Tune in at 8pm ET for live blog coverage of American Idol.  The show, after many weeks of performances, is down to just three remaining contestants: Danny Gokey, Adam Lambert, and Kris Allen.

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Tonight each contestant will select one song to sing and they will sing another song as selected by the judging panel of Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Kara DioGuardi.

Danny Gokey – ‘Dance Little Sister’ – Paula selected this classic from Terrence Trent D’Arby.  To me it seems jazzed up a little bit too much with the saxophone and such. Danny is full of energy and all over the stage and crowd.  Danny is never bad, it is just a matter if he will be good or great.  I think he was good but not great. Maybe on the high side of good.  It will be interesting to see what song he selected to sing as his second choice tonight.  Grade: B+

Kris Allen – ‘Apologize’ – Randy and Kara chose this relatively new song by One Republic.  Great song selection for Kris.  Randy and Kara did him a favor with this selection. He is behind the piano and showing he is diverse. I think his biggest drawback is he looks like a little boy.  Overall, one of Allen’s best performances to date and it couldn’t have come at a better time for Kris.  If he were head-to-head with Danny to this point then it would come out in Allen’s favor.  Grade: A-

Adam Lambert – ‘One’ – U2 classic and another give me for Adam.  Oh great, please don’t turn this into a theatrical opera mess.  Not digging this so far.  He can save it though.  Oh me here comes the screaming, squelching and rubber face from Elvira Presley.  Pay attention the the multiple camera angles and shots they get when Adam performs.  One of the first bad performances from Adam in the past month or so.  Maybe the standard is too high at this point, but he flunked the U2 test.  It was a poor performance and the judge’s responses are kind of mind-boggling on this one.  I think Simon has a crazy guy crush on Elvira.  Grade: C+

Round One Scorecard: 1. Allen (A-), 2. Gokey (B+), 3. Lambert (C+)

Danny Gokey – ‘You Are So Beautiful’ – Good, so far it appears as if Danny has stripped down the song, set, and is going with the violins.  Where is the camera flying around Danny’s head?  Gokey has a lot of soul and some lungs.  This performance is a lot better that his first performance. It won’t be remembered a 100 years from now, but it is one of the best songs today.  Grade: A

Kris Allen – ‘Heartless’ – Kris going with a Kanye West song.  Minus five points to start with…jk.  Very good start by Kris on the acoustic guitar.  My complaint about him during the first song coming across short and young is his strength on this selection.  A great song performance and interpretation by Allen.  I have nothing negative at all to say about this one.  Very responsive crowd to the song as well.  It was even better by Kanye’s version by far!  Best of the night so far.  Grade: A+

Adam Lambert – ‘Cryin’ – Of all of the Aerosmith songs and he goes with ‘Cryin?’  There is nothing sweet about this misery.  And the theatrics begin! He just screamed so hard his mascara ran.  Not a good night for Lambert.  He said he wasn’t going to veer far from Steven Tyler but he took a left turn off the San Francisco bridge.  He is by far the best screamer in the competition.  Elvira Presley has skills, no doubt, but he belongs on broadway, not on MTV.  Did Simon just beg America to vote for Adam?  How pathetic by the once proud Simon!!   Grade: B-

Round 2 Scorecard: 1. Allen (A+), 2. Danny Gokey (A), 3. Adam Lambert (B-)

Overall Final 3 Scorecard: 1. Kris Allen (A), 2. Danny Gokey (B+), 3. Adam Lambert (B)

No way to predict what is going to happen tomorrow though.  I could see any of the three winning the season, while I could also see any of the three being voted off tomorrow.  For some reason I believe Kris Allen is the one that will be safe for sure tomorrow night, but I would not bet on that.

Final 3 Results

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