America's Got Talent (AGT) 2014 - Live Show @ RCMH - 08/05/2014

RCMH = Radio City Music Hall in New York City

This is the second quarter-final.

Remember - I try to quote and spell names correctly, but as fast as they move sometime and the new keyboard still giving my fingers fits, I paraphrase and do the best I can, sometimes.

Nick is introduced and he introduces the judges.

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The 12 acts from which five will be chosen tonight:
Hart Dance Team (Dance group)
Loop Rawlins (Wild West Showman)
John and Andrew (Ballroom Dancing)
Livy, Matt & Sammy (Singing Trio)
Andrey Morari (Balancing Act)
Juan Carolos (In-line skating dancer)
Mara Justine (12yo Singer)
Aerial Animation (Aerial performer)
Jaycob Curleb (Singer)
Mat Franco (Close-up Magician)
Darik Santo (Comedian)
Act 2 (Opera Duo)

**

Hart Dance Team (Dance group)
Mel B - Just stunning to watch. Everything was absolutely on point.
Howie - I would say the dancing is dancing as you would expect. What makes this special is the props and what you do with them.
Howard - You had something spectacular for your first dance. This time it seemed the same or a little flat.
Heidi - I feel like you should be flying through the air more, because that's what you do.
(Great dancing and costumes. I thought it was different as they had the whole troup out there to start with - Last time they kinda appeared. It kinda depends on the rest of the show. We'll see.)

Commercials

Loop Rawlinds (Wild West Showman)
Howie - I think you delivered. It was bigger and more exciting. Whips, ropes and fire.
Howard - Every time I see you you do something new. You are superb and superior.
Heidi - To me you're like a rodeo extraveganza.
Mel B - My thing is can it be for an entire show. Can you hold my attention for that long? (He is sure he'd be a great Vegas act, but not necessarily for 90 minutes. Howard pointed out that he's to be a headline act... not a 90 minute show.)
(He's got the Wild West Show down, so far. Would be great if he could do things on horses, and trick shooting. We'll see.)

Commercials

John and Andrew (Ballroom Dancing)
Howard - It's interesting. You said a man dancing with a man - that's not it. But it is. You are such good dancers that it's beyond that.
Heidi - I couldn't take my eyes off of you. You are so fast.
Mel B - You are very very talented. I found it to be a little repetitive... (interrupted)
Howie - You are so good you are going through. We have can't separate the story from the act.
(They are fast and good. I don't know if America is ready for two guys dancing together, though. If you can see it as a "dance act", then it's great. If you think this type of dancing should be a man and woman, then it's off. They don't slow dance - it's all fast dancing, and I don't see a problem with it. Depends on the other acts tonight.)

Commercials

Livy, Matt & Sammy (Singing Trio)
Mel B - I think something went missing from your performance tonight.
Heidi - To me it was a bit of a lackluster performance. Too mellow.
Howard - You didn't seem like headliners. I think you were playing it very very safe.
Howie - I think, Livy, that you were very nervous tonight, but I think you are a superstar. I think you're worthy of going through. America has to vote.
(They are good. As Heidi said, though, they may have been too mellow. Howard thought they needed to kick it harder. They may not make it because there are 12 acts to make into 5. We'll see.)

Commercials

Andrey Morari (Balancing Act)
Mel B - I didn't want that to stop. I kept saying to myself, how does he do that?
Howie - Hands down, best act tonight. You are what I want to see. You have the control and muscle that I want to see. Spectacular!
Howard - Some guys play golf. I like to paint watercolors. There's an artist that does male figures, and you on that stage remind me of his paintings. I can give you no higher compliment.
Heidi - I want you to go through. You are fantastic.
(Excellent. Very graceful movements, and strength and flexibility to hold some of those poses; Amazing.)

