Tuesday night was classic rock night on Canadian Idol and the Idols rocked the house! Jake told the country that the greats of classic rock didn’t sing for the money, they sang because they “had something to say.” While the six contestants may not have felt the impact of classic rock’s causes, they certainly had something they wanted to say. The competitors proved Sass right when she explained to Canada, “if you ain’t got it, you can’t rock it.” The rock was there but did Canada roll with it? As always, some performances stood out as the best and others fell to a close second. There was good music, there were screaming fans, and there were thousands watching as one Idol sang for the last time.

Melissa O’Neil was the first to sing with “Alone” originally sung by Heart. While she has an amazing voice, she didn’t sing with enough conviction. Melissa is normally fantastic at interpreting songs and adding her own flavour, no matter the theme, so that was a little surprising. However, the judges seemed to have no problem with her performance. They complimented her on her ability to be a “chameleon,” in Farley’s words, adjusting to the weekly themes with ease.

Rex Goudie was next up, singing “Turn the Page,” a Bob Seger tune. This performance was not the best viewers have seen from Rex, but it was excellent nonetheless. Rex seemed to get better as the song went on, putting more of himself into the performance with every verse (after all he is from “the Rock”). He ended with power and passion, which is almost an expectation when it comes to this talented singer. The judges loved the song. Farley told Rex that he delivers a “passionate approach to every performance.”

The third competitor to sing was Casey LeBlanc with the Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand by You.” This song was perfect for Casey, and her vocals were a definite improvement from the weeks past. For the first time on the show, Casey looked as though she was putting a total effort into her song. She gave energy and emotion to the music, which was great to see. The judges recognized this change in Casey. Jake told her, “You sang like you look on Wednesday nights. You were vulnerable. You sang it with heart and you sang it like you meant it.”

Despite the great performances of the first three singers, the crowd wasn’t wild until Aaron Walpole took the stage, singing Foreigner’s “Hot Blooded.” Like Sass, I haven’t been the biggest fan of Aaron’s singing style from the beginning of the show. However, this Tuesday it became undeniable that this man can really sing. He pulled off perfect tuning and a knockout performance while remaining completely relaxed on stage. Jake said, “You look so natural up there. It’s almost unfair for the rest of them,” and Farley simply added, “People love you.”

Following a little comic relief from John Dore explaining the significance of moustaches and their connection to classic rock, Suzi Rawn sang “Peace of My Heart.” Suzi is a huge fan of Janis Joplin, and that is perhaps why it seemed effortless for her to bring passion to the song she chose. She interacted with the band and the crowd, showcasing her polished performing skills and her comfort on stage. Jake said, “You’ve got to bring the pain when you sing Joplin and you brought the pain.” Sass called Suzi “feisty” and “emotional,” while Zack told her, “This is what you do. You either win Canadian Idol tonight or you go home.”

Josh Palmer was last to sing with Derek and the Dominoes’ “Layla.” While Josh chose an incredibly hard song to sing, he sang well and even ended the performance with a little guitar solo. Josh is not the most talented singer, but he brought charisma and an artsy spark to his performance as he has for weeks. He is consistent and creative, which is perhaps what makes him a serious contender in this competition. The judges were barely able to comment on the performance as Josh continually interrupted them, which got Zack a little annoyed. However, Farley managed say, “I think you fulfilled your destiny my friend,” and Zack added, “I didn’t find that particularly appealing but my boy rocked the house.”

The classics brought new hope to Casey, who has been struggling for weeks on the show, as well as Aaron, who almost saw the end of his journey in the bottom two last week. With these developments, I believe Melissa has been left vulnerable. The stakes are higher than ever, which means the Idols have no room for error. Melissa is very talented but she just didn’t give everything she has to her song choice this week. It is hard to say who will go and who will stay. Who will rock around the Idol clock for the last time Wednesday night? Who will sadly say goodbye to their fans? Tune in and find out!






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