Down to 5 contestants, so double the torture, keep all discussion of the two songs each of the contestants will inflict as well as any host malfunctions, judge eruptions or other such chaos on this thread until the West Coast finally gets the purse dogs to stop howling.

• RE: X-Factor USA Top 5 Performance ECST,Estee, 08:03 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: X-Factor USA Top 5 Performance ECST,Snidget, 09:04 PM, 12-07-11
• Recappage,Snidget, 09:04 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Recappage,Estee, 09:14 PM, 12-07-11
• Dance Music?,Snidget, 09:05 PM, 12-07-11
• Melanie Amaro,Snidget, 09:08 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Melanie Amaro,Snidget, 09:11 PM, 12-07-11
    • The Heroic Mine sings!,Estee, 09:12 PM, 12-07-11
• Marcus Canty,Snidget, 09:16 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Marcus Canty,Snidget, 09:18 PM, 12-07-11
    • RE: Marcus Canty,Estee, 09:21 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Marcus Canty,Estee, 09:19 PM, 12-07-11
• Rachel Crow,Snidget, 09:24 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Rachel Crow,Snidget, 09:27 PM, 12-07-11
    • Cynical take.,Estee, 09:29 PM, 12-07-11
• Josh Krajcik,Snidget, 09:29 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Josh Krajcik,Snidget, 09:32 PM, 12-07-11
    • The first live gender flip.,Estee, 09:36 PM, 12-07-11
• Songlets.,Estee, 09:37 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Songlets.,Snidget, 09:42 PM, 12-07-11
• Chris Rene,Snidget, 09:38 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Chris Rene,Snidget, 09:41 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Chris Rene,Estee, 09:42 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Chris Rene,agman, 11:12 PM, 12-07-11
• Melanie Amaro,Snidget, 09:47 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Melanie Amaro,Snidget, 09:52 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Melanie Amaro,Estee, 09:54 PM, 12-07-11
• Marcus Canty,Snidget, 09:58 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Marcus Canty,Snidget, 10:01 PM, 12-07-11
    • RE: Marcus Canty,Estee, 10:05 PM, 12-07-11
      • RE: Marcus Canty,Snidget, 10:12 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Marcus Canty,Estee, 10:03 PM, 12-07-11
• Rachel Crow,Snidget, 10:08 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Rachel Crow,Snidget, 10:11 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Rachel Crow,Estee, 10:13 PM, 12-07-11
• Josh Krajcik,Snidget, 10:13 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Josh Krajcik,Snidget, 10:17 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Josh Krajcik,Estee, 10:20 PM, 12-07-11
• Chris Rene,Snidget, 10:23 PM, 12-07-11
  • RE: Chris Rene,Snidget, 10:27 PM, 12-07-11
    • RE: Chris Rene,Estee, 10:32 PM, 12-07-11
      • RE: Chris Rene,Snidget, 10:37 PM, 12-07-11
• RE: X-Factor USA Top 5 Performance ECST,Max Headroom, 11:12 PM, 12-07-11
• This may be a bad sign.,Estee, 11:59 PM, 12-07-11

The program guide is claiming ten songs in ninety minutes. I'm predicting this is the night where Timekeeper completely loses it.

The fun question for the next two evenings (and beyond): how is Simon going to take revenge for what happened with Drew? Because Simon is going to take revenge. Some of it might wait for staff turnover and finale sound sabotage, but it's hard to believe he won't take at least a token immediate shot across someone's bow.

I'm hoping the time keeper loses it, I need the amusement.

Simon's pissed, judges at war, Drew in tears. Only 5 remine. fighting for a place in the semi-finals.

LA and the boys Chris and Marcus
Simon and the girls, Melanie and Rachel
Nicole and the last of the over 30's Josh

It's Time to Face The Music.

Simon can throw his fits all he wants.

If they want a war they are going to get a war.

So far, I'm reading Simon's plan as 'If mine are safe, I'm voting the most talented out of the B2.'

LAST EDITED ON 12-07-11 AT 09:06 PM (EST)

with a DJ?

I'm Skating and I know it.

Judge intro.

#Glovesareoff

Evil LED raining lights.

Someone Like You--Adele

Is that real confetti? Guess it is.

LA. Really good. Only thing that bothered me was that it was really good. Congratulations.

Nicole. It is a big risk taking on Adele. You sounded like the rock star diva that you are tonight.

Paula. You look stunning and happy. Too short is my only complaint.

Simon. What I love was that wasn't karaoke. The change in you, revealed the real you, confidence sound like a diva. Could have a hit record with that version.

LAST EDITED ON 12-07-11 AT 09:14 PM (EST)

So if I've got the intent of that performance staging right, she was standing on a lightbridge while defective turrets danced around her and the portal edges at the back flashed blue and orange.

It wasn't a bad vocal rendition, but her styling doesn't quite mesh with the music -- and there was just too much going on with the rest of the stage. Therefore, GlaDOS has declared this test as failed. (Yet Another Stupid Wheatley Song Pick.)

Paula has a lot of nerve saying someone else too short.

Two time champion of what?

Drop that beat.

