@DavidArchie KLs us all: Kizzi’s Malaysia liveblog

Posted on 07/26/2011 by TOfan

…aaaand before the show, the lovely lorms took these amazing soundcheck vids!

Q&A … gahhhhh if only the host had let David sing Someone Like You (you can tell he really wanted to!)

Crazy

TMH

STR

EAM

"BANTER" bahahahaha ... thanks, lorms!!!

***********************

This amazing uStream stream-of-consciousness from Ms. Kiz deserves its own post!!!

Concert Venue from currynana via Twitter
At @DavidArchie #ArchieKL live with @DerrickLewkai. Expecting a good show yo! :D yfrog.com/gyfnzwmj

Set List: (dark slacks, light tee, redtone jacket – from UStream View :D )

STR / TOSOD / ALTNOY
my Ustream is on and off….spotty…but still so cool to listen in real time :D
 SBL – but I missed one I think….
Singing along, screams, “David I love you” – pure joy
EWTRTW – David’s message paraphrased: if you have a dream…you should go for it! I had a dream, I went for it and now I’m here in Malaysia
MKOP
Elevator – he took off his jacket and twitter went wild – lol – Introduces band
TMH / ATM / FS / SBM / EAM / ZG – feel the bouncing love!!!
Encore: Heaven ….ly
UStream is off line but some Twitterites are reporting “Crazy”???? Is that a joke? jsya – yeah it must be a joke, lolol…WAIT!!!! It is TRUE!!! Oh my, 3 encore songs…WOWZA.
CRUSH???? – gotta be – yep, confirmed

What a wonderful show – jumpy, freezing UStream and all. Just to get to experience it half way round the world is still a load of fun. Next stop, Gilbert, AZ – 19 songs, no make that 20 with 3 encores, right!!??? :D :D :D

It’s Confirmed – DAVID GLOWS!! Pure white AURA! :D

Concert End Tweets with a Beat!!!——->
Pinoy Archies
We heard that David went out of stage and played drums and hs joy filled the whole Stadium Negara according to sources. Congratulations David Archuleta and thank you for performing in front of your Asian fans. Thank you!

@galaxiemag Galaxie magazine
Oh wait he comes back for a last wave and to playfully bang on the drums. Haha #davidarchuletakl

@Salamahafifi
He played the drums hahahaha

@ecachan
He did 2 hands flying kiss and played drums with 1 stick while Steven was still playing. <—-this I gotta see :O

@hannaluvsmusic
HE SALSA DANCED, HE PLAYED THE DRUMS, HE SANG CRAZY, HE SANG HEAVEN, HE WAS FULL OF SWEAT, HE WAS PLAIN AMAZING. I LOVE YOU, @DAVIDARCHIE. (WOO HOO!!!)

So the Asia tour is coming to a close. What a fantastic tour for all fans. Half a world away and we got to enjoy it too! That heaven-ly salsa sweating crazy drummer! Hahaha – who woulda thunk 2 weeks ago that woulda been appropriate words to end this concert tour with!

Emancipation and then some….let freedom ring and ring and ring….

— Kizzi

p.s. Had to post this great KL soundcheck pic from @nareejo!

Posted in Concert recap | Tagged | 50 Comments

The emancipation of @DavidArchie

Posted on 07/24/2011 by TOfan

Let freedom reign! (Source: The amazing @nareejo)

David Archuleta is Freebird, baby! He’s shrugged off the big-label shackles and (to quote Jonerz) is gettin’ down with his bad self! Shakin’ his groove thang, jammin’ with his band and lettin’ it rip like never before. (This David 3.0 is SO fine, he requires no “g”s at the end of words! 🙂 )

It's like zeeeerooooo gravityyyyyy! (This pic & below: Baomoi.com)

Why is this happening so far away from home? Isn’t that always where we go to feel truly free? Whether it’s backpacking across Europe, hitchhiking from Ottawa to Toronto ( 🙂 ) or performing to a packed house of 35,000 people … especially when it crosses your mind that nobody might turn up … then you realize every single person there bought a ticket to see YOU and only YOU … so they could scream and shout and sing all the words to your songs.

