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David Archuleta’s fans talk about his appearances

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In a Good Place with David Archuleta

Posted by Angelica on Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Submitted by Betsy

This is not really a recap, not really a normal article. I am just feeling so good that the words flowed. Pretty sure this is acceptance and happiness for David and his strong decision. :) Love him more than ever. Also, I don’t have a clue how this happened. I am sure the sadness will come back at times, but right now, the overwhelming feeling is YES!! David is doing something he wants very much to do!!

I was planning on writing a recap of my time at the Verona show. But it turned out that I couldn’t. I could barely comment on anyone’s articles. (sorry) I was too sad.

But. Here’s the thing. I must have snapped out of it. For awhile, anyway. It’s starting to feel like Thanksgiving for some reason. I have never felt so grateful, so thankful, as I do right now. It started last night and has kept flowing throughout today. I hope this feeling stays. :)

So blessed to have such kindred spirits as all of you. ♥
So blessed to have found David almost 4 years ago. ♥
To get him. What he’s all about. To love him. And his music.

When David sang Good Place in Verona, a couple of friends and I sat right in front of him. Stunned. The mistakes mattered not. It was pure David. He laughed a little, but toward the end of the song, there was nothing but tender, heartfelt love pouring out of him.

After he finished, we said “this alone was worth the money, the travel problems, etc. If this was all we were to get it’d be worth it.” We were dead serious. And we still had an entire show after that.

I’ll never forget that feeling. I carry it around with me every day. It’s so good.

Nobody else can give us precisely what David gives us. We are so lucky. He really gave us the best of himself this past tour. If I hadn’t been able to go to the show, I would still have felt it through the videos. I HAVE felt it through videos.

credit Betsy

David, this is exactly what we love about you. You didn’t have to do it, but you did. I hope you had as much fun, as much joy, as we did.

Now go spread your joy to the rest of the world who may be in need of it.
I may not know much, but I do know I’ll still be here, flailing over my favorite song.
And my favorite singer.

Posted in David Archuleta, recaps, The Voice | Tagged: , , | 125 Comments »

Heidijoy’s Recaps ~ David Archuleta at SLC and Beaver Creek

Posted by Angelica on Monday, December 26, 2011

Credit Pattycake from SLC MKOC show

Recap of Salt Lake City

During VIP I used my photo-op for a small group of us to present David with a Certificate from the Golden Archie project in which we gave the Primary Children’s Hospital 50 of GCT CDS/DVDs, $250 check for the Music Therapy Program and a penciled portrait of David. He was thrilled of course. I was thrilled when I told him I was Heidijoy and he said “Oh I recognize that name.” There were probably about 200 there and no one was rushed. It was fun to watch everyone greet David and pose for their pictures. David sang Good Place/Let It Be mashup which was beautiful. He had a request for How Great Thou Art or a Hymn of his choice. Child of God and Dream Sky High were voted on. Child of God got the most votes and David sang it beautifully.  He then said Oh! I’ll sing Dream Sky High too. Beautiful and heartfelt.

The concert was spectacular!! The Set List was the same as other concerts. The crowd was on fire and we danced to Zero Gravity. David Osmond and Jenny Frogley came out and sang the background vocals like they did on the recorded version of Melodies of Christmas. It was festive! Some of the highlights in the second half of the concert were the Lycum Philharmonic Orchestra, an Adult Choir and a Children’s Choir alternating songs, Mama Lupe and Jonah’s participation in the FA La La La La Song. David’s growth as a singer and performer were out of this world.

The highlights of David’s banter were his appreciation of all of his fans and his gratefulness for us being responsible for all of the success and opportunities that he has had.  He also talked about turning 21 and  said he would just continue drinking water and then added I don’t know why I even said that. David started getting quite emotional prior to Silent Night when he talked about caroling with his brother and sisters and thanked them for being there. He also talked of how grateful he was for the opportunity to sing this song with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir last year and how meaningful that experience was for him. David ended with Drummer Boy which was fantastic. There were many standing ovations, cheers, whistles etc. We were beyond thrilled with the Concert and begged for more!!

When David came back out for the Encore, he told us he would be going on a Full time mission. As he struggled to tell us, he smiled, broke down in tears and got his message out. He talked about the certainty that this is what he was being called to do at the time in his life. The crowd erupted in cheers and I felt like I had been kicked in the gut. What a mix of emotions. Exuberance for the concert, David’s growth and performances and grief at the loss of him for at least two years. David then sang the most beautiful Oh Holy Night with his tears glistening. He left the stage with a big wave and thank you to all. I was sitting in front of Lupe at the concert and told her how much we would miss David. She was very gracious and seemed happy that David has this opportunity. We talked to Sunny too as she had sat with the family for the concert. She said David still has some projects to do including recording in the near future. I got to meet Jonah and tell him what a big fan I was. He was so gracious with a hand shake and appreciation. I of course greeted his Mom too.  Fans gathered afterward and were stunned for the most part. I was glad we were going to Beaver Creek as painful as the grief was.

Here is Beaver Creek

Needless to say I didn’t sleep much after SLC concert and we left bright and early for Beaver Creek. Chats with travel mate Grateful4all_DA were painful and we had a fear of how to handle all these emotions. Lots of tears were shed. We looked forward to Beaver Creek.

VIP  Fans gathered and we sang a song We’ll Be There set to the tune of I’ll be There that two fans had written to David when he entered the room prior to picture-taking. Karin asked David first if it was alright. That was difficult, painful ,tender and very meaningful. David expressed his gratefulness and said it was the first time a group of fans sang to him. I got in line near the front as I wanted to be as natural as possible. I stood in front of David and shook his hand so I could look in those eyes one more time. He recognized me and thanked me again for helping gather all of the CDs/DVDs etc. We then posed arm in arm.  I again shook his hand and offered my wish of the best for him. He thanked me with a big smile.

I then watched everyone else as they greeted and posed with him.  He was very attentive and there was no rush of anyone. We then went into the concert hall for the rest of VIP. We donned party hats and sang Happy Birthday to David and he was touched noting the birthday hats. He thanked all of us for everything and talked of how important it was for him to do this tour in appreciation for his fans. He said that is was very difficult to schedule it because someone was trying to block him from having this tour. (I think that is part of why it was also difficult to hit all the areas he would have liked to include in the tour.) He answered a few questions including did he have his mission papers in and does he know where he is going and he said he did have his papers in and does know here he is going. He said he didn’t want to be more specific at this time. He emphasized that he will still be able to do music during his mission. He then sang Good Place/Let it Be, Mary Did You Know and I’m Trying To Be With Jesus. Oh boy! Nobody can sing more tenderly and with such emotion while having the best vocals on the planet. Words don’t do any of this justice. He was going to do one more since it was the last concert but some guy said NO the doors were opening. It was non-negotiable!!!!!!! Boo! We then readied for the concert and fans were given a Maraca to shake during Fa la la la la.

David was on fire as were his fans. The show was Sold Out!! A side note: This was a thrill for me especially as I had selfishly promoted this concert so it would not get cancelled after I had spent considerable money on flight and hotel reservations which were non-refundable. I had called and written to the local church and schools including sending flyers and David’s CD’s to both P.O.C.’s. I carefully watched the seat charts for months on the Vilar Performing Charts. When the dots eventually showed full, I was thrilled.  When we got to Beaver Creek, we saw lots of promo in papers, posters etc. I was glad that is was promoted so well and I was not solely responsible for filling the place. (ha!ha!)

On with the show. There was no orchestra or Choir and the simplicity of David and the band was perfect for this venue and for us. We sang,we danced, we cheered and we shook our Maracas during Fa la la la la!! It was a celebration. It seemed like we (the fans) gave David a standing ovation for every song. It was so much fun! Alex, Steve and Asaf  joined the children on stage for the Fa la la la la intro and you could tell David was surprised. He was prompted to ask each their name like the kids and it was hilarious as they introduced themselves. Later Stix (the VIP guy) and Jeff LeBlanc came out playing music with their Santa hats on. It added some humor and joy to the number. The kids were adorable as usual.

The concert was special and David ended with Oh Holy Night! It was beautiful. We screamed for an Encore of course. We had worried all during the show about how David would be singing Drummer Boy, because Steve and his drums were behind an Acrylic wall. Luckily they  took that down while we screamed for an Encore. David came running out and the reason for two standing Microphones was answered when Jeff LeBlanc came out to join David.  David said that they had been jamming to a song off stage and decided to add the song to this final show. Waiting On The World to Change. We couldn’t believe our ears. David and Jeff jammed and sang and it was wonderful. Lots of full circle memories for sure. David had said it was his first time to sing the whole song. David then closed with the Drummer Boy and it was spectacular.

