The Idols Live tour, featuring winner Kris Allen and nine other finalists, is selling 82% of its tickets and has grossed $11.2 million — almost exactly the same as last year's tour at the same point.

According to Billboard Boxscore, the first 19 shows of 2009 averaged 9,456 attendees per city, almost even with the 9,771 for the same period last year. With ticket prices ranging from $40.50 to $69.50 — a dollar higher than last year — the tour gross is almost exactly equal.

In the industry, "40% of tickets go unsold," says Billboard senior touring editor Ray Waddell. "They're doing better than average," especially since "these are baby acts on their first national tour, even if they've had the best exposure you can get."

One factor that could be contributing to the tour's success is the number of guys on the bill (a seven/three split), because Idol crowds tend to be heavily female. Another boost: Season 8 had a hugely popular runner-up.

"The Adam Lambert fan base is incredibly avid," says former Idol blogger Richard Rushfield, the incoming West Coast editor for Gawker. "That dedication is what sells tickets."

It also helps that this year's tour, which ends Sept. 15 in Manchester, N.H., is receiving generally positive reviews. "The consensus seems to be that every one of the kids is better in the concert than they ever were in the show," says Rushfield, who has attended four dates on this tour. "It's hard to see anybody who enjoyed the TV show walking away dissatisfied by it."

Though just two Idols Live stops have sold out, "that's not a $20 check-me-out ticket," says Pollstar editor Gary Bongiovanni. "Remember, these artists couldn't sell 10 tickets 10 months ago. So you've really created something from nothing."