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American Idol's Anoop Desai Reports From the Road

From preshow jitters to onstage mishaps, we have the behind-the-scenes scoop on the summer's hottest tour

By Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna Jul 08, 2009 1:10 PMTags
American Idol Season 8 TourFOX

Two shows down and only 50 more to go on the American Idols Live Tour 2009. Starting today, we'll be catching up with each of the American Idol top 10 once a week to get the lowdown on the tour.

Anoop Desai, who came in sixth, kicks things off with a chat about the tour's first stop in Portland, Ore., on July 5.

What was the vibe before the first show?
It was sort of an eerie calm. I was more anxious than I was nervous. Once I got out there onstage, the energy of the crowd kept me going. It was easy to perform for everyone because they really want to hear you. To stand in front of that many people and be appreciated and do well was just great. We're lucky our first show went really well.

Who had the most preshow jitters?
I know Kris was pretty nervous right before he went onstage. I think we're all learning how to channel it in a very positive way now. I get nervous, but I'm more excited.

Did you go online and read the reviews or look up the YouTube videos of your performance after the show?
Yeah, I think most of us did. Luckily, people seemed to really like it. I think in all these shows we're as eager to see the YouTube videos of ourselves as everybody else. We want to see our performances, see what we did right or wrong.

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So what did you do right and wrong?
There are some things I need to clean up a little bit. I was very happy with my performance in Portland. It's all about attention to detail. I doubt anyone noticed. It's just like the way I phrased a certain sentence or the breath that you take when you go into this phrase.

How would you rate your first tour performance on a scale of 1-10?
I'd say maybe a seven. There's time to make it even better.

What's the funniest thing that has happened so far?
During the encore [Journey's "Don't Stop Believing"] at the Portland show, we all strike the same pose with our fists in the air. And I accidentally elbowed Allison in the head while I was doing that. I felt her head on my elbow and she said she felt lightheaded for a minute and she grabbed onto me. I felt so bad.

When I talked to you guys at rehearsal, there was a lot of chatter about how crowded the guys' tour bus was going to be. So how is it?
We had our first overnight ride and everyone just napped in their bunks. It might get a little cozy when we start having 10-hour bus rides.

A tour bus bunk is like a coffin. How did you adjust to that?
I was fine. But Megan gets car sick easily, so they're going have to help her. Luckily, she's on another bus, so we don't have to clean anything up. She said she was in her bunk and it wasn't very kind to her.

What's a typical day on the road like?
We will be normally overnighting on the tour bus. Then we get to a hotel room maybe around 7 a.m.,  get ready and relax and then get to the venue maybe around 2 p.m. And from 2 until show time, it's just hair, make-up, wardrobe and sound check. It isn't really hectic. There's a lot of time for all of us to do everything. From 2-6 p.m. is when we just get ready and chill and talk to our friends and family on the phone. We leave after the show around midnight.

You each only have two to five songs to perform, so what do you do when you're not onstage?
Most of us just go back to our dressing rooms, but we can go to the side of the stage and sort of sneak a peek.

Whose show did you like most?
I think Allison's is one of the strongest sets in the show. She sings and I don't believe that's coming out of her.

What's the dressing room like?
There's a guys dressing room and a girls dressing room. People are in and out all day, so it doesn't get too crowded. It's a nice little green room.

Usually dressing rooms are filled with booze. Is yours?
Well, I don't know if I'm supposed to say. But for me, I just need tea before and after. We have a lot of shows ahead of us so...

American Idols Live Tour 2009 set list:

1. Michael Sarver, "In Love With a Girl" (Gavin DeGraw)
2. Michael Sarver, "Closer" (Ne-Yo)
3. Megan Joy, "Put Your Records On" (Corrine Bailey Rae)
4. Megan Joy, "Tears Dry on Their Own" (Amy Winehouse)
5. Scott MacIntyre, "Bend and Break" (Keane)
6. Scott MacIntyre, "A Thousand Miles" (Vanessa Carlton)
7. Lil Rounds, "Be Without You"/"Just Fine" (Mary J. Blige)
8. Lil Rounds, "No One" (Alicia Keys)
9. Lil Rounds, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" (Beyoncé)
10. Anoop Desai, "Always on My Mind" (Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley)
11. Anoop Desai, "Mad" (Ne-Yo)
12. Anoop Desai, "My Prerogative" (Bobby Brown)
13. Matt Giraud, "Hard to Handle" (Otis Redding, the Black Crowes)
14. Matt Giraud, "Georgia on My Mind" (Ray Charles)
15. Matt Giraud, "You Found Me" (the Fray)
16. Group medley: Megan Joy and Lil Rounds, "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" (Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons); Scott MacIntyre and Matt Giraud, "Tell Her About It" (Billy Joel); Michael Sarver, "Suspicious Minds" (Elvis Presley); Anoop Desai, Matt Giraud, Scott MacIntyre, Michael Sarver, Lil Rounds and Megan Joy, "Beggin'" (the Four Seasons)
17. Allison Iraheta, "So What" (Pink)
18. Allison Iraheta, "Cry Baby" (Janis Joplin)
19. Allison Iraheta, "Barracuda" (Heart)
20. Danny Gokey, "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" (Michael Jackson)
21. Danny Gokey, "Maria Maria" (Santana)
22. Danny Gokey, "What Hurts the Most" (Rascal Flatts)
23. Danny Gokey, "My Wish" (Rascal Flatts)
24. Adam Lambert, "Whole Lotta Love" (Led Zeppelin)
25. Adam Lambert, "Starlight" (Muse)
26. Adam Lambert, "Mad World" (Tears for Fears)
27. Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta duet, "Slow Ride" (Foghat)
28. Adam Lambert, "Life on Mars"/"Fame"/"Let's Dance" (David Bowie medley)
29. Kris Allen, "Heartless" (Kanye West)
30. Kris Allen, "No Boundaries" (the American Idol coronation song coauthored by Kara DioGuardi)
31. Kris Allen, "Ain't No Sunshine" (Bill Withers)
32. Kris Allen, "Bright Lights" (Matchbox Twenty)
33. Group number led by Kris Allen, "Hey Jude" (the Beatles)
34. Encore, Group number, "Don't Stop Believing" (Journey)

For a list of upcoming dates, go to www.americanidol.com.

We'll be chatting with one Idol each week during the tour, so if you have any questions for any of them (yes, including Kris and Adam) please post them in the comments below and we'll do our best to get them answered.