“You know it’s not the 1st pic you’ve taken” “Don’t compare your worst to someone else’s best.”- @DavidArchie “You already have that light!” pic.twitter.com/FRPz0xM0b0
I don’t even know where to start with this… although I guess “Happy Birthday, Jazzy” would be most appropriate 😂
The poem. That niece-tackle. The stolen-phone selfies. 😍😍😍
And is David getting a closer look at her name tag?? I cannot.
And then this….
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Not sure why I love it when D. watches The Voice with us… especially when I’m not actually watching The Voice… just watching his watching… oh dear lawd, my head hurts.
Never change one hair on that fluffeh head of yours, porkchop.
The air is crisp, the leaves are changing colour, and brand spanking new David Archuleta music is on the horizon. Oh, and Canadians from coast to coast to coast are giving thanks… for a long weekend.
For other things too, but mostly for the long weekend. 😂😍
I just preordered Postcards in the Sky on iTunes and got the instant download of Other Things in Sight and Seasons.
😭😭😭
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OTIS I’ve been in love with from Day One, but Seasons was a revelation.
I almost instantly started to tear up. The poignancy in his voice, those harmonies with Madilyn Paige, the tender lyrics… gah, instant floodgates.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the profound themes of David’s new music so far, but there’s something about sharing what’s going on in your heart and personal relationships through song that touches me deeply.
Or, I could be totally off-base… maybe the song is simply about his favourite tree being cut down during pruning “season.”
Whatever it’s about, I love it, just when I thought I’d heard his voice do all it can do, this song brings out new textures and tenderness… even the exhales on the ends of phrases are deeply moving to me.
This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for so many things…
…and I add to that long list: David, his incredible new music, his blow-your-mind concerts, the lovely and ever-patient Kari, the generous David fans who share so much with us, and all you lovely folks who hang out here from time to time … each and every one of your comments, tweets, etc. really do make my day!
Peace & love to all!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
(Top photo: The illustrious Shellster)
p.s.
How about you guys??? What do you think of the new song? The snippets??
Meeting David at TOFW was very different from seeing him at a concert. He was completely relaxed at the meet and greet. He was sharp, attentive, and welcoming.
More often than not, I noticed that fans were trying not to take up too much of his time and were being careful about hurrying along after he signed their CD, but he would hold them back, engaging them in active conversation.
He was sincerely trying to establish a genuine connection with every person he talked to. He looked happy. (Maybe it was because his table was right by the food stall?)
As I waited in line (while SOS DM’ing Deb that I had no clue what to say to him), I formulated a plan. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake as the last time I met him where I forgot how to speak. This time, I’d planned what I was going to say to him. My two key messages were:
Leo helps with my driving anxiety, and
We would love to see you back here in new england. Anytime you come back, we’re going to be here to support.
I had practiced this in my head and it was what I was going to say.
Suddenly, it was my turn and I was standing before him. I handed him my CD, and waited for him to sign it.
Me: Thanks for sharing your music and your message with us today, it was meaningful and I got a lot out of it.
David: Aww thanks!
Me: Your album Leo helps a lot with my driving anxiety. The number of minutes of Leo exactly matches the length of my drive home from work. It’s been taking the edge off and I’ve been panicking less.
(YES I COHERENTLY SAID SEVERAL SENTENCES TO DAVID FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!)
David: (something along the lines of “I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you for sharing”).
Me: (about to say the next thing)
David (interrupts me, how rude): So where are you from?
Me (feeling uncomfortable because I’ve been moving a lot these past couple of years, and don’t know how to answer that question anymore): Er, Portsmouth New Hampshire (only I said it really fast, like portsmouthnewhampshire)
David: (looks up at me closely): It’s just… your accent. Do you speak another language?
Me: Yes, I grew up in India. I speak Tamil. (wondering if I should say “Tamil” more clearly to him and COMPLETELY unprepared for the next thing that happened).
It was like the world stopped for a second. I looked at David, and he looked back at me. It was like he was thinking very deeply.
And then…
David: Vannakkam
(meaning, “welcome/hello”)
He had this WINNING charming smile on his face, which grew wider when he saw my stunned expression.
