HOMETOWN HERO

A reader wrote that she'd like me to comment on the James Durbin's concert at the Boardwalk on May 19, and boy, would I love to oblige—if ONLY I had been there!

Circumstances way beyond my control prevented me getting to the beach for Durbin Day # 2, and I'm not happy about it. But now, through the miracle of modern technology, those of us who missed it can catch up. There's an entire menu of tasty selections from the show on You Tube, an opportunity for all of us to see James in his new short, bleached blond 'do rocking out with his new band (Dylan Rosenberg, Blake Bunzel, Jeff Fabb, and Tyler Molinaro) with a playlist of numbers mostly culled from his debut CD, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster.

 I recommend you start by watching them power through "Stand Up," then segue over to the links menu to sample some of the others—"Love In Ruins," "Higher Than Heaven," and a fine, emotional acoustic version of "May."

But here's my favorite (further down the page): James rocks the National Anthem before a LA Kings/SJ Sharks hockey game in L.A. He doesn't just hit the dreaded high notes in the notoriously tough-to-sing anthem, he smokes 'em—and then he goes higher. Yowza.

The Boardwalk has also posted an album of still photos from the event on its Facebook page (like the one above, snapped by Sherry Wise). That's a million-dollar smile, right there. We're always happy to see you too, James! Come back soon.

RETURN of the JAMES GANG

It was almost exactly one year ago today that Santa Cruz's own James Durbin came home to rock the Boardwalk with a vengeance after finishing fourth on American Idol.

30,000 fans thronged the Boardwalk for the first concert of the rest of James' career. If you weren't one of them (or even if you were), now's your chance to catch up.  This Saturday, James returns to the band shell to kick off the Boardwalk's summer season.

Once again, the concert is free to the public, so get in line now to snag a good spot on the beach! But unlike last year, this time James won't be limited to three songs. He'll be performing with his new band, so be prepared to hear your favorite songs from his first CD, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster, as well as a sprinkling of classic rockers. They take the stage at 5:30 pm.

James is even more fun live than he was on the tube, so don't you dare miss him!


And speaking of the Santa Cruz music scene, check out  Under the Boardwalk: a Ukulele Love Story, coming back to town Saturday afternoon, on the last day of the Santa Cruz Film Festival.

Starting out as an informal monthly gathering in the home of local book artists Peter and Donna Thomas, the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz has morphed into a 2000-member cult, as documented in Nina Koocher's entertaining film. It's full of music, uke lore, and interviews with founders Thomas and Andy Andrews, and members like Rick 'Ukulele Dick' McKee, Jayme Kelly Curtis (showing of her custom Hawaiian Koa wood uke with Santa Cruz redwood top), Ian Whitcomb, and many others.

The late James Houston notes the "big-time connection" between Santa Cruz and Hawaii, and everyone celebrates the easiness of uke-playing in democratizing the making of music—"a participatory event, not a spectator sport," says member Dave Egan. Peter Thomas calls the Uke Club "a place where people make bonds of friendship that weave their way out into the community."

Koocher's film captures that fun and magical Santa Cruz vibe. It screens at 4:45 pm, Saturday, May 19, at the Del Mar Theatre) Tix available here.

SING ALONG WITH JAMES

I've been meaning to write about the new James Durbin CD ever since Santa Boy gave it to me for Christmas, but I've only just stopped singing along long enough to sit down at the keyboard.

Here's the thing about James: he's just as much fun to listen to as he was to watch on American Idol. His debut CD, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster, is a lively collection of heavy rockers, power anthems, and a ballad or two. Its eleven selections are peppered with driving rhythms, insanely infectious refrains, and sweet melodies, all the styles that James sings so well.

Since all the songs are new and unfamiliar to me (no covers), I wasn't sure how much I liked it on the first hearing. I even fretted here and there that the vocals were getting lost in the mix. But approximately 1.8 minutes into my second playing of the CD, I was singing along.

(Here's how my personal rating system works. For movies, it's a woefully inexact science: my tastes are eclectic and even I never know what I'm going to love or hate. But the Jensen-o-meter for music is much more direct; I tend to love a song in exact proportion to how quickly I start chiming in.)

Two cuts from this CD are being promoted as singles, the power ballad "Love Me Bad," and the anthem-like, "Stand Up," both big-beat rockers. (Here's a link to the preview trailer for the upcoming "Stand Up" video.) They're both good, but if it were up to me, I'd be pushing the opening track, "Higher Than Heaven" with its irresistible chorus.



Other highlights, for me, are the percolating "Right Behind You," another big anthem, "Screaming" (a rock manifesto for anyone who's ever felt different and/or bullied), and the wistful, bittersweet ballad, "May" (Art Boy's favorite, the old softie). That haunting "She was just like she was" chorus just kills me!