Commercials

Juan Carolos (In-line skating dancer)
Howard buzzed.
Howie - Here's the thing, You show up and everybody smiles. Look at the passion. Did you gain some weight for this performance?
Howard - I'm so irritated. The forced laughter from Howie and Mel. The talented people that we could have put through but Howie and Mel wanted you to go through.
Heidi - Are you the best roller-blader, no. But do I like watching you? Yes.
Mel B - I was smiling and I was genuinely laughing.
(I wasn't laughing. I'm with Howard about putting through real talent instead of "dump acts" (used so they can ensure their acts make it through). Then again, having "dump acts" allows real talent in the show to go through. But if I were an act and know that I almost made it (Vegas week?) and this guy DID and I didn't, I'd be pissed.)

Commercials

Mara Justine (12yo Singer)
Howard - What's amazing is this is a 12yo girl. One note - when you're a kid you feel like you have to belt it out, but I'd like to hear a little more subtly.
Heidi - I feel like you need to sing Adele or Agulera...
Mel B - I think it was shaky in the beginning then you opened up and sang it out. Great job.
Howie - There are people that are getting crushed under the pressure of the 6K in this room, but you didn't. You rose to the occasion.
(I just have the feeling if she'd sung more subtly that Howard would have told her she made it by belting the songs out, and she needed to continue that. So damned if she did, damned if she didn't. Based on her performance tonight, she did a great job. We'll see if she makes it through.)

Commercials

Aerial Animation (Aerial performer)
Standing O by all judges and audience
Heidi - My favorite part about your act is your concept. Unique and different.
Mel B - It was even better than last time. Magical.
Howie - You make me feel like the luckiest job in the world seeing all this. You're wonderful.
Howard - First of all you're adorable. I thought to myself can she really do better than last time? And you did it. You did it.
(Interesting and fun act. She should make it through.)

Commercials

Jaycob Curleb (Singer)
Heidi - (Sigh) You do have a very sweet voice, but tonight I didn't hear you peak.
Howard - You seemed very controlled. It was a nice performance. I want to see the passion.
Mel B - If I put your story aside then I think it was just flat.
Howie - I think every performance has been getting better and better.
(He sings beautifully, but as they said, it was a bit flat. Part of that could be nerves, and that comes from not having an opening song to feel the audience out. 90 seconds sometimes just is not enough. We'll see.)

Commercials

Mat Franco (Close-up Magician)
Heidi - I always want to catch you guys and there was no way...
Mel B - How do you do it... You do make magic really hot.
Howie - Wow.
Howard - You make magic cool. It's time America to make a magician in the top 5.
(No clue how he did that. Great act.)

Darik Santo (Comedian)
Mel B - I really like him but I didn't laugh once this time...
Heidi - You have an Emo Phillips thing about you, but the material wasn't that funny.
Howard - I am a fan of yours and a fan of your material... You sound like Emo and look a lot like him... I want to see Darik.
Howie - There's comedians and comics. Comedians say funny things and comics say things funny. I want to see him on TV.
(The material was good tonight... Not great, but good. I didn't laugh, but rarely do now-days. I did smile a lot. I didn't remember Emo, but he is a LOT like him. I just think it was a little dry tonight. We'll see.)

Commercials

Act 2 (Opera Duo)
Heidi - You two are an amazing duo. But I'm a fan of opera. You have to move forward.
Mel B - Again, you surprised me. When I heard the song start, I thought oh no. But you filled this place with your voices.
Howie - The power, the tone. I could sense you (Mel) come out of your bad mood.
Howard - I don't know what it was, but I thought it was a little off tonight. I hate to end on a bad note.
(I'd never heard I Will Always Love You operatically. It was strange. Not bad, just strange. They did a decent job of it, but I didn't like the strangeness.)

My picks tonight:
Loop Rawlinds (Wild West Showman)
Andrey Morari (Balancing Act)
Aerial Animation (Aerial performer)
Mat Franco (Close-up Magician)

Results tomorrow night. Cya then. ;-)