America's Got Talent - 2009 (09/08/2009) (W12N1)

Week 12, Night 1. Second Semi-Finals Show. 10 Acts, Live from Hollywood. Acts have one minute and 45 seconds (1:45). No judge's pick this week. So, apparently, they're assuming the judges picked their two last week. Therefore, this week, it will be the top 5, voted on by America.

Tonight: Jeffrey Ou, Lawrence Beaman, Mario & Jenny, Hairo Torres, FootworKINGz, Drew Stevyns, The Eriam Sisters, Recycled Percussion, Barbara Padilla, and Erik & Rickie.

Again, the first episode is introducing the judges and the acts. The judges talk about their decision last week, and about the acts in general.

Break

Recycled Percussion (from week 10)
(Tonight they're playing things they've never played.)
Song: "Highway Star". Beating on a van, guys playing on top. The top lifts up, and two guys on drums underneath. WOW. They are Vegas!
Piers: There were moments in that where I couldn't work out if you were incredibly talented or a bit crazy. Showmanship and entertainment. You provide it all. Sharon: Piers is right, as usual. He did leave out that you are very ripped. And your act was great, too. David: I think what she's saying is you have just the right amount of grease. You keep coming back and back and back with more. You have one more shot. (I liked last time's better, but it was very cool and entertaining. And, as I said, VERY Vegas.)

Break

Lawrence Beaman (from week 9)
Song: "I Keep on Falling In and Out of Love with You"
Sharon: Lawrence. Nice to hear you sing something contemporary. Beautiful voice, but I could have done without the vocal acrobats. You've got it, you're a very special guy. You don't need to do the warbling. David: I liked your choice. Tonight you went out on a limb, because that's a very hard song to sing. Piers: I love you, I think you're a fantastic guy to have on the show. I didn't like the performance. I like you singing the old stuff. I still see you as Barry White. Seeing you as Alicia Keyes is confusion. (Said he'd do the Lord's Prayer, classical style, in the finals if he makes it through. I DO think the warbling didn't do it for me, and again, I didn't think he "emoted" as well. That will come in time, but he's got to make it through. I think I'd LOVE to hear him do the Lord's Prayer. We'll see.)

Break

Erik & Rickie (from week 10)
They come out doing MJ's Black & White, stepping out of "toy boxes" like dolls. Piers buzzed. Not really ballroom song, but
David: I mean first their was Donnie and Marie, now there's Erik and Rickie. Who cares who says you can't play Vegas, I think you can. The show will have to be at 4 in the afternoon... Piers: You know I like you guys, so it's not personal. Putting that type of music to the way you dance I don't think works. It's like eating fries and custard. Sharon: There was not one thing I could fault. I loved the music, the set, and think you guys are fantastic. (Cute... I don't know. We'll see how the other acts do.)

Break

Jeffery Ou (from week 9 - remember there was a failure in the sound halfway through.)
(His keyboard is connected to the lighting system. I don't like classical songs that sound "wrong", and this was one of them.) Piers buzzed.
Piers: I think I'm gonna have to name you Oh Jeffery after that. It's like someone plugged Mozart into an electic socket. It was all over the place. I don't think you hit a note. Sharon: The playing was pretty out there. It sounded like the old movies. David: Did you hit all the right notes? I don't know Hungarian Rhapsody. I think I expected birds to come out of your hair. (He looked like Mozart. He may have hit all the notes right, but who could tell, but a conductor. I'm sure he did, but I think he made a wrong song-choice, if HE made it. Wonder if the producers had anything to do with the choice. If so, then they ARE stacking the deck.)

Break

Hairo Torres (from week 9)
(He hurt his back landing in practice. We'll see how he does.)
Song: Black-Eyed Peas "Tonight's Gonna be a Good Night"
Audience gives a standing ovation. Sharon: You added a lot more new steps that I've never seen before. I like that. I hope that America votes for you and brings you back. David: Hairo, you're like the perfect date for the Prom. I was watching you and the guy next to me was laughing. And it was because you are entertaining. Piers: I was wondering why I liked you. It's because you dance exactly like I do. (haha). You make us laugh. You entertain us. (He's a great street/break dancer. He MIGHT make it to the next round, but I don't see him winning.)

