It was a night of skinned knees, cheesy facial expressions and mugging for the cameras as the American Idols Live [ tickets ] Tour came to the Phoenix area's Glendale Arena on Tuesday (8/16).

The Top 10 "American Idol" finalists--Anthony Fedorov, Anwar Robinson, Bo Bice [ tickets ], Constantine Maroulis, Jessica Sierra, Nadia Turner, Nikko Smith, Scott Savol, Vonzell Solomon and winner Carrie Underwood [ tickets ]--took turns performing during the three-hour show, which culminated in a group number.

Adding further credence to those who equate the Fox-TV talent show to a karaoke contest, all singers on the American Idol Live Tour sing to backing tracks rather than utilizing a live band. Nonetheless, many of the performers, including Smith and Fedorov, were more polished in person than during their television appearances.

Sierra kicked off the three-hour vocal-gymnastics competition at 7:20 p.m. with "Boys are Back in Town" and gyrated against the microphone stand during "Better Shop Around."

The overly self-assured Robinson, who dedicated his set to the late Luther Vandross, offered a flat set that was one of the "pitchiest" of the night. His banter and body language read more like a pageant queen than variety show winner.

Adding energy to the show, Maroulis worked the stage--and the arena cameras--as he sang "Hard to Handle." He ran and slid on his knees at the end of the song, then played a funked-up "My Funny Valentine" with a ripped pant leg and a cut knee.

"My knee is bleeding--I can feel it, too," Maroulis said. "That's OK. It's rock 'n' roll."

Smith gave props to his dad, baseball legend Ozzie Smith, by donning a St. Louis Cardinals cap. He threw the hat into the audience during his rendition of Sisqo's "Incomplete," and subsequently looked a bit naked without the accessory.

Though Smith was booted off "American Idol," only to be reinstated when Mario Vasquez left the competition, he proved to be one of the stronger voices of the night. His vocals wrapped tightly around Stevie Wonder's "Part Time Lover."

Smith introduced Scott Savol as "Scotty the body," prompting Savol to poke fun at his own ample weight.

"I'm big and I love it--I don't care," Savol said before duetting with Sierra on "Total Eclipse of the Heart." "If I get a disease, it'll take me a long time to die."

Savol also sang a squeaky version of Phil Collins' "Against All Odds," and teased the audience by grabbing the arm of his glasses, a nod to one of his performances on the televised competition during which he whipped off his glasses while singing an overly dramatic portion of the song.

The wild-haired Turner strapped on an electric guitar for her performance, but it was apparent that she was a newbie to the instrument. Her left hand didn't move as she strummed, but she did put muscle into the three-hour show by head-banging and throwing the microphone during "Try a Little Tenderness."

After a 20-minute intermission, Robinson returned to the stage for a decent rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Superstitious," which segued into Solomon's cover of Alicia Keys' "Karma." Solomon then earned a standing ovation for nailing the high notes on Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing."

Fedorov showed immense improvement over his television appearances, showcasing his Latin chops by singing Marc Anthony's "I've Got You." He was humble, bowing his head as the crowd applauded.

"American Idol" runner-up Bice hobbled on stage with a cane due to a broken foot, but that didn't stop him from jumping around while singing his single "Vehicle." He did, however, grimace and squint his eyes in a pained expression when he was finished. His whiskey-soaked vocals did justice to the Eagles' "Desperado."

Bice showed off his musicianship by playing keyboards to "Desperado" and playing guitar to "Voodoo Child." His searing guitar work was in stark contrast to Turner's attempt.

Underwood wrapped up the show with a country-tinged performance. She served up Martina McBride's "Independence Day," generating shouts of "you go girl" from the crowd.

Despite a few miscues, American Idols Live [ tickets ] was campy fun--probably not something Simon wants to hear.