe was that because of her torn leg muscle, Dilana only had use of one leg, that could only hop at one speed. The tempo of the song was at a different speed, and her timing was off at points of the beginning/middle of the song. To be fair, if she had the use of both legs, this would not have been a problem, and she would have totally crushed it. And an interesting observation was that she really depended on the House Band to come in at the right time. When the song went into punk mode, she had to meet their eyes so she could stay on time, which seemed to get more difficult.

BUT, Dilana borrowed one of her old tactics, smart gal that she is. She got on another guys shoulders and sang while he walked her through the audience to a mini stage platform. She sang and sang, surrounded by frenzied fans, and the old Dilana was back. This performance felt so much better than last night, and I think Dilana got her groove back. Shoot, if Dilana can rock that hard on one leg, then what does that mean for the rest of us?

Lukas Head Spin

Jason says, Are you surprised? I am!

When Jason asked Lukas which song hes doing, Lukas wanted to do Head Spin from last night again. For his mom, again. More mama drama? All interesting stuff, Folks!

What can I say about Lukas, really? Hes passionate and intense just all round powerful vocals Yeah! There was even a sign being held by fans saying Rossi Possi How cute is that???

But the Moment of Truth always comes eventually, eh? Lukas is sent back to the Rocker Box, and its down to Dilana and Stormy. Would this day ever come? Say it isnt so! Tommy starts by saying, You know I love both of you, and then he proceeds to hand over his Tommy-hawk responsibility necklace to Jason. By the way, does anyone remember seeing this Tommyhawk necklace thing before? I dont ever remember seeing this thing before, but Tommys solemn passing it to Jason seemed very touching and symbolic. Jason says something about We respect you both as comrades, and you know that someone has to go tonight, blardy blar, and then he ends with Storm, I love you but tonight youre sleeping in your own bed. Youre going home.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Not Stormy! (Insert deep and heavy sigh here) But yes, Stormy, Storm Large, one of the well-adjusted Rockers is going home, and Im very sad. Again.

Dave reminds Storm that he could have played with anyone, but he chose to play with her. He wasnt lying when he said that he loved her original song. The sassy Storm Large told Dave that he could play guitar on her song, and before he could finish agreeing, the rest of Supernova was volunteering to be her backing band for her original song. It was a bittersweet moment, I have to say.

Storms final words? I have to thank all of you up there, and out there, the fans. Pointing to the Rocker Box, she added, These freaks are my family, and you will see me again!

Dave gave another We love you, and of course, Supernova gave her a standing ovation. Ironically, I didnt cry for Storm like I did for Zayra. I just have one of those peaceful easy feelings that Homegirl is going to be just fine, thankyouverymuch, and Rock Star: Supernova will be an incredible stepping stone to new musical heights for her.

Storm Large, Youre a Fierce Warrior Goddess Princess, and youre a Bad Mamma Jamma!

See you at the top!

RS:S Performances – Week 10

Welcome to Week 10 of Rock Star: Supernova!

We’re down to the Final Five, and the show is really getting hot! And I’m not just talking about Brooke Burke!

Speaking of Brooke, sexy and sassy in stripes, she announced that Ryan Star, the last Rocker sent home has the top MP3 downloads on MSN, including his original, “Back of My Car”, which he recently performed. Good for him!

And this week’s behind the scenes video showed Gilby writing songs with the Rockers. He was unimpressed with Dilana’s songwriting skills, saying that he doubted her imagination, and that he wasn’t sure that she’d be bringing much to the table in this regard. I can’t recall Gilby saying much about any of the other Rockers’s songwriting chops, but I’m definitely feeling the winds of change blowing away from Dilana. I could be wrong, and I hope I am, but time will tell.

This week in Song Selection the Rockers learned that they would be performing a set: one of the covers, and an original. This would allow them to show other sides of their personality.

Dilana – Behind Blue Eyes

Okay, I didn’t see this week’s online webisode so I was totally unprepared to see Dilana being carried onto the stage due to a torn calf muscle. What the hell??? Seriously, what is going ON with Dilana? She has been the favorite of many from the very beginning. A torn calf muscle is going to take a few weeks to heal. How is she supposed to rock the house at this crucial juncture of this show?