Me (aloud): !!!!!!! Good for youuu! (laughing at this point). Well, thanks, David (I took the CD back and about to walk away).
David: Wait.
Me: ??
David: I didn’t learn how to say bye in Tamil.
Me: Um, there is no real word for bye. Well, we say “Poyt varen”.
At this point, David was staring at me, his face an expression of careful concentration. He watched my lips form the words very closely.
I didn’t think he’d caught what I said, bec
ause it is a hard word to pronounce for those who are not familiar with the language. I didn’t expect him to have even heard and processed anything beyond the first syllable. I was waving at him, walking away, when I heard the words being said back to me loud and clear.
“Poyt Varen” he said, waving at me, looking delighted at having learned this new word. His accent was perfect, as if he’d grown up speaking Tamil. He enunciated every syllable in the exact same way that I had, even though I’d said it so briefly and quickly.
I gaped back at him. I had nothing to say. I was completely floored by this dude.
What I didn’t have enough time to tell David was that we don’t actually say “bye” in Tamil. We never say bye. We say, “I’m leaving now, but I’ll come back”. That’s what “Poyt Varen” actually means.
Did I just trick David into promising he’d come back to New England?
I am going to hold you to that, Mr. I-like-randomly-impressing-my-fans-with-my-multilingual-talents.
While we wait for him to come back, here are some videos from that day.
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So cats and kittens, I know we are all breathless with anticipation, obsessively checking iTunes waiting to preorder David Archuleta’s new album, Postcards in the Sky … so while we wait, why not take a moment to ponder why we are all really here. David’s hair.
Now’s the time to take a stand. Are you #TeamHigh or #TeamLow? #TeamFluffeh? or #TeamSmooth?
Don’t be shy… share how you really feel. This is a safe ArchuSpace, my friends.
Should David always go high?
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Or lie low?
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Embrace the fluff?
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Or keep his follicles on the down low?
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Please do your part (heh) and share the hair you care for most….
p.s.
Thanks to the wondrous Shelley for her incredible pics!
David Archuleta had a concert last Saturday night.
Oh, you knew? Well, did you also know that the venue allowed every portable recording device imaginable to join the festivities?
Yup. Thanks to attending fans, there are videos aplenty, enough videos for you to do your own recap, so get on it! I’m just sharing a few personal impressions about my experience. I am at the age where I have to write something down if I want to remember it, and I really don’t want to forget Saturday night.
Epic.
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I was at the concert due to the goodness of my husband. It has been a tough summer, and I had several tickets to see David that I never got to use because of it. When hubby saw me suffering through concert detox, he sacrificed his own comfort to get me to Kamas.
Don’t misunderstand. My husband loves David’s voice, and has been known to shed a tear or two when David sings Christmas carols. He is also supportive of my ODD, and enjoys seeing fan friends; but he is not really a pop concert kind of guy.
It didn’t help that Saturday night was unusually loud. We had no earplugs with us, which didn’t worry me, but I learned later that hubby fashioned his own out of some paper scraps he found. Emergency concert origami. Giggle worthy.
The DeJoria Center sits in the mountains above Salt Lake City (venue elevation is 6400 feet). The employees at the center were happy and helpful, but I wasn’t overly impressed with the seating.
While I didn’t expect my own comfy recliner, the ticket prices for this show indicated something a little more cushy than padded folding chairs locked together with nary a millimeter between them, an obvious challenge even for slim-hipped fans (I have actually met a few).
Nevertheless, any perceived discomfort was forgotten the minute the show began.
David Archuleta immediately hit his stride by bounding onto the stage and into “Up All Night.” I have written about his “bounding” before, but it is still an apt description and a joyous way to start a concert.
In classic OCD fashion, I determined to list, in order, every song David sang. Check it out, people. We are talking about a high degree of vocal stamina here, and that says nothing about the additional energy needed for bounding, bouncing, jumping, dancing, twirling, smiling, pointing, strutting, etc. Never mind that I am old and he is not, this is a very challenging workout and totally justifies David’s recreational eating hobby.