And before the tour even started, they bought your record in droves, played it like mad on local radio, put up huge banners all over town and showered you with love, love, pure LOVE as soon as you stepped off the plane.

Other performers might take all that adoration and start strutting around like they were entitled to it all and expect even more.

David? As if. … As we well know, he’s all about what he can give, not what he can get. So he soaks in all that love showered upon him at each Asian tour stop, no doubt whispers a prayer of gratitude, then commandeers every fibre of his being into giving as much of himself back as he can to his fans … both onstage and off.

I truly believe everything happens for a reason and David learned what he needed to from Jive. When they started to cramp his style and limit a talent that knows no boundaries, he decided it was time to declare his independence. And wow, has he ever.

The David who sang this Heaven, this ending to GGTT and Elevator and who boogie oogie oogied his way through this EWTRTW has been there all the time, of course.

A little fresh air either snuffs out a spark or fuels the burning flame. And as we clearly see on this Asian tour, David is on FI-YAH, baby!

P.S. Hanoi vids being added to the Vietnam video page (see Tab up top) as they become available! (Hanoi Baomoi.com pics above from HERE.)

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged , | 26 Comments

Translated Vietnam press conference interviews

Posted on 07/21/2011 by TOfan

Smile always on their lips. (All pics: kenh14.vn and all captions Google-translated from the originals.)

Why Vietnam “jubilantly” welcome David Archuleta
Google translated directly from Kênh14.vn Star

The Little Prince The guy was very friendly informal chat with reporters, and so Vietnamese in exchange conference which took place several hours ago.

Landing Tan Son Nhat Airport at 5.30pm after a long flight than ten hours, had to run right out stadium Military Zone 7 to rehearsals for the show tomorrow, but tonight’s 8:30, “Little Prince” David is matched with a permanent smile on the lips at a press conference held at Riverside exchange Palace. He made everyone present tonight because of the extremely touching as much friendly despite extreme fatigue with heavy schedules.

Only talk in a short time, David Archuleta is still trying to answer questions from reporters. Especially since he sent word: “Hello Vietnam” to people in Vietnamese but really push it! Many commented: “He was easy-going and loving terrible.”

American Idol 2008 runner-fresh laughs in response to feelings of fans.

“Little Prince” will not “forget the” Where the fans, he confided that he felt extremely surprised and happy above all love for his fans at the airport this afternoon. David would like to thank everyone with the good will try to perform well tomorrow there.

When asked about tomorrow’s performance, David was smiling revealed, he will not bring surprises to the “flashing” on stage, the audience that wants to conquer Vietnam in his own voice. It is worth looking forward to right?

A lot of showbiz stars hit Vietnam has to greet and interact with David Archuleta tonight, including singer Britney Hung, Noo Phuoc Thinh, Bao Thy, Uyen Linh, Van Mai Huong, actress Ngo Thanh Van, …

Now watch the latest images of men and the star of tonight’s press conference at City Nhe!

*******************

David Archuleta: Many people say my music “clean” too
Google translated from DANTRI.com.vn

American Idol Runner He shared his satisfaction with his current music, although many people say it’s too clean, too gentle.

David Archuleta answers questions from a reporter asked what he

Although very tired but just as he appears to offer everyone smiling.

thought about music reviews for the youth of America now too vulgar and makes them become damaged. “Many people say my music is now so clean and gentle too, but I’m happy with my music now. I always try to make the best possible in all your projects and I believe the women are parents have not objected to their children listen to my music. ”

Appeared in Vietnam in nearly 18h on 21 / 7 and at 20 hours the same day,David Archuleta has participated in the launch press conference in HCMCVietnam. Friendliness is the first impression and the most remarkable 21-year-old singer on America. “I found quite surprising and interesting with thewelcoming of the fan frenzy at the airport, thanks everyone.” David openedthe press conference.

