I wouldn’t know an American Idol alum if he or she were biting my ass at this very moment.  And, while I am glad that is not the case, I have, for the first time in my sheltered life, some reason to be interested in that monstrosity of foolishness that passes for entertainment.

Leslie Hunt, the nice young lady featured in the video above, was apparently a finalist and performed to an audience of millions.  I suppose she would have preferred to win and become the next Kelly Clarkson or Taylor Hicks, but considering the abusive sounds those two artists have created (similar to fingernails on a chalkboard), I am glad that she lost.

Through some stroke of good fortune she has become connected to a Chicago-based instrumental outfit that fancied itself to be a junior version Liquid Tension Experiment.  Great music to aspire to, but nothing that would pay the bills.  But, if there is a way to bring a bit of sex appeal to the nerd-tastic sounds of District 97‘s modern prog, then these folks might have a tiger by the tail.  Judging from the video, I am interested.  The record is due out later this year, and I’m sure I’ll give it a listen.

Is this the record I’ve been waiting for all my life?  Based on the early snippets, probably not.  But I don’t have anything against popularity.  And if a prog band can sell a million records in this decade, then all the better.

Special thank you to Bill’s Prog Blog, which brought District 97 to my attention.  He’s featuring a Q&A with the band’s drummer at his wonderful site.