The Voice

DAVID ARCHULETA

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D Squared = A Winning Combination

Posted by Abrra on Monday, August 16, 2010

In 2008 for David Archuleta and David Cook it was a friendship born in the chaos that was American Idol.  Bonded by the experience of surviving the pressure, it remains today a brotherly connection.  According to them, seeing a friend do well meant more than being the winner.

“I could talk about him for days.  (laughs)  You know Archie’s probably one of the most genuine, stand-up people that I’ve ever met.  And to be able to share the stage with him anytime is great.  I joked with him last night that it’s a shame we have to travel halfway across the world just to see each other.  But, he’s a good guy and an amazing talent.  And as far as supporters go, I think I’m probably right up there when it comes to Archuleta.”

~ David Cook  2009

“I actually think I would’ve felt horrible if I had won, because I deeply felt that David Cook was the one who deserved it.  Here was this amazing singer and  all-around musician, someone I really looked up to and admired not just for his  music side, but also as a person.  I really respected him and the way he acted throughout the whole time we were together; I have to be honest and say that he  was the person who, in my view, showed better than anyone else in the season that he should win.”

~  David Archuleta  2008

Whether it’s passing briefly in an airport

Saw @DavidArchie at the airport! Awesome sauce!     6:19 PM Jun 8th ~ DC tweet

At the airport now. Just ran into @thedavidcook and his crew haha. Hope they  rock it out tomorrow at the Rio Tinto! Go support! :)      6:29 PM Jun 8th ~ DA tweet

or hoping to meet up for a meal

Hey @DavidArchie… How long are you in town? DM me or text me and let me know.      5:44 PM Apr 7th 2009

The chemistry of the two David’s, whether they are in close proximity or tweeting over cyberspace, is charming.  The vibe is always supportive between them.  I grew more fond of David Cook since watching the behind the scenes footage from Idol.  He wasn’t my favorite from season 7, yet Cook is the person I think of first when David talks about how he admires the other Idol contestants to this day.

What has endeared him to me is the big brother role he displays when ever they have been together on stage during the Idol’s Live tour or appearing together in interviews.  They had shared the spotlight after Idol with several press appearances.

“I consider it a huge honor to share the stage with the kid. He’s the real deal,” Cook says.  “All the buzz coming in, he deserves.”

Ford Day Shenanigans

TRL Singing the phonebook!

The Davids at the TCA’s

Witnessing the friendship built on mutual admiration and respect for each other’s given talent, you can feel the love.  In the world of music stardom they both find the time to stay in touch.  The two David’s are great fans of each other.

The friendship and career support continues to flourish.  Last June Cook asked about an audio version of Chords of Strength.

@DavidArchie saw your book in borders today. Looked for the audiobook version that you narrated, but to no avail… Lol congrats man.

@thedavidcook Oh really?  I guess some stores released it a day early haha.  I’ll  have to keep an audiobook version in mind for you!

This past week when David’s new video Something ‘Bout Love debuted, Cook was on twitter.

RT@DavidArchie Hey guys, the video for “Something ‘Bout Love” will be premiering tomorrow on Vevo!  Excited for you guys to see it! 4:05 PM Aug 4th

Cook paid tribute yet again to David by wearing a too small David Archuleta shirt on stage.  He offers to trade one of his own tour shirts to the fan in exchange.  His reaction to the rejected offer is priceless.

My wish for the two Davids going forward is a continuation of this kind of “real deal” friendship that finds genuine happiness in each other’s success.

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Radio Rant

Posted by Abrra on Monday, July 26, 2010

As I read through my regular route of fan sites recently, I saw an all to familiar trend. Fans being anxious over the fall in numbers on iTunes pop chart for David’s new single “Something ‘bout Love.”  I will be first in line to say that I know very little about how artist promotion is supposed to function. That being said, I do know how David’s past promotion worked for him. Crush was promoted in stellar fashion on Z100, the largest pop radio station in New York City. The Crush video made it to number one on VHI Hits on television mainly due to fans voting on their website. It remained there for a record-setting five weeks in a row.  Without listing the many appearances and opportunities that he had since Crush and the first CD came out, David has been VERY busy in his career.  He has worked constantly since the Idols Live! Tour ended in 2008.  I am not going to make final judgment on the promotion of Something ’bout Love until it gets to radio on August 2nd.

