America's Got Talent Thread (pres. by Shryke and Geezer)

[Shrykespeare]

Advancing:

Dan Naturman
Miguel Dakota
David & Leeman
Emily West

And Baila Conmigo advances over Flight Crew Jump Rope by a 3-1 judges' vote.

Bad news for Valo & Bobby, but otherwise, America got it completely right.

[Shrykespeare]

Next week's lineup:

Jaycob Curlee
Aerial Animation
Livy, Matt & Sammy
Mat Franco
John & Andrew
Loop Rawlins
Andrey Moraru
Darik Santos
Acte II
Juan Carlos
Hart Dance Team
Mara Justine


Holy shit, yet another packed lineup.

I have to root for Mara, Mat, and Jaycob for sure.

I loved Aerial Animation and Andrey Moraru as well as the Hart Dance Team, so I'll root for them too.

Livy Matt & Franco are good, and if Acte II kills it, they could move on too. So could John & Andrew, but I doubt it.

I don't think any of the rest have a shot. Loop is not enough, Darik is too corny and Juan Carlos just plain sucks.

[Geezer]

Hart Dance Team - The spectacle is brilliant. Its the closest thing to a Vegas show that any pure dance act I've ever seen on this show. I like it.

Loop Rawlins - I'd have buzzed him to be honest. Awful. Mel B spoke the truth!

John & Andrew - Would people really pay to watch this for an hour? I was bored after 20 seconds. Mel B speaks the truth again!

Livy, Matt & Sammy - Mel B literally said exactly the same thing I did while watching it. "They are nice, just nice." There's nothing "wow" about them. Howard is right when he says they sound like an opening act. They are just ok. Nothing about this screams "star." Poor song choice too, Queen shouldn't be so stripped down. It doesn't work.

Andrey Moraru - He is mesmerizing. Absolutely mesmerizing. I could watch him hand-balance forever. Love this guy. He's the best at what he does. Period. Must move on. Must.

Juan Carlos - Despite this being the only time I've found him tolerable (its better with the whole show, I actually chuckled a couple times) there isn't a chance in hell he moves on. But there's one of these on AGT every year. And Nick once again proves his brilliance as a host by coming out in skates.

Mara Justine - Remember when I said Livy, Matt & Sammy were just "nice?" This was the OPPOSITE of that. This was just one Wow moment after another. We've seen full grown adults get swallowed by nerves on that stage and this girl just came out and belted from start to finish, and she PERFORMED without a hint of nerves. I think the judges are nuts other than Howie, who had the same exact thoughts I did. She was AWESOME.

Aerial Animation - Love it. Absolutely love it. Now this show is cooking! It just looks so cool. She blends in so well with the animation, which is why the act works so well. Definitely even better than the last time. Another act that must go on. I'm a big fan.

Jaycob Curlee - He was good. Maybe a little too subdued, a little boring, but he certainly has a great voice. Not someone I think can win anymore though.

Mat Franco - The man brings it every single time! The card in the pocket of Howie sealed it for me, he's brilliant. MUST move on. That's 4 guarantees for me so far. One open spot left.

Darik Santos - He's SO corny, but I like him. I thought it was funny. I laughed at just about every joke. He may not go on, but I like him and wish him all the best in the future.

Acte II - I don't know. I think they were a bit off, and I also think that the music was set too loud and it kinda made it hard to hear their voices. They are great singers, but I think I might just be over the opera thing unless it is PERFECT.

So going through have to be:

Andrey Moraru
Mat Franco
Aerial Animation
Mara Justine

Up for that last spot:

Hart Dance Team
Jaycob Curlee
Acte II
Darik Santos

And with no chance:

Loop Rollins
John and Andrew
Livvy Matt & Sammy
Juan Carlos

I'm pulling for Darik to get the 5th spot, but if I'm a betting man, I think Acte II gets it.

[Shrykespeare]

Hart Dance Team - For me, the spectacle outshined the dancing. I like them, but it probably won't be enough.

Loop Rawlins - I like him, but even a perfect performance wouldn't have been enough.

John & Andrew - They are better than Baila Conmigo, but at least that act takes up the whole stage. Too much of one, not enough of the other.

Livy, Matt & Sammy - This was their third performance? It showed. They're not ready yet.

Andrey Moraru - He's awesome. Maybe not awesome enough to win the show, but definitely enough to move on.

Juan Carlos - I know one act like this gets through every year, but that just means someone more talented didn't make it, and that's what really galls me. He's a clown, and now I won't have to look at him again. ETA: okay, on second viewing, this did make me chuckle a little.

