The Top 12 have the honor of performing on the big Idol stage, a privilege which can only be earned after three intense results rounds. Some always fail miserably the first night, while others shine like never before. Which of the contestants would tank terribly on Tuesday…and which would rock the stage?

The judges got a big intro for the episode, strolling out onto the stage shoulder-to-shoulder. Ryan Seacrest took the long walk down the stairs right after them, and suddenly the show was under way. The Top 12 had the honor of performing Rolling Stones songs for the night, truly a huge and varied catalog. First question: which one has the nerve to do “Paint It Black?” We shall see.

Michael Lynche started off the night. He talked music and football in his video package, which seems about right for the big man. He started on a falsetto to sing “Miss You” with his smooth vocals, turning the song into a tune that sounded like a Mike Lynche original. There was a gospel feel, a blues vibe and nothing but great singing mixed into the arrangement. Lynche gets better and better with every single performance. “You slayed it! Way to start the show, baby,” Randy Jackson loved what he heard. “Well, what’s not to love about that?” Ellen DeGeneres asked, calling the performance “amazing.” Kara DioGuardi thought Lynche was “hot on stage.” “I thought the performance, at times…was kind of corny,” Simon Cowell observed. “It was verging, at times, a tiny bit desperate,” the judge added.

Didi Benami did a sit-down with Seacrest before she took center stage. Her rendition of “Play With Fire” started out slow and soft to highlight her unique voice. Benami’s intense stare was somewhat off-putting throughout, and the song stayed too low-tempo for way too long. Didi had a bit of trouble with the lyrics about midway through, but recovered well. All in all, the arrangement was horrible and Benami was very wooden on stage. “Didi, you were on fire tonight,” Randy Jackson actually enjoyed the performance. Ellen DeGeneres was “proud” that Didi got “right back in” the song. “I think sometimes when you push on your vocals, you lose your way a bit,” Kara DioGuardi told her. DioGuardi actually liked the intensity, praising Didi for her choice. Simon Cowell agreed with the rest of the panel, telling her “You are beginning to show us the type of artist you want to be. Very cool song.” He called the performance “solid, not brilliant.”

Casey James is literally from a town called Cool somewhere in Texas. He’s the son of a single mom, according to his video package. James sang “It’s All Over Now,” one of the Stones’ more rocking tunes, and that was pretty predictable. The guitar, the upbeat gravelly vocal - this was all predictable, too. It was great to get some energy on the stage, however, and James certainly knows how to entertain. A very safe performance from James, but he did display some pretty good guitar skill during the show. “I actually think you could make a great artist career like this,” Randy Jackson told him, crying “I loved it!” “I thought it was fantastic,” Ellen DeGeneres decreed. “Tonight, you were a rock star,” Kara DioGuardi praised. Simon Cowell disagreed. “You look great. You sang it well. You played the guitar well. But for me, that was like an audition performance,” he declared. Simon criticized Casey for “not using” the stage. “Just be a star,” he advised.

Lacey Brown is also from small-town Texas. “Ruby Tuesday” was a pretty good choice for Lacey, who started the song with violins underlining her interesting voice. The training is really starting to help her vocals, but Lacey still had a few problematic moments. She’s still lacking a connection with the song and offers almost no charisma while on stage. Randy Jackson called the performance “very interesting,” and found himself “pleasantly surprised.” Ellen DeGeneres found it “sleepy,” but declared herself a fan of Lacey. “It was fifty-fifty for me,” Kara DioGuardi told her. “I think you can do better,” Kara added. “You perform like an actress,” Simon Cowell explained. “Everything is very, very precise.” He thinks Lacey should let herself go, but found “nothing wrong with the vocal.”

Andrew Garcia grew up very poor, according to his video package, and was influenced by his father. Andrew sang “Gimme Shelter” with powerful vocals, immediately engaging the audience. This guy’s range is amazing, but the dance moves were a little strange. Andrew put his huge voice on display for the song, but his almost motionless performance felt a little lacking. “I love the song, I love the Stones, I love you…but, it was just pitchy everywhere. It wasn’t great, dude,” Randy Jackson grudgingly delivered his verdict. “What do I know? I think that was your best performance yet!” Ellen DeGeneres cried. “It’s the connection that bothered me the most out of that performance,” Kara DioGuardi critiqued. “You’re taking this too literally every time,” Simon Cowell critiqued Kara’s comments. “I’m somewhat in the middle here. I think you gave it one hundred percent,” he finally turned to Garcia. “Something didn’t quite connect with the song,” Cowell found, but added that he “genuinely” hopes to hear Andrew next week.