When asked yourself what would offer something special for the night last night 22 / 7, David says he does not have a specific song in particular, but healways did everything his best. He also shared his writing some songs just forthe fans in Asia. “I have a plan to tour throughout Asia and I’m writing songsfor the fans here.”

But the show is not happening, but David has received praise from the BTCprogram. “Just not up to the airport and on to the hotel after a long trip, butDavid has the right stadium to sing a song re-examination. He sings with no music and carpentry after a long flight without rest leave, subject to planning ahead. the work of re-examination was very impressed with theprofessionalism of David. that was a lesson for singers Vietnam now. “Hoang Tuan – BTC representative said.

Extremely close.

"I would like to announce that I am changing my Twitter name to @LittlePrince" ... (I really must get my Google translator fixed.)

Press conference videos:

Anyone know what he’s playing at the beginning????

Posted in Special event | Tagged , | 25 Comments

From tears of Heaven to vlog heaven

Posted on 07/19/2011 by TOfan

I know we’ve all seen videos of “Heaven” already, but not like this. Nothing like this. It was filmed by a lovely lady named Keiko, who I was lucky to have met at MoTab in December. She flew there from Japan just to see David sing. And I am so glad she did the same for the Manila concert.

Oh my. That Voice. The look of pure love in his eyes as he looks out at the adoring crowd. The fog behind him as if we’re all sharing the same beautiful dream.

I am out of words for this guy, so I’ll leave you with some of his own:

“Lately every performance feels like I’m singing as if it’s the last time. That’s what I feel. I’m singing like it’s my last chance. Because you never know when you can see these fans again. So I just want to make sure that it’s good. I want to give my best because I never know when I’d get another chance to see the faces who are out in the crowd again.”
~ David Archuleta, Yahoo! Philippines interview.

Photo: KapanLagi.com

And some Ms. Kizzi posted at the end of the last thread:

…A good friend of mine sent me a book called The Growing Edge by Howard Thurman. Very inspirational and he describes this “growing edge:”

“It is the extra breath from the exhausted lung, the one more thing to try when all else has failed, the upward reach of life when weariness closes in upon all endeavor. This is the basis of hope in moments of despair, the incentive to carry on when times are out of joint and men have lost their reason, the source of confidence when worlds crash and dreams whiten into ash.”

2 other quotes from his writings:

“There is something in every one of you that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. It is the only true guide you will ever have. And if you cannot hear it, you will all of your life spend your days on the ends of strings that somebody else pulls.”

“’Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Made me think of David’s The Star Online interview and the Jakarta and Manila concerts. He has embraced his “growing edge” and is pursuing what makes him “come alive.” No wonder we are inspired and uplifted when we hear his music. It’s just David, sharing his dream with the world. ~ Kizzi

P.S. From tears of Heaven to rotfling at these classic David vlog moments:

…slow-mo replay highlights ….

"I was eating what???"

"...goats' internal organs with ... soup??"

Now you see David...

... and now you don't.

… aaaaand here are the actual names of the dishes he had thanks to missy1727 on YouTube: Tapsilog, Sizzling Gambas, Bistek, Pork Sisig, Tokwa’t baboy and Papaitang Kambing. :O

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged , , , , , | 27 Comments

Indonesia vids: Baby, you’re a firework!

Posted on 07/17/2011 by TOfan

Reach out as far as you caaaaaan. (Pic: KapanLagi.com)

Spread those wings and fly, D. (Photo: The lovely @scpancake)

Ms. Kizzi posted this article at the end of the last thread and I thought it deserved its own post (along with all the Indonesia songs in one place).

Archuleta alert! He’s all grown up now
By FIONA HO (excerpted from Malaysia’s The Star Online)
Full story HERE.

David Archuleta talks about his new journey as an independent singer-songwriter as he gears up for his upcoming concert in Kuala Lumpur….