In time, with a few more recordings under his rat-tail, James Durbin will learn how to have more control over his big voice, and to wield it with even more nuance. But for right now, his singing is raw, gutsy, and heartfelt—which is everything we love about him. Jensen-o-meter rating: 8 (out of 10).

Btw: how completely does James Durbin now belong to the world? The story of his New Year's Eve wedding to longtime soulmate, Heidi Lowe, in the Santa Cruz Mountains (above) was carried by Yahoo News, Rolling Stone, People, TV Guide, and CBS News—to name just a few!

BASIC BLACK (AND WHITE)

I thought there was something wrong with the color on my monitor the other day when I logged onto IMDb and got a load of these posters for upcoming movies. Looks like black-and-white is the new black in movie poster chic—at least for this fall.

What's Hollywood trying to tell us, here? The message seems to be: okay, kids, summer is over, so wipe those goony grins off your faces, sit up straight, and pay attention. Forget about those bubble-gum-colored superheroes of summer. These movies are serious business!

But, wait: gigantic boxing robots? An outer space alien who crash lands in Antarctica? Okay, maybe not SO serious. Only the Geoge Clooney film, Ides of March, a political drama, has any pretensions to grown-up subject matter. But this is always the time of year when Clooney appears in his Oscar-contending movies. Check out the similarly color-challenged posters for Syriana, Up In the Air, and Good Night and Good Luck. (At least the latter was actually shot in gorgeous black-and-white, so the poster is more appropriate.)

Anyway, at least half of the movies coming out between now and Christmas go in for stark black-and-white sobriety in their posters. Chalk it up to another sign of the changing seasons, like longer nights and rain washing away our Indian Summer.

Btw, this new version of The Thing bills itself as a prequel to John Carpenter's 1982 "classic." I say, classic, schmassic. Carpenter's horror thriller had it's moments, but it was basically a more graphic reboot of an older property for the post-Alien age.

The original The Thing, directed by Howard Hawks in 1951, is the genuine classic, and not just in the genre; it's one of my all-time favorite movies! Sure, it sounds silly: a pre-Marshall Dillon James Arness resembles a giant carrot from outer space who menaces a team of Arctic researchers and military personnel.

But the movie is not only relentlessly scary (building acute tension out of shadows and dread, instead of gore), it features spirited camaraderie and snappy dialogue that would be right at home in any other Hawks movie, like His Girl Friday, or The Big Sleep. (It also features a great performance by my favorite unknown character actor, Douglas Spencer, as a wisecracking reporter on the base.) Trust me, Hawks' version is the real Thing.

And speaking of media messaging, did you see The Emmys a couple of weeks ago? Here are some interesting stats:

Number of times an image of James Durbin flashed onscreen during the Reality TV montage: 3.

Number of times an image of putative "winner" Scotty McCreery flashed onscreen: 0.

I'm just sayin' ...

INSPIRED BY MUSE

The Outside Lands music festival is going on in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park as we speak. Three-day and VIP single-day tickets are still available if you want to see a mind-boggling assortment of indie rock acts: Phish, Arcade Fire, The Shins, The Decembrists, OK Go, John Fogerty, The Arctic Monkeys—and that's not even a fraction of the enormous three-day lineup. Think of a West Coast Woodstock, for established bands and newbies alike (and hopefully without all that mud).

The reason I bring it up is Muse. I'm nuts about this British indie alt-rock band, as you may know if you read my previous column, and I'm delighted to spread the word that Muse will be the headliners Saturday night at Outside Lands. (That's Muse frontman Matt Bellamy over there, on guitar.) With discernible trace elements of Radiohead and Queen, mixed in with some Rachmaninoff, Gershwin, and surf/space guitar, this powerhouse trio puts on a killer of a live show. (Check 'em out on You Tube and see what I mean.)

Art Boy and I went to see them four years ago, on a previous trip to SF. They were already headliners back in Britain, routinely filling places like Wembley Stadium and playing enormous venues like the Glastonbury Festival. But we were lucky enough to see them at the relatively homey Bill Graham Civic, where we thronged with the crowd about 20 feet from the stage. It was just about the most fun I ever had at a live music concert.

Looking back, my only regret is that we caught their live show before they'd produced their exceptional "Resistance" album (a song cycle so insidiously listenable, it played in its entirety on a loop inside my brain for weeks after we first got the CD. Who needs an iPod?) However, they played just about everything else from their previous four albums that night at the Bill Graham, every lick, every harmony and falsetto as deft and textured as the original recordings. Folks heading out to hear them at the Outside Lands fest are in for a big treat.

I couldn't be more thrilled that Muse is finally getting the attention they deserve, not just in the Bay Area, but in the USA as well. And I think it's great that we have James Durbin to thank in part for introducing the band to mainstream Middle America via American Idol. His cover of Muse's "Uprising" (from "Resistance") was a highlight of AI Season 10, and continues to be a big solo for James during the AI summer tour.

