David Archuleta And Demi Lovato Dazzle At Final Show Of Joint Tour In Atlantic City
Something happened Sunday (November 1) in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The casino town normally filled to the brim with little old ladies ready to hit it big on the slots was flooded with tweens, teens, and twenty-somethings thanks to David Archuleta and Demi Lovato, two uber-talented teens from two of pop culture’s biggest juggernauts, American Idol and Disney.
AC’s Trump Taj Mahal was the home of the final rescheduled date on their joint tour that was supposed to wrap in August. As the night got underway, it was clear that although there was understandable disappointment initially regarding the date shuffle, it was well worth the wait.
First up was Archuleta. Unfairly dubbed the opening act until several shows were abruptly postponed (Oh, Disney!), Archie made the most of his impressive 50-minute set. He’s a bit of a minimalist when it comes to showmanship — not a bad thing. He skips the flash and gimmicks many singers use to cover up their shortcomings and gets right to the meat of performing live — actually singing, and doing so damn well.
Backed by a four-piece band, he went through songs from his self-titled debut album like “Touch My Hand,” “A Little Too Not Over You,” “Don’t Let Go,” and the surprisingly swaggerific “Your Eyes Don’t Lie,” where he allowed the crowd to take over the whistling since he’s “not the best” at it. After the performance, he asked the crowd what they were for Halloween and mistook someone yelling out that they were candy corn as “Mandy Moore.” Those small engaging moments with the audience made Archie’s show even better. Not only did we get to see his amazing talent, we got a feel for who he really is: sweet, funny, and a real charmer.
One of the biggest highlights from his set was a bare-bones cover of OneRepublic’s monster hit “Apologize.” Archie sat at his piano, spotlight fixed on him, and belted the tune with his smooth, haunting voice. Idol fans might recall season 8 winner Kris Allen’s version from the show — David’s slaughters his, and buries the original right next to it.
17-year-old Demi Lovato may not have the commercial success as her Disney colleague and pal Miley Cyrus, but what she has over Miley, and pretty much any other Disney-bred singer/actress combo, is an extraordinary voice.
Like David, Demi relied heavily on the basics. She had no costume changes, no pyro, no stunts. What she did have to accompany her silky vocals were a piano and guitar she switched up using during her hour-plus set, and a five-piece band.
“You guys are my last show so let’s make it memorable!” she told the crowd after warming up with “La La Land” and ” Gonna Get Caught.”
Her set was a perfect mix of songs from her debut album, Don’t Forget, and the painfully underrated sophomore set Here We Go Again.
As she went on performing, it was clear she was a novice — she looked a bit awkward trying to make use of the big stage — but has great potential to grow if given the chance. Even though her stage presence needs work, her voice shined. It was a bit strained from touring and the constant work on the set of the recently wrapped movie Camp Rock 2, which she promises will be “bigger and better” than the original, but all was forgiven, especially when she picked up her guitar to sweetly croon the three-parts ballad, one-part rocker “Catch Me.”
Taking a break from the party to get a bit serious, Demi dedicated “Two Worlds Collide” to a close friend who she says deals with bullying in school — something she’s all too familiar with. “Rumors and gossip can do so much more than a punch in the face,” she told the crowd about her days of being picked on in school. “You could go so much further being good to people. I didn’t do anything back [to the bullies], and I’m here on this stage tonight.”
Another dedication was a cover of Aretha Franklin’s “Natural Woman,” which went out to the moms in the audience. “I know it’s impossible to do these songs justice but I have fun singing them,” she said. Quite the contrary. Of course it wasn’t an Aretha-sized effort, but Demi held her own against the big song, her voice soaring with soul over the chorus.
That could be said of both Demi and David. In an industry dominated by big shtick and big images, these two will hold their own against it all by relying on what matters most: big talent.