Mara Justine - Loved the set, loved the song, loved her. God, what if it comes down to her and Emily? And I know it sounds shallow, but I wish she'd switch to contacts, or at least more fashionable glasses. It would improve her image.

Aerial Animation - Maybe the most unique act this season, like David Garibaldi or Joe Castillo in past seasons. What a terrific mix of art forms. This needs to go through. Standing O!

Jaycob Curlee - Well, coming two acts after Mara, he's not going to belt it out. Subdued is his thing, but it takes a leap to be subdued AND memorable. He might get through on sentiment.

Mat Franco - Kid's a genius. Who says you need to go big or go home? He's awesome!

Darik Santos - I don't know if I'm buying the whole "GF's dad hates him" shtick, but it's hard to imagine this going through. Dan is a comedian, Darik is just one knee-slapper after another. Hopefully this exposure will help his career. Howard was right, he's like Emo Phillips reincarnated.

Acte II - I generally like the operatic acts on this show, and they hit the high notes, but it just lacked something for me.


I will agree with you on the Top 4. My choice for the fifth spot would have to be Jaycob, but Acte II might get in because they got the pimp spot. John & Andrew might even sneak in.

[Geezer]

I think the results were exactly as they should have been, other than it should have been Jaycob sweating the 5th spot instead of poor Mara.

[Shrykespeare]

Agreed. America got it right again. Maybe not in the correct order, but I'll take it.

This could be a lesson for Mara. She's got a great voice, but now she needs to glitz herself up a little bit, and that means ditching the nerdy glasses.



Here's who is performing next week. Not quite as much to get excited about, but hopefully everyone will bring it.

Adrian Romoff (piano prodigy)
Blue Journey (dance/visual group)
Christian Stoinev (balancer, did the one-finger trick)
Cornell Banghra (YouTube/Today Show winner)
Dom the Bom's Triple Treat (kid card thrower)
Dragon House "The Agents" (hip hop dance crew)
AcroArmy (acrobatic group)
Mike Super (magician with imaginary friend)
Sons of Serendip (vocal group)
Paul Ieti (singer, ex-marine)
Wendi Liebman (comedienne)
Mothmen Dance (one-woman six-man ballet group)



I would love to see Christian go through, and Wendi too so we can have a second comedian.

Beyond that, I'm not sure. If Adrian can rock it, he has a shot, and so might Paul, Blue Journey and Sons of Serendip. Don't think anyone else has a real shot.

[Geezer]

I really don't understand why she should have to change her look. She is who she is, and that is a twelve year old girl with a phenomenal voice and great stage presence. The glasses shouldn't matter at all in a competition that is supposed to be all about talent. I'd be wholly disappointed if she changed her look.

[Geezer]

Adrian Romoff (piano prodigy)
Blue Journey (dance/visual group)
Christian Stoinev (balancer, did the one-finger trick)
Dragon House "The Agents" (hip hop dance crew)
Mike Super (magician with imaginary friend)
Sons of Serendip (vocal group)
Paul Ieti (singer, ex-marine)

I could see any of these making it for sure. Would be surprised if any of the others cracked this group.

[Shrykespeare]

I would agree with you, but I'm just try to think about how she can maximize her appeal. We'll she how it plays out in the semifinals.

[Shrykespeare]

Quarterfinal #3 - siightly different lineup than was advertised last week.


1. Dragon House "The Agents" - Having been exposed to the wonders of the Dragon House crew on SYTYCD, I was expecting something fantastic. On that show's stage, this would be amazing. On this stage, it just seemed a little out of place. There's no denying the talent, and the appeal that this kind of dancing has, but I can't see this moving on.

2. Anna Clendening - Love her voice, loved her song choice. I will of course say what a triumph it is that she made it this far without collapsing, but like Julia two weeks again, I'm not sure it will be enough. But then again, this isn't as competitive a field as the last two weeks, so we'll see.

3. Cornell Banghra - This is the act that won the Today Show auditions, so I've never seen them before. Love the tecnhique and the color, but it this is a tough sell for a Vegas show. An interesting mix of Bollywood and hip-hop, but i'll reserve judgment till I see everyone. Standing O? Really? Hmmm...

4. Kieran and Finian Makepeace - I love this act. Great harmonies, great appeal, and I like how the song kicked up a notch. I hope they move on, but I won't get my hopes up.

5. Mike Super - Great trick, but this guy is just so... weird. I am amazed by the trick, but his whole persona is just a little off-putting.

6. Adrian Romoff - This kid is unreal. You read about kids this smart, but you rarely see them. I laughed when his glasses fell off, and it's so cool the way he just lets the music flow through him. But I have to admit, his personality is 90% of what makes this act appealing. Which is a lot, and he may move on, but I don't think if it's enough to win. Plus: chopsticks?

