bebereader
djafan
voiceadmin
Thank you David Archuleta for a Magical Experience in St. George
Posted by djafan on Monday, December 7, 2015
credit Pam Pike
It has taken me a while to get some coherent thoughts together from the two shows at St. George. The excitement of seeing David again after four years was at times giving me palpitations! LOL And to think I was going to get to see him twice! Aye aye!
It took all the effort I could muster to not lose it when he bounced out onstage. I
was all set to periscope from a splendid view, fifth row center but I choked. To those who can maintain their composure in order to capture the moment, whether on Periscope or video, I thank you. Without you, I don’t know what we’d do, or I’d do. The videos create the buzz and excitement that makes us want to go see for ourselves. And even then, they can’t give you the magic of being there.
The last time I saw David was during the My Kind of Christmas Tour before his mission. I thought he was incredible. Multiply that by at least 1000. His voice has deepened; it is rich, smooth, and so passionate. Add that to the confidence that oozes from him and the result is a 
very much in-control performer, one who commands his stage, his band, and his very loving audience. Every song, every word, every movement, salsa and other were used by David to give much more than a concert; it was an experience. He engaged all of our senses with his words, humor, song, hums, smiles, and passion. Sharing of himself with us like never before; he was both charming and sassy at the same time. A well-planned out show where he wore his feelings on his sleeve, trusting them with us. Reciprocally, we let him know we have his back, yelling “Nooooo!” when he said he “didn’t think he wanted to do this anymore”. We yelled, sang, danced, swayed, and clapped to every song.
Though he expressed his surprise at the fact that we all were there to see him after so many years, his humility is intact. Some fans want to know if David appreciates us. It was very evident in his expressions, in his satisfied look out to all, thanking us all repeatedly. But most of all was his eye contact, the look of recognition, the little waves as he looked to the right, to the left, high and low, visibly absorbing it all with a look of appreciation you could feel. Watching the you tubes is not enough to catch the banter, in between songs, where he talks to the audience.
The first night at St. George, I was blessed to sit next to Shelley. It was loads of fun sharing the first night of excitement with her.
The seco
nd night I sat next to the infamous Gladys. After communicating with her in Unplugged, Skype and here on The Voice for so many years, it was extremely gratifying to see her in person. Gladys, if you remember was our sole fan friend from Argentina who was close enough to visit David at various events open to the public when he was on his mission in Chile. She selflessly reported to us that David was doing well. From a fans’ eyes we believed it. She was known for giving boxes of Toblerone chocolates to the missionaries at these events. Well, guess what? We had the luck of running into Lupe, David’s mom, as Gladys and I were leaving the theater. Lupe was gracious enough to introduce herself to my Mom after she heard her ask me if that was really David’s mom. She thanked us for traveling, she couldn’t believe how many people traveled to see David. I called after Gladys and I introduced her to Lupe and the rest is typical Gla
dys. I just love her. Gladys explained to Lupe that she came from Argentina and that she had chocolates for David she brought with her. Lupe’s expression was epic, as Gladys pulled out two huge trademark Toblerone’s from her large purse, a rolled up long gift bag, and a card. And right there as Lupe watched she stuffed all into the bag and handed to her asking her if she could please give to David. Lupe told her she was going to go straight to David and give to him and that he was going to be really happy because he loves chocolate. This really happened! I witnessed it! LOL
Blueberry Ice and Mary Dee are two people I also want to thank for making it possible for me to take a carload to see David in St. George. Five grandkids, a daughter, and my Mother. It was a wonderful 6-hour drive that I will do again in a heartbeat and an unforgettable experience for all.
Speed reading is a wonderful skill to have. It allows me to surf the web and get a take on what David’s fans are talking about. There’s a segment who think that perhaps David wants to convert his fans to the LDS faith. When the concert was over, I asked my segment, my family members who got to attend if they were ready to convert. Huh?, 
my daughter was baffled. Tongue in cheek, I told them that this is what David was trying to do in these shows. They disagreed with me; the whole carload. My almost 19 year-old granddaughter said “One sharing their joys and experiences in such a setting doesn’t translate to trying to convert.” My daughter had the same reaction. She never felt preached to. The reason I’m sharing this is because of the criticisms I read, which are unfounded in my opinion.
Last, I want to thank the crew from FOD for hosting a wonderful fan
luncheon where I got to meet and reconnect with so many wonderful fans including Deb, Nancy, Gladys, Dayzee, Jans, Shelley and Veronica, Linda, Gwen, Kalei, Shanny, Jani, Muldur, Kizzi, Nanawieze and her husband, Judie, Monica, Martha, Claudia, Tawna and her husband, Shawna, Jwipe and so many more.