Break

The EriAm Sisters (from week 10)
{They had a couple of songs to choose from. They had some issues over the choice, but finally have chosen.)
Song: "When You Believe"(?)
Piers: I thought it was a shaky start, you were a little flat in the first part of the song. We have to remember it is a big moment in your lives. I gave you a little latitude to see what would happen next. What happened next is you got your confidence, and it became a very good performance. Sharon: You have to be careful in your arrangements. You all tried to do lead, and when you came together, it was great. David: It was a little shaky in the beginning, and was great at the end. (They harmonize wonderfully, but when soloing, may be a little flat. That will change with more practice. It may not have been the right song choice. They ARE good. But good enough?)

Break

Mario & Jenny (from week 9)
(He's from seven generations of circus performers. His grandfather was born a gypsy. She was told she was wrong for dancing - too tall, not right.)
Song: Marilyn Manson "Beautiful )People"
Piers buzzed. (Mario danced, played drums, then set the bass drum on fire, and balanced it.
Piers: Didn't work for me at all. I think you blew it. What I got tonight was that Mario could skip, dance (not very well), play the drums (not very well). Sharon: For me it shows you are not one-dimensional. The only thing we've never seen you do is sing. You're very diverse. David: I liked it very much, a German, Techno-weird-type show. I think you guys are ready for Vegas. I hope America votes you through. (I understand they were showing their diversity. The problem I see with that is that you get voted on or off the show, by many, for that ONE act - People don't include the "whole show" when they vote. We'll see. They're good.)

Break

Drew Stevyns (from week 10)
Song: Wham! "Wasted Chances" (a rocking version)
Sharon: So far this contest has been like a roller-coaster ride for you. Tonight's song choice, you chose to sing it lower range, and you did make it your own. I didn't like the song, but I like you. David: I admire you for going for it. Dokken is one of my favorite groups, and that's the feeling I got from that. I'm not sure you hit it in the beginning, but congratulations for going for it. Piers: That was a massive gamble to do that song that way. I think it paid off.
(I liked the version of the song. But I'm not sure if he should be the one singing it that way. It's only him and his guitar on stage. I think I'd prefer hearing him do more of a Croce-type song.)

Break

FootworKINGz (from week 9)
{Going to try to dance at 188 beats per minute, tonight.)
Song: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (rock version?)
Piers buzzed. Sharon buzzed.
David: Ok. You came a long way from the streets. I don't need the lasers. I just want to see you guys dance. When you do all the other stuff, it just gets in the way. Piers: I thought that was career suicide. You guys were the coolest guys I've seen in years. And now you're the uncoolest. Sharon: My problem is that you do the same dance moves in different costumes. You've got to quit doing that Russian Cossack move, we've seen it. But I liked it. How's that?

Break

Barbara Padilla (only video I could find on NBC. I believe she would be on Week 9's full video. CLICK HERE for the YouTube version.)
Song: "Ave Maria" (Standing ovation, including the judges)
Piers: Wow. Wow wow wow. Not many things leave me speechless. That just did. The whole of America is going to remember where they were when they heard you sing that song. Because tonight, a superstar was born on this show. Sharon: It doesn't matter what genre of music you like on this show. Music trancends. David: You know they say that God has a plan for all of us. God certainly has a plan for you. He gave you the tenacity to beat cancer, and put you here to heal people.

That's it for tonight.

If the producers are making song or dance selections, then they ARE "stacking the deck". Jeffery Ou's performance was good, but again, who knew if he hit the right notes but professional conductors and pianists. Of course, they say that the acts have the final say, but we know what that means elsewhere - young actresses losing weight when they are F.I.N.E. fine, people fired because they "had the final say", etc. I hope that's not happening here, though from others I've seen, and heard, who knows?

Wife: Recycled Percussion, Erik & Rickie, Hairo Torres, The EriAm Sisters, Barbara Padilla
Me: Recycled Percussion, Lawrence Beaman, Hairo Torres, Drew Stevyns, Barbara Padilla

Full Show Video

See you tomorrow for the results show. ;-)