We, his loyal fans, support David by purchasing multiple copies of anything he puts out. We distribute his music and book to anyone who we think might have an interest. At the risk of heresy, I think there has to be a limit to what we do.  Do we not want David to gain new fans who will buy his music? How can the initial climb on the iTunes chart be real if it is composed of die-hard fans buying 20 copies at a time? Propping up sales doesn’t give a true accounting of how an artist is selling.  At some point his management has to take the lead in further promoting his new material. The promotion, marketing, and sales are handled by the label. The marketing department creates advertising and publicity for the CD, album artwork, promotional videos, t-shirts and posters to support the CD. Promotion is responsible for getting the song played on the radio.  Sales reps get the song into stores or iTunes for digital music.

The availability of only the most costly CD package being marketed to international fans is unfair in my judgment. When the shipping cost is added in, the cost can nearly double, not to mention the increases over all due to money exchange rates. Why not offer all the packages? Is it not called the world-wide web?  Would they not sell more by opening up the full store to all the fans?  It smacks of a wrong-headed greed that fails to view the big picture. That short-sightedness is costing them sales on a global scale.

I also have questions about how management has handled his official site store and the fact that they released the song via streaming online. It is a double-edged sword when artists material is released to the net before it can be purchased legally.  Releasing Something ‘bout Love for streaming is asking for piracy. Why give a head start to the illegal download pirates? By the time the song is released to iTunes, we have an initial #21 pop song placement that drops to # 64 in a matter of days. There is something to be said for containing the release closer to the actual time of radio air play, so that when we hear the song we expect to hear it on the radio soon afterward. That’s not how it works unfortunately.  Labels hire “independent promoters” called “indies,” who then guarantee a fixed annual or monthly sum of money to the radio station group or individual station. This is a side step around the perception of “pay for play.”

“An indie approaches a radio station manager or group owner about becoming their exclusive representative.  In exchange, the indie will pay the station an annual payment of $75,000 to $100,000 per year (for medium-sized markets) for “promotional support.”  This means the indie gives the station money, vacations, or gifts in other forms (often gift cards or American Express money cards) that they can use for their promotions, or for whatever use they choose.  Because the “gifts” are to be used for promotions, the pay-for-play is side-stepped.  The station’s part of the deal is to add songs the indie recommends to their play lists.  These are called “adds” in the business.  Most stations have an average of three adds each week. “

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/top-403.htm

On the surface it seems the higher fee paid, the more play for an artist. This is a clue as to why we hear more of  some artists than others. Gone are the days when radio program directors choose a play list based solely on listener input or sales.

At the end of the day, I am a die-hard fan of David Archuleta. I will do anything possible to support him. I have a selfish interest in seeing him continue to make music that reaches all the world.  Having him in my life, for the rest of my life, is all I ask. I yearn to see him succeed beyond his own, and even my, far-reaching expectations.

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The Language of Song

Posted by Abrra on Wednesday, July 14, 2010

“I don’t understand a word of Spanish but I FEEL everything David is singing.  David’s voice is beautiful in any language.”

~~ Pabuckie’s comment after hearing David sing in Spanish at the Tejano Awards Show

Just a little over two years into his career and David Archuleta has performed songs in four different languages:  English, Latin, Spanish and French.  His Christmas from the Heart CD was a groundbreaking moment in his career.  Doing a holiday CD is not uncommon.  Selecting material that crosses language barriers is, and proves yet again that David is a risk-taker.  For David the language of song is not expressed in words alone so comprehending the lyrics of the non-English language songs is not a requirement.  One simply feels the quintessential spirit of the message.  He breathes life into traditional carols by an infusion of melodic humming, creating a velvety tone, a technique he does to perfection.