(Btw, did you read June Smith's great Sentinel review when James and the AI tour played San Jose last month? Here it is, in case you missed it.)

THE WHITE STUFF

Almost 50 years ago, something wonderful happened to popular music: The Beatles. Sadly, the original Fab Four no longer exists as an entity to play live for their generations of adoring fans, but here in Santa Cruz, we've got the next best thing—The White Album Ensemble. If you've never seen this amazing local treasure in person, now's your chance when the WAE teams up with the Santa Cruz County Symphony at the Civic this Saturday night (June 4) for a live benefit concert, "Across the Universe and Beyond."

Specializing in the enormous catalogue of innovative, irresistible Beatles music, the nine-member WAE collective began back in 2003 with a series of live performances of "The White Album" that rocked the socks off local audiences. More than just a cover band, the WAE has become a force to be reckoned with on the SC arts and cultural scene, replicating aural feasts of The Beatles' complex studio albums live, onstage, while helping to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for good causes countywide. Founding members Dale Ockerman, Ken Kraft, and Tiran Porter have put together a formidable and sought-after performing group that not only pays homage to the past with its vintage repertoire, but provides a springboard for performers of the future. Every WAE gig features guest solos by young local talent. A couple of years ago, the WAE introduced SC audiences to a local youngster named James Durbin. His performance of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" never failed to bring down the house; take a look at this 2009 clip, and you'll see why.

This is the sixth year that the WAE has collaborated with the Symphony on a Beatles music concert to benefit the Symphony's local music and outreach programs. Among other things, proceeds will help sustain the Youth Program, which brings the Symphony's classical musicians into county classrooms—an especially vital service in these days of draconian budget cuts, when art and music programs for kids are the first to go.

At the Symphony concert on Saturday, the WAE will present up-and-coming guest vocalists Tammi Brown (shown here onstage with the band) and Alysha Antonino, along with local favorite Drew Harrison. If you happened to catch James Durbin at the Boardwalk a couple of weeks back, you got a sneak preview of what these talented folks can do. (In particular, Alysha's soulful, laid-back "I Want To Hold Your Hand" was a highlight of the pre-game show staged by the WAE.)

So here's your chance, not only to see the next generation of James Durbins, but to help nurture music appreciation and musicianship in Santa Cruz County for generations to come. AND rock out to the WAE, onstage, in living color, conducting a magical mystery tour through the greatest song catalogue, ever. For ticket info, call the Civic Box Office at (831) 420-5260 or visit Santa Cruz Tickets online.

DREAM ON

The more I see of the homogenized American Idol entertainment aesthetic, the more I believe that James Durbin totally dodged a bullet by his premature elimination. The bloated spectacle of the AI finale was a lesson in showbiz cheez-o-nomics: if they have an album, a video, a movie, or a comeback tour to flog, give 'em a guest star spot on the show. It was two-plus hours of fluff and foolery before the big revelation that Scotty McCreery's fans had out-voted Lauren Alaina's for the top prize.

Seriously, name two previous AI season winners who have gone on to have real music careers. Okay, now name two not counting Carrie Underwood. The point is, winning the AI crown is just as likely to be the kiss of death as a launching pad for future success. By far, the more interesting performers are the ones who don't make it all the way to the top. The only reason most of us disappointed fans of James, Haley Reinhart, Casey Abrams, or Pia Toscana, tuned in at all was to see our faves perform one more time.

Not that AI had a clue what to do with them. First it was everybody in the Top 13 onstage in spangly white outfits for the openining production number, Lady Gaga's "Born This Way". The seven lady finalists were later paired up with Beyonce (who quickly turned them into her backup chorus), and rappers TLC. The guys sang the greatest hits of Tom Jones (who later joined them onstage). But only the top seven finalists got to sing solos (or at last duets with selected guest stars); the rest only got to sing snippets of medleys. Maybe if they'd had a few less guest stars, there would have been time for Pia to sing a whole song.

Sure, there were moments. In the Jones segment, Casey was an entertaining frontman for a boisterously melodramatic group rendition of "Delilah." But James' solo was, um ... "What's New Pussycat?" Okay, he hit all those "Whoa-a-whoa-a-whoas..." but it wasn't much of a showcase for his singing or showmanship.

James was more in his element when he got to sing two songs onstage with his metal heroes, Judas Priest. It wasn't the most effective material he's had all season, but he proved once again that he knows how to command the stage, hit a few chill-inducing high notes, and looked like he was having the time of his life.

Casey's showcase song was "Fat-Bottomed Girls," sadly, not sung with Queen, but with Jack Black. (Followed by—surprise!— a commercial for Kung Fu Panda 2.) Yes, it was sort of a weird choice, but it reminded us what was always so fun about Casey—we never knew what we were going to get! Haley was paired with the venerable Tony Bennett for a nice, jazzy duet on the chestnut "Steppin' Out (With My Baby)."