Lots of fans decided to wait in the lobby and then by the bus and David did come out by the bus. It was wonderful as fans asked for signatures, pictures, hugs etc. I got an autograph on a picture that was in the big fat Vilar Performing Arts Booklet with David’s full page picture and ad in it. By this time I got a big Hi from David as he now knew who I was. Ha! ha! I also got a big hug and picture taken with David and give my final heartfelt message with a big smile on both of our faces.

We saw Sunny out by the bus and asked her what song David was going to sing at VIP that got cut off, she said Be Still My Soul. Divine Intervention???  She said David was looking for her before the encore and was going to sing it but she had gotten locked out of the back when she has gone out to the Child Fund display area. I guess it wasn’t meant to be but Oh! How we would have loved to hear one more Be Still My Soul.

Joined other fans for a wrap up of the evening. We were ecstatic that this last show and send off was full of Happiness and Joy.

Posted in David Archuleta, recaps, The Voice | Tagged: , | 52 Comments »

To Hear An Angel’s Voice at Westbury ~ David Archuleta

Posted by bebereader on Friday, December 9, 2011

Credit PaulaFOD

It’s been five days since Westbury and I miss it big time. But I can’t complain; it was a midwinter night’s dream to be at VIP, sit in Row 4 and see David perform, to finally meet Angelica and Abrra and catch up with old friends. The planets aligned nicely for me; the only missing link from The Voice was Djafan. We have been looking forward to The Grand Meeting for the last two years since we started The Voice. There’s something about that third dimension that cinches the deal.

(Dear David, do you know how many people you have brought together, how many friendships you’ve created, how much good you have brought to the world? You are so young in years and have accomplished more than you realize. But that‘s another subject for another time. ;) )

I recognized Abrra when I first saw her at VIP. She’s cute and warm and friendly and funny and nurturing and every bit as efficient and geeky as she is online. We hugged and I gave her the big kiss on the cheek I promised. It feels like I know Abs my whole life. She is like a warm fuzzy blankie. We bonded instantly, at first sight.

VIP took place in the lounge and the lights were low and hazy. It was packed and we knew David entered the room when we heard screams followed by a hush. I could barely see him at the far end of the lounge but when I got closer, there he was, dressed like a typical teenager in jeans and a hoodie, signing posters for the fans.  It was a pleasure to spend some time with SandyBeaches again and to see  TOFan and refnaf. I also met Kizzi for the first time! Abrra was already in line to get a signed poster and she saved me a spot. I almost forgot that Mr. Bebereader was sitting at our table, with our coats and purses.  He’s been a fan of David’s since Idol and never misses a chance to say hi to him. I quickly let him know that it was time. Since he didn’t want to leave the purses unattended, he arrived at the line with three ladies purses in tow.  LOL The line moved quickly…

Me: Hi David. I’m Bebe. B-E-B-E (I was sure he wouldn’t know how to spell my name.)

David: (Repeating me, as he signed) Beeee beeee B-E-B-E. Lower register. Dead. Why did he have to do that?

I could barely see him in the darkness but I wasn’t really looking either. Have you heard of self preservation? Then I heard him say “So how’re you doing?” I guess he was talking to me; I was the only one there.

Me: Great! Good luck at the show tonight! (So generic.)

David: Thanks! And thanks for coming out!

He handed me a life-sized signed poster and I made a beeline back into the crowd. A new line formed for pictures and then he sang the first verse of “My Kind of Perfect”, a capella. Lovely.

We were back out in the lobby after VIP when someone told me that Angelica had arrived. I turned around and knew exactly who she was. She’s beautiful, blond, bright, and a firecracker, a combination of attributes that you’d expect in someone who writes with so much passion.

I thought I’d pull a fast one so when I approached her I said “Hi Angelica, I’m Abrra and this is Bebe (pointing to Abrra who was standing beside me.) She had never met either of us but you can’t trick her. She good-naturedly laughed at my attempt at silliness but knew I was teasing. She sparkles; she’s fun; she’s a people magnet and she pulled me right in.

We had some time to sit in our seats in the venue before the show started. There I had the pleasure of speaking to SilverFox again; we met at a VIP two years ago. Shoutouts to FunnyGirl, who is even funnier than her screen name and Marciami, mi compadre. It was evident that fans were there from all parts of the country and elsewhere. This is such a credit to David and I was proud of him before the show even started.

On with the show…

This was not the David I remember from American Idol. He has evolved into an adult, a charismatic performer, fully in charge and a tease onstage. He knows how to work the crowd with his banter, jokes, and by the way he uses his voice. He came out with a slow saunter, singing the words to “Sleigh Ride”, looking completely different from the teenager in the jeans and hoodie I saw moments before. We gasped collectively when we saw him. We screamed. We stood, honored to see him once again. The New York audience never got a chance to see him sing songs from TOSOD and I was thrilled when he sang the title song. The setlist was eclectic and it worked. There were pop tunes, Jazzy numbers, Christmas standards and new Christmas songs. David was playful onstage but he owned it, giving the band cues, dancing, and joking with us:

“That one’s a mistletoe. I don’t know if it’s active on the stage tonight.” LOL

The highlights for me were:

1) The new bi-lingual Christmas song David wrote with Sunny Hilden, “Fa la la la la la.” It’s fun, upbeat, has a catchy tune. And it gives David a chance to let loose and do a little dancing onstage! It’s going to be my ringtone for the holidays.

2) The Amy Grant cover, “I Need A Silent Night”. Fun lyrics and David’s beautiful vocals. I go to sleep and wake up with this song in my head.

credit 8throwcenter

3) “The First Noel”, “Silent Night”, “O Holy Night”. Exquisite vocals. Beautiful reverent performances.

4) Little Drummer Boy! What on earth???!!! I was blown away by this performance. David chooses songs for a reason because they convey a message. I believe he was telling us that he wants to do music forever, is grateful for his gift and will build his career as he sees fit, thank you very much. He made a bold move and beat aggressively on the drums with mallets, to make that statement. A sight to behold when he held the two mallets up in the air. More power to you David. Own it! It’s yours!

All in all it was a great show and had something for everyone. I left the venue feeling both exhilarated and peaceful at the same time. I spoke to a few people as we were exiting. We all had the same look on our faces. What just happened?

After the show, about 50 of us gathered at the Broadway Diner to try to figure it out.  We’re still not sure.  Except that when all our powers of reasoning fail us, the words of Michael Orland, Musical Director of American Idol, Season 7 are brought to mind. “David Archuleta came to American Idol as a genius and he left as one.“  On a cold wintry night in December, Mr. Orland’s words ring loud and clear.

Posted in Appreciation, Art, artistic freedom, concerts, David Archuleta, music genres, My Kind of Christmas Tour, Personal freedom, recaps, tours, Transformation | Tagged: , , , | 161 Comments »

David Archuleta’s My Kind Of Christmas Tour ~ The Best Christmas Gift Ever! A Recap by Silverfox

Posted by djafan on Tuesday, December 6, 2011

credit Paula

There is so much to say but it’s hard to find the words which would do justice to David and the magic of the four concerts I was truly fortunate to attend, thanks in large part to SB. But I’m trying hard to find the words. Right now, as always after seeing David in concert & wondering when or if there will be a next time for me, I find myself in a fog, a feeling of sadness. For some reason, this time is different, because at the same time I feel a sense of peace knowing David is happy & truly content in the decisions he has made.

David’s MKOC Tour is his Christmas gift to his fans which is truly extraordinary. His gracious appreciation of and gratitude to his fans was so obvious in every move, every look, every smile, every word he uttered on stage and at the VIP M&G’s, but more so when he sang. Whether the upbeat, fun songs or the beautiful, heartfelt reverent songs, he poured his all into each & every note. He showed us how he feels about his fans & he takes nothing for granted. This tour, the whole production is so obviously HIS. I believe he knew exactly what he wanted to do and how he wanted to express himself to his fans. He may have had some input from others, but the production is ALL DAVID because it’s all about “giving”. I believe he also wanted, in the only & best way he knows, to give subliminal messages in the songs he chose about our concerns & worries about what he has in store for the future.

The tour opening in Westbury brought back many great memories of CFTH, but those were soon overshadowed by such remarkable performances by David, as if he had been performing non-stop these last two years. His vocals have never sounded so sublime, pitch-perfect and magnificent. SB & I had front row seats directly in front of David. We always describe ourselves as being mesmerized & hypnotized by David, and believe me, by the end of the concert, the audience was! He gave us surprise after surprise. He shared the stage with kids while he read a Christmas poem. He salsa danced around the stage like the Latino he is to his new fun song, Fa-la-la-la. Then before his very beautiful encore of Silent Night, he sang Little Drummer Boy in his low register, ever so softly at first then out of nowhere, he lifted some base drumsticks and proceeded to absolutely blow us away by beating the front of the base drum and dancing from side to side as he beat it like there was no tomorrow! It was David as we have never seen him before! To say we were flabbergasted is an understatement! I don’t think David knew what to expect or how his audience would react to his performance of Little Drummer Boy which is why it was not the encore in Westbury. It was the most exciting & outstanding performance I had ever seen in my life! So far..because of course, he was just getting started.

