So first of all, I have no words. I'm so blessed to be able to have gone on this trip to Ohio all the way from Georgia for this concert and be able to say I was a part of this tour. I feel blessed I have parents that are willing to let me fly over 3,000 miles to and from for a concert. I'm so blessed that I have a mom and grandmom that want to actually go with me and be able to see what I see and maybe a taste of how I feel. I prayed that if this was supposed to work out that it would, and it did. Better than I ever could have dreamed. My grandpa passed away 3 years ago and we were able to use his frequent flier miles to almost pay for our airline ticket, and my dad travels to the point he got us into a very nice hotel for a very little cost. I feel so blessed.
First of all, I didn't go to school Friday, December 11th. Our flight was going to leave at 4:55pm, and I woke up excited. We left at about 1:30 and got to the airport where we sat for about 4 hours haha. We were going to fly and connect in Houston and then fly to Cleveland, Ohio, but the flight was late to the point there would be no way we would make it to our next connection in time. So the lady was nice enough to transfer us to a plane that left at 7pm from Atlanta (where I live) straight to Cleveland. We graciously accepted. The flight to Houston would take 2 hours and then the flight to Cleveland from there would have taken 4, so less than an hour in replace of that was amazing.
When we got on the plane, it was a pretty small plane, only seating around 70. We walked outside and walked up the steps to the inside of the plane, and sat down. I was so excited when the plane took off! We knew that when it landed we would be in Cleveland, and I was thrilled. The flight didn't seem long at all, and flying over Atlanta at night with all of the lights was magical. Same with flying into Cleveland. When we got off of the plane, the first thing I thought of was the cold. It said it felt like 14 degrees, and I've never felt cold like that before. It was awesome! So we went inside of the airport and I stood in front of a Welcome to Cleveland sign and took a picture!
We got our luggage (our one 48 pound bag) and waiting near the door for the cab to pick us up to take us to the hotel. I was ecstatic. On our way to the hotel, the man driving was like "So I'm guessing you guys are from the south by the way you're talking?" Haha! When we got to the hotel I saw some snow on the ground by the hotel and walked around on it haha. When we were checking in, the guy was so nice. He put a big smile on my face lol. We got them to make sure to get a taxi there at 2:25 the next day! We unpacked and got stuff together, and I was spazzing out. We watched some TV and we went to bed. I woke up so many times during the night, and at one point had the weirdest dream. I had a dream that I had gotten to the concert and the next thing I know was that he was leaving the stage and when I asked what happened someone told me I had fallen asleep through the whole concert, haha! It was so realistic when I woke up I thought that I had actually missed it. I bet you can imagine how I felt when I realized that I hadn't missed it and I was going to see him TODAY! I was so excited. My mom and grandmom went to get breakfast and I stayed behind and watched TV and listened to my iPod. When they got back (and awh! They brought me food back haha) I ate and continued to watch TV. I was texting some of my Archie friends that were going to be there that day and we were all so excited. Around 1 I started getting ready, and I was trying to not get too excited because I had already been spazzing out all morning, and didn't want to be on pins and needles waiting haha. But I was so excited still. Last time I had been to a concert or had seen him was 4 months before, and I was so excited to get to go to the show and see what I've been seeing on YouTube, and get to see him be random at the VIP again haha. So the hour flew by while I got ready, and then all of a sudden I was afraid I was running late haha. But we took some pictures inside of the hotel lobby, and then the guy was waiting for us. So we got into the car and we were on our way! I was so excited and he was asking about what we were seeing at the Palace Theater, and we told him David Archuleta. I was so happy! So we finally got there, and let me just say Cleveland is beautiful. My mom said it looks similar to New York or something.
But I waited outside for a couple of minutes and then we read the itinerary and they said to meet in the lobby, so thankfully we were able to go inside. It is SO beautiful inside.
