The journey is nearly finished, the horizon's vanishing point coming into clearer and clearer focus, the end two weeks and one day away.  American Idol's eighth season will go down as one of its best, talent-wise.  Other legacies may include: The Kara DioGuardi Experiment, Paula Abdul's Death Throes, The Silliness of the Judge Save, The Year Where They Had That One Blind Guy, and Simon Cowell's Final Bow.  But, we should focus on the present.  Tonight, American Idol's final four singers will perform rock and/or roll music.  Six songs will be sung - four solos and two duets.  The mentor will be Slash of Guns n' Roses fame.  So, yeah - we could definitely be in store for a bizarre night.

Slash used to be a degenerate bad ass, the running mate of Axl Rose, the kind of guy that, when on TV, your mother would look away in disgust.  How he's now been deemed an acceptable ambassador of rock music is absolutely beyond me.   I will give American Idol credit - they erred on the side of rock authenticity.  I don't care how big of a hipster d-bag you are, you best not talk smack about Slash.  Anyway, he'll be there on Idol tonight, teaching Danny Gokey how best to smoke cigs on stage, showing Allison Iraheta proper Jack Daniels-chugging form, giving Kris tips on the easiest way to bed groupies without your wife finding out, and begging Adam to replace Scott Weiland in Velvet Revolver. 

Come with me, Idol paramours, and bask in the warm glow of rock and roll, for it should be a special night with magical duets and ethereal stadium anthems. Live thoughts, onward! 


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We kick off the show with a quick recap of last Wednesday's Results show and Adam's "shocking" inclusion in the bottom three.  But, it wasn't really shocking.  Not at all.  There were only five people left - it was bound to happen. 

Apparently, tonight's Idol dress rehearsal was canceled due to technical difficulties.  Seacrest addresses the issues - a tower fell, there were no proper run-throughs, etc.  Whatever, the show is going on. 

Kara is dressed like a rocker groupie.  Paula is dressed kinda normal-like. 

Adam, Allison and Kris are dressed in proper rocker gear (Adam may be a bit over the top, but what's new), and then there's Danny, who looks like he's about to interview for a waiting job at T.G.I. Friday's.  Well played. 

We watch a video of Slash rocking out at the Roxy.  Slash decides to do the mentoring at the club, the Roxy, with the full band, and at full volume.  Sweet. 

Adam Lambert - "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin

Slash tells Adam to not improvise so much in his high register.  Hey - it's advice that I can agree with.  This is obviously a great song choice for Adam, because he sounds like Robert Plant, but with a fuller voice.  Adam struts on stage, wearing a leather jacket with no shirt underneath, and does his thing.  He vocally destroys the song, because again, it's perfect for him. 

Randy says that no one will think of Adam as a theater performer after this.  Exactly.  Adam can be a rock star.  He needs a sweet band.  Kara calls Adam a "rock god" and yells insanely for about thirty seconds.  Someone hose her down.  Paula rambles.  Simon says it could have been a disaster, but he loved it, calling it one of his favorite performances of the season.

See, I'm an Adam fan, but I understand if a good portion of America finds him a tad bit peculiar.  He's not what we're used to on American Idol, and I love that.  He is so secure with the persona he's chosen, and while most American Idol contestants tend to stay to the middle and play it safe, Adam shoots that logic square in the face.

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