So Dilana sings this Who classic from a stool, and her voice is great. She gave as much as she could, and I think she connected well with the crowd. She wasn’t familiar with this song before this week, which was interesting, but she was still able to make the song hers. For the final line, she sang, “No one knows what it’s like to be the bad girl, to be the sad girl, behind blue eyes”, which pulled the audience in. As she introduced her original song, she ketp things personal, giving the audience a little more insight of what it’s like to be in her shoes, which I liked a lot. For her original song (which I’ve forgoten the title), she stood up, and hopped around as best as she could to meet the energy of the crowd.

What can I say? I’m disappointed because I don’t know how she’ll get out of this fix. More importantly, I want to find out how she got INTO this position. She had the world in the palm of her hands, and now this? I just don’t understand, and I’m very sad.

Dave: “Good interaction with the audience.” He commended Dilana for going out there, and doing her thing, although he wasn’t crazy about her original track.

Tommy was quick to disagree: “I really did dig the original track.”

Gilby maintained what he said at this week’s songwriting clinic.” I think your lyrics are a little too literal. I think you should use your imagination.”

Jason: “Strong will and effort are important in this game”, meaning life as well as rock and roll, of course. “Thanks for sharing.”

This is so not good to hear. Dilana had been sooooooooooooo close, I can’t stand it!

Magni – Back in the USSR

Magni has great vocals, but I still want more energy from him. His original, I actually liked a lot. The song, which had been translated into English, was rocking and aggressive, and was one of his better performances.

Dave: “Hot Magni! I think that’s the most aggressive I’ve ever heard you!”

Tommy: “Your performance was basically the same.”

Magni’s comeback was that they were the same because he performed both of the songs.

Gilby said that he understood where Tommy Lee was coming from, saying, “Your original song was an opportunity to bring it up a notch”.

Although I think Magni has been a favorite of the Supernova judges, his performance style hasn’t changed much over the run of this show. If Supernova would have called this to Magni’s attention earlier, I wonder if he would have stepped it up before now, or even been kicked off? Sometimes it’s the luck of the draw, but as we learn, luck eventually changes.

Storm – Suffragette Sister

Speaking of changing luck, this might have been Storm Large’s night. And I’m so freakin’ happy about that! First off, as soon as Brooke announces that Storm is doing Suffragette Sister, Dave announces that he wants to play. Storm, as always, is up to the challenge: “Get your ass down here, Dave!”

My first thought, watching Storm, was “Why is she all covered up?” Wearing a black hat, black 3/4 coat, and black pants, I kept thinking how disappointed Tommy Lee must be. With all of his requests to see less of her, I was hoping that Storm was up to something. Silly me! Of course Storm is up to something! Even in her undertaker outfit, she was rocking hard, playing along with Dave, and moving the crowd. For her original, entitled “Ladylike”, she stripped down to a low cut white tank top, and threw off her hat. If you listened to her lyrics, it was even more fitting, because the song asks the question of what IS ladylike when we want to do the same THANG like the guys. If you don’t know what THANG I’m talking about, perhaps Americal Idol would be a little more to your liking.

Tonight’s rocking performance by Storm Large was amaaazing, and I couldn’t be happier for her. Go Storm Large, Go!!!

Dave: “I have been on the stage with many world class singers. This felt like one of those performaces. That was my favorite original from last year and this year together!”

Tommy: “That song was the _____” He really didn’t say a real word or even a euphamism, but he liked it, and even asked the audience, “Y’all feelin’ me?!” Yeah, we were all feelin’ it!

Gilby picked up Tommy’s line: “That was the ____” playfully imitating Tommy Lee’s facial expression. “Great original!”

Jason: “Yeah, Storm Large!”

And after Brooke announced Storm’s voting number, Storm gave Brooke a little kiss on the lips on her way off the stage. Friendly, but cute. Brooke wasn’t facing the audience, so I don’t know what was going through her mind, but hey, that liplock was a lot cooler to watch than Tommy Lee licking tongues with Gilby’s dog, Chopper.