(those were taken after the VIP when nobody was allowed in there yet)
The first person I saw was Christian, who was at Greenville, who greeted me with a hug haha. I was so excited! We went to where everyone was waiting. They had it locked off so we couldn't get into the main area of the theater yet, but it was gorgeous. So I met up with some people from IDF, and got to talk to Christian and his brother John and Amanda and a lot of people haha. There were so many people there, 100 people. We were right by where they would let us in, and all of a sudden they flipped it, so we were last to get our tickets and lanyard and wristband and the people in the back were the first to. At first we were kind of bummed, because Christian had been there since 2 and I had been there since around 2:45 and now it was around 3:40. But there was a big gap in the line at one point and they were trying to just get people to fill in the line, and someone got a little irritated and so we backed off, but a minute later she came over crying apologizing saying how she had no clue we had been waiting there as long as we had and she felt bad. She was such a sweet lady. We signed in and they gave us our tickets, the lanyard and the wristband.
At this point, I think they finished checking everyone in and then let us in for crowd free shopping. Again, it was so beautiful there. I didn't shop, and some of us were trying to find where they were going to let us in to the venue so we could get in there faster if we were standing near the doors. They told us they were going to take us up some stairs to a room before then. Finally they took us up there, and it was a huge room with a lot of round tables and food and the ILAA background. We got seats and they told us about how we were just going to hang out there for a while until they got the word they could let us into the theater. They told us to put our gifts under the tree for David and I had a big envelope with letters from my friends and my own in there, and people set theirs under the tree. Kristin explained how David really does go through them all and stuff, and They passed out David quizzes and pens, and said to feel free to eat. They had all sorts of food there, they had cookies, and sandwiches, and so much more that I didn't really pay too much attention to haha.
We were in that room a looooong time, I'm not sure exactly how long. I'd say around an hour. (Or maybe I'm just bad at estimating time haha) I sat by some friends at first and moved around, and then ended up at a table by the door with some people that I remembered from the summer. One woman I was sitting by was willing to trade her row C ticket with someone, and although I had row E which wasn't bad at all, she traded with me. I'm still so grateful for that. They drew the raffle of who would ask the questions, and they went over the answers to the David quiz lol. Finally, after waiting a while, they told us they were ready. So we went into the theater and David wasn't there yet, and when the first row was filled and they were starting the second row, they said they still had two extra seats in the front row, which me and John took haha. I was the second seat from the left end. There was hardly any foot room in the front row, and you had to look way up to see the microphone haha. We were so excited! We saw Kendra and Dave and I think Steve in there. And out of nowhere, David walks in from the left side of the stage, and we all clapped and cheered haha. I always have thought he looks different in person, in a good way of course lol. I forgot what he looked like in person for a while, so seeing him again brought back that feeling of Oh yeah! I remember now haha. When he walked in, and said hello, I asked what was on his shirt? And the girl behind me started asking too, and so he looked over and smiled and did the peace sign with both hands, I think, and said "Peaceee" haha. I forgot what he said at first, but he told everyone to wave to someone because during the Demi tour the woman always had candles in his dressing room, and then today he said he walked in and saw candles in there from her lol. Next I remember him asking what songs we wanted to hear. I automatically yelled MARY DID YOU KNOW, along with a lot of other people saying the same thing. He was like "Okay Mary Did You Know, I'll sing that second." And then people started yelling other songs. I yelled Bubbly haha. I heard I'll Be, and some other songs. He went with Pat a Pan and then people were still yelling and he said something like "I can only do two!" Or "I already picked them out!" Or something, haha. I don't remember exactly. But he was about to start talking or something and they started playing Pat a Pan, so he started singing! And it was awesome. He started walking around the stage and looked straight at me and John at one point, and