7. AcroArmy - Fucking amazing. That's all I have to say. They need to move on.

8. Wendy Liebman - Well, it wasn't THAT bad, Geez. I laughed a few more times than Darik last week. She won't move on, though.

9. Sons of Serendip - That was classic, surreal, and gorgeous. I've never seen anything like them on this show. They should definitely move on.

10. Blue Journey - I definitely see your point about the perspective (and good on Heidi for pointing that out), but from my angle, it was great. I give the slight nod to Aerial Animation in terms of creativity, but this should move on too, especially after the high praise. Very beautiful.

11. Christian Stoinev (& Scooby) - Easily the best-trained dog since the Olates. An interesting combination of acts, and definitely another act that should move on.

12. Paul Ieti - He was okay, and he may benefit from getting the pimp spot. I think he'll lose any judges' vote, though.


This is so tough to call. Some acts were great, some were good but placed early in the show. It's wide open, as far as I'm concerned. I think almost everyone has a mathematical shot.

Who I'd LIKE to see go through:

AcroArmy
Sons of Serendip
Blue Journey
Christian Stoinev (& Scooby)

either Adrian Romoff or Cornell Banghra


Don't know if I agree with the judges' assessment that this was the best night of talent ever, but it was better than I thought it would be. And really, Nick, a mohawk? Sheesh.

[Geezer]

Dragon House "The Agents" - That was a very "meh" performance. I kept waiting for the good parts to kick in and they just never did. Boring.

Anna Clendening - Not good. I really wish she did better. I like her, like her story, but this performance doesn't stack up to some of the other singers.

Cornell Banghra - I like it! It's fun! The colors, the spectacle, the energy, it makes you smile. Way better than the Dragon House guys.

Kieran and Finian Makepiece - I was bored again. They aren't good enough for this show.

Mike Super - That was fantastic. I don't know how he does it! But obviously Mel B was freaked the hell out. I'm amazed.

Adrian Romoff - This kid's likeability factor is OFF THE CHARTS. He's got unbelievable talent on the piano, but he's so much more than that. His personality is what will take him very far in this competition. He should talk to the audience before he plays though. It would make him even better.

AcroArmy - WOW. Talk about STEPPING IT UP from the audition to the live shows. Holy crap dude, that thing with the handstand on the two girls' feet. I've never seen anything like that. Awesome!

Wendi Liebman - Literally one of the worst "comedic" performances I have ever seen. I would have booed her ass off the stage if I had to pay money to see this garbage. I have no fucking clue what the judges were thinking. I'd rather watch Juan Carlos. Seriously.

Sons of Serendip - That was a damn fine performance, from the singing, to the playing, to the set. Quite beautiful. Great rendition of Wicked Game.

Blue Journey - I have one major issue: how does that translate to a straight on audience? It works from above well, but can the people in the physical audience see what is going on? I dunno. I didn't love this performance. Really, more than half of it was just them crawling on the ground.

Christian Stoinev - At first, I thought using the dog as a huge part of his act was a bad idea, but it worked, because that dog is so well trained. It was fun, made you smile, and still had that element of danger. Really good. Hope he gets to face off against Andrey.

Paul Ieti - Not good enough to make it to the next round, simple as that.

So, from what I saw tonight, here's who I want to go through:

Mike Super
Adrian Romoff
Acro Army
Christian Stoinev
Sons of Sarendip

Here's who I think will go through:

Mike Super
Adrian Romoff
Acro Army
Christian Stoinev
Blue Journey

[Shrykespeare]

Good news: Sons of Serendip, Christian Stoinev, and Blue Journey all made it through:

Bad news: Paul Ieti made it through because he went last.

The Judges Choice came down to Mike Super and AcroArmy, and thankfully, AcroArmy made it through.

Pity about Adrian, but I'm not worried about that kid. He'll probably have a cure for cancer by the time he's 20.



Next week's lineup:

Dom the Bom's Triple Threat, card-throwing kids
Smoothini - up-close magician
Emil and Daniel, teen cellists
One-Voice Children's Choir, very large choir
Extreme Dance Company, dance group
Nina Buri, contortionist
Bad Boys of Ballet, ballet troupe
Quintavious Johnson, child singer
Jonatan Riquelme, balancing act
Mothmen Dance, dance group
Kelli Glover, singer
Jonah Smith, band


Well, I must admit that a few of these acts I don't remember. I am rooting for Kelli Glover and Smoothini, and possibly Quintavious as well. I think Jonatan was good, but do we need three balancers in the semis?

[Shrykespeare]

Final week of Quarterfinals:


Bad Boys of Ballet - The girl is hot, but this routine did nothing for me. Ballet done to contemporary music just doesn't jive with me. I think they are done.

