1. There were memorable performances from season nine
Didi Benami's "Terrified," Andrew Garcia's "Straight Up," Siobhan Magnus's "Paint It Black," and Crystal Bowersox's "Come to My Window" were season-high moments, and they're all relived and expanded here. Whether or not it was the most watched season, season nine had the most inventive arrangements in American Idol history, and these four performances typify when off-kilter can be on-point.
2. A tribute to a past Idol great
As indicated in a backstage video, the traveling cast performs a lovely homage to Kelly Clarkson in the form of a rendition of "My Life Would Suck Without You."
3. "Take a deep breath and get real high"
Crystal Bowersox delivers a powerhouse version of 4 Non Blondes' "What's Up," along with three other songs. Here she performs the hell out of Linda Perry's sole recording triumph on The Tonight Show. Anyone would pay to hear this voice.
4. DeWyze on high
As I've heard from several people who attended the Idol finale, Lee DeWyze sounds a lot better in person than he does on television. His closing version of Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody" is a showstopper, and his voice is (and I would be the last one to admit this) a genuine stadium-filler.
5. Finally, the right song choices
The Idol tour helps rectify one of the five biggest complaints I had about Idol this season: poor song selection. On tour, Siobhan Magnus trades the schmaltz of Whitney Houston's "When You Believe" for No Doubt's "Spiderwebs," Michael Lynche forsakes Michael Jackson's sappy "Will You Be There" for Justin Timberlake's "My Love," and Katie Stevens gives up "Baby, What Do You Want Me to Do" for Christina Aguilera's "Fighter." That's fire in place of fluff, ladies and gents -- just in the ingredient that Idol needed most all season.