… despite his inherent optimism, the singer isn’t afraid to admit that his transition from manufactured pop star to independent songwriter has not been all smooth sailing….

“I have a lot of ideas that I’m really excited about but I’m still trying to figure out my sound and what I really want to say in my songs. Hopefully, some of the writers I’m meeting will be able to get the songs I want to write out of me. I want to be able to connect with my fans and reach as many people as I can.”

“I love Adele so much and people love her because she puts her heart into her songs and you can hear how much feeling she puts into it. I wanna be able to do that.”

Pop fans can breathe easy, though, for Archuleta will not abandon his pop roots just yet.

“I still love pop music. That’s what I’ve always been doing but I want to work harder on my vocals. I want to put more focus on my voice instead of all the beats and sounds that technology can add to a track.”

“People didn’t vote for me on Idol because of who I was working with or the kind of tracks I was singing. They voted for me because they liked my voice.”

The best part about making music on his own is that he doesn’t have to meet anybody’s expectations anymore, he said.

“This is all coming from me, from my heart.”

******

Jakarta, Indonesia, Set List (sit back & enjoy the show!):

STR and TOSOD show openers (doubleBent2WIN)

ALTNOY … ohmyheck, the singing along! (doubleBent2WIN)

Love Don’t Hate :) (booradleigh) (Download mp3 HERE.)

… LDH, great audio, from another perspective (chestravis) 

EWTRTW (booradleigh)

SBL (SBL & TMH, doubleBent2WIN)

TMH: @ekiekieki: DAVID ARCHULETA!! YOUR HAND WAS FREAKING 10 CM AWAY FROM MINE OKAY AND SCREW MY SHORT HAND THAT COULDN’T REACH YOURS!!!” :lol:

MKOP on piano

GGTT (booradleigh)

My Hands (doubleBent2WIN) (Download mp3 HERE.)

Blackbird and FS (doubleBent2WIN)

WFM (doubleBent2WIN) (Download mp3 HERE.)

Everything and More (booradleigh) (Download mp3 HERE.)

Elevator: “Any left-handed people out there?” (doublebent2WIN)

Crowd chanting “We want more!!!!”

ZG (doubleBent2WIN)

Crowd chanting again “We want more!!!!” and “DA-VID! DA-VID! DA-VID!”

[Encores]
ATM (doubleBent2WIN)

Crush and encore FIREWORKS!!!! How perfect is that?? 🙂 (booradleigh)

Crowd goes WIIIIIIILD!!!!!!! (or is that just me? :lol: )

Posted in Special event | Tagged , , , , | 67 Comments

TOSOD Asia Tour songs: You’ve stolen my heart and I don’t want it baaaaack

Posted on 07/14/2011 by TOfan

 (Click pics to enlarge.)

Source: raelovesarchie on Tumblr (via Something ‘Bout Archie!), find more HERE.

Almost as much as the new songs in David Archuleta’s TOSOD Asia Tour Edition CD, I am blown away by this lyric book! I don’t know about you, but I would have loved to have had this instead of the original Fan Pack (let’s blame Jive, shall we? 🙂 ). One thing I miss about LPs is the lyric books or printed sleeves that came with most of them. Used to love poring over the lyrics of every song and studying them like poems.

I must say I am liking all the new songs much more than I thought I would, but “Love Don’t Hate” is my current fave … can’t wait to see David perform it live with this crew! 🙂 It just makes me want to leap out of my chair and move (the way “My Hands” always has) and I also love the more live-sounding guitar and instrumentation and the killer melody in the chorus. And there’s a soulful groove to it that I can just hear David letting loose on in concert. *hopes*

But I also can’t get “wait, wait, wait… don’t go” and “notice… notice … notice me” out of my head … and EAM gets me all choked up in spots…. 😯

How about you guys??? What are your favourites and why? Please share… 🙂

P.S. I know we are all against pirating music in general and David’s music in particular so here is a playlist where you can listen-only to the new songs (‘cuz I know we will all be buying them!!! (See top sidebar widget for link to order from CDwow.)