Irving Plaza was another outstanding performance but on a smaller stage. It was a standing only, mosh type venue. SB & I upgraded our tickets to Venue VIP which only meant standing in the balcony with a better view of the stage. The difference in this concert was the encore which was no surprise. David’s Little Drummer Boy took center stage as the Encore song. A brilliant decision as I am sure we will witness more & more as the tour progresses.

Now on to Turning Stone Casino in Verona which transformed David into the Broadway Star he could easily be. The large stage reminded me of the Las Vegas stages my sister & I saw Elvis perform in many times. I can see David perform in the biggest & most beautiful showrooms in Vegas or on Broadway someday. David surpassed himself in Verona. It was truly magical. The difference between Elvis & David is Elvis had a “crowd” on stage, an orchestra, his band & several background singers. David had four band members, and HIMSELF and needed nothing & no one else. When he came on stage he was bigger than life, filling the stage with his glow. It’s a mystery how he transforms the minute he walks on stage, any stage. This transformation is an unexplainable phenomena which I have only seen in David. What was so different about the stage in the Turning Stone Casino? Perhaps it was the size of the stage, the lighting, or the acoustics? No! It was David. How is it possible to improve perfection? Because that is precisely what David did in Verona. His stage presence was like no one I’ve seen before. His vocals were exquisite. His voice lifted the audience to heights we never knew existed. How does he do it night after night I wondered? Like in the last two concerts, he gave his all in every song reaching out to the audience with his beautiful voice & self. He gave us more surprises after he read his poem with the little girls from the audience when he broke out singing his new fun song again. (The man can D A N C E!). Then he started dancing with one of the little girls!! Such a joy to behold and that little girl will have something to remember forever! The first half was over leaving us anxiously anticipating what he had in store in the second half.

MAGIC! That is what he had in store for us. Every song, full of love & Grace. Then came David’s rendition of Silent Night which is as we know, the most beautiful of any other rendition we have ever heard by anyone, and in Verona he made it even more poignant, reverent & beautiful. All of a sudden through the tears many of us had as he sang, snow started to fall! Real snow! It was like scene out of a movie or a beautiful painting. Looking at David in the center of the stage under the most beautiful lighting & singing this most beautiful song deep from within his heart & soul as the snow fell was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen and I will never forget it. I can still see & feel the deep & profound impact that particular performance had on me. David will never know & even if I were to try to tell him, I would not be able to find the words. I know there were many in the audience who were as affected as I.

credit David’s OS

His Little Drummer Boy in Verona was even more magnificent than you can imagine! Perhaps the large stage made it that much more powerful a performance. All I can say is that you just had to be there! It was an inspiration and IMO, his way of letting us know in his subliminal way that he is doing his bidding for Him every day of his life, using the gift he was given in the right way. He is doing what he was born and destined to do. David’s performance in Verona was truly unforgettable. In a way, I wish there were NO videos of any of the Little Drummer Boy performances until the end of the tour so that each audience can see & FEEL what the videos just can’t pick up which is the energy, excitement and astonishment of seeing David beating on the drum for HIM, putting his whole body into it as he dances side to side. It’s simply glorious!

Stroudsburg was another outstanding performance. A different venue, stage & audience…except for those of us who were fortunate to be there again. David’s vocals were still strong & had no sign of fatigue and his stage presence was still happy, alive and on fire! How does he do it I wondered again? So obvious was his joy on stage. Every song sung with an intensity as if knowing this was the last of the Eastern leg of his tour, he wanted to make sure the fans here felt his love & appreciation. It was like a huge joyous celebration. He danced, he talked more than usual, and danced some more! Zero Gravity got the audience up & dancing. His Little Drummer Boy was again a reminder to us that he is here to stay, playing his “Drum” to Him, playing his best to Him. Giving his thanks to Him for the gift of his amazing ability to reach people regardless of faiths, age, gender, or race through music. That is David’s destiny and he is living it every day.

What a grand & glorious 4 days of seeing David in concert. The best Christmas gift ever!

For anyone reading the fan sites or viewing the videos, you have to know the videos, audios, & recaps of personal experiences, even though some are brilliantly written really do not capture the full essence of seeing David in all his glory on this, his very special tour which is so obviously designed, produced & orchestrated by David to be exactly what he wanted to GIVE to his fans. If there is an opportunity to attend one of the MKOC concerts, PLEASE DO!

To David, all I can say is Thank you for yet again, another unforgettable experience & memories I can tuck away in my heart.

credit Maureen

Posted in artistic freedom, concerts, music, Musical icon, My Kind of Christmas Tour, performance art, Personal freedom, recaps, tours, Uncategorized | 122 Comments »

David Archuleta in Arizona

Posted by djafan on Thursday, September 22, 2011

First and foremost we want to thank all the fans, those who weren’t able to be there but were with us in spirit, those who contributed for flowers, sent gifts, sent letters, paid for a seat and donated a seat.  The generosity of David fans is unbelievable.  A huge thank you to the fan sites, tweeters, bloggers, and others for all your support.  This was for all David fans.  Sweetonda, SandyBeaches, and Silverfox thank you for all your hard work it was much appreciated ♥  Abrra, Bebe and all you posters and lurkers thank you for holding the fort down.  I also want to thank Barbara Stowell, the event organizer for the fan seating.

Pictures from SandyBeaches:

David’s mail filled the bag! He has mail to open from several states and other countries, including Canada, Germany, Peru, Columbia, and more. It was passed along to us that…David has the best fans in the world!

The picture was taken from the front seat of the car looking back at the flowers. I placed a note in the roses saying that the roses were from the fans here from far and wide that night.

This bouquet was from the away fans.

The Sports Bag and a small gift bag from some fans that Janey wanted delivered safely, not sure how security felt about it. lol But I’ll let Silverfox and SandyBeaches tell that story.

They enjoyed the edible bouquet!

TheVoiceDA TheVoiceDA

@StevenJRob Hello… We sent you all an edible bouquet … It’s in the RV. Enjoy!

 StevenJRob StevenJRob

@TheVoiceDA delicious! Thanks!!! :-)

Here is where everything was delivered, David’s trailer.

We spoke to Jeff Archuleta at the barricade and he said David was blown away by it all!

 I will let each photographer share the story behind their picture.

**********

This was a David Archuleta Concert.  I know it wasn’t supposed to be but it was.  It was apparent from the get go that there was no way to avoid it.  There were thousands of people there and I’ll venture to say several of those thousands were David fans.

Once again David amazed me.  Every song, every move, his smiles and the pointing to fans, all of it warmed my heart.  The flowers and bag had been placed in the trailer before the concert so we knew he had seen them.

This was by far the best “Stand By Me” performance ever.

@muldur tweeted:

“Last night David touched hands. He didn’t just high five.”

I think of how David walked along the barricade and put his hand out, arm outstretched as he touched our hands and let us touch his arm, his hands, his fingers. It was a true exchange. It reminded me of Asia when he put his hand into the crowd and everyone touched his hand and everyone touched him.  Unreal.

Now the countdown begins for the yet-to-be-named Holiday Tour.

I saw this tweet and cracked up!

lizmag3 Lisa M

Reliving some crazy moments at the event….best one: everyone moving their chairs up! So I did & my bag got left behind about 5 rows back!

SandyBeaches has mentioned the chair moshing, new term haha.  What happened was that as David time became closer there were hundreds of people gathering to the right of us and there was about 20 feet between us and the barricade in front of the stage.  These fans were very enthusiastic and started to crowd us.  I feared that they were going to get into that space in front of the stage and block us.  So I grabbed the sides of the chair and moved up about 3 feet, I looked back and everyone had a look of “What is she doing?” The security guards gave each other confused looks so before they realized what was happening I moved up another 3 feet.  I looked back and I saw the ladies pick up their chairs and start moving up so I moved another 3 or 4 feet before they reached me and turned my back on the security. I didn’t want to see their reaction. lol  I then saw what I had started.  Everyone was hunched over carrying their chairs under them simultaneously, it was a sight to behold.  The security started talking to each other and we thought they would try to move us back!  I didn’t think it was doable but then the announcer came out and said that we had paid good money to sit there and asked them to stop crowding us. Chair moshing turned out to be a complete success!

