Hey guys!!!
I thought ya'll might be interested in reading about my oldest daughter's American Idol audition in Atlanta this week. She unfortunately didn't make the cut, but still had lots of fun, and wants to try out again next season!!!
The registration days were on Sunday and Monday, but because of some special happenings at church on Sunday, we (Mrs Tanbuns and myself, both of our daughters, and our grandson) could not drive down to Atlanta until Sunday evening. We checked into the hotel around midnight, knowing that we weren't going get much sleep if we were make it to the Ga. Dome by 5am.
Each contestant was allowed to bring only one person to the audition, and both had to register and receive arm bands. So my youngest daughter (Whitney) was going to register and enjoy the experience with her older sister (Lacey). I was going to walk in with them as far as they would let me.
I fully expected there to be a huge line waiting to register, but was surprised to see no lline at all. They told us that for the first time, registration had been around the clock for the 48 hours, meaning that we could have come on at midnight and registered. Here is a picture of them, with their armbands. Lacey is on the left with the purple armband.
When we arrived at the Ga. Dome at 5am on audition day Tuesday, there was already a long line waiting to get in. BTW, the time was not right on my daughter's camera.
My daughter's estimated that close to 15,000 auditioned, since the lower section of the 80,000 seat Ga. Dome was full of contestants and friends.
The auditons did not get started until nearly noon. Before that, they did lots of recordings of "Welcome to Hotlanta", "Season 7 of American Idol starts in Atlanta", and also taught and recorded them singing the city song, "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" otherwise known as "The Coke Song"!!! They called us one time so excited, when Ryan Seacrest made an appearance welcoming everone to the auditions. (Those pictures didn't turn out very good)
They said it was like an icebox inside the dome, so they spent a lot of time outside. They called us, and said that there were lots of people hanging around outside who weren't wearing armbands, so we decided to go hang out too. While out there, a news crew was interviewing some of the early ones to make it through. One was a set of twins, who had made it pretty far in an earlier season. Here is a picture of them with the girls.
We also got a picture with Season 6 11th place finisher Brandon Rogers, who was there working for the TV Guide channel.
We made lots of pictures with those who either made it through, or we predicted would make it through. This girl, Blair Mosingo, was an early one to make it.
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Before they auditioned (still wearing their purple armbands) we predicted that these two would make it, because of their outrageous outfits.
Blake wanted the FOX cameraman in the picture too.
BTW, both the SheMale and the Beauty Queen did make it through.
Others to make it .....
This guy was really nice. His name was Torey.
Here is a group of six who made it. This was the third time trying for the girl on lower right in red stripes. Her name was Genevieve
Both of these girls made it.
All three of these guys made it.
Finally around 7pm, it was my daughter's turn to audition. They auditioned on the field, at one of several tables.
My daughter didn't make it through this time. She said that they cut some really good singers. People in the stadium would boo the judges sometimes when they did not keep a really good singer.
If the larger pictures mess up the margins for anyone, let me know and I will try to edit them.