Superstar - Live show # 6

Tamsin here, holding the fort while lovely Karina fends off the outlaws with a big stick.
 So are we ready for tonight? I wish I could muster up a bit more enthusiasm, I have to say - I love these shows whilst everyone else seems to hate them, but am really struggling with the nightly format.  I think the idea was to build the excitiment, to whip us into a musical theatre frenzy and create a buzz (if you'll pardon the gratuitous JCS reference).  Dare I say it, it is having the opposite affect on me, and far from sitting here with bated breath, I am feeling obligated to watch.  Kind like  swimming the channel, where you sort of wish you hadn't started, but to give up now would be a waste of previous effort? Not that I have, but you get the drift. This could be why K and I have been somewhat harsh in our reviewing of these no doubt lovely boys.  But there it is.  I blame ALW.  I shall no doubt blame him for a lot of things this evening.

I have been doing a catch up after missing last night in favour of two-for-one cocktails (Big mistake. Huge.) and it appears that someone at ITV has seen sense and realised that having the sing off at the start of the show is a bloody stupid idea...well, duh!!  Sadly its all been a bit of an unholy cock-up so far, but on the plus side, things can only improve......

So, eyes down for tonights soft-rock extravaganza.....who will stay? Double elimination apparently, so will there be a sing off? Two?? The Lord only knows, but I am going to put my money where my mouth is and predict exits from David and John.  I can but hope.

So tonight Amanda looks like a Bacofoil Wrap - shame, I quite often like her outfits...and she is still SHOUTING.
Dawn looks gorgeous tonight, ALW nervous....has he realised he many have eliminated Jesus before the live shows?  WHAAAT? OK ITV, so now we vote before hearing the performances?? Seriously? So the show is pointless then, no? 

Please don't let ITV do these shows again.... what a total ballsup. 

Pinball Wizard... plenty of rock face opportunities there, thanks boys....these group numbers sound great as long as you don't look at the TV and catch the somewhat dodgy facial expressions...

ALW pleads to the viewers to become casting directors by casting the RIGHT PERSON FOR JESUS, because if you just vote for your favourite, he warns sagely, you could RUIN THEIR CAREER. Ooo-er.  Surely if he'd done his flippin' job and only put people through to the finals who were actually right for the role he need not fret so?  But no, he eliminated competant, stage experienced proffessionals with the right voice and range in favour of wannabes to garner public sympathy and excite "the girls"....(this is not the X factor Mel).  Ye reap what ye sow, Lord.

OK - rant over....first up is John as musical theatre Bono.

Jon -
A solid performance, ALW begs him to channel Christ through the medium of U2, but gets no self-doubt, only Vegas-Jesus.  If you will put a lounge singer through...I don't hate on Johns voice as much as Karina, but Jesus he ain't. 

Jeff -
Ooh, this is a great rock number for his voice, and a wee bit of hair tossing from the boy there, with a screech worthy of The Temple....bravo.  This is good - I like!!  Hate the dancers though, particularly the one playing fake guitar.... The crowd LOVE IT.  So does Dawn, and Jeff looks proper chuffed. Bless him!  I love him!  Jase going all excitable...but is worried about his higher register. ALW impressed with his energy and his inner rock god.  Good stuff there then, the boy done good.

Roger-
Now, ALW thought he wasn't fit last night.  I beg to differ seeing his fetching jeans and waistcoat combo in the VT.  Our criteria must differ.  He's singing Feelin' Good - always a votegrabber of a song, they must be worried about him.  Understated so far, but he's about to let rip.... A new Dawn, a new day.... Will Ms French let this slide? I fear not....!  A great performance, and I think he's fab, but if he gets the part, they will have to lower the key surely? Is he not a baritone? Jesus is a high tenor role so he will wreck his voice if he's not careful.  Although I love his vocal, I still can't see my Jesus with a deep soulful tremor like Rogers.
(And no, She didn't let it slide....she interpreted it as a marriage proposal.)

Next up, Ben. I am going to stop typing and gravitate towards the TV in an effort to see what the judges see in him. I shall return.

My favourite bit of the VT? When he was filling his otherwise unblemished wall planner with big significant Superstar red X's clearly emphasising the building excitement as we head for the final. We get the message ITV.  Performance wise, I still don't get it.  I felt he was screechy, worryingly thin at the top, and bland to watch. Dawn thought he was brave on the high note front, JD loved it, here comes Mel, who clearly favours him. She's sickeningly biased. Ouch, 3 back to back quality performances, says ALW... he has clearly lost the Jon love then.  But no, I really cannot see what the judges see in Ben, he is totally unremarkable in my opinion, and not worth the extortionate Arena pricetag.