Now your turn.  :)

Posted in Appreciation, concerts, David Archuleta, recaps, The Voice | Tagged: , , | 181 Comments »

In the Melting Pot with David Archuleta ~ Pocoelsy’s Recap & Arizona

Posted by Angelica on Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Photo credit Pocoelsy’s daughters

As some of you may know, I went to his concert in Kuala Lumpur, so I just want to share with you all how he and the whole thing made me feel….here we go…

We started out journey at about 9 am. Two and a half hour drive to my eldest daughter’s campus to pick her and her friends up. Oh my daughter, she won 4 tickets from flyfm the week before. Hoping to get meet and greet passes but it’s not meant to be :( I was listening to fly with my younger daughter then and heard her name…. the next thing I knew, I heard her screamm… screeching so loud for the whole nation to hear her love for David, I’m so proud of her haha all excited lol! We never won any competition on radio before haha. It was fun but we had our tickets already so she gave away those tickets to her friends, one of them couldn’t go cause the mother didn’t want her to miss any classes, but GOD moves in mysterious ways… all the classes were canceled that day !!! so they didn’t miss any…so my good reputation as a mom is still intact!! lol.

We went to pick up the tickets at flyfm. When the girls saw the tickets they screamed their high pitch again haha..help building “the mood” for concert ….Oh my poor hubby haha lol. We checked in at our hotel and gave an extra ticket to one of the staff there. She was so happy, I could tell from her smile “ear to ear” as she thanked us nonstop. Had lunch and freshened up, then we went to the stadium.

When we arrived at the stadium about 4pm, a lot of people were already there, some were like us… waiting to go in for soundcheck, some were so excited and just happy to be there and listening to the soundcheck from the outside yeah! When we arrived David and the band were doing their private soundcheck, had he not skipped some difficult notes to save his voice for the show one might think they were playing his cd. My “entourage” haha just go WOW ald&6%$0>::}

In we went at about 4:45 pm waiting for our Prince Charming to show up lol and he did, swiftly walked in .. didn’t run as usual, he looked a bit tired though. We greeted him with longgg and louddd screams and clapping our hands till it hurt lol.. many of us were stunned I believe. He smiled back at us with the sweetest smile ever, die haha. My first impression of seeing him for the first time is on the left side bar above, thank you admins for giving me that honor :) and may I add now about his physical appearance… ok. He actually glows as you all know… not because he’s fair. The “glow” was from the inside cause when I saw him he’s a bit tan, not too much but tan he was, he had some nice pink color on his skin especially his scratchy cheek. :) He’s a muscular young man, I tell you lol I thought I’d see a small and thin guy… nope he’s not, he looks as healthy as a 20 year old man can be. My daughter said “must feel very sturdy when one gets to hug him” and I agree.

Oh sorry this is sooo looong and I’m not even half way through my “story” yet, when it comes to David I can talk for hours haha.

I need to talk about his skin for a bit, I was so fascinated at how it looks so glowy, porcelain like and flawless especially on his forehead. When he flashed his pearly white mega watt smile his whole face was all lit up and we just couldn’t help ourselves but to smile back and feel sooo warm and good, it’s mutual  and so genuine.

Sitting there listening to him sing “Love Don’t Hate” and other songs live with minimum screams was pure bliss, his voice is just so tender yet powerful. It  filled up the whole venue, the way he sang the chorus was so sweet. While he strolled confidently and very relaxed on the stage like he was walking in the park, he said hello and thanked all of us who came out to see him, sang “Touch My Hand” hitting every notes with ease. He asked us if we had any song we wanted to hear. The answers were too many, haha. He ended up singing “Crazy” to us and before he started on the piano he said “Ok….oops I haven’t practiced this one…ok alright here we go ummm…” and I swear…he smiled his shy and mischievous smile for a second lol… then went on to belt out the most powerful, emotional, passionate right from the bottom of his heart with his soaring voice filled up the whole venue (again hee hee), that was the most incredible “Crazy” I’ve ever heard!!! I literally had the hair on my neck and arms standing up,  man… it was out of this world…

“Anymore songs you guy wants to hear?” Again the response was overwhelming, then someone said “Someone Like  You” (I think) he hesitated for a bit, knock a few notes on the keyboard and said “I could do acapella for you guys…” yayyyy…  :) but we got cut off by Sony CEO :(   It’s time to move on to questions, stop yaying…and start NOOOO…OOO  ing. David in his  nicest way said “Oh sorry, umm yeah I guess I have to save my voice for tonight, hee (insert his sheepish adorable smile here). Ok David (and Adrain) we forgive you, and come to think of it I don’t mind really cause poor David must be very tired; the Malaysian (Asian) schedule was so punishing.

The questions I remember were the first one, “David, will you marry me?” haha. David just grinned his awkward grin and we laughed our awkward laugh lol. Adrain to the rescue noooo  noooo  new question please lol. That’s an adorable moment. The next question was Sanjana asking him to sing a birthday song to her cause it’s her birthday, so he did as you all know. The way he sang her name was soooo sweet and while he sang this it was as if he sang just for her you know!! like there’s only him and her…. he pointed his hand at her throughout the song, and said “Happy birthday.” At the end I think she cried… tears of joy…who wouldn’t, what a lucky girl!!! and so that’s about it, we said good-bye, “See you tonight guys! ” “See you Davidddd!” That’s all I can remember about sound check, good time.

The concert !!!  :)

After sound check we had our dinner outside the stadium, ha, didn’t notice that we were so hungry during sound check… time flies when you’re having fun is so right, so we filled up “our tank” and went back to the stadium. It’s about 7 something pm. Sooo many people there, hanging around, some still buying tickets !!! We saw some people went in, so we did too.

Me and my family had to sit separately from my daughter’s friends since we had 4th row seats and their seats were somewhere in the middle. Bye have fun girl, see ya if we’re still breathing after the show haha. We found our seats, it was so close OMG and almost center OMG. We’re gonna be able to catch his shoe(s) or if we open our mouth too wide while ecstatically screaming our heads off the shoe might land in there haha…if he didn’t tie it properly and if he kicked hard enough while he “puts one foot front of the other” lol and then he can continue his show without his shoes hahaha. Ok I spotted many familiar faces from YouTube that AAM posted from the ticket launching day. In fact, we sat beside the cute twin girls from the vid who said they needed the meet n greet passes so badly (and they did get the passes) ha!they’re so lucky and as cute as can be.

While waiting for David… I looked around and.. my.. my.. I saw the mix of audience. All ages and all races like Chinese, Malay, Indian, Thai, Caucasian ect…it’s like an Archie melting pot of fans, the power of the Archuleta indeed that binds us together! A lot of GUYS too, young and old, I think they made up almost 35% of the population there lol ohhh… maybe they had to come.. accompany their kids!!! I saw lots of college-goers too, but surprisingly not too many teens or tweens as it should be, ohhh cause it’s a school day and they had to rely on their (strict) parents, so that must be the BIG reason  :(   too bad for them, it’s a shame…it’s a crime…. I think about 80% of the venue was filled up.. not bad at all considering it’s a working/school day!!!

Singing SBL ect.. and screaming at the slightest movement on stage while waiting was a fun way to kill the time and help build up “the mooood”.

Finally the light was dim, cheering/ screaming, opening act was on, they were pretty good and very entertaining and very short….only 1 song !!! oh well… we were here for David Archuleta remember lol..hee hee.

Waiting for another 5 long minutes it’s like forever so we chanted Daviddd! Daviddd! Daviddd! Finally the band was out, another cheering-screaming so louddd eeekkk then……. Kaboom…… The one and only Davidarchie zzooommmed out on stage bouncing, flashing his trademark million dollar smile…. man…the screams, squeeees, whistles this time were deafening loudd and longgg, my my where’d those hands come from suddenly? There were thousand of hands up in the air haha and he burst out “Wasting time just going mindless”….people were up on their feet with excitement…Whattt? I can’t see him! In a flash I (had to) stood up (never-mind the small boys behind me lol, sorry little ones, aunty had to see him, didn’t pay this much to watch people’s backside right!!!?)  So did my daughters and almost everyone else. My hubby couldn’t cause there was a group of children, I think about 20-30 of them sat right behind him. I assume they were sponsored by Sony and David, I dunno. We never got to sit down for the whole show!!!

David looked stunningly gorrrgusss, happy, hyper and handsome and sounded sooo good and confident and handsome (did I say that already? haha) There’s no trace of the shy, awkward, childlike guy we saw this afternoon during the sound check. This David was so full of energy, confidence, in command and friendly!!haha I wonder what Sony people fed him for dinner, lol must be something he ate!!!

