Pajiba

Nick Lachey and Michael Bolton=wankers? OK. No problem. Leave Patti LaBelle out of it, though!

Sorry for the rubbish comment. Just had to be first, though, see? Bit OCD of me.

Michael Bolton with an unbuttoned shirt wave his hands like he's swatting away the Ghosts of Christmas Crazy



OK, now my boss really knows that I'm not coding,
because I've never had a snort-laugh attack from
java.



And, as a much-reformed southern baptist, I do
miss the music sometimes.

For a moment there I was excited, the thought of Choirs clashing, beating each other with bibles and hymn books, fat African American alto sections going to town on Gregorian chanters, but alas, I was mistaken.

Sorry, I love gospel music (Southern girl born and raised), but I can't bring myself to watch this stuff. I think I'll go read a book.

Upgrade your Netflix account.

...which enriches the AMTMP indirectly.

If you really want to help the WGA, cut off your revenue flows to their opponents for the duration of the strike. It's called Bittorrent, people. Look it up.

"........watching Michael Bolton with an unbuttoned shirt wave his hands like he's swatting away the Ghosts of Christmas Crazy? "

That's an image that will be burned in my skull for some time. Dustin, you've truly outdone yourself.

I didn't see the whole episode as I wasn't home soon enough. I did see the whole section of the show with Patti LaBelle's choir though and especially ate up the part where the men sang in the hallway for the final cut. (Since that took about 30 seconds, I hope some of that technique will rub off on Idol.) I was enjoying the cheesiness of it, maybe more than I would like to admit. But when they sang -and did they sing - an actual gospel tune, instead of some gospelized version of a pop song, I was absolutely in love. The recap of the other choirs at the end of the show was plenty for me to see. Go Team LaBelle!

Patti, what the fuck are you doing?

Clapping is the devil's music. That's why no one in church does it.

Duh.

I've had a hard-on for gospel choirs ever since

That's my motto, although there's a whole different backstory. And I do mean backstory.

Accidentally watched fifteen minutes of this the other night. You're right, D, the actual performances are not bad, interesting choir takes on pop songs and standards. The rest of it is utter, utter shit, especially listening to the brain dead host. Crap, is that really the next four to six months?

I'm gonna watch this and I'm probably gonna like it. As yet another "raised Southern Baptist but gave it all up to live in evil lesbian sin with my girlfriend (maybe that last part doesn't apply to most of yall)" I MISS the music. Every Sunday, I play "God is Tryin to Tell You Somethin" from The Color Purple because that's better than going to church any time. And I'll sit through Sister Act II just for the cheeztastic musical numbers involving Lauren Hill. I don't care. Bring me some of that music that makes you wonder if there isn't a God after all, otherwise how does it make you feel so damn good (and kind of like crying, too).

One of the best experiences I had when I travelled around the States was going to a Gospel choir in Harlem (though all the Americans I met afterwards were astonished that a pasty white girl like myself would go to Harlem!). I'm an almost-atheist, but hearing worship expressed like that, with true joy rather than 'fire and brimstone and despair' gave me something to smile about, no matter what my beliefs...so I can definitely see the attraction of this show, Dustin, though of course I won't get to watch it.

socalledonlycousins, so what you are saying is that you were reared in the church?

Clearly these people have done extensive training beforehand, unless Lachey has been studying SATB piano reduction while my head was turned.

Last time I checked, you needed a graduate degree in the thing to direct a church choir properly. Can any of these fools even recognize a four-pattern, or does interfere with 'the spirit'?

Pfft. Plebs.

Just another former Southern Baptist joining in here ... I'd never been in a church that clapped until joining a black baptist church. Now I've figured out how to sway, clap, and sing pretty damn well for a little ol' white girl! I was excited to see the choirs really go at it, especially Patti Labelle--no way she was going to let her choir go out there half-assed. Yeah, the non-singing part of the show sucks. I don't when tptb will realize that pimping the pain gets old (I see your Katrina survivor and raise you a military guy!) and we tuned in to watch the actual singing/sporting event/etc. The singing itself has been okay, especially the first Team Patti song. If they'd actually let the choirs sing more, it could be a pretty good filler show.