Lukas – Livin’ On a Prayer

Only Lukas Rossi could turn a semi-cheesy Jon Bon Jovi tune and turn it into something altogether different. Lukas totally stripped down this song, playing it on solo electric guitar. Lukas’ bio describes him as Freddie Mercury meets Jeff Buckley, and when I heard him do this song, all I could hear was Jeff Buckley vocal stylings. I’m not saying that he sounded like Jeff Buckley, but I got chills from the similarity in vocal skill. Wow!!! This song actually made me think Jeff Buckley meets Johnny Cash, which isn’t a bad combination in my book.

His original, Headspin, was about his mother, and he added that “nobody’s perfect.” This song was intense and powerful, and from the lyrics you understood that his mother ws the one making his “head spin”, and you understood that the “nobody’s perfect” line was referring to himself. I would love, love, love to hear better articulation of the lyrics, but that’s me. There is definitely a story behind this tune, and it makes for a powerful performance. Great job, Lukas!

Dave: “You’ve showed that you also have a heavy handed emotional side. That’s a stadium full of lighters, or cel phones like they do now.” And he made a joke about dating himself by mentioning the old school use of lighters at a concert. No worries, Dave. We’ve all been there 😉

Gilby: : “I was inspired by your performance”.

Toby – Mr. Brightside

Toby’s vocals are great, but the crowd LOVES him. It really is amazing the level of charisma Toby has. He has the girls eating out of his hands every week! He made his way through the crowd, singing all over the house, and the audience follows his every move. Just amazing!!!!

For his original, “Throw it Away”, his chorus has a nifty call and response part, and the crowd loved it. He made his way to the Supernova jodges box, and instead of sucking up to them, just maintained his chokehold on the audience from there until Tommy came by and starting grabbing his butt during the song. Toby was unruffled, and kept doing his thing, going next to the Rocker Box where he ended the song facedown, getting pats on the butt from the other contestants.

Dave: “Your original song – instantaneosly memorable! By the second verse you had everyone singing along!”

Jason: “You somehow take this whole crowd!”

And Jason is absolutely right. Toby Rand is the Pied Piper of Rock Star: Supernova. Awesome, Mate!

And for the first five minutes of voting, here are the results:

First: Toby
Second: Lukas
Third: Magni
Fourth: Storm
Fifth: Dilana

We shall see tomorrow, won’t we? I’m just glad that I don’t have to choose the singer for Supernova (the band, not my CD). Competition is heating up, and it ain’t gonna be pretty!

Week 9 RS:S Elimination

Week 9 of Rock Star: Supernova, and everyone wants to know who’s still standing (especially certain friends on the left coast). Well, look no further! But before I get to the juicier bits, I’ll start by saying that tonight Brooke Burke was absolutely glowing. It is often said that expectant mothers have an inner radiance about them. Well, Brooke was rocking one of those “baby glows” tonight. I couldn’t tell you what was wearing, but she looked amazing!

In the behind-the-scenes video, The Final 6 Rockers speculated about who would end up in tonight’s Bottom Three. As the pressure mounts for the Rockers, I was happy to see their friendly camaraderie. Only three weeks left!

At tonight’s show, Dave told the Final 6, “Half of you will be singing for your lives tonight. You are all friends now. Clearly it will be hard to say goodbye.” Yeah, it will be hard for all of us tuning in, you know? But it’s been a great ride.

Dave asked Magni about this week’s photo shoot with In Touch magazine. Magni didn’t seem too thrilled about the process, and attempted a snappy comeback. As always, Dave gets the last word. “This is my show, suck up!” And we all laugh, as Dave continues, “You know what I said about not having anything to do with the voting? I lied, Son of a Bitch!”

[Folks, you can’t say I didn’t tell you so!]

For this week’s original Supernova song, Lukas performed with Tommy, Gilby, and Jason on “It’s On”. Lukas’ vocals were wide open, and he had great energy. It’s hard to judge an unfamiliar song, but it was solid, although not quite memorable. That could be due to the song, or the singer, or bits of both, so I’ll leave that alone.

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The winner of the MSN Live Spaces award was announced: Rob Carlos, also known as Colorsmith. Check out his winning MSN Live Space at http://colorsmith.spaces.live.com/

You can also check out my MSN Live Space at http://rockstarlifelessons.spaces.live.com/

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For the Encore, Toby did Rebel Yell, and he whipped the audience into a frenzy. He dressed very GQ tonight: black with a white tie peeking out of a jet black buttoned-down shirt. Very nice outfit, not overbearing at all. Just sexy like Toby. He went through the crowd, singing in all the corners, physically reaching the audience members in the back. And I mean waaaay back. Those fans appreciated that a lot. Shoot, I did too. What is it about Toby that the ladies love? Does it matter why? Oh yeah, he’s HAWT!