Those guys whom I assumed were accompanying their kids….ah… man was I wrong!!! While I couldn’t take my eyes off David, I spied some “dads” up on their feet cheering, punching air, singing along and believe it or not, at some point jamming/jumping their behind off… rofl… it’s really fun to see hahaha! Even the security guard who’s in charge of the corner of the stage couldn’t help but watch David in action once in a while. He tried to pull the “guard’s face” without success, smile was readily on his lips !!! haha

David sang STR, TOSOD, and ALTNOY continuously as you all know. His voice was (is) out of this world, pitch perfect, sweet and powerful. And I noticed that his voice and tone changed according to the song he sang. Sometime it’s fun and cheeky like in “Elevator.” Other times like in “Everything and More” he used his sweetest, most passionate voice ever…that was the best sound…sweetest song live… I’ve ever heard! Oh and have to add “Love Don’t Hate” too. Talking about “Elevator”..for me it was the most fun song of the set; David was sooo animated, his facial-body expressions were soo cute and adorable (I shouldn’t say those words, haha, about a 20 year old man but that’s the truth; couldn’t express it any other way, it’s all his fault!!) The way he put his feet together when he sang “and in my dream last night” and hophop hop hophoppp with the tune was sooo cute it hurt lol. And the part where he stood there gesturing with his hand “elevator goes up…” all of a sudden at “till the feet are back on the ground” he skipped backward, shook his whole body all at the same time and sprinted forward head first with the tune! Didn’t know that a human being could do that until that night  haha….man… who needs the dance guru, this was so raw so natural, just can’t blink not even 1 second otherwise will miss his cool adorable moves !!!! The band intro was as fun as the song itself, everyone was outstanding, and the salsa moves from the boss man caught us by surprise! It was smackxeyyyhh haha he could moved those urrr…  hips and swirl like nobody’s business as you prolly saw from the vid, I heard a lot of “thuds” in the venue there !!!

Photo credit PeaceLoveDavid-tumbler

Finally, the last song… what David… you just performed 13 songs noooo no wayyy haha! That’s how we felt, every song he performed had something extra (hope you know what I mean) something special on its own, Zero Gravity was no exception, soo electrifying, dancey and everybody just singing and jumping like there’s no tomorrow lol! Then “Terima kasih Malaysia, bye, thank you sooo much you guys!” and off they went… gone behind the curtain :( We’re not gonna let him go so easily haha, so we chanted “David! David! We want more! We want more!” We were pretty good at it now, lol. It worked, he’s back, “Ok I’m back …. I’m gonna do a couple more songs for you guys.” Geezzz David, you don’t understand, you can do 50 more songs and we won’t be angry with you or complain not one tiny bit…. so we got the emo-driven powerful “Heaven” and Crazy” and another intensely electrifying “Crush” haha. It’s so intense that he had to hop sideways at one point to keep his balance… sometimes watching him I had to hold my breath cause he could have stumbled or fallen flat on his face at any given moment, this young man is truly the definition of the word “dangerous” haha. The wildest “Crush” evahh! The band was crazeeh and David came out for the last time ran around bowing, blowing kiss(es)!!!! said “thank you” to us profusely and went on to do this “air drum” thing, haha that was hottt and fooling around with Steven’s drum for a bit before he left the stage. The band still banging their instruments for another good 2 minutes haha crazy crazy, they really enjoyed themselves there.  :)

David’s stage presence and command of the stage were as brilliant as his singing. It’s so captivating, and the way I felt was that I was not watching the concert, not just as an audience but I was a big part of it, this was how David could reach out to us, make us feel like we’re long time friends who are having fun together, and I think everyone there felt the same. Now I understand when people said that it’s as if he sang directly to each of us individually !!! The lady in front of me and about the same age as me was dancing jumping singing along throughout the whole concert. So did the boys behind me.. no need to mention about the twins beside us…they had the time of their lives! lol

You all probably watched all the YouTube vids by now.  I have to say that to witness David through my own eyes and ears was the most memorable and fun concert I’ve had in ages or ever.  David must be naturally gifted or he was well rehearsed with the band or both cause he’s so in-tune with the drum beats and such, how he pumped his fist, whipped his head until you can see his sweat dripping, how he rolled his shoulders, and  doing his little footwork each time it was so precise and effortless!!! To me the most rewarding thing was to see his joy, how he’s in tune with the music doing what he loves to do the most. The sparkling in his eyes and the genuine, gentle smile that never left his face said it all and that made me happy.  :)

Sorry this is wayyy tooo looong, longer than I expected, but yeah that’s how he made me feel. LOVED every minute of it.. I’m in good company.

Pocoelsy

Posted in concerts, David Archuleta, recaps, tours | Tagged: , , | 140 Comments »

Ascphil’s Recap, Asia, The Return of David Archuleta: Part 5

Posted by ascphil on Friday, July 15, 2011

The following is the final of five daily installments leading up to David’s return to Asia.  Written by Ascphil at the conclusion of his last trip to that part of the world, and with exclusive photos by her daughter.

It was time to pack our cameras, take out our cd’s, and form a line. A lady’s voice kept telling us to move fast and make it easy for David to sign by preparing the cd cover. Everyone was hurriedly ripping off the plastic wrapping of their newly purchased cd’s to take out the cover leaf which is actually one big folded poster. She also kept reminding us that only the first 400 cd’s will be signed and no picture-taking with David will be allowed. Naree and JR were lined up in front of me. Naree then turned to me and told me she’ll try to take a photo of me and David when she got out of the stage. She wanted me to be the fifth person behind her so that she had time to position herself to take a shot. I nodded but I was still busy with my bags, trying to put my cell phone in my pocket as I held the cd, the wrapper, the folded poster cover, and getting rid of the plastic pouches which held the cd’s and VIP passes. I was surprised by how quickly the line moved. The guards at the start of the line were pushing people forward to go to the stage after checking our stubs. There were more hands pushing us forward at the base of the stage to go up. I was rushing to get out my gift to David which was in a shoulder bag inside my second bag. I thought I was several persons behind Naree, but I saw that she was only three persons in front of me. Dang! I was barely getting my composure when I realized I was already near the table where David was signing. Many people were hovering around him. Someone motioned to me to open my cd cover to spread it out as a full poster. I could already see David looking down on the table and signing the cd covers so fast. The lady ahead of me handed him a card envelope which was taken by someone to his right and put into a huge clear plastic bag, even bigger than the usual garbage bag. Hmm, so that’s where my gift will go.

When it was my turn, I stood squarely in front of David as I watched him sign my cd cover/poster with his full name as if it was just one of those things he does so well. He has mastered the art of the autograph, and as I watched him do it effortlessly, I was amazed by how he appeared to me up close. Spotlights were focused on the line, but because David was seated, he was shielded from the bright lights by anyone standing in front of him. We all know that he is of small stature, but as he sat there calmly signing the cd covers, he struck me as a larger person than his actual height. He exuded a silent but strong confidence and made me feel he was in control of what was happening around him. I then greeted him, “Hi, David.” As he looked up at me and said, “Oh, hi!” while completing his signature, I could see why people gush so much on how gorgeous he is up close. I was casting my shadow on him, and the diffused light somehow made his features more enhanced. If the word photogenic and telegenic were to be applied to David, I would have to say he is none of them. He is even more handsome and more gorgeous than I had imagined him to be. All the best photographs I have seen of him do not give him justice. In that fleeting moment, he did not appear like a teenager to me. He is a beautiful, beautiful man, in the highest form of the word beautiful. Is he real? Is he really sitting there in front of me? I was almost taken aback when he looked directly at me. His gorgeousness was ultimately defined by the wonderment that was his eyes. I could not distinguish their colors in the soft light, but all I could feel was the beauty of his soul streaming through those enthralling eyes as they gazed at me inquisitively. His eyes sparkled, well-framed by those thick brows gently arched above his eyes which appeared dark under my shadow. I barely had the presence of mind to remember to give him my gift and was able to tell him, “This is for you, David” and knew it would go straight into the plastic bag being held by the large woman behind him. He said “Thanks!”, gave me a grateful smile, handed me my signed cd cover, and seemed like he was waiting for me to say something else. I wanted to speak to him some more but all I could say was, “I love your songs.” He acknowledged me with another “Thank you”, smiled and nodded, then turned to the next cd cover to be signed.