I was so excited and happy and just a mix of emotions haha. He sounded really gospel-y singing this version, and it sounded amazing! Next he sang Mary Did You Know, and my heart was pounding in my chest the whole time. It was absolutely beautiful. So after he sang that, either he or someone else said it was time for questions and he was like "And I have answers!" so he walked over to the left side of the stage and there was this cute little girl, and she asked if he could sign her CD booklet and he said sure and asked if there were any other questions she wanted to ask, and he was squatted down signing it. At first I guess the marker wasn't working because I heard him go "Oh there we go" or something haha. He was like a few feet away from me and John because he was on our side. I think then the girl asked what was his favorite song on the album. I'm not completely sure of what happened, but he was trying to remember something and then goes "Oh thank you voices in my head" and later said "Oh right, thank you voices in my head" when he remembered something else HAHA! But when he got asked what his favorite song on, he was like "Uhm I'm not sure..I'm not even sure of all of the songs on there.." or something along those lines haha! So he started flipping through the CD liner and looking at the songs and said Pat a Pan. At one point he sat down crossed legged haha. He started handing the booklet back to the girl and then goes "Oh wait! I didn't finish signing it!" and took it back and signed it. At one point he asked the little girl to hold his microphone and she looked like, star struck or terrified. It was so cute. And then the next question was the person wondering if he would be home for Christmas, and he was saying that home was where the family was and something about how there's not really anything planned on Christmas or something. He's pretty sure he'll get to be home though, yay! And next was someone asking if he could sing Happy Birthday to them ,and he said sure and then asked if anyone else had a Birthday in the room, and I think there were about 8. And then he asked her if it was okay if he sang it to her and everyone else. Then he tried getting everyone to stand up if it was their Birthday, and only about 3 people stood up. And he was like "I know I counted more, come on guys STAND UP! You, I think you said it was your Birthday..come on guys STAND UP, it's your Birthday!" And people slowly started standing lol. So he sang Happy Birthday to "Tara and everyoneeeeEEEEEEEEE!" haha. He hit a note that was amazing. So after he said he guessed it was time to take pictures, and said "that's all folks!" and did the looney toons dance haha! At one point he started singing a little of Remember December after something was said that reminded him of it haha. And so this is when the funny part happens haha. So his water bottle was right in front of me, and remember how I had like no leg space? Well I stood up and when the chair closed behind me, I started losing my balance or I'm not even sure what happened really, but I caught the stage. Right when he was walking over to get his water haha. We was squatted down and was like "Were you gonna take my water?" And I was like stunned. I was like "Oh no no no!" haha and he was like "Oh haha okay!" And stood up with it and said how people have been taking his water and asking him if they can have it and he was like "But I'm not finished with it yet!" Haha. I was mortified. He walked to the microphone and I was like "DAVID! DAVID!" haha and he looked at me and I showed him what happened and he laughed and said oh. So I was so embarrassed. At the moment I had never been that embarrassed before. People were looking at me laughing walking back to the room and I was like "Oh my gosh I'm so embarrassed, I was NOT trying to take his water!" And John said he knew, he saw it happen and I wasn't trying to take it haha. But then we got into the room and I got into line, I think 14th if you count the groups in front of me. They gave us hand sanitizer, and out of nowhere I hear someone go "Hi David!" And I look and he's already in front of the background lol. He's sneaky I guess. He came in a side door by the background so people didn't see him at first, but them people started clapping. When it was my turn to go up, I started walking and it went something along the lines of something like this: (I don't remember everything haha, my mind was racing)
Me:Oh my gosh, I'm SO sorry if you thought I was taking your water!
Him: Oh no it's okay!
Me: Ugh, that's so embarrassing. No I wouldn't do that haha. That's kind of creepy.
Him: (said something)
Me:Yeah my friend did that haha.
-takes picture-
Him: No I wasn't trying to be like -mean voice- Were you taking my water or anything, I was just like oh, are you taking my water?
Me: Oh no haha. I'm just clumsy.