In between there were yet more celebrity guest spots—Bono and Edge from U2, backing Reeve Carney in a production number from the Spider Man musical, and another nutty appearance by Lady Gaga to premiere a new single, perched high atop a giant climbing wall, in a leather bikini and a headdress that resembled a window shade, surrounded by dancers and explosive effects. (Could this show just please get over Lady Gaga?) This is what performers have to do these days to get noticed. Once upon a time, talented people could just shut up and sing.

When judge Steven Tyler appeared at the piano, striking the opening bars of "Dream On," for an instant, breaths were held all over America. This was the song he promised to sing with James at the finale, if James made it into the Top 2. But no such luck; Tyler labored through a short solo that lacked the pulse and the passion James would have brought, had it been a duet.

The point is, do kids watching AI even know who Tony Bennett, Tom Jones, (or even Judas Priest) are? They might as well trot out Rudy Vallee in a raccoon coat, singing through a megaphone, for all these acts mean to the show's coveted younger demographic. As for the contemporary acts—Beyonce, Gaga, Marc Anthony (accompanied by wife and judge Jennifer Lopez, shaking her booty at the audience): this kind of overproduced pop-rock junk food is the reason God invented alt rock. It's the kind of creaky showbiz razzmatazz AI seems determined to preserve.

James demonstrated every week that he has a better idea of what to do with his big voice and rock 'n' roll sensibility than any of the so-called mentors on the show. All of a sudden, his early elimination doesn't feel like an ouster; it's more like a graduation. Come September when the AI summer tour is over, he'll be free to pursue his own dream and make the kind of music he does best. As long as nobody forces him to sing Tom Jones, he'll do just fine.

SKULLDUGGERY

Hard to believe it's been less than two weeks since the shock and awe of James Durbin's elimination from American Idol. Since then, the web has been all abuzz with how the voting might have been—let's put this politely—compromised.

On the GT Facebook wall, as well as AI discussion boards all over the internet (especially this lengthy thread at the site Autism Key) Durbin fans are reporting problems with the voting system. Many California call-in voters claim they were never able to get past the all-circuits-are-busy signals. (Although one fan reports that when she tried dialing in one vote for Scotty McCreery instead, to test the system, it went right through.)

Other voters cite technical malfunction. When one online voter clicked in a vote for James, a picture of Haley Reinhart appeared onscreen. Others claimed when they voted for James, they received a confirmation for Lauren Alaina. A third problem cited (and this one more insidious, since it involves a degree of human calculation) is the misleading voting number assigned to James that week. In previous weeks, each AI contestant was assigned a voting number that corresponded to the order in which they performed. But on that last, fateful night, although James performed in the Number 1 and Number 8 slots, he was arbitrarily assigned voting numbers 1 and 5. Who was assigned voting number 8? Lauren Alaina. Since James had never, ever, been in the bottom three right up to the night he got eliminated, whereas Lauren had been in the bottom three just the week before, well, it's enough to turn us all into conspiracy theorists. (Read more)

Personally, I don't think it's going to hurt James one iota to be out of the running on AI. Whether or not there's any skullduggery involved, James getting voted off has already become a bigger story than the two contestants left standing. I'll probably skip the final round of competition tonight; I feel like I've already seen everything Scotty and Lauren can do. But you can bet I'll be watching the finale Wednesday night, not to see who wins, but to see if James comes back to sing one more song. We're still waiting for that duet with Steven Tyler!

30,000 CRUZANS CAN'T BE WRONG

How did James Durbin rock Santa Cruz on Saturday? With a vengeance.

The 48-hour emotional whirlwind that plunged us all into despair when the American Idol voting results were announced Thursday night spun Cruzans into soaring delirium Saturday when James got his homecoming after all—the first contestant in Idol history to be granted a weekend home, even though he finished out of the Final Three. Some 30,000 of us thronged to the Boardwalk bandstand on Saturday to see him perform live (the biggest crowd in the 104-year history of the Boardwalk), all of us eager to be part of the first show of the rest of his life.

Anticipation was in the air online and all morning, including some excellent photos texted to the Sentinel website by Kevin Johnson of James stopping in to get a bite at Zoccoli's downtown, and signing autographs (and a table). The James Show officially kicked off at 2:30 at Louden Nelson Center, where he met with his former mentors and current performers from Kids On Broadway and All About Theater, as well as parents and children diagnosed with Tourette's and Asperger's Syndromes. This would be followed by a motorcade down Center Street, past Depot Park, around the roundabout, and down Beach Street to the Boardwalk.