I think I might retract my earlier comment because I actually watched 30 mins of the show tonight. Gah! Some of these people are singing off-key and it's hurting my feelings. And the "directors" aren't directing at all--they're standing up there and dancing. Although I thought Lachey's version of "Flight of the Bumblebee" was pretty neat. It reminded of honor choir arrangements and made me miss the one part of high school I liked.

Damnit. Stupid uptight religious upbringing and consequent rebellion into happy heathenism. Totally missed out on making love to the Spirit of the Lord.

I actually caught an eps of this the other day. Being a former Catholic who only visited choir-ed churches when I slept over with friends...I can't say that I started out with choir love. However, I discovered classical music early in life, and that led me to a love of synchronized human voice...so I love choirs done right.

That being said...I hated this show. Maybe it's the style now...but I could have sworn choirs were about everybody singing the song together, not the choir playing backup to a diva-wannabe who sings three quarters of the song by him/herself. And half the people they chose to do the solos didn't have the vocal strength to pull it off. Not to mention the ego-stroking every judge gave every other judge...hoping that nobody would notice that half the teams sucked and the other half spent more time learning dance numbers instead of figuring out how can and can't sing.

To Shadows of Dakaron:

I could have sworn choirs were about everybody singing the song together, not the choir playing backup to a diva-wannabe who sings three quarters of the song by him/herself. And half the people they chose to do the solos didn't have the vocal strength to pull it off.

Hallelujah, Amen, and no shit. I completely agree.

That said, are there any former choir geeks out there that are just craving to hear a rendition of "O Sifuni Mungu?" If anyone even knows what I'm talking about, I'll send you a cookie.

I went to a Southern Baptist church in college and that's the first thing I noticed, nobody claps. For anything. Our white-as-sour-cream choir did a version of "Praise His Holy Name," a great gospel tune, and everybody just stared at them like Britney Spears looking at a Rubik's cube.

This show is not featuring gospel choirs, unfortunately. It's featuring show choirs-I couldn't believe all the dancing that's happening out there. That's probably why they aren't too strong either, if you aren't used to all that movement when you sing, it's hard to hear the other peeps.

I love gospel music and love to sing, so I've been taping this and only watching the singing parts. I enjoyed the first night, but didn't like last night's episode where the "stars" sang in front of the choir. I had to call my Mom right after Patti sang though-she has an amazing voice, but her post-singing comments are so random. She started talking about "her star Beyonce", etc. I didn't even know what she was talking about. I could not stop laughing.

Caught the last 2 minutes of this last night as they were doing the recap. As a former professional singer with a husband who IS a grad-school trained choral director - this made my ears bleed.

Jillster85 is right, these aren't gospel choirs even, it's show choir all the way. Show choir is the antithesis of all good choral music. And ewwwww...Nick Lachey? Michael Bolton? Dreck, total dreck.

I grew up singing in formal Lutheran church choirs - the reason you don't clap is because the music is for praising God, not for praising the singers. I still feel weird when a congregation claps every now and then.

However, I like Matt 2.0's reasoning better. Heh.

Caught the last 2 minutes of this last night as they were doing the recap. As a former professional singer with a husband who IS a grad-school trained choral director - this made my ears bleed.

Jillster85 is right, these aren't gospel choirs even, it's show choir all the way. Show choir is the antithesis of all good choral music. And ewwwww...Nick Lachey? Michael Bolton? Dreck, total dreck.

I grew up singing in formal Lutheran church choirs - the reason you don't clap is because the music is for praising God, not for praising the singers. I still feel weird when a congregation claps every now and then.

However, I like Matt 2.0's reasoning better. Heh.

Sharon:
That said, are there any former choir geeks out there that are just craving to hear a rendition of "O Sifuni Mungu?" If anyone even knows what I'm talking about, I'll send you a cookie.


Do I get a cookie if I know what that means? "O let's praise God" in Swahili.

I grew up in Africa, so church was A LOT more fun than in Europe and the music was great and people didn't just clap, they danced. But American gospel music is one of the reasons I want to visit the U.S.

jodeci,

Yeah, looks like I revealed some life history there, huh?

You, and me, and all of the other skills-whores out there have to make our in-tune voices heard. I would never try to peform an angioplasty without the correct training, why do you have to do this to me? I'm a proud, useless snob--or high-class hobo, if you prefer. And I am black, lest people think I'm mayonaise-ing up the place. I love a rousing rendition of anything, sure. But screeching will never replace singing.