 

The mark of a great singer is the ability to communicate the message with more than mere words.  David displays a raw emotional connection with each performance.  The spoken language of the song is not as relevant as the message conveyed through his interpretation.  David has demonstrated this ability countless times.  Honored with the ALMA Award Year in Music “Rising Male Star,” his capacity to tap into his passion for a song, then convey its meaning to an audience was breath-taking.  Contigo en la Distancia was flawlessly performed in Spanish on national television before an audience of Latino cultural elite.  Many well-known singers, actors and entertainment  industry  decision makers had stunned looks of appreciation when the lights went up.  This passion for the art of conveying emotion through song has caught the attention of the Latino community in a big way.  His voice was showcased in three solo parts in the production of Somos el Mundo, while most singers were featured once or twice.   Such recognition indicates a level of well deserved respect outside of mainstream pop and within a much larger world perspective.

 

 

“…music can be so much more than just entertainment.  It can be an act of communion, a dialog in sound, sacred or soulful, happy or sad…it can cover the entire spectrum of human emotions.”

~~ David Archuleta, Chords of Strength

When he sang “Be Still My Soul” in concert at Rexburg, Idaho, there was such palpable emotion in the execution of the song.  In a choked voice, while clutching his own hymn book, he spoke of how the song had a calming effect during times of strife.  Singer and audience shed a tear  of gratitude midway through the song.  His voice radiates his spiritual dedication to a higher power when he sings hymns.

Photo credit Jennifer Barry

Using his voice to convey what David himself calls the “language of feeling,” and further describes as an act of catharsis, he references one definition of catharsis in his book, “Chords of Strength” as, “an experience of emotional release often inspired by or through art.”  In short, he gives everything to every performance.  We are witnesses of a spiritual intensity no matter what song he sings, what language he sings in, or what message he conveys.  We believe that what he does in that moment, is stand in his own truth as a singer, and we, as listeners, receive his message loud and clear.

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If You Can Make it There, You’ll Make it Anywhere…

Posted by Abrra on Tuesday, June 15, 2010

With the news that David’s book “Chords of Strength” made #15 on the New York Times best seller non-fiction list, I began to wonder how a book makes it to the list.  I was interested to read that the New York Times “tracks” a book (not every book published) they deem a potential best seller and ask 4,000 bookstores, both chain and independent, to report sales.  Other times they are alerted by the publisher to a book that has gained a fast rise in sales.  The fact that David’s first attempt at something outside the music world made it to this standard in publishing is astonishing.

He is hard at work doing interviews on national television and local radio stations, as well as meeting and signing books for those fortunate enough to attend a book signing.  This is a smart move rather than simply relying on word of mouth or fan sites to promote the product.  According to Alan T. Sorensen of Stanford Business School, who studied sales, the majority of book buyers look to the Times list to see what is worth reading.  Making the list is huge for David in that he is an unknown in the world of writers.  Consider how many copies of his book have been or will be gifted over the next 6 months.  Or how many who never heard of Idol or him, will pick up that book from a store display and buy it.  The snowball effect for him is obvious. Buy a book.  Buy a CD. Become a fan for life!

Click to play this Smilebox slideshow:

One last thing.  Bestsellers can play a significant role in the movie industry.  David is iconic in that most fans agree he may be the best choice to star in a movie adapted from  “Chords of Strength.”  Put on a pair of 3-D glasses and imagine with me a twenty foot David defending Midnight and Cloudy’s honor from the evil tomcat who comes  a-courting!

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On Things Lost and Found

Posted by Abrra on Saturday, June 12, 2010

For whatsoever from one place doth fall,
Is with the tide unto another brought:
For there is nothing lost, that may be found, if sought.

–Edmund Spenser, V. II. xxxix. 4-8 The Faerie Queene

“Sometimes I wonder what I lose with growing up,
And sometimes the notes are sad –

Maybe, if I sat further from the percussion section
I could hear the notes more clearly
And the melody would have more meaning.

And if I got close to the conductor,
The whole symphony could flow through me
And wash me free of fear –
Through love of life!

Sometimes I wonder what I lose with growing up.”

Life can sometimes seem ‘less than’ or ‘more than’ or ‘different than’ what we had thought it would be. It can just pile up and over the bright thing that made it seem worthwhile and wonderful and immediately precious when we were young.