"Ain't Nobody" by Rufus & Chaka Khan

The songs do seem really short tonight.

Nicole. Honey, you took us to church and the dance club at the same time. You have earned your spot to be here today. God has a plan for you.

Paula. even playing field like the first time we saw you.

Simon. Shouldn't be happy with you. To be fair, judge you within the competition. That was a very very good performance. Have to give you credit. Like when you don't blame others, came back strong and proved the point.

LA. We need people to vote, vote, vote, vote, vote.

Honey, you took us to church and the dance club at the same time. You have earned your spot to be here today. God has a plan for you.

To me, this comes across as Nicole begging for Drew's fanbase not to backlash on Marcus and back him with all of their mostly-imagined might. She might know Josh is safer than anyone and be trying desperately to get Simon's last two in the B2 -- singly or together, doesn't matter, as long as they can be voted out.

Absolute doom as absolute freedom.

He's the leading contender in Getting His Butt Kicked By The Vote. And that was a deliberate stab from Reid towards Simon. But then, Reid's got a job to go back to, so...

It felt as if Marcus was the lead in a retro 80s vector-graphics video game. And the controls were just about that clunky. He managed to keep up with the song, but the whole thing felt cheesier than a 11:59 p.m. Christmas Eve emergency gift baskey. He isn't improving and I can't see him picking up Drew's church votes. Tomorrow's results are going to be an ibid -- and who saves him this time?

Answer: if he's against Rachel or Melanie, everyone except Simon.

own choice of song, no chair.

Nothin' On You

Wait, two fairly recent songs so far?

That has to be wrong.

LA. singing about beautiful girls who were you singing to, Paula and Nicole, good answer.

Nicole. Waiting for the Rachel Crow doll to come out to come out complete with her own bathroom. Fun and youthful.

Paula. Beautifully fearless, vocal depth, you nailed up tempo, great song.

Simon. I'm waiting for the Nicole voo-doo doll to come out. You know you'd buy it. You did stand up comedy? Makes you at triple threat. Sometimes with girls your age you have sell to grandmas...

Reid: "Are you gay?"

Other than that, this was the Attack Of The Tragic Non-Hipsters. Everyone's being drowned out by the foreground dancers tonight.

We Found Love

LA. Josh, we know you can sing. In the recording world I can't see you doing that song. I just didn't buy it. You were great as a singer, don't buy that song for you.

Paula. The kind of artist Josh is, can make any song as a dance hit. Production was brilliant.

Simon. I agree with LA, good voice, song inappropriate. You were surrounded by a ridiculous dance routine that was distracting. Second time it happened. Lucky you have a second song. Nicole you got this wrong, spend time in America rather than England.

Nicole, how relevant you are as an artist. Made that song his own.

LA and Simon disagreeing.

Josh thinks it is dark and uplifting at the same time.

I have never seen that wagging 'no' finger being executed by a straight male before -- not until Reid pulled it off on a plausibly-live broadcast. Then again, I'm just assuming he's straight...

We're seeing more fallout from last week. Nicole? Is somewhere beyond fired: she just hasn't stopped collecting checks yet. Reid is trying to sabotage Josh's vote, Paula is suddenly on the Cowell Revenge Squad, and Simon will not say anything good about Josh until he goes twenty parsecs past obvious.

As for the routine? Everyone else got killed by their dancers. Josh was taken out by his own lightshow.

What's shorter than an exert? They cut the songs, they cut the intro cells... Sure, most of that went right into judge fighting, but they are desperate to get this thing off the air tonight. Is Timekeeper's ear bleeding yet?

Any shorter and we'd be playing that old game show where you bet how few notes it would take you to guess the song.

Live Your Life Hey-ey-ey

Nicole. Going to teach LA something aobut love, live your life we are living it with you. Love your spirit and energy. Wrote the verses, sounds like you wrote the hook as well.

Paula, had the crowd going, I loved it.

Simon. I saw the look on your face, you didn't think you were going through. Public supporting an artist like this. Not the best singer, but doing brilliant. Nearly fell off.

LA. Keep improving each week, wrote your own lyrics all you need is VOTES. PLEASE VOTE FOR MY BOYS DON'T LET THEM BE IN THE BOTTOM TWO I AM BEGGING YOU.

Gosh is that man desperate or what. VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE.

The stage has a built-in slidewalk.

The Worsters must be in afterglow right now. 'It's a dance number! And he had to stand still and let the floor dance for him!'

Oh, listen to Simon, damning with Kara's praise! You can't sing, but my, aren't you commercial! And that was commercial. A Pepsi commercial. That ends with Chris' hair being set on fire.

Overall, a bad opening round. Does anyone have a punch in them tonight? Someone other than the panel?

Yech

Had to move the pepsi challenge songs to next week, some unspecified error, so sing songs they have chosen, only found out last night. Will sing their save me songs instead.

There Can Be Miracles.

Too much range, she couldn't sing some of the low notes she needed to in this key.

With that make up I really wanted to see Sanatana from Glee singing that.

Melanie has to say something quick to explain it.

LA. Look who sent him.