But while all this was going on, my friend Donna and I opted to go straight to the beach. We parked a few blocks away, walked over the railroad tracks, and joined the crowds hiking in to the Boardwalk. (Along the way we all passed the Starz Bakery table, doing a brisk business with their James Durbin cupcakes—many of which I'm sure will be shellacked or otherwise preserved as a memento of the day.) By 3 p.m., the Boardwalk Esplanade as well as the upper deck overlooking the bandstand were already crammed with people, so we staked out a little patch of sand on the crowded beach to the right of the stage, just down from the Double Shot ride (whose hysterically screaming riders only added to the festive sense of excitement).

The White Album Ensemble was already onstage, tuning up. Except for a giant amp here or there, we had a pretty good view of the side of the stage. All ages were represented in the crowd; lots of teens and tweens, of course, but also entire families (a woman behind us proudly announced she was there with three generations of her family), parents hoisting up little kids on their shoulders, as well as a sizeable contingent of geezers and grannies, all of us bouncing and lip-synching to the WAE's Beatle tunes. James' appeal cuts across all age boundaries, but the most fun to watch were the kids, from girls with all their various hand-made "We (Heart) James" signs to the little boy in the Vine Hill Elementary T-shirt with his long hair gelled up into a big Mohawk , to the young Goth teen with the black-and-white scarf "rat tail" dangling out of his back jeans pocket, James-style. And everybody was in a friendly, celebratory mood.

Toward the end of the WAE's hour-and-a-half set, the crowd started pressing in closer (all we could see was a sea of heads in all directions) with the word that James had hit the beach. It took another 15-20 minutes for the lifeguard truck he rode in on to deliver him past the throngs to the bandstand; sequential screaming from the outskirts of the mob ensued as people got their first glimpse of his blond-streaked hair in the intermittent sunlight as the truck inched by.

And then he was up on the bandstand in real life, no commercial interruption, no tape delays. It's pretty amazing to see someone you've welcomed into your home on TV for 10 weeks suddenly live onstage; I was so glad I hadn't slothed out, stayed home and waited for the You Tube recap. The crowd went nuts, as James personally hugged every single member of the WAE, and waved to the roaring fans.

He thanked everyone for showing up, and for their support, and then the Boardwalk representative who was acting as emcee asked him how he felt about coming home to Santa Cruz. James thought about it for a moment, then walked over to stage left. "Can you hear me?" he shouted to the crowd on that side, who roared in response. "I can't hear you," he challenged them, prompting an even more seismic response. He marched centerstage, repeated the challenge, and got another deafening response, then came to our side, the edge of stage right, shouted the same litany, and had us all screaming like idiots. Then he marched centerstage once more, and raised his arms to us all, provoking a bone-rattling tsunami of rapturous joy.

"That's how I feel," he said. (Can this guy work a crowd, or what?)

Then he sat down on the edge of the stage, front and center, feet dangling over the side, and chatted about Thursday night's elimination round on American Idol. "The reason I was so emotional wasn't because I was off the show," he told us. The reason, he said, was that he'd been so looking forward to the chance to come home and thank "each and every one of you" for our support during his Idol adventure, a reunion he now assumed he wouldn't get. (The feeling was mutual; hands up, everybody else who went to bed in tears Thursday night, not only because we thought James had been robbed on the show, but because we thought we'd all been cheated out of Durbin Day?) He then praised Mayor Ryan Coonerty for his Herculean 11th hour efforts to make sure James got his homecoming after all.

Coonerty himself then came downstage, proclamation in hand. No mean hand at crowd manipulation himself, Coonerty asked the audience if they felt like "Durbin Day" was quite enough. What about "Durbin Week," he suggested, or maybe "Durbin Month?" At last, he handed the proclamation to James, designating "2011 as James Durbin Year!" At this point, Coonerty went on, it was customary to hand over the keys to the city, "But this is Santa Cruz, and we do things differently." Then he presented James with a custom surfboard painted with a portrait of James singing.

Finally, it was time for James to do what he'd come to do: sing. (Although not before he proclaimed to the crowd, "I was born in Santa Cruz. I grew up in Santa Cruz. And I'll forever live in Santa Cruz!") With the WAE as his backup band, he opened with "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?'" (a loaded question for this crowd), complete with lilting a capella first verse, and a driving finish to the finale, "You better love me tomorrow!" that makes this song his own. Next up was his signature tune with the WAE, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," delivered with haunting finesse (despite a funky sound system that made it difficult to hear himself).

That was theoretically all we were supposed to get, although of course he came back for one encore, after much shouting from the crowd. ("What are you saying? 'Bang A Gong?' " he asked. "Oh, one more song!") He then launched into a wailing version of "Don't Stop Believin'," which had everyone going nuts. If he had to narrow down his repertoire to one, single theme song, that would probably be it.

The fun thing about seeing James Durbin live is, yes, he really sings that well, moves around the stage like he was born on it, and engages the audience, big time. The next opportunity to see him live will be on the American Idol summer roadshow tour, July 13, at the Shark Tank in San Jose. I encourage fans to show up at that event to support James in his own back yard. After that, hold on to your rat tails; his solo career is just around the corner.

