Forte was the only act to deliver on “America’s Got Talent” tonight. (Photo courtesy of NBC & SYCO Entertainment)
By: Jacob Elyachar
Last week, millions tuned into America’s Got Talent’s very first live show at Radio City Music Hall and saw the KriStef Brothers, Collins Key, Branden James and Anna Christine advance to the Semi-Finals.
Who impressed the judges: Howard Stern, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Mel B? Who got X’ed? Read on to find out….
The first act to take the stage was Innovative Force. While the girls’ jaws dropped when they stepped on the stage, they did not let the pressure of the Radio City Music Hall stage get to them. Innovative Force’s 90-second routine was filled with amazing stunts that included cartwheels and an intimidating heartbeat. Mel B stated that she was impressed with the fact that they filled the stage and Heidi gave them “Two Thumbs Up!” A-
Hawaiian Ciana Pelekai sang a strong cover of Emeli Sande’s “Next to Me.” She had great vocal runs and has a superb vocal range that could give Ariana Grande a run for her money. While Ciana received a standing ovation from the Radio City Music Hall audience, she received mixed feedback from the judges. Howie stated that she had the entire package but Howard said that it was not her best performance. I sides with Howie on this one. A-
Moldavian native Alexander Magala traveled to the United States after watching his show in his home country. He performed a scary stunt involving a live firework and swallowing a sword. While all of the judges praised his act, it was just too scary to watch and I honestly think that he should not move to the next round due to safety issues. C
Local natives Struck Boyz hoped to show off swag on the Radio City Music Hall stage. All seven guys produced a great routine that made the audience scream and made their moms beam. However, the judges were once again divided as the women loved watching them and the men stated that they did not do a good job. I am on Team Mel B and Heidi on this issue. B
53-year-old danger master Brad Beyers grossed out the audience as he put his tongue to a fan and had his brother drive over him in an ATV while he was on a bed of nails. A majority of the judges thought that Brad lacked showmanship and missed the Wow Factor! C+
Bronx native Kid the Wiz had to step his game because of what happened during the Vegas Callbacks and promised the judges that he would not mess up…Unfortunately, he dropped the hat twice on the stage. For the second time of the night, the judges were divided by gender. The men stated that they seen the act before but the women said that they were captivated by his charisma and stated that every teen needed to vote for him tonight. While Wiz is a talented dancer, it got repetitive quick and I sided with both Howie and Howard on this one. B-
Operatic trio Forte shined in Vegas and continued to bond in New York City. Tonight, they stole the show with their cover of West Side Story’s signature ballad: “Somewhere.” When the guys sang their solos…it was spectacular, but when they sang their three-part harmonies, they sent the audience to the moon! Howard, Heidi and Howie gave them a standing ovation and predicted the Top 10…but Mel B stated that they would divide the country because Scary Spice thought it was over-the-top. A+
Comedian and impressionist Angela Hoover did impressions of the NBC female judges. While her Mel B was spot on, her Heidi needed to be polished and she failed to grasp the right way to do Christina Aguilera. Heidi and Mel stated that she made them laugh; Howard stated that she had weak material for the Radio City Music Hall stage. B
Comedian Dave Shirley hoped to combine comedy and technology to impress the Radio City Music Hall crowd. Unfortunately, his timing was way off and I 100-perecent agree with the judges that he needed more time to make this perfect. I wish that we had Eric Schwartz instead of Dave on this stage. D-
Kentucky native Marty Brown became a fan-favorite after his heartfelt rendition of “Make You Feel My Love.” Tonight, Marty went from hero to zero in very pitchy cover of Shania Twain’s “You Still The One.” It was a train wreck and not worthy of a million dollars! If we were going a strong country singer, then the judges should have put through Milton Patton. F
The Aquanuts could not perform their act in Radio City Music Hall, so the show pre-recorded their routine on a New York City rooftop. While they impressed the audience on the rooftop, Howie stated that they did not dazzle. I thought that they were in sync, had a great routine and could face off in the Judges’ picks. B-
Tone the Chiefrocca closed the night with his one-hit: “BOOTY.” Tone wrote the song 10 years ago and has not written a sequel since. Surrounded by dozens of back-up dancers and a hot rod, Tone danced around the stage and delivered an over-the-top cover that received a standing ovation of Howie, Mel B & Heidi. While this might be the last time, he entertained the crowd and made people smile. A-
Tomorrow night, Brad Paisley and Robin Thicke will provide the entertainment and four semi-finalists will be revealed!
