American Idol tryouts...

So...American Idol tryouts were today. My oldest son Tyler who is 17 and LOVES music and singing decided to try out. We went yesterday and got registered and got our wristbands and tickets. We had to be at the Energy Solutions Arena this morning at 5:00 am.

Wow...it's amazing how much you learn about how they tape the show when you are in line FOREVER!!!! The ONLY reason they have everyone show up at 5 am is so that they can film everyone in line for the show. All the local news networks also got in their "shots" for the morning news shows and the newspapers were there taking pictures.

We sat outside the ESA in line for almost 3 hours! The line finally started moving at close to 8 am. We moved forward about 100 feet so that they could line a whole bunch of us up on the stairs at the NW corner of the ESA. We then proceeded to do all those opening shots that you will see when American Idol's new season starts. They pan the crowd as we yell and scream and shout "Welcome to Salt Lake City" and all sorts of other random chants. This goes on for a while and then they finally start moving everyone into the building. Auditions were supposed to start at 8 am; by this time it is closer to 9 am.

As we approach the ESA we are told that no outside food or drinks can be brought in other than one bottle of water per person...this is after we had all been given a paper at registration stating to bring food and drinks to keep our energy up and stay hydrated! So there we all are...everyone throwing out bags of food, chips, candy, bottles of gatorade, etc...what a waste!

When we finally get inside we go find our seats which were assigned on the tickets we got at registration. After everyone (all 6000 people give or take) files in and sits down (which takes forever), they start all over again with the shots of the crowd cheering and saying "Welcome to Salt Lake City", "Welcome to Happy Valley", etc., etc., etc...they have us singing songs like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Get Ready" while they film us singing and cheering etc.

They finally get set up and explain how auditions work...not at all like I imagined. They set up 6 to 12 partitions on the floor of the ESA and explain that everyone will audition in groups of 4. So 4 people at a time go up to a table where a producer sits (no Paula, Randy and Simon were not there today). The table is seperated from the next table by a thin black curtain. Each person will take a step forward and start singing their song until the producer tells them to stop. Once all 4 people in that line are done they will all step up to the table and be told their status.

They start with the first "section" of the arena and start lining people up. They explain that if you are a "winner" and you receive a golden ticket that you exit to the northwest side of the arena after your audition...if you are "not a winner" you exit to the southeast side of the arena and you are then escorted up the stairs and outside the arena...never to return...your AI experience is then over.

Since we were in section 14 of 17 sections full of people we decide to go get something to eat. Of course you have to purchase food there since you can't bring your own in with you and the cost is outrageous! $26.50 for a hotdog, 2 pretzels, nachos, popcorn and 2 bottles of water (of course they don't have anything that I should be eating (I had to throw out my almonds and protein bars on the way in) so I eat a pretzel...a big NO NO but I am starving at this point)! We also had one of Tyler's friends with us (he is living with us right now).

I am also told that we can't exit the building for any reason or we will not be allowed back in...so if you smoke you are out of luck because you can't go outside...(yes, I have been smoking again but I managed to take this news in stride...lol)!

After waiting in line for 30 minutes or so we sit down to eat and hear "Please get back to your seats...it's very important that you get back to your seats immediately"...so we head back in.

They finally get everyone situated again and explain that auditions are on hold so they can do some more filming for the show; with a special guest...Ryan Seacrest. Of course the crowd (mostly women but also some gay men) go nuts when he comes out! He actually seems to be a very nice guy (signing autographs and having his picture taken with fans) but he is very tiny...or so he seemed to be from where I was sitting.

So they do the filming with Ryan and it takes forever...LOL! They finally start auditions back up again and Tyler and his friend realize that one of their friends from school who was sitting in a section close to ours is now down on the floor in line to audition...he somehow got down there BEFORE it was time for his section to audition. They decide to investigate so off they go with their tickets and their registration papers...(side note: I had to be there with them because they are minors...we spent time yesterday getting documents notarized so that I could be the "guardian" for Tyler's friend AJ for the day for his audition).

Tyler texts me a little while later and explains that his friends brother helped them out by exchanging their tickets with some parents who were sitting in the section that was up next to audition so that they had the correct "section" tickets to be in the next group to audition...I had to laugh at that...even though they "butted" in line! By this time it was close to noon and I had been up since 3 am and I was desperately in need of coffee!!!

So, up until this time Tyler being Tyler had been very quit, sleeping when he could and pretty much acting like a bump on a log...not getting excited about the group shots or anything. I kept wondering if he was just nervous. I had asked him a few times what song he was going to sing and he kept saying he wasn't sure...LOL...typical teenager. So I am a little nervous when I finally see him down on the floor in line for his audition...I text him and tell him to "look them in the eye" when he sings because he tends to get really nervous when he performs...even when he is on stage with the high school choir I can see his face get red and I can tell how nervous he is.

When his group of 4 finally gets up to the table to audition he is of course at a table that I can't see from where I am sitting because the black curtain is blocking my view (bummer!) I had a very limited view of his group but could not see him when he actually sang. I watched as his group of 4 stepped up to the table after they had completed their audition and I was sad to watch as Tyler DID NOT receive a golden ticket. I was bummed but I also knew that he would be okay with it...he seemed so blaze' about the whole thing...he doesn't show me his emotions very often...but I knew he was okay with the outcome.

Tyler (in the blue striped shirt) and his friend AJ (in the glasses) standing in line for their audition. I didn't get very good pictures today...every time I tried to take a picture of Tyler he would turn away. I took this one from way across the room and had to really ZOOM in to get it but I think Tyler knew I was trying to take pictures because he wouldn't look my way and he kept his water bottle up by his face...what a turkey!!!

I headed out to meet Tyler and AJ (he didn't make it either). When I asked Tyler what the producer had said to him about his audition he said that she told him that he sang really well but that he was too nervous (who isn't at a time like that?). He told me that she said that she could see how much his arms were shaking...I actually thought that was kind of an odd thing to say.

As we were driving home I tried to pry more details out of him about it (he honestly is difficult to talk to sometimes...it's like pulling teeth!). We were discussing how weird the whole process was (the tables, the groups of 4, auditioning in that huge room full of people) and we wondered how many of the "awful" singers got golden tickets (you know who they are...the ones that are hideous and we all love to watch their auditions)! Tyler mentioned how the producer had said to him "You sang well but I can't put you on TV because you act like you don't really care"...or something along those lines...she also mentioned that he needed to work on his "stage presence". (One more side note: when Tyler was younger; around age 8 to 10 or so, he would clasp his hands in front of his chest and sing "Figaro, Figaro, Fi..ga..ro!!" in his best opera voice for anyone who would listen and he NEVER got embarrased...I don't remember exactly when this changed but the last few years he turns beet red when he sings in front of a crowd...but he really does love to sing!).

So...I know this was a long post but that was our American Idol experience. All in all I am glad he at least tried (even though I was not looking forward to the long day). I am even glad he "butted" in line...it meant we were done and on our way home by 1:00 pm...LOL!!!

Oh...and I ate horribly today but I will get back on track tomorrow. It's been a busy few days and the rest of the week is not looking any better but I am going to try my hardest to get to the gym at least twice this week!

WHEW...Happy Tuesday...and I promise my next post won't be this long!!!! :-)