Concert photos by Brad Kava, Watsonville.Patch.com. See the slideshow.

Here are some fabulous photos by Donaven Staab, Boardwalk Staff Photographer, on the BW Facebook page

Here's a great You Tube composite video of James' arrival at the beach and performances.

WHY WE LOVE JAMES

Wait a minute, stop the presses! (Gee, I've always wanted to say that!)

This just in: Durbin Day will go on as planned in Santa Cruz tomorrow (Saturday), including a parade through downtown and a live performance at the Boardwalk beach bandstand. Click here right now for all the details!

And btw, don't miss James tonight on Jay Leno!

Is it possible to be too good for American Idol? It happened to James Durbin last night when the program's viewing and voting public failed to cast enough votes to send him into the Final Three. This was an enormous shock, especially when you consider that James is one of only two Idol performers this season who has never even finished in the bottom three before, not to mention that he consistently out-sang and out-performed the competition week after week after week.

James' elimination is not about any lack of talent. Rather, it's about a talent too big, gutsy, and exuberant to be contained within the very narrow confines of the American Idol pop-rock playbook. Sure, I'm prejudiced, but don't take my word for it. Look who's left standing: Southern teenage country crooners Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina, who have played it safe in their song choices every week. (Both of whom also effectively played the God card this week to mobilize their vast Bible Belt fan base. Maybe James should have found a cross to kiss.) The only risk-taker left in the game is smoky-voiced Haley Reinhart. I like her, but unlike James, she's never managed to establish a consistent personality onstage. She's finished in the bottom so often, and is so routinely dissed by the judges, this week, the voters must have decided to come to her defense.

Why do we love James? Because he's so much fun to watch! An exciting and dynamic performer, he understands stagecraft and brings a richly developed sense of theatre to the table every time. How about his intuitive showmanship, designing and creating his own production numbers every week? Then there's his versatility; he can cradle a ballad or belt out a rocker without missing a beat—or a note. And OMG, that voice! His Top 5 performances this season? 1) "Maybe I'm Amazed," for its melting authenticity (he sang it again last night as his farewell song); 2) "Uprising," by Muse, for its electrifying authority; 3) "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," for its pliant, a capella beginning and big rocker finish; 4) "Heavy Metal" and "Saturday Night's All Right For Fighting" (tie), for their gutsy showmanship; 5) "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," for its quiet, stunning power. (Wait, I didn't even mention this week's playful, vocally acrobatic "Love Potion No. 9!" Well, you get the idea.)

The only losers in this scenario are the American viewing public, now cheated out of the fun of tuning in every week to see what James will do next. For his part, James achieved everyhing he set out to do—he brought a necessary shot of adrenalin to a show that's started to go a little soft and stodgy around the edges. He also proved beyond a shadow of a doubt to all America that he was born to sing.

James Durbin's American Idol dream may be over, but his career is just beginning. Not winning the Idol jackpot hasn't impeded the careers of, say, Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson (who finished Number 7 in 2004), or glam-rocker Adam Lambert, first runner-up in 2008. Idol may have let him slip away, but in the meantime, James has established a worldwide fan base. Untold gazillions of people are now primed and eager to buy his future CDs and throng to his live concerts. Like me, they all want to see what he does next.

The homecoming parade and Boardwalk bandstand performance that was to happen this Saturday have been cancelled. James has too many commitments, getting ready for the Idol finale in two weeks (in which all season contestants evidently appear), and the upcoming summer tour of the Top 10 finalists. But whenever he does come home, I hope there's still a parade in the works, for us more than him; the hometown fans are in a frenzy to show him the love!

So don't stop believin', James. You're the real deal.

TRUE COLORS, TRUE BELIEVERS

You know the producers of American Idol are on to something when they choose to open and close the show with James Durbin. It's the number one rule of showbiz: first, smack 'em upside the head and get their attention, then leave 'em wanting more. James delivered on both counts.

Although it was advertised as Leiber & Stoller night (the veteran songwriting duo who penned countless rockabilly, R&B, and Motown hits in the '50s and early '60s), Wednesday night's show was divided into two segments, giving each of the four remaining contestants two big numbers. The Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller catalogue was used in the second half of the show, but in the first half, the competitors had to pick a song that they found "inspirational."

James chose to remain absolutely true to himself, opening the show with the Journey anthem, "Don't Stop Believin'." In the preview clip, he said it represented his own personal journey that has led him to A I, "because, since Day One, I've never stopped believing." His was a straight-ahead, stand-up rendition with no tricks; some minor pyrotechnics upstage, but otherwise it was all about his powerful, persuasive voice. He brought the crowd to its feet.