But most importantly, I want to thank David for continuing with music. Just the thought of never having the opportunity to hear him sing, especially live, makes my heart and soul ache. Please never have that thought again. And a huge thank you to Trent Dabbs and Jamie Kenney for suggesting to David to write about how he was feeling and gracing us with “Numb”. I cannot wait for it’s release.
The performances were incredible. I could go on and on about all of them so I won’t lol.
Don’t Run Away ~ This hit the core of my being, the passion and the cry, incredible.
Parachutes And Airplanes ~ Wow the fan participation was a sight to behold.
Nunca Pense ~ Love the encore screams! And the Latino blood is very visible, the guy can dance.
I was very affected by the concert experience and I encourage all to go see David if possible. Hoping and praying he heads out east and west, north and south as soon as it is feasible for him to do so. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. I’m ready to do it all over again.
Credit Pam Pike for the incredible pictures and Shelley for the incredible videos, thank you!
The Voice David Archuleta 
bluesky4home said
Djafan…. You Did It!!!
Congratulations on a great article! Thank you so much for still being here and for your vision, faith and work on this site.
And thanks for loving DA. wow. Never thought I would…. (fill in the blanks…with all the stuff people say about still being here! ^_^)
But what a great place to be and what great people to be here with!
Thanks DA, for staying the course. I have a feeling that it is going to get ever more interesting.
(And for that other stuff: there are those who – because they are not happy – are simply suspicious of happiness in others. Feed them coconut creams and bon bons and play them some “don’t run away” and ‘riu riu”. If the sweets remain intact within their mouths ((no melting)), then you have succeeded in locating beings suffering from the first stages of Zombie-hood. Nothing you can do at that point but turn up the volume. I understand that the silvery-chocolate tones of unleashed joy that wash over them will either reverse the process ((slight chance, but worth a try)) or have the same effect as water on the “wicked witch” of the West. Either way, melting is our fate.)
Hey… there are worse ways to go! ^_^
LikeLike
tawna21 said
Oh Djafan! It was so, so fun to meet up with you in St. George!! I’ve quit even taking my camera into the concerts. I’m just setting myself up for an epic fail by trying to do anything with it. You’ve hit, spot on, David’s “new attitude”! He really is a changed man. Thankfully, he hasn’t changed his charming-ness. I really don’t think he could ever get rid of that part of him.♥♥ He’s so much more confident with who he is. He knows how he wants to deliver what he has come to deliver, and he accomplishes it. I loved your ‘test’ with your family about ‘converting’. 🙂 I’m so glad to hear what their feelings were/are. Thank you, thank you for this re-cap. It renewed me!! 🙂
I’m so looking forward to this weekend in Layton (even with the forecast for snowy weather traveling… ugghh)!
LikeLike
bluesky4home said
This is Lindsey Stirling’s contribution to the 12 Days of Christmas. She plays in disguise in a NY subway. It is beautiful and humbling. A great reminder to see the beauty in each other and to look for the gifts we receive each day.
LikeLike
angelofdja said
Oh Dja, {{{hugs}}} I appreciate the way you handled the subject of David’s banter between sets. I haven’t seen David live in over 5 years! What I have seen and heard through YouTube/Twitter is David still being David. He is humble, classy & as giving to his fans as he ever was. What has changed IMHO is David’s confidence on stage and his voice is more golden than ever! I’m glad he still feels he can share what means so much to him with his fans.
Thanks for sharing this concert experience with us Djafan, and Pam Pike’s pics along with Shelly’s videos are so dang good! I am one happy David fan! 💕
LikeLike
jans11 said
OMGosh, that first photo of David bout blew me away! Oh, those smiling eyes! Whoo hoo, Dja, your post was worth the wait! Got to relive all those wonderful hours of David again. Was sitting right behind you with Dayzee and we were totally entranced with his talent, singing, dancing, talking, laughing and humming! 🙂 I did get some pictures, but my trusty little camera that has taken many a picture of David decided it was done. Got a few more with my phone and decided to get some more the next night. They decided not to let us take any pictures or videos, so I settled down and just reveled in every minute of awesomeness that David put out! 🙂 Like everyone says, he is so awesome live and in person!
When I run into you after the concert and you were telling me about the Gladys and Lupe story, it was so awesome to be able to share the excitement and happiness for Gladys. Everyone that traveled to see David was a winner…he never fails us! Looking forward to 2016!
Love Lindsey!
Bluesky, I love your “and for the other stuff” analysis! 🙂
LikeLike
Dayzee said
Dja Thank you Thank you. A great write up You had me reliving all those golden magical moments. I appreciate your expertise in communicating the wonderfulness of those days and nights in St. George. It was an awesome venue with an awesome talented fellow with awesome talented fans. So nice to meet up with so many. And to meet Gladys was a long-waited wish. I don’t think I thanked her enough for what she gave us when David was in Chile. Glad you took care of that in our behalf.