I wrote the above poem when I was twenty-one. I began to realize that I could lose touch with that which made my inner life worthwhile, those visions that seemed to resonate with my truest self.

In the last two years I have learned something new. Another person, totally unknown to me, can, with no volition on my part, turn on the switch that lights up that inner world and show it to me again in all its peace, purity and wonder: David Archuleta.

David, keep singing and remind me once again that there is that other place, the one I know of and trust in and anchor myself to. … I am continually surprised that you can access with sound what comes to me in silence. … Smiting my momentary forgetfulness with joy.

Remind me of the amazing feeling that you first generated in me and what a shock of surprise it was.  I think some of what caused that complete and utter defenselessness, that piercing joy, was the sense of knowing, the recognition, the realization for me that there really was a “Black Stallion”, a “Wizard in the land of Oz” and magic kingdoms; the Bishop really existed and so did his silver candlesticks; Jean Val Jean rests in the arms of angels.

David sings to my deepest joys. His joy knows mine. He is able to look me in the eye and assure me of the verity of my truest dreams, the reality of my hearts wonder.

So…. the only conclusion I can come to after all is this:
I haven’t lost it.

Thanks, DA.

Photo credit BettyJane, Stroudsburg CFTH Tour

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The Wait is Over!

Posted by Abrra on Tuesday, June 1, 2010

While all of you read and highlight your many copies of the book, I will be reflecting on how I will be changed after I read it.  I am a Chords of  Strength virgin for a few more days.

But for many of you the long wait is over.  Having followed the career of David we have peeked in on his life as much as any fans are allowed.  What new stories have given you an “A-ha!” moment?  He wants us to know him.  How has the perspective of these new facts changed your David experience?  Has an understanding of how his mind works when he is not in the public eye altered your perception of him?  We have a personal connection to him through his music.  Has glimpsing the true depths of his emotions caused you to better understand the choices he makes for himself?  Hanging on to the last shred of our current perceptions, the public David we are familiar with has become the private and REAL David we were not.  In photos we have seen the outward maturity.  It took so long to adjust to a simple thing like hair growth over these last few months.


Growing a new perspective might be an adjustment as well.  Are we up to the challenge of leaving the youthful David in the past, of having the new mature David in full control?  There in black and white, we meet the whole person that is David Archuleta for the very first time.

It is June 1st.  Time to share your thoughts.

This is an invitation to all to speak out.

Click to play this Smilebox invite: Chords of Strength
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A Personal Legend in His Own Time

Posted by Abrra on Monday, April 19, 2010

“The way the character in the book thinks about things, it gets your mind going.  It makes you think about yourself and your life.”  ~David Archuleta

This is what David had to say about the popular book “The Alchemist”, by Paulo Cohelo.  It’s the story of a shepherd boy on a journey in search of a treasure that leads him to the Pyramids of Egypt.  It is a quest that came to him in a dream.  Along the way he meets several people who participate in ways that eventually help him find his real treasure, true love.  One of the central themes in the story is “When you want something, the whole universe conspires to help you achieve it”.

I downloaded the book and listened to it while I was working.  Hearing that theme made my mind jump right to David’s journey.  His dream is being revealed on a daily basis.  Along the way, everyone who shared in his journey helped him realize his destiny.  Beginning with his parents, to Victor Hugo’s, “Les Miserables,” to his voice coach, Dean Kaelin, and from Star Search to American Idol and then to Jive Records, all have played a part to get him where he is today.  We fans play a huge part in the journey as well, by supporting him unconditionally in his career.  When you think of all the places he has traveled to perform, all the amazing experiences he has had, it is clear that the universe is truly working on his behalf.

At one pivotal point in the book, the boy meets a man who says he is a king and his name is Melchizedek.  He asks the boy for a tenth of his sheep and gives him two stones called Urim and Thummim to guide him in his travels.

“Why would a king be talking to a shepherd?” the boy asked, awed and embarrassed.

“For several reasons.  But let’s say that the most important is that you have succeeded in discovering you Personal Legend.”