Up All Night
Numb
Something ‘Bout Love
Invincible
Spotlight Down
I’m Ready
He Lives in You
Parachutes and Airplanes/Thunder
Someone to Love
Other Things in Sight
Medley: Running, My Hands, Works for Me, A Little Too Not Over You
Beautiful/Scars to Your Beautiful
Say Me
Broken
Don’t You Worry, Child
Higher Ground
Nunca Pense
Encore: Glorious, Crush
I kind of expected David to begin with “Parachutes and Airplanes,” which he has done many times before. The song did show up a little later in the set, and when it majestically morphed into the Imagine Dragons hit, “Thunder,” we lost it, completely lost it, but in a good way. David was into it, the whole of it, and before you knew it, we had ourselves a rock concert.
The songs from David’s EP Leo, which we heard live for the first time, met every expectation and then some. Right after the EP release, there were online discussions about picking a favorite song, but once you hear them live, the game changes and a single choice becomes almost impossible. So different, so good, and so David.
We heard the Orion songs too. As David moved to the piano to accompany himself on “Say Me,” a male voice hollered out from the back of the hall, “David, I like your hair!”
“You do?” David responded. And then he launched into a hilarious soliloquy about styling his do. He managed to stop in time to remind us that we were having a concert, but that little conversation about a blow dryer had already been given the designation of “classic.” It will remain somewhere in an archive where we are allowed to bring it forth again and again to enjoy it. And we will.
David yielded up another goodie with his introduction to “He Lives in You” and asked the familiar “Do we have any Disney fans here?”
This question generated a big response and an additional observation from David, something to the effect of: “When it comes to Disney, I can always count on you, Utah. Disney is part of us, right? It’s who we are.”
I enjoy David’s stories, and he finds them much easier to share now; but I had to smile when he scolded himself three times for talking too much, and then followed it up with some muttering about how his manager wasn’t going to be happy about it. (“My manager is going to kill me.”)
David’s spiel about the children he has encountered through Holt International is always humbling. He followed his talk with a lovely rendition of “Broken,” but he did not linger in that mode for long and began to wrap up the concert with some lively numbers to get people up and moving.
The crowd didn’t need much encouragement to dance. In fact, they became part of the entertainment. I wanted to stand and do my part, but couldn’t. I felt a little guilty about it, hoping David wouldn’t notice; but as real craziness ensued, I realized I was having a great people-watching experience. (I will not name names.)
Several fans were still dancing their way into the foyer when it was over. The post-concert chatter mostly contained praise for the music and several declarations of love for David Archuleta. Fans left the venue so happy they hardly noticed the serious blizzard going on outside.
Yes, snow!
Those of us heading back to the valley had a white-knuckle ride, but with plenty to talk about.
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There is a popular LDS hymn, “High on the Mountain Top,” which is not only sung by LDS congregations, but is also a standard number for the Tabernacle Choir. The lyrics were written in 1853 by Joel Johnson, a Mormon pioneer. Although they are meant to reflect his thoughts about when and why he crossed the plains to join others in the Salt Lake Valley, my own brain was hearing the music, and did one of those inexplicable leaps from the beginning text of the hymn to what I had just seen and heard at the DeJoria Center:
High on the mountain top
A banner is unfurled.
Ye nations, now look up;
It waves to all the world.
It was a banner night all right, and David unfurled everything he had to give us with his performance: new songs, new dance moves; more energy, more confidence, more surprises. David was having as much fun as we were. You could see it!
Will there ever be an end to the surprises? I certainly hope not. What should end are the questions about how he wants to share his talents.
Look up, and listen. His intent is his alone, for all to see, wherever he goes.
(“You can come along or stay, or give it up, give it up.”)
I’m staying.
–TaterZen
p.s.
Top photo and B&W shot: The illustrious Shelley
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p.p.s.
A few vids for ya….
His voice on Someone to Love though… like buttah!!!