It was also left to James to close the show with a high-octane, rockin' version of "Love Potion No. 9," with a powerhouse, delayed finish that was so worth the wait. (Read more)

For those of you who came in late, here's the backstory on James Durbin's excellent American Idol adventure.

PASSION PLAY

Welcome to another of my bi-weekly James Durbin updates. I continue to watch American Idol, so you don't have to. (Just follow my links to the awesome videos!)

Last week, the voting public still respected James Durbin in the morning, after his haunting, yet driving rendition of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" the night before.

But you've got another think coming if you think you've seen everything he can do. Wednesday night, he turned in not one, but two of the solid, quality performances the judges have come to expect from him every week on American Idol—a straight-up rocker, with a side of passion such as we rarely see in showbizzy Idol performances.

James was up first with the rocker, "Closer to the Edge" from the modern emo rock band 30 Seconds to Mars, combining strong vocals with an easy onstage presence. But for his second number, James came back with something completely different (as usual), the emotional, yet explosive ballad "Without You," from Harry Nilsson. (Read more)

FEARSOME FOURSOME

Today, only four contestants remain after last night's elimination round of American Idol, and, yes, James Durbin is one of them. He and fellow survivor Scotty McCreery continue to be the only two competitors who have never been in the bottom after a round of voting. The surprise last night was not who went home, but who else ended up hanging by a thread in the penalty box. (Read more.)

Next week, it's down to the Final Three. Go, James! And stay tuned...

SCFF: TAKE TEN

Ten years in the making! Believe it or not, the Santa Cruz Film Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, May 5 - May 14, with a typically full slate of cinematic goodies: 100 films and videos, of local and international origin—shorts and features, documentaries and narrative fiction, animation and live-action, commercial and experimental—along with film panels, gala receptions and other special events, presented at five venues around town.

This year's feature films are offered in a variety of sub-genres, including Cine Latino (films about the Latino experience worldwide), and, once again, a slate of eco-environmental documentaries presented in partnership with EarthVision. As in past years, cash awards will be offered in three juried competition categories: Documentary, Narrative, and the EarthVision Environmental Documentary. New this year is a competition for the Spirit of Action Prize, to be awarded to an outstanding film about a person or organization advocating for change. (Read more, and find out about half a dozen SCFF films you won't want to miss!)

COMFORT ZONES

Yo, yo, yo, Randy Jackson said it, not me. Last night on American Idol, the veteran judge told James Durbin, "I think you just might win this whole thing!," after James' sylish, inventive rendition of the old Ronettes tune, "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" It was Carole King Night, and while everyone else in the Final 6 were trying to step it up a notch and move out of their comfort zones, James proved once again that he doesn't have just one comfort zone—he's comfortable anywhere, all tempos, all musical genres.

The King songbook includes not only her solo work, but a decade of hit songs written for early Motown artists like The Shirells and The Drifters. James sang the first verse of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" a capella, just himself onstage, holding his guitar. The rhythm section kicked in on the second verse, and he shepherded the ballad through a steady, relaxed uptempo build over some marvelous high notes to a thrilling conclusion—all without breaking a sweat. No flaming pianos, no marching bands; this week it was all about his voice. But you know what? It's always been about James' voice. (Read more and watch the video!)

Now it's up to the American voting public. Will they still love James tomorrow? Stay tuned...

NOW THEY ARE SIX

Needless to say, James Durbin did not spend a single uneasy nanosecond in the penalty box on Thursday night's elimination round of American Idol, waiting to hear how America voted. It should come as no surprise to anyone who saw his performance of Muse's apocalyptic anthem, "Uprising," the night before—sung in a black leather steampunk duster, complete with marching band drum corps—that the minute James was asked to step out and hear the verdict, he was pronounced "safe" to sing another week. The odds in his favor are soaring as high as one of James' own high notes, now that there are only six contestants left. (Read more)

Btw, did I ever tell you about the time I saw Muse live (and how!) onstage? Yes, I know I mentioned it in passing last post, but I mean the whole story. I call it, "I Was a Teenage Geezer." It was all the fault of our pal, Lia Matera, who, a few years back, started burning us CD samplers of her favorite new alt rock bands.

Thanks to Lia, Art Boy and I are crazy for Brit rockers, Muse. Our favorite thing is to putter around the kitchen at the end of the workday with the Absolution CD cranked up to 11. So when Lia emailed one morning back in 2007 that she’d just bought us all online tickets to see Muse live in San Francisco at the Bill Graham Civic, even a pair of notorious homebodies like us were thrilled. Still, she almost talked Art Boy out of going, with visions of a giant mosh pit of sweating, drunken 20-year-olds flailing away while monster speakers splintered our eardrums. (Earplugs required, she told us.)

Since I hadn’t been to a rock concert in longer than anyone in Muse has been alive, I asked if they’d rope us off in the geriatric section, so as not to frighten The Youth.