The boy didn’t know what a person’s “Personal Legend” was.

“It’s what you have always wanted to accomplish.  Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is.  At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible.  They are not afraid to dream and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives.  But, as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their Personal Legend….”

“It’s a force that appears to be negative, but actually shows you how to realize your destiny.  It prepares your spirit and your will, because there is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the universe.  It’s your mission on earth.”  ~ The Alchemist

When David was thirteen years of age his voice became weak.  He could not finish more than a song.  He was examined and learned he had vocal chord paralysis.  One vocal chord was not functioning when he sang, causing the remaining healthy one to tire more easily.  I believe this was his “negative force.”  Through rest and eventually with the help of his voice coach, Dean Kaelin, David regained his singing skills.  His desire and dedication to sing became all-consuming.

“Listen to your heart.  It knows all things, because it came from the Soul of the World, and it will one day return there.  By immersing yourself, it will lead to the treasure.” ~ The Alchemist

David read this book at just the right time, when his soul was searching for answers.  It is evident that he took the theme of this story to heart.  When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.  When we, like David, have the courage to believe in ourselves and passionately pursue and truly live our dreams, we unleash forces that help us in ways we never imagined possible.

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


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Lessons Learned on the Road

Posted by Abrra on Thursday, February 18, 2010

Recently  David tweeted, “About to watch The Color Purple starring Fantasia!  Really excited to see the show!”  This tweet was music to my ears.  Fantasia Barrino, winner of the third season of American Idol, is a great talent so worthy of Broadway star status.  On Idol she sang “Summertime” from Porgy & Bess.  Fantasia, on her knees, gave an iconic performance.

The singer’s career since has been a fast climb to success.  Her platinum album, “Free Yourself,” earned four Grammy nominations.  In her co-written autobiography, “Life is Not a Fairy Tale”, Fantasia talks about her struggles with illiteracy.  Simple things like reading to her young daughter or more complex tasks such as reading recording contracts eluded her.  Fantasia’s desire to reach for the stars came with a price.  She starred in The Color Purple as Celie, the used and abused Southern woman who, over the course of four decades, finds her voice and herself.  Several performances a day challenged her skills and her stamina.  The strain on her voice over time took its toll in the form of a cyst on her vocal cords.  Surgery to remove the cyst was successful.  It was during recovery from this surgery that her financial plight came to the surface.

Fantasia was so busy working that she lost touch with her business side.  Managers and accountants were not looking out for her best interest.  Her epiphany came when she was attempting to pay for a pizza with her credit card.  The card was declined.  She called her manager and learned that bills were not being paid.  This was a red flag that screamed, “Wake up Fantasia!”  Being sole support for her daughter, mother and brothers had drained her bank account.  She gave them anything they asked for and now it was time to make changes.  Fantasia learned to take back her life.  “I have to be in control of it all,” she says.  “I’m glad that I went through it because now it has made me stronger and wiser, and I know that I can’t allow people to just take control of my destiny.  I now say no with a quickness.”

I was moved by her new single, “Even Angels.”  The Fantasia I remembered is back doing music that reaches out and grabs your heart. When she performs this song she makes you believe that she has learned life lesson #1~ Trust in yourself.

Chorus:
First step, take a deep breath
You don’t need a reason why
You can, you can take, take time
You can, you can walk, run, dive
Close call, you think you might fall
But all you gotta do is try
Even angels, even angels learn… to fly.

As she revealed her story of misplaced trust and being taken advantage of by management, accountants and some family, I began to realize more fully the pressures that must weigh on David since idol.  His strength of character, faith and family support have carried him far.  But this journey has barely begun and ahead of him stretches a long and winding road.

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Connections

Posted by Abrra on Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Photo by Jennifer Barry

A huge snowstorm was looming in the gray skies over Newark as I boarded the train for Providence.  My mood was resigned.  I had made the painful decision to forgo David Archuleta’s last two Christmas concerts in Boston and Westbury.  I stared glumly out the window, cursing the blizzard that had destroyed my plans to connect with David again.  The train was filled to capacity with people heading home for the holidays.  The seat beside me soon became empty and mysteriously remained that way through three more stops of passengers jostling to board.   Suddenly, I looked up to see a tall young man in his early twenties.  He smiled and politely asked, “May I sit here?”  That was the beginning of a remarkable conversation that lasted until John Torrey got off in Norwich, Connecticut.

