More than 10,000 people packed into Reliant Stadium Friday, singing in circles, primping their hair and eating greasy concession stand food at 9:30 a.m. It was all part of "preparing" to audition for the 11th season of American Idol.
To weed out almost everyone, 12 non-celebrity judges heard each Idol hopeful to decide if they were good enough or bad enough to make it onto national television. Only about 20 Texans were selected to move on and audition in front of Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler (who will be in Galveston next week). All the others were sent home — some for the 11th year in a row. (There are would-be Idol contestants who travel around the country and audition year after year after year . . . rejection after rejection after rejection).
Idol host Ryan Seacrest mingled with some of the throngs outside of Reliant in the morning, but the celebrity judges were not in Houston.
Talent was not easy to find among the masses as you see in the video highlighting the most "interesting" singers CultureMap came across.
Legendary rockers Styx and Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon, will team up to co-headline the “Brotherhood of Rock” tour in 2025, which will include a stop at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands on Friday, June 6.
The large, 40-city tour will take place over three months, starting in Greenville, South Carolina on May 28, and wrapping up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 24.
In addition to Houston, the tour will go to Austin on June 4 and Dallas on August 1. It will include special guest Don Felder, former lead guitarist for the Eagles, at all dates.
Fans can expect some of the greatest rock anthems of all time, including “Renegade,” “Keep On Loving You,” “Come Sail Away,” “Can't Fight This Feeling,” and “Hotel California.”
Styx and Cronin (as part of REO Speedwagon) first toured together in 2000 and in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, coming together to form the Rock to the Rescue 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. This will mark their sixth time joining forces on the road.
2022 was the 50th anniversary of Styx's self-titled debut album, but they have yet to slow down. The band released their 17th album, Crash of the Crown, in 2021. Of course, not everyone is a fan, as this classic clip from The Simpsons illustrates.
REO Speedwagon's recording days appear to be done, with their last album coming out in 2009, but the main group of five has been together since 1989. On this tour, Cronin will be joined by REO's lead guitarist Dave Amato and drummer Bryan Hitt.
General tickets for the tour will go on sale starting on Friday, December 13 at 10 am at LiveNation.com.
Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets in the U.S. beginning on December 9 at 10 am through the Citi Entertainment program.
Styx and Kevin Cronin will be offering VIP packages via their own exclusive pre-sales beginning on Tuesday, December 10 at 10 am, as well as at LiveNation.com.