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged , , | 84 Comments

Watch this space… David Archuleta gets the hero’s welcome he deserves!

Posted on 07/12/2011 by TOfan

WOW!!!!!!! When I asked you guys to “watch this space” I never expected this:

Source: @onyitkawanku

and THIS!

well, maybe I did. How awesome are those Indonesian fans?!?! Warms my heart to see David getting the hero’s welcome he deserves!

… and apparently banners like this are flying all over in Vietnam:

Source: @HausOfArchie

My dream used to just be that David would come back to Canada for a concert (or, gasp, cross-country tour)… now I also want him to get this kind of welcome whenever he does make it up here… Team Airport FTW!!!!!!!!

Anyone else hoping David will sing his new TOSOD Asia songs on this tour? 🙂

P.S. To legally preorder David’s TOSOD Asian Tour Edition CD with the new bonus songs from the Australian website CDwow (CDN$12.99/US$13.99), click HERE for the Canadian order page (or click the top widget in the sidebar at right) or click HERE for the U.S. order page. Don’t forget to leave a “review”! 🙂

The CD/DVD will be available July 18 and should take 7-10 business days to deliver. If you’re outside North America, in the top left corner of the home page, choose your country of residence.

PP.S. SPOILER ALERT! I know we are all against pirating music in general and David’s music in particular so here is a playlist where you can listen-only to the new songs (‘cuz I know we will all be buying them!!!) … So what do you guys think?!?!?!

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged , | 45 Comments

David vlogs about Beyoncé: Year of 4

Posted on 07/11/2011 by TOfan

So this is the Beyoncé: Year of 4 documentary David mentioned watching in his vlog. … And this is what he said about it:

“This morning I was just looking on YouTube and there was this little Beyoncé Year of 4 thing and I thought ‘Oh maybe it’s a video or something,’ but it was kinda like a little documentary and it was soooo cool just Beyoncé talking about her experience and how she’s out on her own and stuff and how she kinda split ways and trying to learn … how she’s learning the hard way but [claps] the good way too, you know?

“I don’t know, I just kinda really gained respect, even more respect for her and what she does and what she’s tryin’ to do …

“It’s hard, it can be overwhelming in a lot of different ways trying to get everything together. It’s amazing how something’ll be just a four minute video or a four minute song and soooo much work goes into all of that…

“And I thought it was cool that she gave a glimpse on what goes on in people’s minds and trying to get everything together … ya [laughs] anyway, that’s all I have to say for now.” [um, this was at 5:27 … the vlog doesn’t end until 6:57 🙂 🙂 🙂 ]

Now, I don’t always check out stuff that David talks about during his vlogs … okay, that’s a lie, I pretty much always check stuff out … but I really wanted to find this video.  (Which wasn’t hard because the amazing admins at the new OS posted a link to a shorter version that linked to this version.)

Why did I want to find it? Partly because I’ve always seen comparisons between David and Beyoncé. … no really, not kidding.

Not that we’ll see David recording dance tracks or busting out sweaty choreography anytime soon, but I’ve always admired how Beyoncé, although part of the pop “royalty,” has remained genuine, serious about her craft, and always, always a class act.

I also loved hearing about the dancers Beyoncé “discovered” on YouTube and how they “couldn’t help” but start dancing. Hmm, who did that remind me of? 😉

So what do you guys think? Why do you think it made such an impression on him? Are there parallels here or am I (in the words of Adele) chasing pavements?

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

abanana reviews the new @DavidArchie OS … and hangs with Wills and Kate

Posted on 07/07/2011 by abanana77

Yesterday I got my first good chance to check out David Archuleta’s new official site. My first impression was that it is very clean and easy to find what you want. I really like the colour scheme and the main bar across the top (especially the “charity” tab!). And it’s already been updated with a Stadium of Fire article! Amazing!