John Torrey in Bagamoyo, Tanzania

John is a student at Princeton University.  As the train sped onward through the frigid landscape, he talked to me about his life at college and how he spends his time in summer between semesters.  He does volunteer work in Bagamoyo, Tanzania in an AIDS clinic for women and children, teaching healthy lifestyle habits and disease prevention.  No small task in an impoverished village where health care is virtually non-existent but for the works of good Samaritans, like John and other volunteers for UKUN.  As John wrote in a subsequent email I requested since our meeting, “UKUN also provides care to over 5,000 orphaned and vulnerable children through coordinating support services….providing clients with nutritional assistance, counseling and testing, transportation to the hospital, physical therapy, ARV monitoring, income generating opportunities, referrals to social services in the community, AIDS education in schools, and much more.  They serve as the eyes and ears of the Bagamoyo medical community because they actually enter communities and residences. At the moment, UKUN is facing a funding crisis, so I spent most of my time writing letters and grants in an effort to obtain funds.  I also went on numerous home visits and helped to transport clients to the hospital.  Along with other volunteers, I set up what is now a regular support group for HIV-positive women.  Separately from UKUN, I also taught and played with children at a local center for orphaned and vulnerable children called IMUMA every weekday.”

John Torrey and some orphaned children he taught English, Math, and Geography to in Tanzania.

As I listened to his story of the plight of the Tanzanian people, I immediately felt that John was a person David would be proud to know.  Here was someone doing the hands on work close to David’s heart and fund raising efforts.  They are connected in that way, he and David, strangers and brothers at the same time in their mission.  I began to talk about David’s work with various foundations prompting John to exclaim that, “David certainly seems like my kind of person!”  This was my opening to offer John a Christmas Tour CD.  He promised to play it with his family when he got home.  I showed him some of my videos with my IPhone that feature David singing “Save the Day” and “Falling”.  My seatmate was delighted with the songs and the Voice.  Then he told me that he was a songwriter!  Was there nothing this charming young man did not attempt?

Before we parted, I asked John what his goal was in life.  His answer:  “To bring peace to the world by working to improve health care in poor countries.  I want to write grants for funds to help the continuing effort to raise these people out of poverty so they can support themselves.”  John, like David has a deep feeling of responsibility to try his best to make the world a better place.  I am proud to call John Torrey my friend.  I am almost sure David would be too.

The train pulled into Norwich and my companion got off with a wave and a promise to keep in touch.  Strangers on a train, connected for a moment that would last forever.  I sat back in my seat and felt the smile return that he had placed there; felt my spirits rise as the train gathered speed.  I had missed my connection with David, but I had made the connection I was meant to keep.

Connections

How am I connected to you?
How are you connected to me?
How are we connected to the small girl who plays
With her doll on a porch in the summer in L. A.?
How is she connected to us?

How were you connected to your husband or wife
Before you first met later on in your life?
How were you bound to her joys or his strife?
How did this matter to you?

How am I connected to you?
How are you connected to me?
How are we connected to the farmer who plows
Out his small field of maize miles north of Callao?
How are his story and ours tied right now?
How are we connected to him?

How are you connected to the small child who dies
Of severe diarrhea in the slums of Mbuji Mayi?
When pennies from your pocket could have kept him alive
‘Till his fifty-first year when his grandchild turns five?
How are you connected to him?