When it was time for Brooke to mention who was in tonight’s Bottom Three, it ended up being everyone BUT Magni. It was quite funny actually. His campaign for American fans apparently worked very well.

And the actual Bottom Three?

Ryan – Baba O’Riley

One of the things I love about Ryan Star is that he’s not afraid to stretch himself. Whatever his actual comfort zone is, I know he’s working outside of it. In addition to singing the song, he shook up, and exploded a bottle of champagne onto the fans in the audience, as well as Toby who was standing nearby to grab the bottle when Ryan was done. Of course, Ryan was also able to get some playful revenge for all the past pies in the face from Toby. Ryan made sure that Toby got a nice dousing of bubbly all over him. Toby took the bottle back to the Rocker Box, and drank from the bottle.

Ryan’s performance reminded me of past times when he did whatever he could think of to increase the energy onstage. Tonight he was swinging the mic, running around, and even got way on top of the stacked guitar amplifiers. It was a little too erratic for me, but he kept my attention. I don’t remember much about his singing tonight, but that probably wasn’t the point.

Storm – Helter Skelter

When Storm seemed excited about getting picked to be in the Bottom Three, Gilby asked her why. “Because I get to rock!” was her response. And rock she did. She rocked this Beatles classic hard, and made her way through the crowd like a Pied Piper, attempting to create a mosh pit out of the audience. She then went to Supernova’s Box, snag to them, and sat on Tommy Lee’s lap before continuing on. At the end of the song, the fearless Storm Large turned her back to the audience, and just leaned backward into the waiting arms of the audience who brought her back to the stage.

I love Storm because she’s fierce. She’s fierce, wise, sweet, and funny too. But aside from all that, she can ROCK. Go head on, Mama!

Dilana – Psycho Killer

On one hand, I don’t think she should have been in the Bottom Three, but after the last two weeks, I’m not surprised if the fans decided to spank her a little bit. Still, I’m philosophical about the whole thing. In my opinion, Dilana has been on top since the very beginning, and the producers might decide that it’s boring for her to have an easy time of it every week. Dilana finally gets her turn in the Bottom Three, and the show gets even more interesting.

But I can’t help but feel that Dilana is still feeling the sting from last week. When her name was called, I realized how tiny she is. She just looked vulnerable, like a little girl, with her face an open book. I think Dilana was telling the truth when she said that she didn’t know how to lie. She’s not good at hiding her feelings, even when it’s a good idea to do so. Her eyes tell you everything, if you only look. She was scared and unsure, and we haven’t seen that before. I just wanted to give her a big hug, and say, “You’ve killed it before. You’ll do it again. Buck up!”

So when Tommy asks what song she’ll be doing tonight, she announces a last minute decision, Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer”, “This is how life goes, and this is my redemption. I’m gonna dedicate it to myself.” 

She starts the song a capella, and of course she sounds great, and then she rocked it out, but she was a bit subdued. She usually gives a memorable performance, but tonight we missed her usual vitality. She jumped around a lot, and didn’t take me over the edge, as she usually does. I’d say that tonight was my least favorite performance of hers, but I know damn well that Girlfriend ain’t goin’ home tonight. Supernova is gonna chalk it up to a bad patch for Dilana, let her have this week to bounce back, and expect her to CRUSH us next week. And she will. I cannot wait.

And who went home? Ryan Star

Dave: “I’ve become a fan, and I’m sorry to see you go. You are the most evolved of everyone here. I know you’ll do well.”

Ryan, being Ryan, had his last word. To Supernova, he said (respectfully, I might add), “With me you could have had 20 more years on the charts, so I’m sorry about that. I respect your decision. I’m going back to being a solo artist. See you on the charts because that’s where I’ll be hanging out.”