Writing this post I tried to think of something I didn’t like, but anything I could think of seemed like nit-picking and I love this site too much to nit-pick it right now. So this’ll basically be a lovefest of a post 😀

I particularly love the bio! It is a great summary of all of David’s accomplishments, written not in chronological order like you’d sometimes expect, but the way it’s written ties everything together so well. My favourite parts: “Now however, an older, wiser David has emerged, but with faith still on his side and an eternally optimistic wide-eyed outlook” and “Fast forward to the present, and you see many sides to David Archuleta. There’s the youthful David, affectionately known as Archie, who often lets loose mid-interview giggles on TV and radio.”

Another thing I love is the contests for the Asian fans that are advertised all over the front page of the OS! I imagine how exciting that must be for those fans, who probably often feel excluded from things because everything is always so American focused. And here you have David Archuleta’s brand new website and almost all of the posts are for you! I don’t know, I just got excited for them! If it was all about Canada, I’d be so pumped!

I have read some people’s comments on the OS so I know some people disagree with me on this one but I am a giant fan of the new “DAVID” logo. I’ve always been fascinated with words, names or sentences that can be read upsidedown or backwards as well as forwards – maybe it is my inner mathematician, or maybe it’s just because my name (Anna) is a palindrome. Whatever the reason, I just think it’s the coolest thing. And I will totally buy merchandise with that logo on it! (I would probably buy the merchandise regardless, but whatever lol).

I could probably count on one hand the number of times I went to the old davidarchuleta.com. In fact, when trying to write this post, I wanted to compare the new site to the old site, but I just couldn’t remember what it was like. I can barely even remember what it looked like. Because I never went to it. I remember it was rarely updated, and very generic. There was nothing there that made me want to come back, because I knew the fansites would have all the info, and probably way before the OS ever did.

But on this new site, I really like the “Tour and Events” page. I can actually see myself going there to check the time or place or how to buy tickets for an event instead of checking a fansite. It just seems so clear and easy to find and well updated.

The reason I choose to go to the fansites that I go to is because I find the writers of those sites often witty and funny but always respectful of David. And you can tell that those people will forever support him, and their writing reflects that. And I think that’s the main reason why I love this OS so much.

The people running it seem to “get” David the way we “get” him! And they also seem to “get” the fans — they understand what we want, who we are, why we love David. They get our David inside jokes, and even use them throughout the site :). I just love the atmosphere of this new site, it feels so homey, like a safe little haven where you can just immerse yourself in The Archuleta. I love everything about the site: the layout, the logo, the bio, but I have to say I think I love the admins and the atmosphere most of all! <3333

So what do you guys think??

— abanana77

p.s. A couple of pics from abanana77’s epic brush with royalty in P.E.I.! 🙂

PRINCE WILLIAM SMILING AT US! nbd. Extremely big deal!

Will & Kate getting into their car. We were accidentally parked right there like 5 hours earlier hahaha oops

More HERE.

Posted in Special event | Tagged , , , , | 35 Comments

Recap: David Archuleta ignites Stadium of Fiyah

Posted on 07/03/2011 by TOfan

I don't take great pictures but with this subject, it's tough to take a bad one. (I heard the Provo Fashion Police gave D. a commendation for this outfit.)

I have a feeling David Archuleta will write an amazing song someday called “Home” … or “Sort of Home.” 😉

Maybe he doesn’t need to. Maybe the look on his face and the sparkle in his eyes on stage at the Stadium of Fire extravaganza last night said it all.

He looked even more glowy than usual (if that’s even possible… if that’s even a word) and kissed by the Utah sun (which was BLAZing hot) and happy to be home – he even said so.

I mean, come on, can you believe these mountains?!?!?!