EEGAD! I was silently slapping myself, realizing what lame words I said to him as I was being guided off the stage. Someone stamped my right hand with a wet red logo of Sony and I was shown out of the Sky Dome doors. Why didn’t I even think of shaking his hand? It’s the Archugaze’s fault. I had been forewarned, but did I come prepared? Noooo. I had been so preoccupied with sticking to plans and arrangements and cell phones and cameras, etcetera, etcetera, all in the name of David. Yet I did not even think of a single memorable line to say to him. Double slapping, ugh! Oh well. I comforted myself with the hope that he reads my letter. Even if he won’t remember me as the one who wrote it, it’s enough that he knows how much a mom-fan in the Philippines regards him with great respect. I then realized I was outside the Sky Dome by the VIP entrance and didn’t see anyone I knew. I started walking towards the left to see how to get back in because I had left my daughter inside. The first set of glass doors were closed off with metal railings, so I went to the next set of doors where some people were milling around. There was a guard manning the doors, so I told him I needed to get in to look for someone inside. I motioned to show my hand which had the red stamp, so he allowed me inside. As I went back in, there were hardly any people left at the area beyond the VIP section. There were just a few people left on the bleachers, but there were still a lot of people lining up for the cd signing within the VIP area. I saw a group of young Archies watching the cd signing in the emptied area. They apparently did not get to be the first 400 VIP’s. I then proceeded to walk around searching for my daughter. I could not see her anywhere, so I called her cell phone instead. She answered me immediately, replied that she was already outside the Sky Dome and was waiting for me. I had wanted to give her the extra cd I still had which was really meant for her, seeing how quickly David was giving autographs. She didn’t want to go back in because she had already taken photos of me as I got my cd signed. I sighed and then just told her to look for her father instead. I’ll look for someone else to give the cd for signing. I walked around again looking for a familiar face that was not yet in the line.  I remembered the young Archies watching the signing and went back to them. I had met most of them the first time just yesterday, but one of them I recall meeting more than a year ago when we welcomed David at the airport as he arrived for the concert with Cook. I kept seeing her in the few get-togethers of ArchuletaPhilippines which I attended irregularly during the past year. I saw her again last night and even asked her name because her sweet face is very memorable. She hardly speaks in the meetings, is quite shy, but she somehow always manages to be at the get-togethers or anything planned by the group. I called out her name, she turned to me, and I asked her if she was able to get her cd signed. When her faced dropped and she started to say that she didn’t make it, I pulled out the spare cd with all the necessary documents. She shrieked with such glee and was jumping up and down. Those around her cheered her on and told her to run to the line. She was thanking me so much and was almost tearful that it warmed my heart to share that incomparable happiness. As she ran she was shrieking some more and holding up the cd until she got to the entry to the VIP section manned by guards. I was happy to see her allowed inside and she was excitedly looking for the end of the line.

Then I looked up at the stage. The giant video wall was playing the real-time video of the cd signing itself, focused on the table where David sat signing away. As I watched, I noticed a white-haired old lady slowly being escorted to the table. When she reached the table, she bent down so low in front of David that she seemed to be giving him a kiss. Then, I saw David’s bright smiling face slowly emerging above her right shoulder. He was standing up and was giving her a hug! Lucky old lady!!! Everyone was clapping and cheering as it was happening. I was laughing and kidding with the young Archies that it pays to be an old fan! But it didn’t take away the significance of the moment which showed how much David values his fans, and that he has a special place in his heart for old people. I was so glad to find out later on that this special moment was captured in a video and put up in YouTube, even if the quality wasn’t that good, and that this particular old fan’s granddaughter had previously released YT videos of her grandmother reading her letters to David as far back as a year ago. It was really a sight to see.

 

I felt that I had just seen a feel-good movie and that I had done what I needed to do: A grandma who got her long-awaited moment with David, plus a hug!, and a young Archie who will get her personal moment with David through a gifted VIP cd. David still had to sign more cd’s, and even if I wanted to watch some more, I had to go to my husband and daughter who were patiently waiting for me outside. I then told the young Archies I had to leave and we bade each other good bye.

When we got home at past 10 pm, my daughter immediately changed her clothes and prepared to go to sleep. She was out cold as soon as she lay on her bed. On the other hand, I no longer felt like sleeping even if my back was so sore. I did my usual rituals before going to bed, and one of them was turning on my laptop to check what happened in Archuland via Twitter. It was there that I learned that David signed more than just the first 400 cd’s. The timeline showed that he was signing all the cd’s that were brought to him. I knew it! That was just like David! He wouldn’t leave until he could accommodate all the fans who wanted autographs in the Sky Dome. The last tweet about the cd signing said that 600 cd’s have so far been signed and still counting. Oh, David, please don’t wonder anymore why your fans love you so much!

Posted in David Archuleta, recaps, The Voice | Tagged: , , , | 50 Comments »

Ascphil’s Recap, Asia, The Return of David Archuleta: Part 4

Posted by ascphil on Thursday, July 14, 2011

The following is the fourth of five daily installments leading up to David’s return to Asia.  Written by Ascphil at the conclusion of his last trip to that part of the world, and with exclusive photos by her daughter.

Having read that David glows and is very fair-skinned, I started comparing his skin tone to that of VJ Jules who was very fair for a Filipina. I was surprised that under the same light, VJ Jules was a pinkish, fleshy fair, while David seemed like he was made of porcelain, and the stage lights were making his skin reflect a bluish hue. Are my eyes fooling me? Is he really on stage? I know he is there because of his unmistakable speaking voice. My mind was puzzled by what I was seeing, but I was too busy trying to get a good shot of him on my video cam. As Alfredo started strumming the intro chords of Elevator and David started to sing, all I could see was a sea of lighted screens with David’s head barely visible above them.

When he went into his audience participation part of the song, he was very much in his element as he asked certain groups of the audience to sing. I was pleasantly surprised that when it was the turn of the male fans, there was much more singing than what I’d usually heard in the US videos. Way to go, Archienoys! When Elevator was done, I hesitated to put down my video cam lest I miss something significant in David’s in-between banter. He then moved toward the baby grand piano for the next song which he then revealed was Crush.

The fans went crazy again as he played the first few chords. Visibly pleased by the audience reaction, he gave a great big charming smile which brought on much more screaming, then sang Crush with such fervor. Dang these cameramen! Even if we were directly in front of David, their big cameras were crowding our vision as they moved back and forth in front of us. I could get a shot of David only when the cameramen moved enough away from each other to produce a gap between them. I could see the sweat on his forehead; his face was so smooth and expressive as he sang. He shimmered like fine bone china in his sweat. What was that skin made of? I was imagining that if I wiped him with soft cloth, he would have sheen like a porcelain doll. Watching him on the piano, I have never witnessed David sing Crush so passionately the way he did it that night. I think it is true what many have observed, that he feeds on the energy of the audience and his singing is so inspired by that energy. We were giving him loads of love and he was giving it back to us in heaps. Then the song ended. We were previously told that he would perform only two songs, then the cd signing. The fans were applauding but at the same time clamoring: Awww, one more please, David!

As though he could read our minds, David stood up and moved away from the piano then immediately said he had one more song for us. Although he was feeling very hot and wished there could be one big fan above us, he was very much in high gear. He then nodded at Alfredo who proceeded to play SBL’s opening chords. The crowd was mesmerized as David sang the first few high notes.

This time the cameramen in front of us were gone and moved center-stage, thank God! During the chorus of SBL, the fans were singing along with him and didn’t need his prompting. Again, the sea of raised hands hovered with a multitude of lighted screens and they seemed even higher than before. Although I was getting pretty tired holding my right video cam hand up, there were instances when I caught myself tiptoeing because there were just too many cameras to compete with. Wherever David went as he moved around the stage, you could feel that the people in the moshpit moved along with him. Our bodies were so pushed up against each other that we were already acting like many small pieces of metal that were following David like he was a big magnet. JR later related that even if she couldn’t see David the whole time, she knew exactly where he was because of how the people in the moshpit were moving to the left or to the right.

The air in the Sky Dome was so charged up with enormous energy, it is amazing how the fans were very much behaved even in all the frenzy. I didn’t hear of any mishap even though the moshpit was really packed. When SBL ended and David thanked us, sending us his love with “Mahal ko kayo!”, we all understood that there was no need to ask for another song, as we were all too excited to get ready for the cd signing.  :)

All videos courtesy Rabid4David

Posted in David Archuleta, recaps, The Voice | Tagged: , , | 86 Comments »

Ascphil’s Recap, Asia, The Return of David Archuleta: Part 3

Posted by ascphil on Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The following is the third of five daily installments leading up to David’s return to Asia.  Written by Ascphil at the conclusion of his last trip to that part of the world, and with exclusive photos by her daughter.

17 NOVEMBER 2010

What a long day it was! I felt like I was going thru an episode of 24 because every hour of November 17th was so eventful, from the time I woke up and left for the mini-concert, to when I got home and still stayed up late to review how David, once again, swept Manila off its feet. I was still so drowsy from only a few hours of sleep but I forced myself to get up and take a bath. I returned to my room in time to catch a text from Naree asking me to call her because of an emergency. What emergency could it be? She asked me if I knew what was happening at the venue? I said no, and she proceeded to tell me in an excited tone that three lines were being formed at different entrances to the mall where Skydome is located, and Dom texted that he was in one of them where there were already 200 people in the line. At 7 am?!? But the mall opens at 10 am!

Traffic was unusually bad. As my cab crawled down the long highway in thick traffic, I became pensive. I suddenly felt like I was David when he wrote his song, “Who I Am”. With that in mind, I started to compose a letter which I had been attempting to write for David. I couldn’t do it with a pen and the special paper which I had bought a few days ago because of the bumps on the road. So I typed my thoughts on the notes application of my cell phone. I was able to write a pretty lengthy letter, and before I knew it, the driver was asking me where I wanted to be dropped off because we were approaching the Sky Dome. I quickly saved my partially written letter, put everything into my bag, and asked the driver to stop by the pedestrian overpass that led directly to the mall’s Sky Garden and to the Sky Dome.