Him: Oh it's okay I am too haha
Walking back I remembered I needed to get my VIP bag. So I helped the woman find mine, and then we finally did! I then got a sandwich and a cookie haha whooo. So I stood at a table and started eating, and when I was done stood by a pole nearby the table and a few feet away from David. I just kind of stood there, and he seemed tired. He got his water at one point and drank some and just kind of dropped it on the ground and people laughed, and he yawned a few times and started stretching, like bending down and touching his toes and just moving around and said at one time "Stretchhh" or something to himself before someone walked over, and he stretched a few more times lol. At one point they were playing the live version of TMH, and at the end when they were screaming he looked around and asked "What was just playing?" And I said "The end of TMH" or something and he looked and said "Oh! Okay haha I was gonna say.." or something like that because WCIT was on when he asked haha. When he was done and saying bye, I said "Thank you, David!" And he said "Oh you're welcome!" and then left. They raffled off signed stuff (I didn't win anything, it's okay lol) and it was so funny seeing people's reaction. So we stayed around in the room a little longer, and then I left and went to the main lobby and saw people standing behind the, I guess gate waiting for them to let them in. So I told my mom and grandmom about what happened during it and then bought the DA necklace, pajama pants, and the bag. So more people came down from the VIP room and we talked, and they opened the gate. The VIP, from the time they checked us in until then, was over 3 hours long. It was awesome!
We had to wait for them to let us into the actual theater about 30 minutes, and finally they let us in. I was 3rd row center, it was so awesome. We waiting in there for a while and I talked to some people around me, and then Benton Paul came out and sang a few songs.
They sounded really good! He seems like a sweet guy. At one point some people yelled WE LOVE YOU BENTON! and he said "I can't really hear with these things in my ears, but I think I heard I love you Benton, and thanks!" or something along those lines. Haha, he seemed shy. When he asked if we were excited about David, everyone went crazy. When he was done there was a 30 minute intermission. We were so excited!
About 30 minutes later, people started chanting DAVID, DAVID, DAVID! and the lights dimmed and the band came out. And then, Waiting for Yesterday started. I called my friend Michelle and was going to let her listen to as much as she could since she wasn't able to make it to the concert. And then, David comes out! And the concert starts.
The concert was of course amazing. I tried to take videos, and I got a few, but then a venue staff man told me that I could be put in jail for 25 years and so I stopped recording lol. But the first half was him singing songs off of his CD like Waiting for Yesterday, ALTNOY, My Hands, ZG, and more, and then he sang Fields of Gold and The Riddle and Prayer Of The Children, which were beautiful. He waved to people a lot haha. Then, he changed into a suit and sang his Christmas songs, opening with Melodies of Christmas. He sang Silent Night, Ave Maria, Pat a Pan, Riu Riu Chiu, The First Noel, Feliz Navidad, and more, and then came out for an encore and sang OHN. At one point during the concert he started talking about water and saying how good it was for you and your voice or in general, and excused himself to 'take a sip' haha. But the concert was so beautiful. He receieved so many standing ovations. And I bet there were hardly any dry eyes in the audience after OHN.
So at 4am the next morning (today right now) we left the hotel, and by 5pm I was back in my town. It's so upsetting to leave like that, it's weird how one moment you're dancing to Zero Gravity and beyond your mind happy and the next you're already home and not sure when you'll see him again. And it seems to get harder to leave each time. But I know this isn't the last time I'll see him, or any of the friends I now know as my second family. There will be another 'family reunion' with the many many sweet friend's I've made that even though I've only known them for months, it feels like forever, and then of course David, the guy who brought us all together. The guy who has me flying 9 hours and 3,000 miles altogether for one afternoon, and the one I'd do it all over again for in a heartbeat. The guy who has continuously brought me happiness with his random outbursts and awkward moments, and of course has taken my breath away many times with his, I can't even find the word, beautiful is an understatement, magnificent voice. As sad as I've been to leave, and choking up saying goodbye to everyone that I'll miss until I see them again, and as sad as it is to see David walk off of the stage and not know when I'll see him walk back out, I've realized I shouldn't frown because it's over, I should smile because it happened. It's never a goodbye, it's a see you later. And I will continue to look at pictures of me and my friends and know that all of us, all over the United States and even Canada and Malaysia and Australia and Europe and wherever you are, are still connected in a way. And that way is David Archuleta.
^ Credit: http://twitpic.com/photos/gengenw
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