All song titles this week begin with the letter "G." Articles ("The's," "A's," and "An's") don't count, folks.
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Went to see Duran Duran at the slightly shabby but altogether fine Rosemont theater last night. First time I'd seen the boys since July '05, and they were in fine form.

Fortuitously, my outing (Wednesday night) coincided with the one-day-a-week I'm working from home this week (today). So.

Unfortuitously, I was at the Cubs game Tuesday night WHEN Simon (Le Bon) and John (Taylor) threw out the first pitch AND sang Take Me Out to the Ballgame. I missed both performances. Sonofa. Cubs game, incidentally, is why no Idol review.

I'm a bad fan because I didn't exactly dig their new album, and as a result was not at all familiar with it.

Set list:

THE VALLEY (don't know it - decent))
RCM
NITE RUNNER (don't know it - boring)
HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF
PLANET EARTH
FALLING DOWN
COME UNDONE
SKINDIVERS (don't know it)
THE REFLEX
SAVE A PRAYER
A VIEW TO A KILL

ELECTROSET;
LAST CHANCE/ALL SHE WANTS/LEATHERETTE
I DON’T WANT/SKIN TRADE/TEMPTED

NOTORIOUS
GIRLS ON FILM
ORDINARY WORLD
SUNRISE
WILD BOYZ

THE CHAUFFEUR
RIO


So ... nearly everything I'd reasonably want to hear, keeping in mind that they will never play "UMF" or "Want You More!" or "Late Bar." Sigh. Some "New Moon on Monday" would be nice, but that's never happening, either. The "Electroset" was supremely cool, especially Roger's drumming.

Things of note:

1. John was wearing a Barack tee for the final encore. Which, of course, was "Rio."

2. Billy "ZWAN" Corgan, looking all of 19 if a day, came out and played guitar on "The Chauffeur."

3. My left ear is still ringing and I pretty much can't hear out of it. Next concert? Earplugs. No joke.

4. Simon had some lyrical misfires ("Reflex" chorus, "All She Wants Is" verse 2), but reprimanded himself so smugly that I almost wonder if they were intentional. He continues to be my forever favorite preening bastard. Did seem as though he was in a good mood last night. He's not good at hiding the irritation.

5. I don't feel physically and emotionally exhausted. Maybe I'm in better shape? Or had less space in which to dance so exuberantly.

6. There was a tee shirt I wanted but it was forty-five bleeding dollars. These people are out of their tree. Of course, nearly everyone I saw had bought some merch of some sort.

Allrighty - back to work with my one good ear ...

Potpourri this week. I'm compiling this at 12:42 a.m., folks, so no commentary this week. Go Cards.
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One of my former co-workers, World Series of Pop Culture teammates, good buddy, and all around fine fellow was quoted in Entertainment Weekly this week (the one with Ellen Pompeo on the cover).

Page 8, the article about Miley/Hannah/Destiny Rae Cyrus/Montana:

"I don't see the Hannah Montana empire taking a huge hit from this," says Mark Fightmaster, an analyst at Schaeffer's Investment Research. "She'll probably be all right as long as she stays on the straight and narrow." Besides, he adds, "distancing herself from Disney could help her in the future. The 15-, 16-year-old charm can only go so long."

Startled, proud, and envious.

Neil Diamond week is still on the TiVo and will probably never be watched. Mr. Whirled is out of town, or I'd probably write off this week as well. Why do I always lose interest at this point every season (save season five). Is it oversaturation? Lack of good song selection? Spring fever? Whatever the reason, I could care less who wins at this point. Seacrest (gasp) isn't even amusing me as much as usual.
I like David Cook the best, for sure, but there's no one I really adore; no one I hate. At this point I'm wishing for Constantine to stir up some trouble.
( Top Four – Great Influences and A Bit of Nausea )

Prediction? 40% Syesha, 60% Jason. Duh.

TMZ Spoiler ... David Cook to be singing "Hungry Like the Wolf." Could it be true? Now I have to actually watch the show. Damnit.

Blaring down from the condo upstairs, on repeat, with folks singing along, is Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying." There is no accounting for taste. Sky diving.

I love How I Met Your Mother, but is anyone else disturbed that this 50-something dude (in 2030) is sitting around with his teenaged kids telling them about all his former girlfriends and conquests? I realize it's all Bless the Broken Road and what not (Tim McGraw upstairs is making me speak country) but still? Creepy. I know about exactly two of my Dad's ex-girlfriends, and I barely know any details, let alone if they were "in love" and when into the course of the relationship they consummated it (I'll go with never - that's the ticket).

Karaoked Friday night, for the first time since moving (craziness, right!). Fitting that I was with AWM, an old friend from high school who has herself transplanted up here. As per tradition:

Runaround Sue, Dion: Standby. I was one of 6 people in the bar. A-

Surrender, Cheap Trick: Why do I keep trying this? NO ONE CARES. The key changes are hard, and it ends up sort of boring people and sucking. D+.

Notorious, Duran Duran: Wildly popular, which was a surprise. Two random girls were creepily dancing up in my grill and I had a flash of what it feels like to be Simon Le Bon. A-

I Want It That Way, Backstreet Boys: By this point, it was after midnight and folks were letting it all hang out. This song went over really quite well, because perhaps people hadn't heard it in a while. And it's also really, REALLY good. A- for song selection, C+ for execution (I don't have the range of Nick Carter).

Also? Idol bores me to tears. Still haven't watched Neil Diamond week. Ehh.

I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named FuManchu.