As I hurriedly traversed the overpass to the mall’s Sky Garden entrance I could already see from a distance the number of people lined up around the Sky Dome. It was not a single line but rather a thick row of about 3 to 4  persons deep. The sun was already high up as it was almost 11 am in the morning when I got there. Then I noticed that the background music being played was David’s TOSOD Album! Wonderful! I approached the first security guard I could find and asked him if he knew where the assistant mall manager was and gave her name. In a few minutes, a young woman with a cb radio in her hand approached and introduced herself as the marketing officer I had talked to over the phone. She asked me if I was getting the VIP passes already and I said yes. She left and suddenly was beside me again, holding four cd’s individually bagged with the corresponding receipts and VIP stubs. She asked me if I needed any other help to which I gave her my profuse thanks, adding that there was nothing more I needed at the moment.

It was already twelve noon when I realized I hadn’t even had a decent breakfast. I entered the mall and it was still David’s music which was being played as the background music. Great promo for David, and way to go SM North Mall! At a restaurant, I started to copy the start of the letter to David I had composed earlier on my cell phone while in the cab. I initially took out only one sheet, since the draft filled up only a third of the paper, thinking it would suffice. But as I continued writing from where I left off, I found that the thoughts and feelings I had wanted to convey to David flowed smoothly from one subject to the next with amazing clarity of purpose. Even if I was interrupted by a text from someone every now and then, I was able to continue my train of thought as if I was never distracted. I wrote everything in my mind as if I was just having a conversation with David. The first sheet was quickly filled up, so I took out a second sheet to continue writing. I was so engrossed and emotional, relating how his voice and his songs affected me, finding that as I wrote, it was getting difficult to see through tear-filled eyes and a nose that was starting to get runny. Gosh, I wonder if anyone was watching me wiping my eyes and nose, as I was constantly looking for a piece of tissue to use. I wish I could have made a copy of the letter because it was the first time I had written anything spontaneously without any correction. I felt that it had just enough of the important things that I wanted David to know of his impact on my life. I was relieved and satisfied that I was finally able to communicate to him how much I appreciate what he has been able to achieve within the past couple of years, and how he has been an inspiration to many people, speaking for myself and others like me.

Outside in the heat of the midday sun again, I noticed there were now a lot more people standing and sitting around the Sky Dome. People were abuzz, talking excitedly to each other. I then remembered I needed to call my daughter, only to find out that she hadn’t left yet, because she had to attend to her early registration for the next term. Understanding her yet worried about what she will have to deal with when she arrives after the doors open, I calmly advised her that if she doesn’t leave now it will be difficult for me to get her in because the place is already swarming with people. She felt the urgency and then said she was already walking out of the school premises to ride the light railway transit.

At 4 pm the signal was given to start letting people go in. As soon as I stepped inside the SkyDome, my immediate reaction was that the venue was even smaller than I had imagined it to be from outside. Although the venue feels spacious because of the high glass-domed roof, the VIP area sectioned off with railings for the first 400 VIP pass holders looked like it could only hold 200 — oh my goodness, we’re going to be packed like sardines! The rest of the standing room area beyond the railings could probably hold another 400. I could see that the center-stage front row portion of the VIP section was already filled up. I ran to the right side of the stage which was still empty. I preferred to be there because I was directly facing the seat of the baby grand piano where David would surely sit when he played it. The only downside was that a speaker directly in front would be blasting loudly at my face. I settled my two large bags in front of me against the railing, also to serve as the space I’m reserving for Naree, JR and my daughter. It was time to call my daughter again. When she answered, she told me that she had just gotten off the Metrorail and was already walking to the pedestrian overpass that led to the Sky Dome. Oh, thank God!  I looked behind me and saw that the people had increased to two rows deep. I told her to hurry because I was already inside and the place was quickly getting filled up. The speaker in front of me was loud, but I couldn’t move away from my spot anymore. People were crowding in on us to be closer to the stage. I then told her repeatedly in a loud voice to just text me because I couldn’t hear her. I looked towards the entry area hoping to see my daughter among the swarm of people, craning my neck to see above the sea of heads surrounding the stage. Then I felt a tap on my back. When I looked behind, my daughter was reaching out to me as she squeezed herself through the thick crowd to get closer. I was so glad to see her! She was still panting from her rush to get to the venue.

The fans were getting rowdy because it was almost 5 pm. Suddenly the audience cheered loudly when the giant video wall at the center of the stage started playing David’s music video of Crush. When that was done, the next video was the Behind-The-Scenes making of his first album. Girls were shrieking excitedly whenever David appeared and talked, as if he was appearing live in front of us. The next videos were those of his ALTNOY, TMH and SBL music videos, then a stream of interview/Q&A videos which kept the audience very much occupied and cheering every now and then. I couldn’t keep my eyes on the screen because I was waiting for a text or call from Naree or JR, and kept looking at my cell phone. We were standing for almost an hour. I checked my daughter behind me to ask if she was okay. She said she was but that she needed a fan because it was getting pretty stuffy with all our warm bodies squeezed against one another. The air conditioner was blasting and there were heavy-duty fans blowing on us, but they weren’t enough for the amount of people who were packed like sardines in the floor section. I was wondering what was taking so long for Naree and JR to get in. And then there was a commotion behind me. Naree was squeezing in and finding her way to me, as was JR! Oh, happiness, they’re finally here! Mission accomplished! Poor dears, they must be so stressed from inching their way through the thick, crazy crowd. JR was visibly drenched with sweat, but there was a serene look on her face. She noted that we were directly in front of the piano seat and remarked that David would be so near us. I nodded and asked her if it was a good location. She said it was okay except for the speaker. It might produce a cracking sound in our videos. I then asked how the press conference went and she smiled contemplatively, not answering me immediately. Hmm, maybe still savoring her moments with David — am so jealous! All she could say was that she couldn’t help but stare at his stubble. His stubble? She said she just stared at him and was just studying his face, that he wasn’t able to shave and that pimples were about to appear on his upper lip. Huh, is that all she could say to me? Then Naree told me that David must have just arrived since they rode the same elevator as they left the hotel. They were able to sing a snippet of Elevator with him as they got off. Lucky girls!

Finally, I could concentrate on what was happening on the stage. At about 5:30 pm a DJ’s voice was announcing as if the concert was about to start. The crowd was going crazy with anticipation, cheering loudly for David. Fog machines were also being tested, but still no one came out on stage. The place was starting to get darker as above us, I could see the sky was already black. The giant video wall went back to looping David’s music videos. People were getting uneasy because the start of the mini-concert was stated as 5 pm. My feet were already feeling a bit numb so I decided to lean forward on the railing. At one point I even squatted just so my heels could get some rest from the strain of standing on them for so long. People around me thought I wasn’t feeling well. I just acted as if I needed to get something from my bag, but I really felt that the blood stopped circulating in my legs and I needed to move them somehow. And then people started cheering. I stood up and looked around at what was happening. A line of security guards in full uniform were entering stage right, then went in front of us to position themselves strategically between the stage and the railings. We thought David was coming out, but after a few minutes of anxious waiting, still no one came on stage. Then I looked at the people beside me to check how they were. My daughter’s head was already bent down, so I held up her chin to see her face. She was obviously tired from the waiting, and all I could do was give her a look of sympathy. Then I looked at JR to my left who was intermittently holding on to me and to Naree. She said that she wanted to get off of her heels. I exclaimed, “You’re in heels?!?” I meant that sympathetically because it’s no joke to be wearing heels in a situation like this. It’s torture. And gosh, she’s that small. Suddenly I felt so lucky to have a clear view of the stage even with all the cameramen and guards milling around. Short people behind me must be cursing that I’m in front of them. Luck comes to us in all forms and I guess mine was in my height.

Then that DJ’s voice started blaring again the same lines from half an hour ago. It was 6 pm. FINALLY!  The audience cheered louder than ever and was chanting David’s name. The chanting stopped and turned to screaming when someone came out onto stage. It was VJ Jules of the local MYX Channel. She knew that everyone was dying to see David, and teased us by saying that she has seen David backstage and that he is very, very handsome. For the next several minutes she gave a short biography of David, then turned it into a trivia game with the audience, asking if they knew answers to her questions, specifically about the hit singles of David. And then she said she’d check if David was ready and moved back, taking a quick look behind the stage. She immediately came back up front and said David needed more time. We were already so hyped but our spirits were dampened when VJ Jules started reading again to us the reminders on the rules of the cd signing. Yada yada yada, yes we know. The fans were shouting, “Please bring out David!” Seeing that we were really getting impatient, VJ Jules hesitated a bit to check backstage, then proclaimed in a very loud voice, “Here is Daaaviid Archuu-lettaaaaa!!!”