I’m sure you’ve all seen the videos of how great he sounded. But I doubt they capture the impact of the setting. I could barely take it all in myself. The stadium is enormous, holding 50,000 people and it looked full to me. It’s surrounded by a truly magnificent mountain range that the more you stare at it, you swear it’s moving closer.

The last time David sang there, he was 12 and to be back looking out at all those people and those mountains as an adult singing songs he wrote from albums he created, must have been such a powerful, emotional experience for him. (And when they started the anthem with Star Search David on the JumboTron then 2011 David walked out amid the choir it was a surreal experience for us, I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for him and his family.)

Parachutes & Airplanes: A bunch of these high-flyers zoomed across the sky and landed in the middle of the field ... very thrilling!

As only David can do, he took all those feelings and channelled them into a national anthem so powerful, my eyes welled with tears. Not because (as much as I love my neighbours to the south) I have any emotional attachment to the song. (Heck, I rarely get choked up at my own anthem.) But no matter what country you call home, when David gets to “and the rockets red glaaaaare,” you can’t help but feel the pride and love and loyalty David pours into that song well up in your own heart.

I’m sorry to say the rest of the show is a bit of a blur. It’s just so amazing to be sitting there listening to that Voice live and seeing David up on that stage that I can hardly believe it’s really happening. I do remember flashes of amazingness though:

  • The young woman sitting beside me (a die-hard Brad Paisley fan) exclaiming after ALTNOY, “His voice is IN-CRED-IBLE!!!” then leaping to her feet for the next song.
  • During TOSOD, thinking, “WOW, his voice is IN-CRED-IBLE!!!” and hoping the wild “one foot in front of the other” kicks he was doing wouldn’t send a shoe flying through the crowd.
  • Selfishly wishing they’d scrap the speeches, talent contest and anything else non-David so he’d have time for a few more songs.

I just want to steal this moment right away from time: I so wish I'd gotten a shot of the whole stage filled with dancers surrounding David. E.p.i.c.

  • Rubbing my eyes in disbelief when a troupe of Lycra-clad young ladies clutching roses (who Karin/@zerogravity1 dubbed “David and the Modest-is-Hottest Dancers”) twirled and high-kicked across the stage on either side of David for STR. I seriously thought I was seeing things and then practically passed out from how sublimely bizarre it all was. Best. Number. Ever.

David and the Hunker-Downcers.

As much as David’s set felt oh-so-short at five songs, I felt incredibly proud to be his fan when he devoted his last song, not to plugging his album, but to singing a special patriotic medley he’d prepared for the troops. (The headliner didn’t even do that … just sayin’.) And what’s even more amazing is that I don’t think that surprised a single one of David’s fans … as we all know, that’s just David.

Beyond the amazingness of hearing David live in that spectacular setting, along with some of the most stunning fireworks I’ve ever seen, I think my highlight of this weekend was getting to meet a young medical student from Taiwan who flew in to hear David sing live for the first time.

And more than that, to see how the David fan community came together to welcome him with open arms. About a month ago, when the lovely Gengen tweeted that her friend (a huge David fan) was flying into Utah for the show and requested we look out for him…  I don’t think even she could have predicted what would happen upon his arrival.

Fans spontaneously volunteered to pick him up from the airport, show him the SLC sights, then introduced him to as many other fans as possible, took him to the show, introduced him to a couple of the band members and took a picture I’m sure he’ll treasure, offered him a place to stay and a ride to the airport today to fly to Paris to meet his dad.

I’ll never forget the smile on his face as he left the fan gathering after the show, his arms filled with gifts and a straw cowboy hat on his head (a gift from a complete stranger sitting near him at the show) as he waved goodbye to us all, saying, “I love you guys!!!”

… ditto … thank you, David!

Happy Fourth of July to all who celebrate it!!!!

p.s. Download mp3 of entire SOF concert HERE. (Thank you, Starrynites (Monica)!!!!)

p.p.s. My one lame attempt at a video … sorry for the shakiness but I must admit, the sound isn’t too shabby. Enjoy!

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