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A David Adventure
David Archuleta road trips are always worth it. Even when you’re feeling travel weary and your hair is a mess!
The reason for this was that Mr. Awestruck and I drove to Flagstaff from Las Vegas on the day of the concert.
Our hotel room wasn’t ready when we arrived and we needed to be at the theatre for 4:45 for VIP. Thank goodness the theatre was just down the street.
Fortunately, hubby persuaded the hotel to hurry up with our room, but by then it was 4:15. You may say, “hey, that’s loads of time” BUT I have an air cast on my foot and I’m not moving that quickly these days.
So instead, I did a few exercises on my yoga mat, which was too funny as David posted his pre show workout on Instagram lol.
I wheeled myself down to the theatre on my knee scooter and we got there at 4:50… turned out we didn’t have to be there till 5:15 (as my email had said) but I trusted hubby and “didn’t want to miss a thing”… isn’t there a song with those lyrics? 🙂
They let us in so we could wait inside and I’m sitting on my scooter thinking about my hair… I’m just going to meet David what’s the big deal? 🙂
Along came the third person who was coming to the VIP. A young Japanese girl who came from Japan all by herself to see David! Her first VIP! Minori was so excited and nervous that it actually made me calm!
Kari brought us in for the VIP. David warmed up and then sang a Christmas song not on the set list, don’t ask me which one.
Then we had Q and A. We offered that Minori should go first, but she was tongue-tied, so I asked him a technical question.
Minori is still too shy to ask a question, so hubby tells David we went to see Paula Abdul in concert the previous night. David asked where she was playing and they had a bit of a conversation.
Hubby showed David the 2009 Christmas tour T-shirt he was wearing and David said he hadn’t seen that shirt for a while and that it made him feel old!
We turned to Minori but she was still unable to speak. David saved the day and asked her where she was from and asked a few more questions. That helped Minori feel brave enough to ask David what his favourite Christmas song was. No surprise, he said O Holy Night. Hubby commented on how his voice had matured and David said he shouldn’t try hitting the high notes when he feels tired and cold.
Then it was picture time and, at Kari’s insistence, I succumbed to getting my picture taken with David. Minori gave David a Christmas present (see below).
The Concert
I could not tell you the names of all of the songs he sang. I was so in the moment.
I was bopping to the music at first, then transitioned to being transfixed as he mesmerized me with his emotional, happy, reverent, fierce singing from the heart.
This guy connects deeply with lyrics to the song that he is singing and FEELS the music. It pours out of him and moves my heart and soul whenever I get the opportunity to see him live.
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Highlights for me:
- How mature he’s become, in looks, voice ( yummmmmy lower register) and stage presence.
- How he freely moves to the music.
- How he sings with a smile more so than I’ve ever seen before.
- Just once did he stray off track when telling us how his mom dressed him and his four siblings up at Christmas time as the Jackson Five complete with dyed clown wigs and sequin-studded outfits that were so shiny… “like my shoes!!!”… so they could go sing Christmas carols to seniors.
- Paralyzed. That’s exactly what I was as this is the first time I have heard it live! (I must admit I printed off the lyrics).
- The medley with “You Say” brought me to tears.
- I encouraged the audience to keep hooting and hollering so he’d come out for his encore!!
- My Little Prayer, story and song, NEVER gets old. Beautiful.
- O Holy Night is indescribable. The place he goes to during that song channels something special, and magic happens when he sings it.
At the end of the show, when he was done, I went up to the stage with tears in my eyes and an emotion-filled voice, and told him: “always believe in yourself, you were meant to do this.”
~ Awestruck (Calgary, Alberta)
p.s.
Can we all just say a collective Christmas Hallelujah for the costume change into those festive green tartan slacks?!? Merry Christmas, Happy #plaidchuleta Days!!!
p.p.s.
A few of the amazing interviews etc. we’ve been getting lately!!!
Great interview in Smashing Interviews magazine HERE.
MUST LISTEN “Unknown Gold Podcast” HERE.
Pop Culture interview HERE.
This BTS 4:22 mins of pure joy!!
SnowAngelz: Canadian fans of David Archuleta 
i still love reading fan recaps after all these years! Thanks for this one, awestruck.
Awestruck!!!! So glad you guys got to a concert!!!!! Thanks so much for the recap!!!!!
HE IS THE BEST AS ARE HIS FANS!!!!!
((((hug))))
Hugs back ref!