One Voice Children's Choir - This would work great for Rockefeller Center, not Vegas. I like them, but I'm sick of the song too. I think it's unlikely they move on.

Jonah Smith - Wow, he killed it. Bluesy, powerful, heartfelt. He certainly deserves to move on, if only the early placement in the show doesn't hurt his chances.

Dom the Bom's Triple Threat - Booooring. He missed what, ten times? This kid needs a new hobby. And lay off poor Nick!

Extreme Dance Company - If an act is going to be one kid among a bunch of adults, the kid needs to be the star. This was dated, trite, and I've forgotten it already.

Emil and Dariel - Really captivating. The cello has never been so cool. I really hope they move on so they can perform with their grandpa.

Nina Burri - She's gorgeous (I love girls with short hair), but you're right, there was no "wow" moment, like the hand balancers have. I love her grace, but there's just not enough there.

Quintavious Johnson - I think he's a lock, but I thought that about Mara too, and that went to the judges' choice. Damn, that kid can blow.

Mothmen Dance - I loved the visual element. Definitely the most memorable of the dance acts. I agree that they are somewhat limited by the ropes, but they have a shot at moving on.

Smoothini - Love this guy. Three magicians doing close-up magic this season! Awesome!

Jonatan Riquelme - Well, in his defense, this is not something that can be set up in ten seconds. If he moves on, I give him the least chance of the three balancers to move on to the finals. Crazy dangerous.

Kelli Glover - Yikes. I thought Emily had it locked up for best female singer of the season, but this just got interesting. Brilliant performance.


Rooting for Kelli, Quintavious, and Jonah for sure. For the rest I will root for Jonatan, Emil & Dariel and Smoothini.

[Geezer]

Bad Boys of Ballet - They are good at what they do, but I don't love what they do. Howard was right, they seem like back-up dancers. And where can I get me one of those suits Nick is wearing? Straight fire.

One-Voice Children's Choir - I was really impressed. I am actually pretty stunned. I didn't expect much, and I hate the song, but it worked for them. That front girl can sing her ass off. It appears to be a weak night, so I wouldn't be surprised if they able to squeak by.

Jonah Smith - Wow. He was fantastic. What a great song choice and he just killed it. This guy is taking one of those 5 spots. Wonderful. He just put himself into the conversation for winning the whole thing.

Dom the Bom's Triple Threat - Meeeeeehhhhh. I don't want to knock the kids, but this was boring. Not at all entertaining. How was this put directly through?

Extreme Dance Company - I think the director really hurt their chances. They kept showcasing the wrong thing! They are fun, and I love that they all have this place and group to come together and keep them off the streets. That said, its not a million dollar act.

Emil and Daniel - That was fun. I love the stage presence. Great performers. I don't think they can win, and its going to be tough for them to even get through, but I like them. Good job.

Nina Burri - There was no "wow" moment. I was bored throughout. Acts like this need to have a moment that absolutely pops. She didn't have it, and she's going to suffer because of it.

Quintavious Johnson - He started off a little shaky for the first 20 or so seconds, and then he gathered himself and absolutely BLEW THE ROOF OFF. How is he 12? How is that voice coming out of that tiny person? He's a sure thing, and he could win.

Mothmen Dance - Some of it was good, some of it made it appear like the ropes were doing most of the work. And it did get repetitive.

Smoothini - How the hell did he do any of that? I know its tough to translate extreme close-up magic to a grand stage, but I love what he does. He's better suited to doing a television show rather than a stage show, where he can just take to the streets and do his thing. I hope eventually he gets that. I still love him, and that whole moving the print on the money was impossibly great. Doubt he'll get the votes after the judges comments.

Jonatan Riquelme - He's out of his freaking mind. So dangerous. It took too long to set up though. It got boring a bit while setting it up. I disagree with Howard. His staging slowed down the act and left me saying "get on with it." That said, the sheer danger of it is awesome.

Kelli Glover - She's fantastic. I don't know how she hasn't been signed yet. If I'm betting, my money's on her to win the whole damn thing.

So I think Kelli Glover, Quintavious Johnson and Jonah Smith are all locks. The other two spots are pretty wide open. I think it will be between One Voice, Emil and Daniel and Jonathan Riquelme. Maybe Mothmen can sneak in because America seems to vote for anything with an audio-visual component.

[undeadmonkey]

My sister was watching this yesterday and I caught the last three acts. Smoothini was awesome. The balancing guy was boring as hell, just because its dangerous doesnt make it entertaining. As for the singer, while technically good, there was so much lights and makeup that it all seems so fake, would have loved to hear her sing something raw and real