By Dale King
Like a blast from television’s variety show heyday, America’s Got Talent Live, the post-season, cross-country tour of finalists and favorites from the popular summer TV show, took the stage at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach last Saturday for a single-night performance.
Lacking only the likes of Ed Sullivan and Topo Gigio, the show that is now on a westward swing through Colorado and California, featured a stand-up comedian, two singers, a pair of acrobats and a magician. Kenichi Ebina, a robotic movement artist and top finisher in AGT’s eighth season, which ended a month ago, showed up as the finale act.
The program drew a near-sellout audience to the West Palm venue. Many were children apparently enamored with the program that, a few years ago, provided the stepping-off point for now-famous vocalist Jackie Evancho.
The crowd flocked to the front of the auditorium before the show started to take pictures in front of the America’s Got Talent logo that was splashed across the stage along with the four large red X’s used by judges Howard Stern, Heidi Klum, Mel B. and Howie Mandel to “buzz” bad performers off the stage.
Not present was regular AGT emcee Nick Cannon. In fact, there was no emcee at all. Videos from the 2013 season were shown on a screen at the rear of the stage and a voice on the soundtrack introduced performers.
First out was Tone the Chiefrocca, who did not finish high on the finalist list, but gained notice for his unforgettable rap tune, B — Double O – T – Y. The Chiefrocca – who said he was content to be “a one-hit wonder” — gyrated from one end of the stage to the other as his rap tune played loudly in the background. Many in the audience stood up and danced in place as the rapper did his thing
The KrisStef Brothers acrobat team drew particularly loud applause from the audience. One of them was injured when he fell while performing on the live, televised program. He came back within a week and, while wearing a neck brace, finished the trick.
Not real brothers, Kristofer Saly, 24, and Stefan Liden, 26, both weaned by circus and performance families, offered the audience a treat with daring acrobatics that hearkened back to the time when Sullivan offered “a really big show” each Sunday night.
Accompanying herself on the piano, Cami Bradley, a 25-year-old singer-songwriter from Spokane, Wash., performed a sultry version of the Cher song, Believe, in soft, slow manner rather than an up-tempo ballad.
Looking like a young Stevie Nicks in a black lace gown, she also performed an original tune called Loving You from her first album. In addition, she and her fellow AGT finalist, Jimmy Rose, sang a duet.
Featured in the first and second halves of the show, Rose, 32, from Pineville, Ky., worked his delightful country vocal abilities to a T with a couple of entertaining tunes. His singing and guitar playing have improved since the show — and it obviously pleased the crowd.
Offering a taste of trickery was Collins Key, a 17-year-old magician from Los Angeles who presented a couple of impressive bits of prestidigitation.
The second-place AGT finisher, stand-up comic Taylor Williamson, showed he had listened to the judges and ramped up the laugh level of his jokes. Known for his whiney voice and self-deprecating humor, he delivered some sharp barbs.
He did a jocular mocking of first-place winner Kenichi Ebina by suggesting his first name could be used as a dirty word. “Just tell someone to ‘Go Kenichi yourself.’”
When Ebina arrived on stage, he brought the house down with an intricate robotic dance skit set to throbbing background music. It was met with a spontaneous standing ovation and cheers.
AGT is already auditioning acts for the 2014 season. Visit www.agtauditions.com.