Oh. My. Gosh! THUNDEROUS, EAR-DEAFENING, EARTHSHAKING APPLAUSE!!!  The SkyDome was rumbling from everyone screaming while jumping up and down as David came running out waving at us with that million-dollar smile. Everyone’s hands were suddenly up in the air, holding a camera, a cell phone, a video cam, whatever, trying to be higher than the one in front of them. The media cameramen were also suddenly milling in front of us. I thought I was tall enough, but I was also struggling to take a video of David while peeking through gaps in the outstretched hands to see him. Everyone squealed and screamed when he greeted us with, “Mabuhay!”

Posted in concerts, David Archuleta, recaps, The Voice | Tagged: , , | 85 Comments »

Ascphil’s Recap, Asia, The Return of David Archuleta: Part 2

Posted by ascphil on Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The following is the second of five daily installments leading up to David’s return to Asia.  Written by Ascphil at the conclusion of his last trip to that part of the world, and with exclusive photos by her daughter.

FAST FORWARD to NOVEMBER 16, 2010

Since everyone at home was on vacation for the Muslim holiday, my husband found an activity for all of us to do on that day. He programmed the day to do our early Christmas shopping with our two sons and daughter. I knew that David was arriving in the afternoon of the 16th, and I was resigned to not being able to join the airport welcome. But because Naree called me the previous night to say that there will be two welcoming teams, one at the airport and one at the hotel, I was re-thinking my chances. She informed me that JR was in charge of Team Airport and she was in charge of Team Hotel, so she wanted me to be with her. I told her that I’d see if I could make it but the chances were quite slim. I was thinking of a creative way to get to the place at the latest by 3 pm. The night before our downtown shopping, I told my husband that I needed to go meet my fellow Archies at 2 pm to discuss the arrangements for the concert and that it would last till early evening. He agreed for as long as we left pretty early in the morning to do the shopping in downtown Manila. Alas, no one woke up early enough because there was no sense of urgency. So we found ourselves caught up in heavy Saturday-like traffic and got to the downtown mall by mid-morning. While we were shopping, I received a text from JR saying that the hotel welcome was not a go; she had gotten confirmation from her contact that the hotel welcome would not be allowed. It was 3:30 pm when I had a chance to call Naree to find out what was happening. I wanted to know what happened with Team Hotel. She said David had already arrived at the hotel and they were able to greet him. Whaaattt??? The welcoming did push through at the hotel! Then I told her where I was and she was very excited and told me to stay and wait for them because they were really intending to go and re-group to review what had just happened.

Since I had already missed the whole thing, I told her that my family was with me and that I’d join them after we were finished with our meal. My family was pretty chatty during the meal, so I enjoyed it with them as much as I could but my mind was obviously somewhere else. Time flies while you’re having fun and realizing it was nearing 5 pm, I became pushy about leaving for my meeting. So my husband and kids finally separated from me and went on to go to another part of the mall while I proceeded to the Archie meeting place at the mall’s second level.

When I got to the meeting place which is a small cafe, there were two long tables each with about 8 to 10 Archies excitedly chatting away and laughing at each other’s stories. About half of them were familiar and the rest were new faces. Then a tall guy named Dom from the other table joined our discussion and started relating his experience with the hotel people prior to David’s arrival. It was then that I realized that one of the ladies at the second table whose back I failed to recognize was JR and she was busy working on her laptop. I quickly rose to greet her which pleasantly surprised her, but since she was totally engrossed and preoccupied with her computer, I went back to the first table to listen to what was being related. Oh my gosh!!! What did I just miss?!!!

Piecing together the stories of Naree, Dom and a few other Archies who were at the hotel, I could tell that the time prior to David’s arrival was full of anxiety, doubt and stress for them. Their meeting time at the hotel lobby was 1:30 pm, but Naree decided to come earlier at 11 am. It was when she settled down at the coffee shop with a few other Archies that she received a text from JR that the hotel welcome was cancelled. She decided to stay put and just wait for David to arrive, with or without the welcoming party, since she had brought along the welcome banners and the baskets of fruits they had prepared for David. Then a few more Archies started to arrive because they did not receive the info about the cancellation.

It was almost 3 pm with no news from Team Airport, way past David’s expected arrival at 2 pm. Suddenly JR texted that David had landed and just left for the hotel in a white van. Not to lose hope and in his determination to see David, Dom went back to the security people outside the lobby and negotiated for the Archies to be allowed to gather on one side of the hotel driveway with their banners. He told them that they would keep to a small group of ten and just wave at David from where they stood outside, a good distance away from lobby view in order not to disturb the hotel guests. He promised them that they would not cause a commotion or approach David when he arrived.

They were finally allowed to assemble on the side of the driveway approach, and as they were lining up with the banners along the driveway sidewalk, a nondescript low silver-gray van passed by and stopped at the hotel entrance. The hotel guards approached the van as foreigners started to alight from the van. The Archies just watched and thought they were just another group of foreign hotel guests. Then the fourth to emerge was a smaller guy with a large yellow smiley on a white T-shirt but a bigger smile on his face. Suddenly one of the Archies recognized who he was and exclaimed, “Daaviiiddd!!!” Naree’s perception of the moment David alighted was that there was a sudden burst of light out of nowhere in an afternoon that was previously overcast with drizzles. David waved at the Archies who were stunned and didn’t move from where they were, as he was led inside the lobby, surrounded by hotel security. The Archies thought that was it, time to go. But suddenly they were surprised to see David running out towards them and asking if anyone wanted him to sign anything. Caught off guard and frantically looking for anything they had for David to sign, they dropped the banners on the sidewalk and milled around David as he generously accepted anything they put in front of him. Right after, and despite the initial statement of David’s tall security guy that there will be no group photos to which David questioned, “Oh, why not?”, the Sony Philippines representative graciously allowed all the Archies to take a picture with David. As I listened to Dom and to Naree’s story, I concluded that the experience of the Team Hotel was another testimony to David’s unquestionable love and appreciation for his fans no matter who and where they are from. Even if I had missed what was surely an enviable experience, I was truly happy for everyone in Team Hotel because their perseverance paid off.  And it was as if David knew what they had gone through and made it worth all their effort.

At about 6:30 pm, most of the younger Archies were bidding us goodbye after an exciting afternoon. JR decided to move to our table with her laptop as she was waiting for Team Airport’s videos to be uploaded to her YouTube account. It was her turn to relate what was happening in the video as they waited for David to come out of the arrival area. The airport security kept telling them to stay back and not move from their position. When David and his people came out, the media swarmed him such that the Archies could not see him and they felt neither could he see them as they stood outside with their welcome banners. As the swarm of media around David moved towards the white van that was waiting for him, JR, in her small stature of a little less than 5 feet, could only get a glimpse of the side of his face. She was finding the right word to describe his skin. I was asking if he got a tan. She said, no — something more like ivory because he was so white. One of the young Archies, Xeno, who took the video, said that the media was crazy around him and that she was pinned against the van in all the craziness. But she was relieved that the lei of flowers they had prepared for him was successfully placed around his neck. Then JR made an observation: Was it coincidence that the rain stopped and the sun came out when David arrived? Then there was the question of why they were texted that David left the airport in a white van but were surprised when he arrived at the hotel in a low silver gray van. JR then concluded that it could have been due to security reasons, that somewhere along the way to the hotel, there was a switching of vehicles.

When almost everyone had left, it was then that the three of us, Naree, JR and I, discussed what the plans were for the next day before the Skydome mini-concert. Naree was anxious about what I had arranged for them at the venue. They couldn’t line up early enough for VIP passes which were to be given only to the first 400 TOSOD cd’s sold on the day itself. The cd’s with VIP passes were also announced as the only ones to be autographed by David. JR was invited by her Sony Philippines contact to join the press conference at the hotel and she was told to be there by 3 pm. She had asked Naree to be with her as her ‘official’ photographer representing Archuleta Philippines. The mini concert was at 5 pm, so it was clearly a challenge to get there early enough from the hotel which was two cities away, and with traffic, a good one hour travel. At home, I started to think of what needed to be prepared for the mini-concert. I had not realized that it took so much time to decide what to wear, to look for my camera and video cam, to charging batteries and making sure the spares were also fully charged, to discussing the recording settings of the video cam with my husband (a camera freak), to carefully packing my gift to David. My preparations went late into the night since I had to keep stopping to respond and check what was happening on Twitter. I didn’t realize that it was already 3 am until I began feeling quite light-headed from staying up too late.  After I was satisfied that I had everything prepared, I finally went to sleep.

Posted in concerts, David Archuleta, recaps, The Voice | Tagged: , , , | 38 Comments »

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