“We will be completely invisible to them!” Lia promised me. “People our age are blank spaces between pheromones. We might as well put on invisibility cloaks.” (Click here for the whole sordid tale.)

I only bring this up because Muse is set to headline the gigantic outdoor music festival Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park, SF, this summer, August 12-14. Here's the info. Get in line now, says I.

YOWZA

The James Durbin show just keeps rockin' along on American Idol. Last week he was the closer, and brought down the house with his raucous "Heavy Metal." In this week's random shuffle, he was the evening's second performer on Music of the New Millennium night; typically, he brought the show to a premature climax with his powerhouse delivery of the anthem, "Uprising" by Muse.

I love Muse. I've seen them live onstage, and I can tell you, covering one of their songs is not for the fainthearted. "Uprising" is probably one of their best known numbers, played incessantly on TV a couple of years ago as the driving theme song for the sci-fi series "V." But as usual, James put his own stamp on the number.

First, there was the production: he marched out of the wings with a corps of marching band drummers who circled the stage, pounding out the beat, while James sang. Then there was the performance itself. James sang the busy lyrics with power and clarity, but while the song builds in intensity, it doesn't afford the opportunity to hit those high wailing notes that he loves. Undaunted, he created his own drama by singing two of four lines in the final chorus an octave higher. ("They will stop degrading us!") In a word: yowza. (Read more)

ROCK ON

Justice was served on American Idol last night. James Durbin survives to sing another day after his raucous performance of "Heavy Metal" with the wild guitar of legendary axeman Zakk Wylde the night before, which makes James one of the few remaining contestants who has never ended up in the bottom three after a round of voting.

However, the Curse of the X Chromosome was finally broken; for the first time since the field was narrowed down to the Final 13, a man, not a woman, was sent home. That would be Paul McDonald, and I have to say, I think it was a good call. Not that Paul isn't adorable in his own oddball way: that big grin, those goofy little dance steps. But we're moving into the big leagues now, and a contestant has to back up a pleasing personality with something more than Paul's raspy, somewhat limited voice.

I actually thought his good-timey version of Bob Seger's "Old-Time Rock 'n' Roll" on Movie Song night this week was one of his better efforts, but perhaps the voting was cumulative. Who can forget his failing to hit any of the high notes on two Elton John songs in weeks past, "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues," and "Rocket Man?"

Not every single contestant has to be a throbbing power singer. Look at Casey Abrams, or Haley Reinhart. (Who, btw, gave the best out-of-competition performance last night, a jazzy scat duet of "Moanin'" that was way more fun than anything served up by guest performers Kelly Clarkson or Rhianna, let alone their fellow competitors.) But Idol contestants hoping to turn pro have to at least know what their strengths are and play up to them, not consistently choose material that's just out of their reach.

In the penalty box with Paul last night were perennial also-ran, Stefano Langone, and (surprise!) Haley. Stefano has the opposite problem from Paul; he knows exactly what's right for his voice—big, emotional ballads—but he just keeps singing them over and over again. He needs to change it up, do something a little more daring or at least different (maybe something, you know, jaunty) once in awhile, to show he has range.

With the possible exception of Casey, who's not afraid to try all kinds of weird stuff onstage, you can't imagine anyone else in the Final 7 stepping out of their comfort zone to the degree that James does—a sensitive ballad one week, heavy metal the next, with the chops to nail it every time. Which may be the edge that takes James all the way. Stay tuned...

KISS & TELL

A funny thing happened to former Santa Cruz Sentinel columnist Claudia Sternbach when she was making the dreary rounds of agents trying to get her novel published. Just for fun, she started writing short-story snippets of memoir, snapshots from her own life very loosely grouped around a common thread: each story contained a kiss. With no thought of publication or "the marketplace," she delved into every aspect of her life's experience: comedy, tragedy, pain, laughter, and every gradation in between. Imagine her surprise when the first publisher she showed it to offered her a book contract.

The result is "Reading Lips: A Memoir of Kisses" (Unbridled Books, 224 pages, $12.95), a slim volume that builds gracefully in both chronology and impact, from childhood whimsy to complex emotional maturity. It's a wonderful book, full of insight, humor and honesty. Find out for yourself when Claudia reads from and signs copies of her book Thursday (April 14) at the Capitola Book Cafe, 7:30 p.m. (Read more)

JAMES DURBIN UPDATE

The good news is, James Durbin survived another elimination round last Thursday night. He'll be back on American Idol this week, singing up a storm.

The weird news is the one who won't: Pia. Yes, incredibly, Pia Toscano, the gorgeous diva with the huge voice, that most consistent competitor, the one contestant out of all of them who I'd have thought mainstream America (ie: the voting public) totally gets, Pia didn't make the cut. Nobody could believe it. The studio audience booed strenuously. The judges were ready to mutiny. How could this happen? (Read more)