Who Gets Your Vote?

Tonight the stage is bigger, the audience is bigger and the stakes are bigger. Each contestant sings three songs to a theatre filled with stars, celebrities and old Idol wannabees.

The first song is the contestant's choice; their favorite song of the season...

Dim all the lights...a thick fog rolls over the stage while a menacing dark figure in a long coat appears on the top of the staircase. Enter Adam Lambert looking very much like a vampire. He's in his element. I'm not sure why the judges have labelled him a rocker, clearly he is all about grand entrances and Broadway productions. You can take the boy out of the theater, but you can't take the theater out of the boy. What I do like about this performance, and yes, it truly is a performance, is that there is no screaming. He's got his serious face on and he sounds phenomenal.

• Randy says something positive, but I am having a hard time taking him seriously (what with his dueling plaids and polka dots) and so I don't really know what he says...
• Kara is all fired up; she's shouting as she delivers her lines like a well rehearsed speech. Can't tell if she's more thrilled with Adam or herself.
• Paula is a shimmering shade of orange this evening and may have hit the bottle just a smidge before taking the judge's chair.
• Simon loved the performance but thinks it was a bit too Phantom of the Opera. Perhaps Adam can star as Edward in Twilight: The Musical?

Kris' favorite song is Ain't No Sunshine (in keeping with the vampire theme) and it is brilliant. Looking all cool behind that piano of his, he's current and happening and is the most comfortable I've seen him.

• The Dog says it's his best performance ever.
• Kara is screaming something about, "if you don't feel a Kris Allen performance, there is something wrong with you." There is something very wrong with her.
• Paula is...orange. Worst spray-on tan ever.
• Simon admits he was wrong last week when he thought America made the wrong choice with Kris. He's taking it all back and round one goes to Kris.

Simon Fuller choses the next two songs. For Adam, it's Change is Gonna Come. He's got his theater eyes on and he's looking all serious, almost like he's snarling. But he's not snarling, he's screaming. For the life of me, I don't know why the judges never call him on his screaming shenanigans. He ends the performance with jazz hands and angry eyes and...one last parting scream.

• Randy (seriously, who put that outfit together?) says he can sing his face off.
• Kara thinks its his best performance and his best interpretation AND she's still screaming. Everybody needs to relax and stop screaming, for crying out loud.
• Paula is on her feet, professing her love for Adam
• Simon says that he's 100% back in the game

The judges are doing their job: trying to make this an even match by creating drama where there really isn't any drama. And just before I hit the ff button, I think I spot Katie Holmes in the audience.

Simon Fuller's choice for Kris is What's Going On. It's a very Kris-like performance; laid back and mellow. He's playing his guitar and his crooked smile is out in full force as is his ultra-cool style. No orchestra, no big band, just Kris and a few other guys...

• Randy thinks it's a little light for him...
• Kara says he's true to himself and she's still yelling!
• Paula thinks he tore the song up and made Marvin Gaye proud.
• Simon thinks Kris didn't grab hold of it and declares Adam the winner of round 2.

And now it's time for No Boundaries, the single co-written by Kara for the contestants. It's an opportunity to showcase Kara's song writing abilities and as far as I'm concerned, she falls flat on her face. The song is horrible. I hope the winner doesn't have to re-sing it tomorrow night.

Adam attempts the little ditty first. Man, is he sporting a lot of rings on those fingers. The crowd is eating him up.

• But for Randy...it was just awright, dog.
• Kara is moved and proud that Adam is singing her song. Like he had a choice? She must be moved, because she is speaking much softer.
• Paula proclaims that she is a fan.
• Simon starts by saying that he's not going to judge the song (because it sucked), but he is going to judge the person and then goes on to say that Adam is the best, most original contestant ever and he believes that they have found a worldwide star.

Now it's Kris' turn to attempt No Boundaries. He does so without the screaming and with much less drama and fanfare, but he doesn't look comfortable singing it. Maybe because it is an awful song. Maybe because it's not in his range. It certainly isn't his best performance, but I like his rendition better than Adam's.

• Randy says Kris is an amazing competitor and this song fit Kris' voice better than Adam's.
• Kara says she hopes that America will vote on the season and not this song. I hope the producers will vote her off the island based on the season and this song.
• Paula says that Kris deserves to be up there on that stage, but falls short of endorsing him for the title.
• Simon thinks Kris' first song was the highlight of the night, but agrees that he thoroughly deserves to be on that stage.

Carry Underwood sings us out and now it's time for America to decide the fate of Kris and Adam. I think Adam had a better night, but I still want Kris to win...and I think he might....