Katie Stevens also did a sit-down with Ryan prior to her performance. She picked “Wild Horses” for Rolling Stones night because the lyrics hold strong meaning for her. Katie sat on a stool to croon the song, and wore some sort of tutu-like frock. Even so, something about it seemed to work. Katie’s big vocals filled up the theater, and she seemed much more comfortable even in the high-pressure environment. We’ve got a future diva on our hands here. “If you sing it well, it’s all good all the time,” Randy Jackson praised. “First of all, I almost wore that,” Ellen DeGeneres cracked wise before adding “You have such a great voice.” “It’s never technically perfect with you,” Kara DioGuardi found, calling the performance “better than last week.” Simon Cowell thought the song was a “very, very clever choice,” though he “didn’t like the second half of the arrangement.” He found Katie to be “connected” and told her “well done” to finish up his comments.

Tim Urban is another Texan, and a member of a very large family. He chose “Under My Thumb,” which is usually a pretty rollicking tune. With Tim’s halting vocals and guitar playing, the tune took on a distinctly reggae vibe. He’s having real trouble keeping up in the contest in the vocal department, but Tim’s clearly trying hard. He also has the support of Vote For the Worst. It was a creative choice, at least…or, at best. “I didn’t get that, dude,” Randy Jackson told him, calling the performance “very bizarre.” He declaritively stated “I didn’t like it.” “I felt like I was at a resort and drinking a pina colada and listening to somebody sing,” Ellen DeGeneres told him. “It just didn’t wow me,” she explained. Kara DioGuardi approved of Tim “doing something so incredibly different with the song.” “I have to applaud you for doing something different,” Simon Cowell commented. “Having said that, it didn’t work,” the judge decreed. “I think it was a crazy decision,” Cowell finished.

Siobhan Magnus was born in Cape Cod and also belongs to a large family. She was the one who chose “Paint It Black,” and good for her. Siobhan’s look was fabulous, her vocals were beautiful and the arrangement was pretty interesting. She displayed a ton of range with the song and truly filled the enlarged stage with her strong performance. Her ending was so good, it’s hard to comprehend. “Bringing the drama to American Idol season 9 - that was hot!” Randy Jackson was floored. “I love the way you look tonight. I love the way you sound. I love the way you did that song,” Ellen DeGeneres was filled with praise. “The best interpretation tonight,” Kara DioGuardi declared. “I think it was the standout performance of the night,” Simon Cowell also gave Siobhan high praise.

Lee DeWyze worked at a paint store before becoming a contender on American Idol, a pretty big change. He made the choice to sing “Beast of Burden,” which is pretty brave. I wouldn’t have thought the tune was in Lee’s bailiwick, but as soon as he started to sing the song sounded great - and I’ve never liked it before. “You are an amazing singer,” Randy Jackson “thought it was dope.” Ellen DeGeneres also “thought it was great” but expected “a tiny bit more” from Lee. Kara DioGuardi thinks Lee is “growing faster” than anyone else on the show, and complimented his “tremendous growth.” Simon Cowell likes Lee’s story, but found fault with his personality, saying he “chose a very safe song.” “The frustrating thing is, you have got an incredible voice,” Cowell lamented.

Paige Miles is from Naples, Florida, also the daughter of a single mom. She made something of an odd choice in “Honky Tonk Woman,” and I didn’t expect it to work. Paige’s vocals started out a little off, but she’s clearly trying to put more energy into her performance than she has in the past. Paige has really big vocals, but I don’t think the song suited. “You did all right with it,” Randy Jackson found that he enjoyed the song. “I think you have such great star quality,” Ellen DeGeneres smiled. Kara DioGuardi also liked the performance, and pointed out trouble that Paige is having with her voice (laryngitis). Simon Cowell found the song “a bit generic” and thinks Paige still hasn’t “quite connected.”

Aaron Kelly is from an incredibly tiny town, and was not born into a musical family like many of the other contestants. He belted “Angie” very prettily, and the love song was a good choice for him. Kelly has truly amazing control of his voice, and he seems to be becoming a better performer as weeks go by. “You were definitely born to sing,” Randy Jackson told him. “I thought that was such a great song choice for you,” Ellen DeGeneres commented. Kara DioGuardi found the performance “very powerful.” “You chose absolutely, one hundred percent the right song,” Simon Cowell complimented him.

Crystal Bowersox had the enviable position of closing the show. She’s a former resident of Ohio and writes her own music, though Idol will never, ever allow contestants to croon original tunes. Crystal sang “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” plucking her guitar as she delivered the strong vocal in a bluesy, soulful performance. She’s just a strong singer and absolutely a performer from head to foot. “I love you,” Randy Jackson proclaimed, though he found the performance wasn’t his favorite. “You sing with such ease,” Ellen DeGeneres remarked, advising Crystal to “play more on stage.” Kara DioGuardi thinks Bowersox is “easy to watch.” “You came out here tonight one hundred percent the clear favorite,” Simon Cowell told her, but thinks that “this is the first time” Crystal “was beaten by somebody, and that was Siobhan.”

Wednesday night’s results show will determine which one of them will leave the competition, leaving only 11 to contend for the crown they all want: Idol champ. While you wait for the votes to be counted, check out all our other American Idol 9 posts.