Tommy Lee looked genuinely sad. He knows that more goodbyes are coming, and I get the feeling that being the “Hatchet Man” is not a lot of fun these days. But I agree that Ryan Star has stretched himself in all kinds of directions for the better, and this experience will give him the recognition (and fortitude) he needs to get that deal that could take him to the top of the charts.

I ain’t mad at ya, Ryan Star. You did great, and I’ll be looking for you back in NYC. See you at the top!

Week 9 RS:S Performances

As if we didn’t have enough drama last week, there was still a bit more to be enjoyed on Rock Star: Supernova!

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Don’t forget to check out my “Dark Horse”  entry into the Supernova MSN Spaces contest. Check me out at http://rockstarlifelessons.spaces.live.com/

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The lovely Brooke Burke took us to the videotape, which showed an emotional Dilana after last week’s spanking. After realizing how much damage her comments to the media caused, she spent much of the week feeling “week and vulnerable”. We see Dilana crying a lot with the other Rockers, while expressing her feelings. At one point, we see her sitting with Lukas near the pool, crying and talking. At one point, as Magni is coming over to chat, she loses her composure, stands up, and gives the ever-watchful camera two middle fingers. She walks off, but not before throwing her glass to the ground, which sent a shard of glass flying straight into Magni’s head. As she stormed off, she hadn’t even realized what had happened.

Later Dilana was seen sobbing, big soul-wracking sobs with Storm. Hearing her gut-wrenching sobs, I couldn’t help but feel all the crap that she’s been through before she got here. Later we hear her crying to Magni, apologizing for what happened. It’s obvious that Dilana is having a bad week, and her pain stings like a mofo.

By the way, Ryan seemed to be back at his old tricks. First he’s shown saying, “It’s like she’s self-destructing” to Lukas about Dilana, and after the Magni incident, we see Ryan at Magni’s door practically begging to see the wound, and help clean it off. Magni refused the help, and couldn’t seem to close his door soon enough, perhaps because cameras were right over Ryan’s shoulder perhaps? If only to be a fly on the other side of the wall when Magni closed the door!! I’ve made peace with Ryan’s antics, but in that scene Ryan seemed a tad too opportunistic about the situation. But hey, that’s me.

At the show, Dave admitted that it was a hard week: “Nobody’s perfect” and offered that things would be better this week. As for the cut, Magni only said, “It’s a surface wound. I’ve cut myself worse shaving.” I don’t know if the makeup artist uses makeup on Magni’s bald head, but there wasn’t even a scratch to be seen. Magni seemed cool, and didn’t want to make a big thing out of it. Dilana also seemed hopeful: “I love my friends, and I’ll never, ever do anything to hurt them.” And things seemed okay for now.

This week was Fan Selection week, so each Rocker did songs that were chosen for them by the fans. After last week’s show, I felt that the Rockers were starting to understand where fans come into the picture. Dilana was especially sensitive: “I cannot let the fans down.” Everyone seemed aware of the importance and influence of fans, especially when it comes to the voting 😉

Lukas – Lithium

This week, we also got to see more of a personal side of the Rockers before their performances. When Lukas’ video is shown, he wants to show that he’s just a regular guy who likes to play pool and basketball. “I’m everybody else. I just wear more makeup than everbody else.”

But when we saw him onstage, I beg to differ. His vocals were awesome!! He arranged the song to focus on his vocals for the start of the song, which was a nice touch. He sounded clear as a bell, and he communicated well with the fans. He did his dance, was full of energy. Yeah, he killed it.

Dave: “You took a classic song, and rearranged it. It was awesome, Dude!”

Tommy: “That song was talkin’! That was real cool. Well done!”

Gilby: “That was your best performance yet!” 

And Jason was the most excited: “You opened up. That was freaking dynamite. A great way to start the show!”

I agree!

Magni – I Alone

For Magni’s pre-show video, he was campaigning for fan votes hoping to persuade the Australians that he’s better looking than Toby, and added that although Ryan is American, Americans can still vote for him instead. It was a cute bit.

Magni wore eyeliner tonight, which was a nice touch, although he kept his clothing simple. His vocals were great, as always, but I’m always looking for more energy from him. He makes his way around the stage, but a bit leisurely for my taste. He did go to the Supernova judge box, and sing to them, and Supernova seemed to like that.

