UPDATED 10:35 a.m.

ST. LOUIS • About 10,000 "American Idol" fans and hopefuls jammed the streets outside the Scottrade Center this morning for a chance to show off their pipes and earn a ticket to Hollywood.

By 5:30 a.m., crowds packed 14th and Market streets outside the arena and St. Louis City Hall for a chance to audition at the Scottrade Center.

The host of the show, Ryan Seacrest, came out to greet the cheering crowd and film spots for the show. When asked at a press conference what "Idol" was looking for in St. Louis, Seacrest said, "Let's not put a feeling on what we're trying to find."

"We're not looking for people who suck," he added.

At 7 a.m. the first round was allowed into Scottrade to audition. Entrances were staggered from there. While many St. Louisans showed up to audition, singers also came from Arkansas, Louisiana, Indiana and other states.

St. Louis is the first audition city for the show's upcoming 11th season.

The auditions are open to anyone 15 to 28 years old.

Singers will audition in front of the television show's producers, but judges will not be in St. Louis yet. Qualifying singers will sing for judges when the television show returns to St. Louis this summer.

It marks the second time American Idol has come to St. Louis. When the show came here in 2004, the show auditioned Carrie Underwood and show finalists Nikko Smith and Aloha Mischeaux.