MOVIN IDOL FINALS - Bottom 4 RECAP

WHAT A NIGHT! 5 Finalists brought their A-Games to Singers last night and blew me away. Each and every finalist is a viable and talented piece of Central New York's Talent Pool. The club was ablaze with energy and excitement the entire night and it was a GREAT SHOW.


Here is a short rundown of what you missed if you couldn't make it out:


5th PLACE - DANA LYONS
OVERALL SCORE (of a possible 300): 215
SONG CHOICES: Last Dance (Donna Summer), Chasing Pavements (Adele)

Dana has SUCH a gorgeous voice. I would best describe it as Joss Stone in a head-on collision with Aretha Franklin while having a drink with Alecia Keys. It's smokey and strong, sultry and soulful. I believe that if Dana knew her tunes a little better lyrically and didn't need to lean on the word monitors, she would have been able to bring a bit more stage presence and nail them - but she definitely belongs on stage and I hope to get the chance to hear her sing again. I could listen to that voice all day.



4th PLACE: KRISTA CONDON
OVERALL SCORE (of a possible 300): 230
SONG CHOICES:Run Baby Run (Sheryl Crow), You Could Be Mine (G'n'R)

Krista has a GREAT voice and is a solid performer. I think the Sheryl Crow tune tripped her a bit in the beginning because it starts with no music and just vocals, which is hard to come out strong with. With her vocals and talent that song may have won a regular night's round for sure! And "You Could Be Mine" was REALLY GOOD, especially the ending where it's a complete tongue twister. She enunciated every word AND sang them in tune (she can even scream in key which is pretty impressive!). Overall she was very good and a strong competitor who definitely belongs on stage as well.



3rd PLACE - SHAWN TOOLE
OVERALL SCORE (of a possible 300): 268
SONG CHOICES: Mustang Sally (Wilson Pickett), Kiss And Say Goodbye (Manhattans)

Shawn has inborn soul. Shawn has inborn rhythm. Shawn has inborn performance ability. SHAWN TOOLE WAS BORN TO ENTERTAIN! He's got the voice and the moves and should DEFINITELY BE DOING THIS FOR A LIVING. I love to listen and watch him and he was surely a force to be reckoned with in this competition - and placed right at the heels of the second place winner.



2nd PLACE - LARRY COKE
OVERALL SCORE (of a possible 300): 273
SONG CHOICES: One In A Million You (Larry Graham), Jeremy (Pearl Jam)

Larry is a JOY to watch and listen to. He has a golden voice that never falters flat or sharp, is always perfectly in tune, and as I said last night -- is a PRICELESS instrument. He proved his WIDESPREAD VERSATILITY by singing Pearl Jam after Larry Graham -- he did a SOLID and THEATRICAL rendition of "Jeremy" that mimicked the music video a bit but was so much more real and entertaining. Larry is an amazing performer and if I had the power to whisk him off to Broadway I firmly believe that is where he belongs. It's been SO much fun to watch and hear him!