Welcome to Pure America's Got Talent

So now that most of Tuesday evening’s acts are posted… it’s onward to Wednesday evening and the seventeen acts that graced the stage and eventually America’s television sets. Unfortunately I’m only going to mention sixteen of them, because one of them I realized I have no recollection of, I must have blocked it from memory.

As always the following list are acts that are “nameless”, mainly those where information online is either confusing or scarce. So if anyone out there happens to have more information about the acts in these posts, please do not hesitate to contact us or leave a comment in the post.

Again, as a quick reminder, that these posts only cover acts that graced the Chicago Theatre stage on the evening tapings of Tuesday and Wednesday.

Wednesday Evening’s Taping (POSSIBLE SPOILERS):

Read more…

Camille and Kennerly Diebold are identical twins that seem to do everything together. They are models, actors, martial artists, marksmen, volunteers and harpists. The harp is their first love and their passion. Their goal is to bring the harp to the mainstream… but other than being two gorgeous women how are they planning to do that? By arranging mainstream music so that it can be played upon two harps.

And that was what they did for their act. Played a mainstream song on a harp.

But how did the judges take it? We’ve had an act come through a couple of seasons ago that did a powerful classical rendition of a mainstream song. Can this duo act do the same?

You can find out more about the twins at their website, show your support via their Facebook Page or follow them on Twitter! To hear some of their music just head over to their YouTube channel.

Stay tuned for the Chicago Audition episodes rumored to be showing in mid-June! And don’t forget that Season 5 of America’s Got Talent begins on the First of June!

Band Number Two of the evening: Gentlemen of NUCO. The members of the band are comprised of:
- Henry Wang on Violin
- Hugh Palmer on Violin
- Yoshi Nakano on Viola
- Charles Asch on Cello
- Josh Fink on Bass
- Corey Bertelsen on Percussion
- Patrick Slevin on Percussion
An eclectic group of gentlemen that mesh pop culture music with classical sounds. What started out as part of the Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra… this group of young gentlemen created their own group to play the mainstream music that they enjoy with the music that they are very talented in.

Coming onstage with their own rendition of Kelly Clarkson’s Since You’ve Been Gone (instrumental, since there are no vocalists in the group) the mix of classical and mainstream works seamlessly together.

Although to this blogger their personality seems to stem through their music, the judges believe that their stage presence leave much to be desired going so far as to tease them for jumping in sync on beat during the song… but is their talent going to be enough for the judges to pass them on to Vegas?

Go and visit the Gentlemen of NUCO on their website via their bass-man, Josh Fink. To show your support, join The Gentlemen of NUCO on either their Facebook or MySpace pages. To listen to some of their music simply head on over to their YouTube channel to see what else they have covered.

And finally you can listen to samples of their album: Radiohead’s OK Computer, now available via Amazon.com and iTunes .

I’m really excited, because I just got word that I’m going to be able to attend the taping of the America’s Got Talent Las Vegas auditions. This is huge since obviously the Las Vegas auditions are closed to the general public. Of course, they’re going to have me on a strict gag order (or something like that) as far as who’s made it to Las Vegas and who goes on to Hollywood. However, I don’t think that most of you would want me to tell you that information anyway since it would ruin the anticipation.

What I will be able to tell you is general feelings of what to expect. They types of judges reactions. Plus, after the fact I can probably tell you things that hit the cutting room floor. It should be interesting to see the process first hand.

The other cool part is that they think they’ll be able to get me an interview with one of the judges. That should be a lot of fun. If all goes well, I’ll do a video interview and be able to post it on here before the show even starts.

On that note, if you have a question you’d like to ask the judges, leave me a comment and I’ll see if I can ask if during my interview.

Here it is, the round two of the acts that auditioned in Chicago on Tuesday evening… As in with the last post, the acts where I could not find information about online or information online is confusing are clumped together into these “nameless” posts.

So if you happened to have any information about the following acts, please either contact us or leave a comment so that we may give that particular act it’s own post.

Again, a quick reminder, that this short series of posts only cover the evening tapings of Chicago on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tuesday Evening’s Taping (POSSIBLE SPOILERS):

Read more…

This group of dancers specializes in the realm of steppin and hip-hop.

Originally met and banded together at Florida A & M University to create the group the FAMU Strikers they were invited to participate in the show: America’s Best Dance Crew (Season 3) some of their videos could be found on YouTube.

However, their group consisted of over the requisite seven and a few members opted out for the good of the group during that season and the Strikers moved through the weeks until they were eventually eliminated on Week 6: The Battle of the Sexes Challenge

Now they are back and ready to take on America’s Got Talent. During their audition their transition from steppin into hip-hop was seamless. Throw in a little bit of extra that they learned from ABDC and they have a charismatic and strong package. Piers being one that dislike things being “mixed-up” told them that either they are dancers or tumblers and to simple choose one. Sharon and Howie disagreed and enjoyed what they brought to the stage and potentially to the show.

So what do you think? Do they have a chance to Vegas? Or do them mixing things up going to hurt them in the end?

Show your support by joining their Facebook Page or their MySpace Page. You could also view some of their videos on their YouTube channel or follow them on Twitter.

