Concert Review: Pacific Amphitheatre, Costa Mesa, CA 7/28/10

Alliholics | Aug 05, 2010 | Comments 16

Allison Iraheta performs at the Costa Mesa show

Picture by @orchidas

Watch the videos and other media for that tour stop: HERE

Blog review from the Costa Mesa show by Randi Reed of Music Biz Advice Blog. Only the Allison part is included, if you would like to read the entire review, follow the link here

Allison Iraheta:

One of the frustrating things about American Idol has been its skill at killing a good artist’s rock cred. Idol’s core audience tends to be frightened by anything edgy or angry, and the audience that would usually like the edgier contestants is kept away by the perception that anyone who’s been on American Idol can’t possibly be cool.

This, I fear, may be the nemesis of Allison Iraheta’s career: the girl is just too cool for American Idol.

With powerful stage presence and a flirty-cool rocker chick stage persona, she comes off wise beyond her years. Her naturally raspy voice sounded a little tour –weary, but somehow works for her, and sounded edgy and cool, rather than tired.

In fact, she reminds me a little of the Divinyls’ Christina Amphlett, but with her own unique vibe, and I can see her potential to develop a similar cult following. But then there’s that damn American Idol thing hanging on her back.

She performed a good set overall, with a decent band, albeit with some “help”: it bothered me that I could hear her voice on the backup vocals and not just on the lead. With her talent, Allison Iraheta doesn’t need to resort to such tricks, which only further lessen her credibility in the rock world…which is a shame, because without the Idol mark on her back, I feel she could be a contender to be huge in the rock world. (A colleague remarked, “Maybe she could change her name and start over to get rid of the Idol thing?”)

All in all, I enjoyed Allison’s set and would see her again; frankly, I enjoyed her performance more than Orianthi’s. Aside from the vocal help, the only major flaw I could find with Allison Iraheta’s performance was that it came to an abrupt end; she ran offstage with nary a “thank you”, bow, or goodnight.

But first tours are for learning that sort of thing.

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  • classicrocker

    The writer may have a point. It is hard to break away from the “Idol” label. That label does deter some people for some reason. I also agree that Allison should hang around at the end of her set and accept the thanks of her fans as she well deserves. Allison has enormous talent and will rise above it all by being true to herself. She doesn't need to dress in funky costumes, perform weird stunts or need a huge entourage of dancers around her. Her voice does it all and she'll earn her way to the top without illusions. This will, in the end, be more fulfilling and ever lasting without a doubt.

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  • http://twitter.com/Maracev Soy yo

    I agree. I've always felt that while American Idol is a huge help because it gives her a starting audience it can also be a big problem because there's a certain stigma that hangs around those who come from that show. Allison being a woman and so young has it even thougher to break out in the rock world. AI really kills anyone's rock cred and I feel that Allison's natural target audience is not the AI audience at all, too bad they probably won't give her a chance because of where she got her start. I wish people would keep presenting her as AI finalist and start introducing her as she is, Jive recording artist.

    I also agree that Allison will rise above it all by staying true to who she is, no gimmicks necessary.

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  • Mendijarj

    Totally agree,Allison's rare & unique voice will take her anywhere.That's a STAMP & GUARANTEE to herself.She is crystal clear stands out among others.She doesn't need props whatsoever.

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  • http://twitter.com/Maracev Soy yo

    I meant to say I wish people would STOP introducting her as American Idol finalist and more as Jive recording artist Allison Iraheta. Not to mention I hate that they're using old pictures from AI whenever there's a write up about her. She has grown so much and doesn't really look like the AI kid anymore.

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  • Lauren

    Do you think starting a band might be a good idea? One point in the article stated she should change her name and start over (lol. too extreme), but maybe a band with a cool name (don't look at me I am not creative enough) would help. Also, I can see how it would be best to just have Allison singing and no backup, but with this grueling tour I am glad that she takes the help.

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  • http://twitter.com/Maracev Soy yo

    I think the point about the backups is that they're not live backups but recorded and it sounds a little cheap sometimes. I like it better when it's just her singing and Liz doing backup vocals. David, Val and Gerry can also sing, so if they get to a point in which they can all do backup vocals at the right time, she won't need the pre-recorded stuff and it'll sound much better.

