LIVE IDOL BLOG 2/10

6:45 Hey guys, are you READY!?!? We'll be here all throughout the show to offer our running commentary. Feel free to use the comment button below to add your own thoughts. Tear it up Michael!

7:05 Here we go! We find out contestants have the option of playing an instrument or using the backup band. Just realized we don't know if Michael plays an instrument. Is this really the fourth consecutive day of Hollywood week. They don't give the guys a break?? Ok, I don't recognize several of these contestants. Waiting in that room's gotta suck. Is it a coincidence that Adam's first to perform and first in many of the fan's favorite.. wait he's singing CHER? Really? Bet that makes him fall in the fan polls.

7:10 Ok, Cher didn't work for Adam..little too risky for us. Stick to the boy songs Broadway boy. Matt Giraud was pretty good. His voice kinda reminds us of Michael's. First standing ovation of the week!! This cutting between the audition and the waiting in the room is annoying. Danny Gokey .. what was that yeehaw move of Paula's.. you think she likes him? Seriously, he's pretty good. Ok, there went another of Paula's yeehaw moves. .. that should bode well for any Texan right?

7:18 And we're back. Anook rocks. Jorge Nunez ..ehh, something about him disturbs us, especially since he made Paula do that dance. Scott McIntire, you gotta give the guy props for making it this far without the piano..that's his thing. Another standing ovation. Kindall Beard.. another Texas?! woohoo, and she even sings country, not well, but country nonetheless. Lil Rounds mastered that power ballad (someone named Lil Rounds sings power ballads??) WE GOT A GLIMPSE OF MICHAEL..

7:22 Mishavonna, back from being cut last season, was pretty good, love the tone to her voice. Okay, we're moving guys into the holding rooms. Where oh were is Michael? Nervous to see who's room he's in.. that's always the first tell. Will Norm or Tatiana be in the same room and does she annoy you as much as us?

7:30 WHAT?? Michael's in the same group as Tatiana?? wow, that's the best we've ever heard her.. oops she should have stopped before the last few notes. Alexis Grace, great, Kenny Hoffpauer, decent.. Jasmine, have always loved her. Nathaniel Marshall's in this room too?? YIKES. He IS disturbia. Joanna is one of our favorites but what happened tonight? We were sure she'd be in the final 12. Casey messed up. Steven Fowler too.. again, what is Michael doing in the same room with these guys.

7:35 Is Michael in that group afterall? Dont' see him now.. MICHAEL'S COMING UP! They showed more footage from him on his oil rig.. go roughneck! Jumping between the rooms and auditions has go us mixed up. We're not sure who's in who's room ..

7:40 Ok, good. he's in another room (we think). Nick "Norman" scares us yet somehow entertains us .. not sure what to think.. does he have a third personna to choose from.. oh, he picked the silver shirt.. sorry, but he is HILARIOUS! Nick's in room 4, with Anne Marie singing the same song every other contestant sang.. i hope you dance.. (we hope you get another song) .. Where'd Ju'not come from?? .. we like and what a cute kid (didn't another contestant use their kid to convince the judges to let them move on? guess that's a good gimmick too) Tatiana has been moved to room 4.. If I were in the room with her and Norman I'd be scared as hell!! We got another glimpse of Michael, they called him an "early favorite" and asked how will he do?? He'll rock of course.

7:50 Room 3: Kaylan Loyd, out of tune...ouch, Simon DID NOT like that.. he gave her the hand. Leneshe Young is fantastic, definitely a front runner.. now back to room 2, Kai Kalama playing guitar, not good. Here's MICHAEL .. Kara's singing with him, always a good sign right? He sounds nervous (shaky voice at end). Not the best performance we've heard from him, but still very good. We're more worried about who's room he's in. Here comes the judges... tell room 2 that performances were so sporadic. michael's in this room.. HE MADE IT.. He's coming back!!!!

7:55 CONGRATS MICHAEL Now room 3: They didn't make it.. Michael Castro (little brother to last season's Jason), Lanisha Young both in this room.. guess we were wrong about her being a front runner. Ok, is anyone else annoyed with Paula, Kara and Randy. They played us Michael's group.. we were almost convinced he hadn't made it.. guess that makes for good TV.. heart... still... beating...

8:00 Final two groups: Room 1.. these guys have to be in.. here we go with the melodrama from Randy.. and they're in .. The final room, with Tatiana, have now heard two rooms scream.. gotta be out. But now the melodrama starts.. Tatiana is crying, stop! (We just want to take a brief pause here to contemplate how truely annoying she is) Kara tries to calm Tatiana down, but it just makes it worse. But are they in? Of course it's a yes.. haven't we learned anything, when the judges go on and on about why they may not make it.. we KNOW they did.. haven't they watched the show?!

8:05 Tomorrow night: Contestants will go to judges "mansion" to find out the final 36. (I guess we've moved up from the elevator and long hall of previous seasons. And do the judges actually live in the mansion. Is this a new reality series?? What happens when 4 crazy judges are put together in one house ... ) We'd watch. Anyway, we're told the judges have reviewed tapes and have made the final decision. Each contestant will sit in chair and be told.. WAIT.. some contestants are on the fence and will have to sing in a do-or-die to make it.. MICHAEL IS ONE OF THESE. We see Michael standing up and giving one last performance .. what we heard sounded good .. judges smile. damn cliffhangers ...

Anyhoo, See you tomorrow for more torture (Tatiana), entertainment (Norm) and suspense (Michael). We can't wait!