Thank you Awestruck for your wonderful recap! So glad you got to experience that, Really enjoyed reading it and all of your conveyed experiences, heartfelt moments, humour and joy. There are always so many good memories from David’s concerts (and VIPs)! …and this to David at the end ““always believe in yourself, you were meant to do this.” Oh yes he was. The fan who came from Japan is heartwarming to read about. Wonderful VIP pic!
p.s. I think I would go to a David concert even if he was only singing O Holy Night. My favourite Christmas song also and to hear him sing it live is an experience which lifts you to other realms. Think I’ve had the pleasure of hearing him sing it live twice now, hope for more of those experiences. Well, of course an entire concert ,when it comes to David is fabulous. Thanks for sharing yours so eloquently!
Oh how I love this Awestruck. So happy you were able to enjoy a fantastic night with David.That sweet young girl from Japan is just the cutest and oh so brave to come all by herself. So happy David made her comfortable . Your beautiful words to David “Always believe in yourself, you were meant to do this” touched my soul. No truer words ever were spoken. Thanks so much for sharing. Love these recaps.
Thanks everyone! It was actually the first time EVER that I had heard Paralyzed. What a cool vibe to the song. And, of course, the lyrics are so heartfelt. It will now be on repeat for me 🙂
Hey TOfan where did you get he pic??? Did hubby send it to you?
Yes!! lolol
{{{{{Awestruck}}}} loved every word!! What a special show and VIP!! And the fact that an air cast and knee scooter couldn’t keep you from. a David show makes you my all time hero!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you soooooo much Awestruck! I’m glad you & Mr. Awestruck got to see David’s show! I also love Oh Holy Night! No one touches my heart like David does when he’s singing!
Great re-cap Awestruck. :). We saw him the night before in Moab, Utah, and of course he was great!! It was just a tiny little venue that was filled to its tiny capacity but David was still just as amazing as if he’d been in someplace 12 times larger. Hubby and I traveled a good distance to see him and be with our kids who live down that way and get them to the concert. Which they were not disappointed with. Funny moment was when he came back out for his two encore songs and a man at the back yelled “David, my wife has a crush on you!” Silence. David sat for probably 90 seconds trying to wrap his head around it. He smiled and quietly said, “I’ve never heard that one before!” He was clearly taken back with it. 🙂 Anyway, I’m happy we made the trip and it gave us the opportunity to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with our family down here. Thank you, David.
omigosh that is hilarious, tawna! Did everyone crack up when David said that? too funny!!! That Moab venue looked so cool!!
The whole audience was just as quiet as David was until he spoke, then the laughter was several decibels above what the town’s noise ordinance probably is! 🙂
Love that you were able to take your family to the concert! Too funny his reaction !!!
Thank you Awestruck for the delightful recap. Just 3 people in the VIP! You were so fortunate to meet Minori and “mentor” her through her first VIP. But 3! Nobody to hide behind, LOL. Maybe when I do my VIP I’ll write down a question ahead of time.
Not that long ago, just last year (I think…) was when we saw you and Mr. Awestruck in Yakima. I suppose I can’t hope to be lucky enough to see you again at the Tacoma concert?
I’m with you, Ms. B…. I think I would’ve been as mortified as Minori to be in a 3-person VIP! LOL… Awestruck, kudos to you & Mr. Awestruck for taking her under your wing! <3333
It would be lovely to see you as well. However, This trip we will not be in Tacoma. Writing down a question before hand is a great idea!!!
Aww happy memories for the Yakima show for me too MissB and Awestruck! ❤️ What a wonderful recap!! I can’t fathom a 3 people VIP!!!
Loved the recap, Awestruck! Thanks for sharing. Not sure I could survive a VIP session with just three fans as I tend to fall all over myself in an attempt to sound normal. Like Janey, I never tire of reading about the experiences fans have when they see/hear David live. I especially enjoyed your list of highlights.
What a great recap, loved every word, but my favorite part was what you told him after the concert❤️ He is one of a handful of artist I feel that wya about.
That was a great Smashing Interviews interview!
That pic up top is quite smashing too!
3 person VIP was so relaxed! Can’t believe how chill I was😮
It was impulsive that I went up to the stage. Room for me to get to the edge of the stage with my cast on. Soooo glad I did though.
How special!
In the Smashing Interview he talked about possibly doing some writing with a more soulful sound. 🤞🏼 That is my favorite David sound❤️
Me too. 🙂
I cannot believe it! Just received an Email from David’s team with his spring tour dates. Vancouver (BC) is on the list, so is Toronto! Had to do a quadruple take to make sure I was reading correctly. He is actually coming here on his spring tour, holy moly! Think he is announcing the tour tomorrow. 🙂 This looks like a big tour. Thx David!
Wow, That’s awesome!!!