Melanie keeps blathering on.

LA. That was great, you really thought of that last night, unbelievable. Safe but amazing.

Nicole. Um, you gave me goosebumps. what was so special you were speaking the song and believed every single world. In awe of you.

Paula. When I close my eyes I can hear the greats. Where less is more totally worked.

Simon. If you think singing Mariah/Whitney in 24 hours is safe, she sang that incredibly. A good friend of mine, the guy who signed Whitney, Clive Davis. You gotta pick up the phones, if she is in the piranha pool she is out.

Reid continuing the subtle attempts at sabotage by suggesting a long-term plan for that routine along with the declaration of a safe choice...

I felt the opening stanzas were weak, but she hit her stride on the second half and managed to find the gospel that lurks in the heart of that song. (The background singers were trying to weaken the whole thing with all their little hearts.) One of her stronger performances, and having this be the night that wardrobe, hair, and makeup all simultaneously figured out what to do with her won't hurt the vote count.

No miracle, but getting competence to the stage tonight is at least a really low probability event.

Survived the bottom twice.

A Song For You

10 million, that's a bit hopeful isn't it?

Nicole. Thank you for reminding us why we fell in love with you. So much grace. Like a young al Green, beautiful.

Paula. One of your best performances. Your eyes do not live. Storyteller.

Simon. I thought it was good. Not jumping out of my chair. I've heard that kind of version so many times, liked a twist. More comfortable on the first song. Bit boring.

LA. Ali got knocked down and came back like a champion. Don't listen to the nonsense. I got your back, my man.

10 million, that's a bit hopeful isn't it?

He rounded up from 9.8.

Your eyes do not live.

...what?

Um lie?

If the spell check doesn't catch the typos they go live. I often replace words with other correctly speeled words.

Well,,,

,,,he has the best b&w picture in the group...

It felt like he's decided he has to sing a farewell song every week. By the end of this borefest, I was waiting for Timekeeper to escort him off the stage. Except that Paula & Nicole would have found an excuse to save him yet again, and watching them talk away the last one pre-performance might have been the funniest part of the night.

Still waitng for The Next Big Twist. Maybe they're bringing Fakethis back.

Music & Me

LA. Love you picked that song, your vision for you is inspiring. Hear rumors, that hollywood is circling the wagons, the star we always thought you were.

Nicole. Old soul in a 13 year old. Beautiful.

Paula. Such a great role model, you are amazing. magical.

SImon. Keep away from her Paula she's doing just fine. I like the fact you chose the songs. Both songs worked. Like an old soul (said Paula rather than Nicole and that caused a fuss)

All Done?

So she can go mini-diva when she needs to. Good to know.

Again, competence -- but not a lot beyond that, if you don't count the flashes behind my eyelids which are refusing to go away. It's still one of those nights where that's high praise, and I still feel she's Final Three -- but it may be a rougher climb than earlier predicted.

LAST EDITED ON 12-07-11 AT 10:13 PM (EST)

Something--Beatles

Well Nicole ovulated to that.

LA. Thank God you had a second song. That is what I love. Ever so slightly Karaoke.

Paula. adjectives don't measure up to you. So glad we found you.

Simon. Compared to the first song this was a massive improvement. May be under pressure, you look insane half way through. Nicole interrupts. Get lost and let me finish. My advice, do not allow any more crazy choreography around you. Don't need any props.

Nicole. That's right Simon is like the male Adele in the industry, that is a little something I like to call Krajcik Magic. I just need America to not let the real thing go, vote for Josh.

He did it honor.

That may get lost in the wake of the Simon & Nicole show that followed, but I want it on the record: no matter how much those two are at each other's throats (as Reid continues his plan of death by paper cuts on the side), Josh got up there and did a rendition which honored the original. I feel that was just above Melanie's second number as the best of the night.

Not that the panel wants us listening to the music any more. We're supposed to listen to them. And place side bets on who throws the first punch.

He wrote it? Phone call from Stevie Wonder.

Original Song. Not going to guess.

Playing guitar while singing where do we go from here over and over and over and over and over and over and maybe we'll be lucky and he'll do this long enough to save us from the awful sitcom that follows.

Nope, too bad.

Nicole. Sky's the limit with you, baby. Amazing, take this moment in.

Paula. Universe works in mysterious ways. Have to trust the universe. This show allowed your originality.

Simon. This stage of the show, $5 million at stake, either stupidity or a stroke of genius. I like you. That was a stroke of genius.

LA. So proud of you. The night we met you, did an original song, back to where you started and I could not be more proud.

If it's an original, why do I feel as if I've heard it fifty times in the last day of radio play alone? Ultimately, all I got out of that was 'Hey, ladies! I'm younger than Josh, you have more to fix, and I? Also have a guitar!'

Not impressed. But my opinion does not affect his survival.

Or on Buffy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzY0VuS2pc0

For once I watched this in (almost) real time, and I wasn't impressed. I thought Melanie and Rachel rocked their first songs, Marcus and Josh rocked their second songs, and Chris... well, someone has to go home this week.

The VFTW update thread has tumbleweeds blowing through it.