Blujays, Jessica Sanchez fans, and Messengers, Colton Dixon fans, names penned
during their stint on the hit show, American Idol, flocked The Smart-Araneta
Coliseum on Valentine's Day to see their idols, pun intended, perform once again,
barely five months since their American Idol Live Tour in September 2012.
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| Colton Dixon and Jessica Sanchez promoting their concert during a mall tour |
Energetic Opening Act
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| Dixon singing Rise from his debut album |
There was a strange calmness in the audience as we waited for the show
to start, so the moment Colton Dixon, with his trademark mohawk opened the
concert with the aptly named “Noise”, a song from his debut album, "A
Messenger”, I expected the crowd to rise to their feet. Instead, the audience
remained unresponsive and seated despite Colton’s charismatic energy as he
worked the stage with the occasional headbanging and feet stomping.
The definite standouts during Colton’s WAY too short 30-minute set where
those of him playing the piano and singing tenderly. He delivered the poignant
Rise, an inspirational song he wrote and a cover of “Everything” by Lifehouse that
were so honest, heartfelt and raw that I couldn’t help but swoon. His six-song
set left me begging for more so somebody better bring this guy back soon.
The Little Diva
After a short intermission, the crowd was finally treated with what they've been waiting for as the pint-sized Jessica Sanchez, who placed second
on the 11th Season of Idol, emerged on stage in a silver ensemble
complete with sparkly skyhigh boots, sang a cover of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off
You”, an odd and underwhelming song to open with.
The 17-year old Filipino Mexican’s first headlining concert featured
twelve songs ranging from the King of Pop’s “Human Nature” to Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie”.
The diva let out her inner Beyonce as she tackled the singer’s “Love On Top”
oozing with confidence and stage presence. The powerhouse singer then dedicated
a soulful rendition of Adele’s “Someone Like You” to the couples in the
audience. I’m not sure if Jessica got the memo but isn’t Adele the patron of the
brokenhearted?
Standout Moments
Special guest Colton then joined Jessica on stage for a duet of Skylar
Grey’s "Love The Way You Lie", a song he sung on Idol. Vocals? Check. Chemisty?
That’s another story. The singers barely looked at each other during the entire
song and went on to sing as if they were doing solos. It was awkward to watch.
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| Sanchez wowing her fans with Ikaw |
Jessica was a vision of perfection as she emerged in a white gown
accompanied by a lone spotlight, singing the first few notes of her highly anticipated
rendition of the Filipino song, “Ikaw”. While I wished I could understand what
she was singing, the crowd still roared in applause, delivering the first of
many standing ovations to come. A valiant effort to return to her Filipino
roots but she may have bitten off more than she can chew.
Her voice was uncharacteristically raspy which made her struggle belting
out Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” and the Dreamgirls hit “I Am
Telling You”. The whole time I was on the edge of my seat wondering if she
would hit the notes, and she did most of the time. Her superb vocal acrobatics which barely made
up for her lack of emotional investment in the songs still impressed the
audience as her Idol covers were met by standing ovation after standing ovation.
Glimpses of An Artist
The concert got boring towards the middle so I was more than happy when she sung “Fairytale”, a song from her highly anticipated debut album. The age-appropriate Bubblegum Pop song showcased her carefree and fun-loving personality, something we haven’t seen much of when she sang all too many ballads and serious songs on Idol. It has an insanely catchy chorus and Jessica was obviously having fun as she danced around the stage, a vibe that we would hopefully expect from her album.
Sanchez dancing along to Fairytale
I left The Big Dome loving Colton but feeling indifferent towards
Jessica. She is a talented singer, without a doubt, but her focus on hitting
the right notes and staying on pitch stood in the way of her establishing a
connection with the audience. Seeing her live, I wanted to go on a musical
journey with her, instead I was treated to a contrived set of good covers here
and there. But I have to remember that this is just the beginning of this
17-year old’ s long career in the music industry and she has a lot of time to
improve on her craft. Given the opportunity, yes, I would like to see her
perform again just to see how she’s grown as an artist. But until then, We Will
Always Love You, Jessica
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