Blog Posts by Lyndsey Parker

"American Idol" Season 9 was hyped as a "girls' season" from the beginning, but most of the media focus was on the "quirky girls"--i.e., the coffeehouse raggamuffins with acoustic guitars and funky hair. Holding it down for the old-school-style "Idol" diva types, singlehandedly, was mighty-voiced teen Katie Stevens. In fact, in an earlier "Idol" season, Katie may have been the one to beat, not the one who only made it to eighth place.

On the plus side, young Katie went out on a high note, maturing week to week and singing one of her standout numbers, "Baby, What You Want Me To Do," in her elimination week. And when she returned to sing on the Season 9 finale, she delivered a big, brash, ballsy performance that really surprised viewers. Perhaps Katie Stevens had been voted off too soon, after all.

Katie will get the chance to show viewers what she could have done, if she'd lasted longer on the show, when she goes out on the Idols Live Tour this summer. I recently got the chance to chat

I admit that Tim Urban was not exactly my favorite contestant when "American Idol" Season 9 began. I was healthily skeptical about him, since he hadn't even been selected for the original top 24. (He was an alternate, brought in at the last minute to replace disqualified contestant Chris Golightly.) But Tim soon won me over with his awesome attitude, even awesomer hair, and awesome performances of "All My Loving," "Can't Help Falling In Love," and "Under My Thumb." And of course, there was the kneeslide--really, who could resist the patented Turban Kneeslide?

By the time Tim got voted off in seventh place, I was sad to see him go. But I was happy for him that he made it this far, after almost not making it on the show at all.

So since Tim made it to the top 10, that means he gets to go on the Idols Live Tour this summer. I recently caught up with Turban at the Idols' rehearsal space, where we chatted about his tour plans (he will try the kneeslide, yes, and he will reprise his "Better

Despite the fact that "MMMBop" came out 13 (yes, THIRTEEN) years ago, many people still frustratingly think of Hanson as that "kid band," those little golden boys with the long girly hair. The truth is, Hanson have steadily built a respectable career for themselves since their youthful beginnings, releasing four solid albums of impeccably crafted pop-rock since their 1997 boyhood breakthrough Middle Of Nowhere and now heading up their own label, 3CG Records. However, diehard music fans and, it should be noted, serious musicians have always appreciated and respected Hanson. The trio's praises have been sung by everyone from super-producer Butch Walker to electropop guru Har Mar Superstar to "American Idol" rebel girl Siobhan Magnus; singer Taylor Hanson was recruited last year to front the supergroup Tinted Windows with Fountains Of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger, Smashing Pumpkins' James Iha, and Cheap Trick's Bun E. Carlos; and the brothers guested on the allstar powerpop project L.E.O.

The "American Idol" Season 9 finalists held a press day June 17 in Los Angeles at their rehearsal space, where they treated a handful of media types to a mostly a cappella performance (save for Casey James's guitar accompaniment; I'm pretty sure Aaron Kelly wasn't really playing here) of one of the upcoming Idols Live Tour's group numbers: a surprisingly sedate version of Kelly Clarkson's pop anthem, "My Life Would Suck Without You."

So, did it suck? Or was it full of life? You be the judge:

To be honest, while I appreciate the chilled-out, singer-songwriter vibe of this season's cast, and I'm relieved they're just jamming around Casey's guitar here instead of reenacting the cheesy step-touch choreography of the TV show's often cringeworthy group numbers...I do worry if an evening consisting almost entirely of such laid-back fare will be enough to sustain the momentum of a full-length stadium concert and keep thousands of ticket-holders engaged and entertained.

Suffice to say, this

The competitive rounds of "So You Think You Can Dance" Season 7 started tonight, with the top 11 partnering with the 12 "allstars." And while I had previously feared that the newbies on this show would be upstaged by big, popular personalities like Dominic Sandoval, Mark Kanemura, and Ade Obayomi, after last Thursday's amazing "Meet The Top 11" episode--on which the finalists totally held their own alongside the allstars--I became more jazzed about tonight's episode than a Wade Robson routine. So on with the show, and as Nigel Lythgoe would say, cue music!

Of course, as Nigel pointed out this week, the top 11 will still face the unique challenge of having to develop onstage chemistry extremely quickly with their allstar partners, who will change week to week throughout the season. This, on top of having to adapt to new dancing styles for each episode, means Season 7 will probably be the most demanding "SYTYCD" season yet. However, this season's hopefuls definitely seem up for the task,

Siobhan Magnus, with her crazy sense of style and even crazier set of pipes, was my personal favorite contestant among the "American Idol" top 10 this season. So I was already pretty excited to see her on the Idols Live Tour this summer. But upon learning that she'd be rocking some custom-made Kiss boots and belting out a Muse song, my excitement pretty much sextupled--even if, sadly, she revealed to me during our tour-rehearsal interview that she won't be allowed to have any fake blood or an Alice Cooper guillotine onstage. (Guess she'll save that awesome stuff for her solo tour...)

Anyway, with fabulous footwear and cover songs like those, it's no wonder Siobhan has earned the nickname "Lady Lambert." But make no mistake: Siobhan Magnus is a total individual, her own kooky creation. This fun interview on the set of the Idols Live Tour rehearsals is clear evidence of that.

Watch and enjoy:

Follow me on Twitter

Follow Yahoo! Music:

The Idols Live Tour starts July 1, buy your

Aaron Kelly was known as the little kid of "American Idol" Season 9, but really, the 17-year-old is a mature songwriter, pianist, and guitar player, as evidenced by the many impressive original songs he's been putting up online lately. Clearly this "kid" has a long career ahead of him.

Aaron unfortunately won't get to play his originals, or piano or guitar, on the upcoming Idols Live Tour. But when I caught up with him on the set of the tour's rehearsals, it was clear from our discussion that he has big post-tour plans that involve superstar songwriting sessions, some serious time in Nashville, a solo tour, and a debut album.

Watch Aaron discuss his countrified tour setlist and post-"Idol" plans below:

Follow me on Twitter

Follow Yahoo! Music:

The Idols Live Tour starts July 1, buy your tickets HERE!

Pacman turned 30 years old last month (wow, he looks great--apparently yellow don't crack!), and this week during the E3 gaming convention in Los Angeles, Namco decided a proper celebration was in order. And such a Pac-party was well-deserved...Pacman, after all, is arguably the most pervasive gaming icon in all of pop culture (according to the Guinness Book Of World Records, he's the best-known video game character in the world, recognized by 94 percent of consumers). Over the years, the little yellow fellow has spawned a Saturday morning cartoon show, a kiddie cereal, an entire franchise of spinoff games (read on for more on those), and even the most successful video game song ever, Buckner & Garcia's novelty hit "Pacman Fever" (which, according to a display at Pacman's E3 birthday party, sold a whopping 1 million copies in the '80s). Rock Band and Guitar Hero ain't got nothing on Buckner & Garcia.

So June 15 at downtown L.A.'s Club Nokia, gamers came together to celebrate three