I too hope he is able to travel in every compass direction. There is nothing like seeing David in person on stage.
Tawna, that snowy forecast for Layton has me nervous also, but no way we would miss this.
Angel, “David is still being David”. Yes! Exactly what I was hoping for.
LikeLike
Mary Dee said
Dja- Thank you for taking me there when I couldn’t via this wonderfully written recap. I agree with you, going to a David concert is worth driving 6 hours and back (14, if you are from Oregon going to Idaho Falls and back 😉 ) and would do it again in a heartbeat if I could. I regret not being able to meet you and all those wonderful Archies who went, but I’m sure it will happen especially now that David is back and ready to sing for us again. Yay!!!!
LikeLike
djafan said
Bluesky, Thank you, I love this guy and I don’t have an answer as to what compels me to support, but maybe I do 🙂 I didn’t think I was going to ever get it out lol And you got that right, there are worse ways to go! And I love your way with words!
Awe thank you Tawna, I’m glad you feel renewed! And I know it’s a sensitive subject but I felt it was something I had to speak out about.
Angelofdja, It was such an awesome experience and yes David is his charming self and I’m glad I was able to be there. You’re turn will come, I’m sure!
Jans, Yes! I remember saying hello. I have to thank Pam for capturing the eyes, the genuine joy and sincerity in them. So I had to display them because they speak for themselves. #DA2016 we’re ready!
Dayzee, Expertise….hmmm but thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed. And you’re right everything came together perfectly, the venue, the fans, and that great singer and human we all love 🙂
Mary Dee!!!! He is so worth the travel! And thank you again for your part in my wonderful experience. I’m sure we will meet, I’m sure of it.
LikeLike
djafan said
I want thank my fellow adms for hanging with me all these years.
Abrra, For your input, for grounding me when I’m soaring in the clouds and that incredible candy jar.
Bebe, For being my sounding board with my soooo many thoughts and you’re awesome editing skills.
And to you commentors and lurkers, thank you for being part of this incredible journey.
The best is yet to come! #DA2016 #IBelieve
LikeLike
voiceadmin said
Get your pre-order if you haven’t yet!
And the acoustic bonus!
LikeLike
TaterZen said
Djafan, thank you for your wonderful recap! It was such a fantastic concert and I really enjoyed reading about your experience and your perspective of David’s performance that night. I agree!
I especially appreciate your expressions of gratitude for David’s talent, for the fact that he still wants to do music, for his willingness to share what he has learned while he finds his own new groove. Like you, I was affected by what I saw and heard; and it is not difficult to believe it will gradually grow “east and west, north and south.”
LikeLike
bluesky4home said
This is the Twelve Days of Christmas, day number 8: Stuart Edge.
He doesn’t sing, he has a You Tube following for his comic videos, etc. Here he and some friends do a service project for a family without a Dad for Christmas.
One! More! Day!!! Tomorrow we get DA’s VIDEO!!!!!! Whoo Hoooo!!!
LikeLike
bluesky4home said
And yes, I have preordered the video just for me (I am assuming it will be on YT anyway, don’t care) …and I am really looking forward to the new acoustic song. ^_^
I hope you are all well and loving your families. Here’s to looking for the good we can do!!
May “Christmas” be in your hearts all year long.
LikeLike
djafan said
Taterzen, glad you enjoyed it! And it’s great reading about those that felt and saw what I did. I’m in for the long haul 🙂
Bluesky, that was so sweet! I’ve preordered wherever I could lol.
Two new shows!
LikeLike
djafan said
From David’s facebook! Tonight!!!!
LikeLike
bluesky4home said
Whoo Hooo! Tonight, Tonight….. la, la, laaaa (hears WSStory in the background…. ^_^)
While we wait… here is one more C Carol…. can’t have enough! And… we will be filled with DA carols soon, right?
Would someone please post DA’s version of MDYKnow? I know Peter Hollens did it for the “12 Days” thing and that it is today’s offering… but ….I can’t hear anyone but DA sing it. *_*
^_^ No regrets on that one. ^_^
LikeLike
bluesky4home said
I meant to add: SUPER YEA!! COLORADO, FOLKS!!!
(DA, edging his way East.. !)
LikeLike
djafan said
Here ya go!
No one sings it better than the Archuleta!
Mary Did You Know
Maria Sabias Que
LikeLike
Abrra said
Dja
Thanks for sharing your experiences at both concerts in Utah. I love that Gladys got to give her gift to David’s mom to pass along. Gladys is living proof that dreams do come true. 🙂
Abrra
LikeLike
Dayzee said
Bluesky “edging his way east” 🙂 Still a bit too far west for Abrra, right? How about you Jan? Is Colorado close enough for you?
