'American Idol' Schedule Includes Sin City Beatles Salute

With just a mere week to go 'till the 10th (and perhaps most controversial) season of 'American Idol' gets underway, we've got a breakdown of what's going down, when and where.

With Simon Cowell out and J.Lo and Steven Tyler in, what will most likely be the best season yet (or a career-crushing trainwreck) begins on Wed., Jan. 19 with New York and New Jersey auditions, followed by New Orleans the next night.

After the initial three weeks of auditions, in which the future American Idol (and assorted YouTube viral sensations) will undoubtly be discovered, the show heads to Hollywood on Wed., Feb. 16 and Thurs., Feb 17. But the make or break moment for this season's Idol hopefuls may be in Sin City, where contestants will take a page from one of the most celebrated and prolific songbooks of all time.Post-Hollywood, those who've made the cut will have a chance to perform the music of the Beatles on the same stage as Cirque Du Soleil's Fab Four tribute 'LOVE,' in Las Vegas on Wed., Feb. 23.

On Thurs., Feb. 24 the herd will be thinned to twenty semifinalists who'll then perform on Tue., Mar. 1 and Wed., Mar. 2, with the judges pulling their wild cards picks on Thurs., Mar. 3. And I've got a feeling the addition of Steven Tyler and J.Lo to the judges panel will give new meaning to the term "wild card."

'American Idol' premieres next Wed., Jan. 19 at 8PM ET/PT.