Rory-
Unexpectedly in the sing off yesterday....!  He's had an easy ride so far, so that must have been a shock for the poor lad.  Ooooh, Keane!!! I do love a bit of Keane, but Tom Chaplins voice takes some beating for me.  Not their best song this, but current it is.  And he's making a great job of this...gorgeous vocal to my ears. And he is very cute. Diddy Jesus. The verdicts... will Mel see him as her leading man as well even though she has already chosen Ben? She likes it, and switches allegiances. Floozy.  JD needs a slap, he's so bloody earnest.  ALW loves this boy.... oh back to Jason, they are really pushing Rory.  Make yer bloody minds up judges.

David-
Called "The Actor" last night, convince me Dave. I liked him in the auditions, but he's gone down each night for me. Ooh, angry Dave tonight.  He's been studying the lyrics.  He's practically in tears.....its really affecting his voice, and cringeworthy to watch.  The judges have their Baftas ready no doubt.
Amanda is fighting back the emotion. She's going for a Bafta too.
Oh God, if I have to listen to much more of Mel, I may throw up my dinner.
He's a phenomenal actor according to ALW.  Pur-lease. He needs no further encouragement.  If he can do that with pop, let him loose on MT and watch the judges collapse in racking sobs.  Jason especially, you just know he's got it in him. Me? I have been known to blub at a cynically manipulative advert for British meat involving an elderly couple still very much in love, and yet I am unmoved.  Strange.

Nathan-
My new favourite, a vocally safe pair of hands,  lets see what you can do.  OK I don't buy the new vulnerable Nathan, but he isn't actually supposed to BE Jesus, just act it. Sweet Child of Mine, definitely playing to his strengths there, an unbelievable vocal - I ADORE his voice, to the point that I can overlook the fact that I would dearly love to punch him.  This is vocally THE BEST OF THE NIGHT without a doubt.  It's rockingly STUNNING.   WOWWOWWOW. He may have won it with that!
If the judges really dont want him they will have to be very subtle here.
They may have used up all their adjectives too early on the others.....  I love Dawn, she makes sense.  JD loved it too - ooh, he wants him to talk.  Is this a good or bad thing?  He has a little speech that none of the others did, are theys trying to turn the votes around? OMG - No time for a comment from the Lord???????????????????? Amanda!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is SHITE.  Ok, I'll go instead.  Nathan is without a doubt my fave Jesus.  That was the best version of that song I have ever heard.

So now we wait...can Amanda be one of the two eliminated tonight please?

Some of the interval acts I love (step forward Jake and Paloma), but wouldn't it have been great, given the content of the show, to have showcased some MT perfomances?  They are probably of the opinion that MT performers wouldn't attract the yoof voter and dilute the X Factor vibe they are clearly after, but its a missed opportunity in my view.

So... the sing off, a threeway? *ahem*

Awkward question time, "Who would you cast?" Amamda crassly asks the 3 judges who have no experience in this field, whilst the contestants stand in a desperate line before them on the stage....

Mel takes the bait and after an poorly acted internal battle, yells "Ben!" , whilst looking pointedly in ALWs direction.  Jase plants his arse firmly on the fence and says "All of them!"
"Understudies!" squeals Amanda in glee.  Yep, 6 of 'em, love.
Dawn, the only one to show any humility or decorum, acknowledges with humour that she has never cast a musical and does not intend to start now under pressure from an woman dressed as a Christmas dinner.  Respect.

So, onto the sing off...  Judging by the fact that Jon and Jeff are dressed in identical outfits, am guessing they are dressed to leave but we shall see.

OOH an MT number finally! Even if it is sung partly by Mary Magdalene in the show (good luck with that Rog...)

Oh god, far too high for Roger.  He's choked at the start.  Jon singing best so far. Aw love, Jeff, but MT not his bag. He would have made a gorgeous hairy Messiah, but I fear on this performance he's out.  Especially as he just forgot his line....oops.  Jon ain't no Jesus, but he was the most reliable there.

ALW saves Roger.  There we go then.  He's not right, but ALW needed to lose the inexperience at this stage - Jeff not ready, and Jon not right.  Handy opportunity then, that double elimination.
Aww, off you go boys, and frankly, I'm relieved to have a break myself and will emerge fresh as a daisy on Monday!!