Happy May! Hopefully the Midwest is out of the 40-degrees for a few months now.

All of the songs on today's themed quiz mention a musical instrument. Said instrument is referenced in the quoted lyric. Good luck!
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Top-five update coming tomorrow. Just got back from picking up Mr. Whirled at the airport and I can't really deal with Neil Diamond songs. Oh, for the love.

I can still predict that Syesha or Jason will be booted, though. In that order.

Oh - and I went running today despite a slightly sore pinky toe (seriously; the smallest part of my body won't keep me on the sidelines) and then my entire toenail fell off unceremoniously. That'll learn me.

And Warwick from C.S.I. (Vegas) just got busted with H and coke and other unmentionables. OOPS.

And I'm still winning the celebrity death pool. Rest in peace, Charlton and Suzanne (Pleshette).

And Duran Duran is two weeks from tomorrow and I STILL have zero-to-no familiarity with Red Carpet Massacre.

Potpourri.
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I was into musical theater in high school, sure. I "acted" in West Side Story, Music Man, and the dreaded Camelot, and most of my friends had similar extra-curriculars. But beyond that, I listened in my spare time to Nirvana or the New Kids (nice combo), not the Les Mis soundtrack. In my grumpy adulthood, I have totally abandoned the idea of musical theater. Why do people just start SINGING? I am cynical and horrible. Many of my musical-theater geek friends (said most lovingly) have stayed true to the art and the boards. And THEY looked forward immensely to Andrew Lloyd Webber night tonight, while I'm just so tired of the ballads.
( Top Six - See my eyes I can hardly see )

Prediction? The ousting of any of the ladies wouldn't surprise me – though Brooke or Syesha is more likely than Carly (one would think).

So, I've been pretty quiet on the whole New-Kids-on-the-Block reuniting issue. Anyone who knew me from 1989 until, say, 2006, knows this should be a VERY big deal, yet I find myself cranky and unsettled by the whole thing. I blame Jordan Knight's "Surreal Life" appearance. ANYWAY, in fitting tribute, today's quiz honors "teen pop" acts dating back to the advent of rock and roll. Good luck, and hang tough.

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Whatever, Archuleta. Bo Bice pulled that nonpartisan "sit between the two groups of three" shit seasons ago, and George Huff before that. And yet, people scream as though it's the most inventive stunt ever. Christ on a saltine.

Elliott! Looks SO MUCH WORSE now that he's gone Hollywood with the bed head and the veneers. Still way happy for his success, and sad to hear of his Mom's passing. Still my most favoritist Idol presence ever (next to Seacrest, of course).

Sigh. Michael Johns didn't deserve to win, he didn't deserve top three, but he certainly should've beaten out some of these bitches. Ennui is setting in and I struggle to care. How can I root for a winner when Taylor Hicks gets cut from his label while Chris Daughtry flourishes? The title just don't matter. I turn on the television at 7:43 to see Kristy Lee Cook's smug pie face sitting atop some primer-smeared tarp. I'm fighting the remnants of a cold (again), Mr. Whirled is out of town, and I'm getting a head shot taken tomorrow with bangs that are three weeks too long. Forgive my disparagement. Let's do this thing.
( Top Seven, mentored by Mariah Carey in her outfit from the Someday video )

Prediction? Brooke may be in trouble. As may Carly. Kristy Lee will rise from the f*cking ashes once again.

Potpourri as usual, my friends. Happy Friday!

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As girl_about_town pointed out today, tonight's show is sort of pointless. Tomorrow is the ghastly and self-congratulatory "Idol Gives Back," and they are reportedly throwing charity these idiot kids' way by not dismissing a damn one of them, even though Ryan hints otherwise. I am so confused. Point being: who cares. Still, the kids stand nervously on the stage. Syesha's in unforgiving white pants and Castro looks as though he's about to soil himself.
( Top Eight, for the first time. Inspirational songs – can anything be worse? )

Prediction? Everyone's safe. Kristy Lee and Syesha, watch out next week. And Carly's not as much of a front-runner as previously thought.

Back to the artists' alphabet, and we're up to "N." Band names starting in "N," solo artists with last/single names beginning with "N." Lyric-quiz shout-out to Kristin C-J (turning 30 ... I mean 29 ... today) and Kris and Terry, getting hitched on Saturday!

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Sweet! Only an hour long tonight! And I didn't fall for your ruse for one second, Seacrest. Don't be so smug.
Then, now, forever. Find me any button cuter than Dolly Parton. I dare thee.
( Top Nine, doing a country theme at which Chikezie would have excelled. There is no Idol justice! )

Prediction? Does Ramiele's luck run out? Is sweet Brooke in trouble? One can hope it's the former.

So, lyric-quiz nation, I didn't have access to my files and thus, the quiz was delayed (I took last week off for Good Friday/Easter). I think I am finally back on track. To make up for it, here is one of y'all's favorite (easier) themes - famous first words. Good luck, and good weekends to you all!
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THIS! Is a completely Beatle-free American Idol. And Kristy Lee Cook is somehow kicking around, white hood and all.

In kick-ass news, our old unstable homeless friend Josiah inked a record deal. Suck on THAT, top 24!

Also? What the eff is Paula wearing?

( Songs from the year of the Top-10's birth. Archuleta will be singing Panic! At the Disco )

Prediction? Ramiele may survive, only due to illness sympathy. Kristy Lee got late-show placement, but she's still on borrowed time. Patriotism will save her for another week. Hallelujah. Jason Castro? Not totally safe, I fear.