Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-10812216-20190626170653/@comment-36158916-20190710204449

'''This episode started off kinda rough but ended on a higher note. The best act was definitely either Chris Klafford or Robert Finley. '''
 * 1) Gonzo - Pretty funny and enjoyable, not one of my favorite novelty/joke acts though. Honestly I was expecting a bit more. Seems like Judge Cuts fodder for now.
 * 2) Olivia Calderon - Another ok audition, good but not a standout among the many singers this season despite the facts she sang in Spanish. Once again seems like Judge Cuts fodder.
 * 3) Duo MaintenanT - Agreed with Howie on this one, the balance between sheer strength alongside precision and grace. Never been a huge fan of these acts mainly because we never got to see them in full. Facial expressions and chemistry between the two was also on point. Despite all this, I still think they’ll be out in Judge Cuts. 
 * 4) Revolution Queens - Malevo was easily one of the best acts on Season 11 and Malambo itself is hella dope. At first I thought they weren’t as great as the males but then they were doing tricks like the whipping with the mouth while stretching. Both acts are great in different ways. I’m glad that they didn’t push the whole struggling foreign country storyline too much but this is at least the 3rd time they’ve done it this season. I think they’ll probably make it to at least the quarterfinals and maybe the semifinals just like Malevo.
 * 5) The Sentimentalists - I talked a lot about presentation when I was going over Nick Wallace and this was a perfect example of what I was talking about. They basically had the exact same story as the Clairvoyants but the difference is that the Clairvoyants presented themselves in a mysterious/disturbing way that matched said story. The Sentimentalists on the other hand are I guess a little too “happy go lucky” and that creates a contrast with the story. I think they should’ve gone full way with the Clairvoyants’ presentation or didn’t take themselves so seriously during the pre-segment. As for the act itself, It wasn’t mind-blowing compared to other magicians we’ve had but that’s a given considering how many we’ve seen. I can kinda understand why Howie gave them a No but I think Simon should’ve just given them the Yes so they could go through without having to do the extra trick. They weren’t bad by any means but definitely mediocre and I’m hoping they can improve. I think they can make the quarterfinals if they do so.
 * 6) Chris Klafford - When y’all were talking about him and how good he was, I still didn’t go look at his previous performances. Having seen this audition, I COMPLETELY understand what you were talking about. That was by far one of the best singing auditions this season if not the best. Not too big on singers obviously but if one deserves the win, it’s him. Seems like a humble down to Earth guy. He should be in the finals.
 * 7) Matthew Richardson - Speaking of humble and down to Earth guys, this was another great audition. The aerialism was good and so way the Cyr wheel, the transition between the two was seamless. I see a ton of potential in him, perhaps the next Sofie Dossi. I think he has a good shot at the semifinals. I wish we got to see some of those other aerialists/acrobats a bit more tho.
 * 8) Robert Finley - This was so fun to watch, the song was total jam. It was the kind of jazzy/country music that you can’t help but dance to. Yet another act who seems like a really nice dude that you like to support. I’m rooting for him to at least make the quarterfinals.
 * 9) Kara with a K - We have a lot of stand up comedians this year and she is BY FAR the weakest. She’s the obnoxious and loud comedian that becomes really grating really fast. I never thought Vicki was that bad and she’s way funnier than Kara. More Judge Cuts fodder.
 * 10) Luke Islam - He was pretty good, probably could make the quartefinals no problem. I do think that a big part of the reason Julianne chose him for the GB was because he was a big fan of her and her brother. In that aspect, I do think this was more genuine than the other GBs so I gotta give her credit for that. That being said, I do think Charlotte and even Emanne to some extent were just as deserving. He’s better than the choir imo. Also he’s the only one who doesn’t have some sort of sad backstory. He can probably make the semis just like the other GBs.