If you want information on their time on America’s Best Dance Crew, go to their Facebook Page dedicated to the Strikers All Stars as seen on ABDC

Blue Sky Canopy is a band based out of Minneapolis, MN. According to their Facebook Page, the band consists of four friends:
- Jamison Murphy: Lead Vocals and Piano
- Brian Johnson: Guitar and Vocals
- Matt Peterson: Bass and Vocals
- Grant Gibeau: Drums

However, only Jamison and Brian were in attendance at the Chicago auditions which makes one wonder, what happened to the other half of the band? In any case, these two handsome college students go to separate universities and create their music with one another via the internet (what a way to use technology). They have a couple of LPs (self-titled and Real) that are available on Amazon.com and iTunes, and when they have free time it is used primarily to work on their music together (versus via the Internet).

The Fray – You Found Me (Cover)

So when these two friends came to Chicago for the AGT auditions they sang a known cover that the audience loved and enjoyed. In fact the audience loved it so much that they cheered, applauded, danced in the rows from the moment they started singing and well after they were done with their piece. The audience applause was so deafening that the judges were unable to listen to the majority of the act. However, what little that Piers and Sharon were able to hear seemed to indicate that Jamison was clearly the stronger of the two and in order for him to move on he would have to drop his friend along the way.

The audience nor Jamison – needless to say – did not agree with this assessment. Howie even said that it was difficult to hear them over the audience noise. For a long while, Piers and Sharon tried to convince Jamison that the best thing for him right now to continue growing as an artist is to drop his friend and go out as a solo act, because in him they saw a star.

Jamison, loyalty taking over, insisted that wherever he goes, his friend Brian will go with. He even tried to negotiate with the judges that he’ll go solo as long as he could take Brian with him. As it appears, Jamison seemed a bit stage shy or nervous, but when he has his friend on stage with him, he’ll be alright. Jamison even said that Brian’s harmonies are “out of this world”. It would appear that Jamison wanted the judges to give his friend a fair shake in the close confines of Las Vegas, to hear them without the noise and distractions of the audience before making a final decision on them.

He was stubborn but adamant and willing to turn down a chance to move on to Vegas if it meant leaving his friend behind. Howie said that he doesn’t know what Brian is capable of, but basing off of comments from Piers and Sharon he has decided that they should NOT go to Vegas. Next up Piers… Piers thought about it for a long while, throughout all this the audience chanting Vegas, Vegas, Vegas. And finally declared that it didn’t hurt Ringo Starr to be with the Beatles, so it’s not going to hurt Jamison to have Brian with him. A split decision! Last was Sharon… who stared at Jamison, continuously saying that he was being stubborn and that stubbornness could eventually hurt him in the end… but she also said that it is that stubbornness that could help him too.

So which side would Sharon choose? Would she choose to side with her first instinct and not send them on to Vegas? Or would she give Brian the second chance and send them through?

Either way you can keep up with them on their website: BlueSkyCanopy.com and show your support on their Facebook Page. For those of you that prefer MySpace over Facebook, they have a MySpace page with some of the their music available to listen to or even keep up with their tweets on Twitter!

They also have a couple of YouTube channels here and here for you to enjoy as we all wait for the premiere of America’s Got Talent Season 5.

So what is a laryngospasm? According to Wikipedia and other websites – medical or otherwise – it is an uncontrolled reaction (aka spasm) to the vocal chords. So I suppose if you’re singing, that’s one way of looking at it.

But the other, lesser known definition of Laryngospasms (or Spasms for short), is the male singing quartet of practicing Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists.

The best way to describe this group is that they take popular songs and create musical, medical parodies of them. Case in point in a Christmas party many moons ago a couple of the original members were singing Breaking Up is Hard to Do by Neil Sedaka , and thanks to a suggestion from an audience member, created a parody called:

Waking Up is Hard to Do.

With a couple of albums and videos on YouTube. They have gigs throughout the country all while still keeping their day jobs!

So with a steady gig going on, a chance to go on America’s Got Talent seemed inevitable. As it turns out, their act was all fun and campiness, but is there a spot for them in the mainstream music scene?

No matter the answer, this has been an established group for almost two decades running and have gigs scheduled throughout the United States through 2011. Just go to the The Laryngospasms website for more information. Listen to their music, find out where they are singing at next. Or head to their YouTube channel to see music videos that they have created as well as a video about their trip to the America’s Got Talent auditions in Chicago. Finally if you’re a Facebook junkie, just join their Facebook page to show your support.

Hello all! So after a week or so of digesting and relaxing I’m finally ready to give you all a sneak peek on acts of that could potentially be on television during the Chicago Auditions that were held on April 27 and 28.

Over the course of the next month, PureAmericasGotTalent.com will provide you with information of acts that that have gone through the Chicago auditions, some of the judges comments/expressions, the audience’s expression and any online information in regards to the group for you to enjoy.

However, as always there are some groups where information is scarce or impossible to find, in which case you the reader could help us out. If you have any knowledge of any of the acts feel free to leave a comment or simply contact us and let us know so we could honor them with a post for others to see.

Keep in mind that although AGT Chicago had four tapings, this blogger was only able to make it to two of the tapings, which adds up to thirty-one acts! One per day. =) So enjoy.

This first post is dedicated to the nameless acts where information was scarce or confusing online:

Tuesday Evening’s Taping (POSSIBLE SPOILERS):

Read more…