Dave: “That was killer, Dude! There’s nothing I can say now. It’s all up to the luck of the draw now. It was awesome!”

Gilby: “Tonight you gave us that extra something. We know you want it. Great job!”

Ryan – Clocks

Ryan, at the grand piano, says “This is for the fans”, and begins the intro.  Before the verse starts, Ryan jumps over the piano to continue the song on the microphone – good move. We weren’t expecting it, and he’s able to work the crowd. In the middle of the song, he slid back over the piano to tickle the ivories for a little piano solo. Then he returned to stand on top of the piano to bring more drama and theater to the show. This might have been my favorite Ryan performance so far. Well done!

Dave: “This is going to be a tough night [for judging]. It’s great to see you willing to go there.”

Jason thought Ryan sounded good, but “when you go behind the piano, we lose the story a little bit.”

Gilby: “Nothing like watching an inspired performer. I thought you did great!”

Storm – Bring Me Back to Life

Before the her performance, Storm is seen bellyaching about the difficulty of this Evanescence song. Both Jill and Zayra did this song already, but so what? In my opinion, Storm has the best overall vocal chops in the house, so I don’t know what she’s worried about. The range of the song is different from some of her other songs, and she wasn’t totally familiar with the song, but Storm is a warrior, which is why I love her too. I know she’d sing the mess out of it.

And in a sexy red dress, she did just that. Toby sang the guy part while Storm rocked the house in the front, but yeah, something was missing for me tonight.

Dave liked her but thought that Toby singing backup might have stolen some of her thunder via his success with the ladies in the crowd.

Gilby: “I still remember Jill doing this song. I don’t think I’m going to remember this performance.” Ouch.

Jason was a lot more optimistic: “In my book, effort counts for a lot,” and he gave her lots of credit for that. But goodness, if I got that comment, I wouldn’t be too happy. Storm, as God as my witness, you better bring it tomorrow night!!!

Toby – Rebel Yell

Toby was shown as the prankster of the house in his video, often smooshing cake in Ryan’s face and running off. He said that he wants to work hard, but he also wants to be seen as someone who can have fun and laugh at life. That attitude will take him far.

For tonight’s “Rebel Yell”, he CRUSHED it. He wore eyeliner too tonight, by the way. This song was perfect for him. Great vocals, and his energy was dead on. He pulled up a couple of girls onstage, and a few more girls joined them, because they could, and Toby looked like the ultimate rock god with groupies ready to go. This performance was the BEST I’ve ever seen of him. Surrounded by his harem, Toby had Tommy Lee giving a standing ovation from the judge box. It was great!

Dave: “Wow, Dude! I believed you. The crowd interaction was real strong.”

Gilby: “You took this performance to another level.” 

Tommy: “You got other people running around naked. You got girls coming up on stage. God bless you!”

Dilana – Mother Mother

Of course, fans choosing “Mother Mother” for Dilana was interesting. No one mentioned the connection between the song, and Dilana’s estrangement from her own mother, but I think it was an influence. But no matter, Dilana was ready. With last week on her mind, Dilana was ready to regroup: “It’s okay to mess up. It’s how you handle it.”

For Mother Mother, Dilana played electric guitar at the beginning, slung low, like the Rocker she is. There she goes, playing her guitar, and flipping her hair everywhere. Full of energy, she works the stage. At one point she stands on the drum riser, and slings a leg across the shoulder of one of the guitarists in the House Band. In my opinion, she seemed a little subdued after last week’s emotional punch to the gut, but she’s still the frontrunner in many people’s eyes. Good for her! 

Dave: “It’s been two seasons of Rock Star, and this might be my favorite performance of all two years! And I can’t think of anyone who hasn’t said anything in the press.”

Tommy: “Say hello to the ‘King of Mistakes’! We make them. We learn from them. We don’t make the same ones, and we move on.” 

Gilby: “That was an emotional song. There wasn’t a bad part of it. Good job!”

Jason: “That was really good. Thank you!” 

So Dilana is back in good graces, I imagine 😉

And if you’re interested in the Bottom 3 as of the first five minutes:
Storm
Ryan
Lukas

If you remember, there are only three weeks left. I predict that more than one person will go home tomorrow. If not tomorrow, it will happen net week. Time is running out. Tune in tomorrow!