An Idol Tracker's journey ends

Forgive me for interrupting regularly scheduled Idol news with some personal business, but I have an announcement to make to Idol Tracker readers. Tuesday will be my last day with the L.A. Times and thus my stint as the L.A. Times' Idol Tracker comes to an end.

It has been an amazing three years covering the most important spectacle in the history of the world.  Three years ago, when we started the Show Tracker blog, I volunteered to write the occasional review of the occasional episode of "Idol," never imagining my life would disappear down the "Idol" rabbit hole.  But then I came face to face with the incredible stories of these young people, these warriors of song, who every year risked the worst fate any of us can imagine -- public humiliation before tens of millions -- all for a shot at their dreams.  I also got to meet the incredibly talented group of people who put the show together and on so many occasions was allowed to peek backstage at what goes into creating a goliath like "Idol."

So many memories from three years on the "Idol" beat.  Come with me now on a little stroll down Memory Boulevard, as we visit an Idol Tracker's greatest days, with a few of the pictures and videos I've snapped over the years.  Ah, yes, I remember it well ....

VIDEO: 'American Idol' tour

Adam Lambert:

Allison Iraheta:

Anoop Desai:

Danny Gokey:

Kris Allen:

Lil Rounds:

Matt Giraud:

Megan Joy:

Michael Sarver:

Scott MacIntyre:

Keep Paula: a grass-roots rebellion sweeps the Twitterverse

Since Friday's news, first reported here on the Idoltracker, of judge Paula Abdul's unhappiness with the pace, or nonpace, of negotiations to renew her "Idol" contract, a brushfire has been sweeping the Web. Using the hashtag #keeppaula, fans have been wildly tweeting on Twitter their support for the seemingly embattled judge.

For a time Saturday evening, the "Keep Paula" movement made it to the No. 2 slot (see left) on Twitter's much-contested trending topics list -- falling behind only people twittering their support for Indonesia in the aftermath of this week's terror attacks.

And it wasn't just "Idol" fans showing their support.  From across Idol Nation and the Idols Live tour bus itself, former cast members were chiming in with their support. 

See after the jump for some examples and judge Abdul's own balcony address to her supporters -- Twitter-style.

Journey ends for 'No Boundaries'

If there was one uneven note in this week's tour debut, it was the same one that caused a fair amount of choppiness at the end of the Season 8 competition. In each year's Idols Live tour, the winner's song has been a fixture of the champion's set. In recent years Jordin Sparks and David Cook scored noticeable blips on the sales charts with "This is My Now" and "Time of My Life," respectively, and rolled out those numbers on the road.

However, in Kris Allen's headline at the concerts thus far, the season's victory song, "No Boundaries," written by judge Kara DioGuardi, has stood out as a bit of an odd duck among the other numbers, which were uniquely chosen for and crafted to Allen's intimate, soulful style.

Reviews of Season 8's finale show widely trashed the victory number and the chilly reception has followed "Boundaries" onto the road. In reviews of the tour, "Boundaries" has been singled out as a misstep, generating a tepid crowd response compared with the other numbers.

The tour's producers have been listening to the sound of few hands clapping. Starting tonight in Sacramento, "No Boundaries" will be disappear from Allen's set, according to sources with the production.

A new song will take its place in Allen's set down the road later this week.

Update: Word is out on twitter, a new song will take its place in Allen's set tonight.

-- Richard Rushfield

Photo: Kris Allen performs in Portland, Ore. Credit: Justin Brady / Rose Garden Arena

Meet the Idol Superfans - family style

Outside the Tacoma Dome, we chatted with two families of Idol superfans.

Tacoma farewell: The Idols Live Tour rides off into the sunset

On the second night of the American Idols Live: 2009 Tour, the 10 were settling comfortably into their lives as wandering rock stars.   At 3 p.m., the day was gray, frigid and windy outside the Tacoma Dome.  The subdued crowd of a hundred or so leaned in eerie silence against the metal barricade as Megan Joy walked down the row singing autographs and posing for pictures. 

Inside, the ancient Dome seemed like it was just waking up, a universe away from the frenzied hub of activity around the tour kickoff at the Paul Allen-built Portland stadium.  In a cafeteria-like room set up with round tables and folding chairs, half the Idols came to visit the four members of the press corps on hand.

Building up to Show 2, gone already was the repressed frenzy of anticipation the Idols felt in the hours before opening night.  Now that it was over, nearly all confessed to fighting back serious attacks of nerves, either from excitement or fear, in the countdown to Sunday night’s show.  The giddiness that followed opening night seemed to have led the Idols' emotional roller coaster on a long loop-the-loop; the group reported staying up until 5 a.m. Monday, despite fatigue, to celebrate their their bow.



On Tuesday morning, the tour buses made their maiden voyage, ferrying the group on the three-hour drive from Portland to Tacoma.  Most reported sleeping through their first trip, and there were many bleary eyes to be found in the press room, although the irrepressible high jinks of Matt Giraud and Danny Gokey were evident in full force.

Video: Pre-show chat with Lil Rounds in Tacoma, WA

Lil Rounds stopped to chat before the second concert of the Idols Live tour.

Video: Pre-show chat with Megan Joy in Tacoma, WA

Megan Joy stopped to chat before the second concert of the Idols Live tour.

Video: Pre-show chat with Matt Giraud and Danny Gokey in Tacoma, WA

Matt Giraud and Danny Gokey stopped to chat before the second concert of the Idols Live tour.

More in: Danny Gokey, Matt Giraud, Richard Rushfield, video

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Matt Giraud and Danny Gokey stopped to chat before the second concert of the Idols Live tour.

For  millions, or tens of millions who watch American Idol only on television the Idols Live tour is an afterthought to the game.  The journey from audition to finale is a complete arc, with from which each year one or maybe two emerge alive to continue straight to the very last stage - pop super-stardom.

But for the stars of American Idol, the past is merely prologue and life began today in Portland, Oregon when free of the competition, of being pitted against each other, of the judges cold glares and Angel of Death Seacrest's icy embrace, it is at last just about the music and performing for an audience.  And a fantastically vast audience, filling the Trailblazers arena with uncontainable enthusiasm.

The tour opens - live from Portland

For  millions, or tens of millions who watch American Idol only on television the Idols Live tour is an afterthought to the game.  The journey from audition to finale is a complete arc, with from which each year one or maybe two emerge alive to continue straight to the very last stage - pop super-stardom.

But for the stars of American Idol, the past is merely prologue and life began today in Portland, Oregon when free of the competition, of being pitted against each other, of the judges cold glares and Angel of Death Seacrest's icy embrace, it is at last just about the music and performing for an audience.  And a fantastically vast audience, filling the Trailblazers arena with uncontainable enthusiasm.