    I think fronting a band isn't a bad idea and call me silly but having a latin difficult to pronounce last name (not for me, but I'm puerto rican) isn't helping her. People have a hard time remembering and spelling her name, sad but true.

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  • gracew

    I agree with you about the backups. Frankly I've listened to a number of the performance videos from different tour stops and hadn't noticed that some of them were pre-recorded. That was a good catch by the reviewer. I would agree with the reviewer's attitude that Alli is too good to need that sort of back-up – but then, I've never been on tour, and I've never experienced the challenges that go with that. Maybe everyone who's part of Alli's act needs that extra support – or maybe they've just started adding it since tour got extended and they realized they are going to have to keep performing on such a crazy schedule.

    As far as her name goes – I understand your point, but I don't personally think it is that big of a problem. I mean, did having a difficult-for-non-Spanish-speaking-Americans-to-pronounce-and-spell name stop other Latino/a recording artists like Shakira, Christina Aguilera or Enrique Iglesias? And Allison has embraced the fact that most Americans can't pronounce her name correctly by adopting an “Americanized” version and pronouncing it “eye-ruh-hee-tuh”.

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  • gracew

    Sadly, I see everyone's point about American Idol. Said label doesn't seem to be affecting Adam Lambert in a negative way, but he and Allison are very different types of artists. He's focusing on “glam rock”, a music style that seems to me to draw from both rock and pop music fans without really falling squarely into either category. Allison has stated that she wants to do harder rock, and I can see where true hardcore rock fans would be less willing to accept her because she has the AI label.

    Personally, I think she's talented enough to get people to ignore the preconceptions they might have about an AI artist, if they just gave her music a chance. But the question is how to get people to give her that chance. I am really hopeful that even if they don't create a full-on duo or band (Allianthi!), a collaboration between Alli and Orianthi would help expose Allison to some of these other listeners. Ori may be mostly producing pop songs on her own albums, but it seems like she is well-respected in the rock community for her crazy guitar skills. So a collaboration between the two of them on songs that are more rock than pop might really help Allison hit that target audience.

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  • http://twitter.com/BadBeatLV Bad Beat

    I know Allison has, on occasion, used prerecorded backup vocals in the past (probably not her idea) but I thought her recent tour performances were 100% live. I've listened to some of her Costa Mesa performances and cannot hear recorded backup vocals. So I'm not totally convinced that she is using recorded backup vocals. Would someone help me face the truth by pointing out a specific time within a recent tour performance where it it is obvious that recorded backup vocals were used. TIA.

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  • http://twitter.com/Maracev Soy yo

    I haven't heard it recently but I have caught it a few times, mostly in the first months of tour, I don't hear it that much anymore. The times I did hear it were in Holiday, near the end and Robot Love. I also heard it the first time she did Beat me up. I don't think they're using it as much anymore though.

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  • Lauren

    Well I feel stupid because I never realized there were recorded backups. I can see the dislike for those. I thought he was talking about when Liz sings backup. Interesting thoughts on her last name being a stumbling block for her. I still don't get what is so difficult about it. I can see how it can be mispronounced the way Ryan Seacrest did, but even the way he said it it is not too difficult. I like her last name.

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  • Lauren

    “I think she's talented enough to get people to ignore the preconceptions they might have about an AI artist, if they just gave her music a chance. But the question is how to get people to give her that chance.”

    Great points!

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  • Mendijarj

    Same here,i don't think changing her name is a good idea.Changing name is like changing the whole person,then she won't be Allison Iraheta anymore.To me that only create confusion.Seriously,she's perfectly fine,no need to change anything.She juz do what she does best.THOSE WHO LOVED HER WILL SUPPORT HER NO MATTER WHAT & ACCEPT HER FOR WHO SHE IS.

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  • Mendijarj

    Same here,i don't think changing her name is a good idea.Changing name is like changing the whole person,then she won't be Allison Iraheta anymore.To me that only create confusion.Seriously,she's perfectly fine,no need to change anything.She juz do what she does best.THOSE WHO LOVED HER WILL SUPPORT HER NO MATTER WHAT & ACCEPT HER FOR WHO SHE IS.

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  • ale alejandra

    she IS too cool for IDOL

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  • Mendijarj

    Not only that Alli is too cool 4 idol,other reviewer says SHE IS WORTH MORE THAN AMERICAN IDOL!!!

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