And the story in the comments that went with it about how this pic came about:
I was actually the one that went up to him, chad saw him and wasn’t 100% sure it was him and then he told me to go look and I could tell that he noticed i was looking at him and he started to smile as he was trying to go unnoticed 😂 so we just broke the ice and went for the hey we’re big fans can we get a picture with you!! He was pretty shy and probably sick of getting this all the time but he was very nice to let us be dorks and get a pic with him!
Can you not just picture this exchange? lol So David.
And I can’t help but wonder why he was in this very interesting store, called Smith & Edwards (looks like my hubs’ dream store, where you can wander the aisles looking at everything from wrenches and canoes to 1739592839 types of string). Was he picking up Chapstick? Cap freshener? Organic free-range beef jerky??
The store’s Google blurb says: “Get ready for that big adventure! You’ll find all the gear and supplies you need for your horse, your outdoor adventure, or that project in the kitchen…” or your amazing, dancey, electric, out of this world concert appearance … that’s what they need to add if David be shopping there.
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IG Storieeees… if it were anyone else, I would feel so annoyed that they took 8 stories to basically say the same thing but with David, I’m like, “MOAAAR!!! KEEP DOING, D.!!!!” lol
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Early bird @DavidArchie ‘s Good Things Utah IG story Part 3. Theme: YO, Utah gals, he really wants you to come to Kamas. Multitask, y’all! pic.twitter.com/bnazWy5nt8
. WE CAN PREORDER POSTCARDS IN THE SKY SEPT. 29!!!!
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And in case you’ve been pinned down by something heavy these last few months and haven’t signed up for D’s email newsletter, you can SIGN UP HERE.
Watching the lovely and amazing @djhsail’s Peri’s HERE, I noticed the sweet ladies in front. They were using sign language to interpret David’s words and songs for the hearing impaired.
His words and songs.
Let that sink in for a moment.
Those ladies were signing for people who couldn’t hear David very well or not at all.
As I was mesmerized by the ballet of their hands, it suddenly struck me that some people might be inspired reading David’s words or by following him on social media, but will never get to hear that glorious voice. Not a single, pitch-perfect note.
It brought me to tears realizing… once again… just how blessed we are.
I never want to take that for granted.
“How in a million years could you ever take David’s voice for granted??” you might be screaming at your screen.
Good point. But, hey, he’s just so incredible all of the time that, yes, if my blood sugar is low and it’s been a while since I’ve had a Gilmore Girls fix, I do catch myself not fully appreciating the wonder that is David Archuleta. Every once in a while.
So, wow, this was some good reminder (as they say in Nova Scotia 🙂 ).
Back to the incredible #TOFW today… go check out Donna’s amazing Peri. or some of the stuffs I thought were particularly cool, below. (Not exhaustive, you’ll need to visit FOD for that, lol.)
VIDEOOOOOOS!!!!!
. Be Still My Soul
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This BSMS from Donna’s Peri had me clutching my chest from the first note… not even kidding… by the end I was sobbing uncontrollably… it was like he was channelling something so pure and divine that my mortal body couldn’t quite handle it. You have been warned.
. https://www.pscp.tv/djhsail/1kvKpjXPydVJE?t=9s
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And on video!
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. I’m Ready
Wow. Just wow. This I’m Ready is incredible!
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. True Colors
One of my favourite songs on BEGIN. Would love to hear it live someday, this is GORgeous!!!
. Say Me alone
(this song has meant so much to me lately because reasons… )
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MLP alone
Costco-size tissue alert… when David cries, we cry. I don’t make the rules, my friends, that’s just how it is.
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. Angel & True Colours
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. Pride
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*****
This kinda looks like he’s doing standup so I’d like to respectfully request that he add another string to his bow and branch into comedy. pic.twitter.com/rLIHcltvaM
@davidarchie standing ovation for bridge over troubled water. He was surprised when everyone stood up. And also sang beautiful. pic.twitter.com/jAEIZPRpdI
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We heard the Orion songs too. As David moved to the piano to accompany himself on “Say Me,” a male voice hollered out from the back of the hall, “David, I like your hair!”
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Screencaps from David’s IG Live. Run, don’t walk to check it out… along with his IG stories.
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SnowAngelz: Canadian fans of David Archuleta 