John Torrey 

From the song collection-Child of the 21st Century

To contribute to ensuring the futures of some of the brightest young orphaned children John taught by sending them to secondary school, donate here: http://www.reach4tomorrow.info/meetthekids.html or to donate generally to IMUMA’s amazing and empowering activities, donate here: http://friendsofimuma.bbnow To donate to UKUN, contact the project coordinator, Charles Njonjele at cbnjonjele@lycos.com

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Something Good This Way Comes

Posted by Abrra on Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Oh Holy Night, Stroudsburg, PA

Sometimes plans work out, sometimes not.  More about that later.   At Foxwoods I met Dawn, SF, Bubbly, TOfan, refnaf, djxox, river, rapture, ninaf, knotliser and her daughter Nora and so many others I had not met till that day.  Lots of hugs and introductions all around.  Everyone who came within my reach was handed a CFTH Tour Live CD.  Sharing David’s music is a passion of mine.

The VIP was nice.  When it was time to go inside for sound check, I was able to get a 2nd row seat!  The big screens were on during sound check and  David kept glancing at them as he sang.  I think the reality of the importance of the Billboard Live stream was finally sinking in.  David sang Happy Birthday to a girl named Katie who was in a wheelchair and was near the stage.  He leaned down close to sing to her.   She was the happiest girl in the world for that moment in time.  It was very emotional for all of us.

I found my seat for the concert and it was in the first row!  Yes!  This was a hope I had cherished for so many concerts and here it was at last!  Dawn and I sat on the left end of center section.  I looked to my right and the next fifteen seats across the front were filled with all my online friends.  We could not have planned such a perfect experience, all of us sitting together on the first row like that.  Security told us no video or be removed from the theater.  Djxox is a hero!  She sat quietly with her camera in her lap and only looked into the lens occasionally as if taking still shots.  She captured many videos that were perfection.

The show began and every song was so full of energy pulled from the crowd’s love.  At one point David announced the Billboard Live streaming to the world.  He thanked all the fans in the theater and those  watching online and waved to all the international fans, saying he wished he could see them.  The Christmas set was so well done.  He hit every note and filled every heart and soul in that theater with his voice.  He owned the stage and I could see the respect in the eyes of his fellow musicians.  Steve, the guitarist, often gave David a thumbs up or a nod of approval.

After the show, I met with most of the ladies mentioned previously, at a dinner in the casino.  We talked nonstop about David.  Surprise!

The next morning, Dawn,  refnaf, TOfan and I, all headed in Dawn’s car to Stroudsburg.  Fun times listening to the live CD and refnaf’s ipod selections of party remixes of David’s songs.  We made it safely in about four hours and dropped the Snowangelz off at their hotel, then found a parking spot for the night.  The VIP was a LONG wait.  I met Burkey and her daughter, KT, archiesfan4life, Zoe and some men from FOD.  I love that men come to the shows to see David, rather than simply as drivers.  More CD’s given and hugs exchanged all around.

At this show we had seats on the right side 3rd row.  It was a small place so the sound was LOUD from the speakers ten feet from our seats.  Dawn and I bonded with an usher who told us she had never heard of David before, but liked his rehearsal very much.  A fan had given her his CFTH CD, so we told her to be sure and get it signed after the show if she could.  By the end of the first pop song she was toast!  She had a seat on the aisle in front of us.  She turned around and gushed, “He is GOOD!”  Fangirl in the making FTW!  She cried at Ave Maria.  We had warned her this was going to be a concert she would never forget.  By the end of “Oh Holy Night” the usher had her CFTH Cd in hand, anxious to bring it backstage for David Archuleta to autograph for posterity.

I am not the religious type, but something happened at the end of Oh Holy Night in Stroudsburg.  As we were leaving up the side aisle, folks were talking about how he looked at the end of it.  Many hands covered dropped jaws.  David sang the high notes and the beams of light surrounded him.  He literally disappeared into the light and emerged as an angel.  It was stunning.  Not at any show have I seen this phenomenon occur.  I wasn’t looking for it; it just happened.  Something heavenly and spiritual happened.  I know it.  I witnessed it.


With blizzard conditions predicted for the Northeast, I decided to go back home to Massachusetts the next morning by train, missing Boston and Westbury.  I was able to transfer my VIP’s to other fans with help from Kristen, so I’m glad someone got a chance to see David in my place.  So sadly, as I said,  my best-laid plans did not all come to pass. My concert experience ended here.  But as fate would have it,  my story does not.  To be continued….

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