Learn it, live it, love it.

In the bible it says "dance like David Danced". After the Isrealites crossed the Red Sea, the danced and praised God.

Even tho society voted Patti's choir as second place. be it known they really won. They won because they prainging of God blessed someone out there. and saving souls is being a WINNER !!!!!!!!!

THANK-YOU pATTI AND gOD'S cHOIR
LOVE Rae

In the bible it says "dance like David Danced". After the Isrealites crossed the Red Sea, the danced and praised God.

Even tho society voted Patti's choir as second place. be it known they really won. They won because they prainging of God blessed someone out there. and saving souls is being a WINNER !!!!!!!!!

THANK-YOU pATTI AND gOD'S cHOIR
LOVE Rae

In the bible it says "dance like David Danced". After the Isrealites crossed the Red Sea, the danced and praised God.

Even tho society voted Patti's choir as second place. be it known they really won. They won because they prainging of God blessed someone out there. and saving souls is being a WINNER !!!!!!!!!

THANK-YOU pATTI AND gOD'S cHOIR
LOVE Rae

Joker;

You can have a cookie. I made them last night-oatmeal chocolate. And I found a copy of the song anyway, so I've gotten my fix.

I forget who said it above, but yes, this is show choir. I was expecting gospel, but now I understand the source of my disappointment. Thank you!

Luckily I could fast forward through the bla-bla-parts straight to the music. The best song in my opinion was "Life is a highway" by the Shelton Team. I really liked most of the performances, but to me it was all downhill after this song.

I'm watching this from Germany and have come to think of the sob-stories (with that horrible background music) and the patriotism as something typically american ;-)

Oh, and of course the rally around the flag thing: For me it's really hard to imagine my country being at war. Ok, we are policing in some parts of the world, but your soldiers are hated everywhere and killed by the hundreds. I think it's ok to support the soldiers even if you do not support the war. I hope you will be able to pull them out soon. There really ain't anything to win in Iraq.

Oh and 250.000 USD by GE. Ok, all money is welcome for a good cause, still I hated this advertisement. GE has earned billions with this war.

In the end everyone will get 250K (big surprise). I

A friend texted me during the first episode about how craptastical it was, so of course I immediately flipped to watch the carnage. You can argue all you want about the bad/good/not choir singing, but the true trainwreck of the show was Maria Menounous (sp?) and the Celebrity Choir Leaders' reactions to what she said (i.e., Blake Shelton chuckling when Maria said "I need to get Big Loved" talking about a guy named Big Love on his choir). The woman was worse than Paula Abdul - just as vapid with none of the comedic results.

Okay, I only watched a single episode of this show, admittedly. A few things that I'm embarrassed to admit:

1. I thought Team Shelton got robbed.
2. I thought Patti L. seemed like an older version of Whitney H.
3. I thought Lachey, Shelton, and Bolton were humble and gracious.
4. I think Bolton looks legitimately handsome with his short hair. I also loved his clothes.

Amazing! Not the show, but the moronic
comments in this string. What's wrong with
you ass holes? If it doesn't have God or
blood it's crap?

I tell you, I would rather see something
like this than Osama, Obama, Iraq, N.Korea,
Afganistan, Bush, murder, mayhem, etc..
etc... ad nausea!

I think most of you that didn't like it are full of crap. I am a music teacher, I also lead music in my church and I also am in a rock band. I agree some of the music I didn't like but some of it was amazing. I thought Nick's choir was amazing, the flight of the bumblebee was the most amazing thing I've ever heard and most of the stuff they did, did include the entire choir and they were good. So those of you music critics out there quit thinking you are better than everyone else. You have to admit there was more talent on the tv than there are in the entire episodes of american idol put together.. I think it's a shame it couldn't have been on longer than 4 days. Another surprise was Blake Sheltons team, not only were they good but I discovered that he is quite funny and now I am interested in seeing him perform just because he seemed really likable on the show. Quit judging, it's much better than all the stupid crime scene investigative shows and who killed who and the other music shows were one person gets to claim they are an american idol even though the show is rigged and you can't be over 30 to be considered and american idol, how sad!!! Go clash of the choirs, I would love to see it again with different cities and different celebrities. I thought it was fun, entertaining and I liked the fact that my kids enjoyed it too.