I see the weather gurus have erased that snowflake for Layton on Saturday. Hoping that works out. So excited for my first Christmas concert of 2015. Even Pocatello on Tuesday is now showing only clouds. I remember years past with blizzards coming home from both Boise and Rexburg. Of course, I was only on the road because of David.
LikeLike
tawna21 said
Bluesky and Djafan….. so true that no one sings Mary Did You Know like David does. He puts more true feeling into it than anyone I’ve ever heard. It’s like he is actually talking to Mary. ♥♥ Peter Hollens’ video was a little distracting to me with all of the Peters in it… the overall vocal was okay though (he can sing).
Straighten me out here…. 10:00 PM MT… is that on the mormon,org site?
LikeLike
Abrra said
Dayzee
Last time I checked, I didn’t sprout any wings that can fly me to a concert. With our luck, David will do a national tour when he is 50, and you know where that leaves us. LOL
Tawna
That time is posted on David’s Facebook. It’s 10pm MT.
Confession: Peter Hollens’ style creeps me out 😉 I like his singing, but the visuals are OTT for me.
Abrra
LikeLike
tawna21 said
Abrra, thank you for the validation on Peter Hollens’ style. 😉
I’m still hanging on to the hope that there is a concert back East and my hubby will remember that he told me he’d ‘road trip’ me there. I’m a highway, not a flyway, type of person – if at all possible!
Yeah, Dayzee, although we really do need the snow, I’m liking the looks of the weekend traveling forecast much better.
LikeLike
Abrra said
Nice ! The venue is doing PR and local press as well.
Abrra
LikeLike
Abrra said
Every thread needs this.
Abrra
LikeLike
tawna21 said
#25!!! You. Didn’t. Forget. It, Abrra!!
LikeLike
bluesky4home said
Abrra, Tawna… I know. Hollens….. He is just not my cup of tea.
DA every time over him. ^_^
(No hard feelings, just the facts, M’am.)
I will try to explain: with DA I am fine in my comfy stay-at-home clothes. His sound fits into every ordinary part of the day —– and then those ordinary pieces astonish me by somehow shining from the inside out and become sublime.
With PH, there is an “in-between” place – neither completely comfy nor completely sublime.
Just me.
LikeLike
bebereader said
Djafan,
Thank you for your most colorful recap describing the shows in St. George. I remember during David’s solo tour how we used to say there were two Davids, offstage, a kinda shy teen and onstage, he did a flip and sang like a mature man. How could that be?, we’d ask each other. Then a wise soul predicted that one day the two personas would eventually merge and become one. I believe the videos from St. George prove this to be true.
I love that you finally met Gladys after all these years. And happy for Gladys that her dream of coming to the US to see David in concert came true! WTG!
Your choice of pics is outstanding, Dja, thanks to Pam Pike!
David, please come to the East Coast!!!
I will wait, well…forever!
LikeLike
Abrra said
Some details on the Boise show.
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/For-Immediate-Release–David-Archuleta.html?soid=1102285871261&aid=Ic7UXv8QzpQ
Abrra
LikeLike
bluesky4home said
I AM LISTENING TO RIU RIU!!!! BOTH ARE DOWNLOADED… GO TO YOUR EMAIL!!!!!
Wowwwww It is a revelation!!!!
LikeLike
bluesky4home said
GO. TO. YOUR. EMAIL. NOOOOOWWWW!!!
LikeLike
bluesky4home said
NOW I AM LISTENING TO THE PRAYER….. ^_^
LikeLike
bluesky4home said
Oh. My. !!!!! There are no, no, no, no, no, words.
Their voices together are everything I had hoped. They are like brothers from different mothers.
It is like DA takes on some of Nathans vibrance and Nathan takes on some of DA’s mellow. Just, just, just, just.
Please tell me you are listening. *_*
LikeLike
bluesky4home said
I don’t know how to get the video to play yet….
Oh. well. ^_^
LikeLike
bluesky4home said
Dear, Sleepy, DA fans.
The music of Christmas is here. Please check your email. Download. And listen. Please. ❤
LikeLike
betsy said
Dja, Loving your recap!!!! You are such an ardent supporter, nobody deserved it more.
Bluesky, I love your enthusiasm. I’ll go there. 🙂
I may not post regularly but I am here every single day. Just lazy I guess.
Running now to listen. I believe we can run online now lol.
LikeLike
fenfan said
I got the email but i have not downloaded yet. I am nervous. Should i download it on my computer, my phone or tablet?
LikeLike
bluesky4home said
All three.
LikeLike
bluesky4home said
Dear Friends
There is a reason those two chipmunks look like cats who stole the cream. Just sayin’.
LikeLike
djafan said
NEW THREAD!
LikeLike