Chattanooga Pulse

So the season finally begins.  The painful and overly contrived auditions.  The drama of Hollywood Week.  The fits and starts and brief moments of entertainment that is the semi-finals. All leading up the “real” American Idol.  The big stage, the big audience, everyone competing against everyone else.  THIS is American Idol.

And THIS was… a pretty good start to what many bloggers and critics had been calling one of the least interesting collection of contestants in years.  I had my doubts, especially watching some of the performances from the past three weeks and scratching my head in confusion over the voting (Lilly Scott, we miss you).  But after sitting through an entertaining two hours of Stones covers that were far more original and inventive than anyone had the right to expect, count me among the supporters instead of the detractors.

I know people who never watch any of the earlier rounds and only tune in when the Top 12 take the stage.  I imagine those folks tuned in last night and thought to themselves, “Hmm… lots of talent this year.”  For those of us who had been here for more »