Keeping Up With David Cook
Claygirl:
From The Rolla daily News:
American Idolized
by Adam Van Hart
4/24/09
Quote
Rolla, Mo. -
It has been less than a year since David Cook emerged from obscurity and was crowned the 2008 American Idol winner.
Now, Cook is going to have to surmount his next challenge, Leach Theatre on the Missouri S&T campus.
“I’ve been through Rolla plenty of times,” Cook said Tuesday.
Cook is bringing his Idol-winning brand of rock to Rolla at 7:30 p.m. Monday. Cook took some time while traveling through Arkansas to speak with the about life after Idol.
"I think everything has changed,” Cook said.
Cook has been on tour since February playing mostly 500-to-700 seat venues in college towns.
It is a sharp contrast from what Cook said were the shows he use to play, “one-off” gigs that were 13 hours away.
Life on the road has not afforded Cook much down time, something he said was surprising.
When Cook talks about the past year, he sounds every bit the Missourian that he is.
He has a house in Los Angeles, but he says that LA is “too fast” for him.
"I’ve just got that Midwestern DNA in me,” Cook said.
Cook said he enjoys playing in smaller towns because they can have great audiences, since many national acts do not perform there.
Hopefully, Cook is prepared for the audience that will greet him in Rolla.
According to Loretta Cornick, the box office supervisor at Leach Theatre, tickets at the 650-seat theater sold out in three hours.
"I heard some people started waiting there at 3 a.m.,” Cornick said.
As for what the audience can expect, Cook offered this synopsis:
"A lot of energy, some bad jokes and some good songs.”
Only some good songs?
"Well, more than some,” Cook added.
The Rolla Daily News
:wave ~Kelly~
Claygirl:
David's latest video blog:
VLOG
:wave ~Kelly~
Claygirl:
From Tulsa World:
Fans pack TU center for Cook performance
The 'American Idol' winner gives them a trip down memory lane.
by Cary Aspinwall
4/26/09
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David Cook's return to Tulsa was a venue-shaking, light bulb-shattering family affair.
The city's favorite bartender-turned-"American Idol" played a sold-out show at University of Tulsa's Allen Chapman Activity Center on Saturday night, his first local show since releasing his self-titled album last year.
The crowd was packed with fans, friends and family members of Cook's band — the very same bandmates who brought him to Tulsa.
But tickets were not easy to get. The university's students, faculty and staff had first dibs on the several hundred that were available, so there weren't any available for sale to the general public. Fans had to go through friends at TU or scour the Internet to get tickets.
For superfans like Emily Corral, 19, of Broken Arrow, the $125 she paid for a resale ticket online was worth it.
Cook is her all-time favorite "American Idol" — well, he's the reason she even watches, really.
"I never watched 'Idol' until last season, because I thought it was hokey," she said.
Now she's a Word Nerd, a Cookie — one of the many fans who chat on forums at Cook-dedicated Web sites.
"He signed my iPod at 'Idols Live,' " she said. "I'd like to get a picture or hug this time, if I can."
Cook returned the love to his dedicated audience, thanking them for making his rock-star dreams come true as they screamed and sang along with every lyric.
But this was no pop-star contest, there were no Andrew Lloyd Webber covers — this was a rock show. The thundering guitars, bass and drums shook the venue so vigorously, an overhead light bulb shattered on stage before the second song of Cook's set ended.
He joked about going out drinking after the show, and recalled the days when he would play for a handful of people in between bartending gigs.
Fans got a trip down memory lane as Cook switched to backup vocals and let Andy Skib take the lead on an old Midwest Kings song — the band that Cook originally moved to Tulsa to join. Skib and Neil Tiemann, Tulsans who started Midwest Kings, are now guitarists in Cook's band.
Skib's parents beamed from the audience. It was family reunion meets rock show. And the crowd loved it, screaming wildly.
"I like this, I like it a lot," Cook said, decked out in cowboy boots and a T-shirt that read "Make cupcakes, not war."
A pair of self-described "Cougar" fans — both named Nancy — squealed as Cook's band launched into a cover of Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher." They said they considered it a shout-out to his devoted, mature women fans.
During the hour-long set, Cook played several hits and crowd favorites from his platinum-selling album, including "Light On," "Come Back to Me" and "Bar-ba-sol."
Winning "American Idol" may have made it possible, but playing to smaller, devoted crowds like Saturday's is how Cook honed his skills and got his launchpad to stardom.
"You have no idea what you guys are doing for us," he said. "Thank you, guys."
Tulsa World
:wave ~Kelly~
Claygirl:
From Connect Mid Missouri.com:
American Idol winner, Mo. native David Cook plays local show
by Amelia Waters
4/28/09
Quote
Missouri native and television's American Idol winner David Cook played at the University of Missouri's Science and Technology's Leach Theatre to a sold out crowd last night.
The musician sat down with KRCG to talk about his tour, family and success after the winning on the popular show. He says it's always fun to play in the Show-Me state.
"Everything's been so nuts in the last year-and-a-half," said Cook. "Making it on the show, I've been doing some amazing things. Anytime I can come home. I feel a little bit more comfortable. I love that."
Originally from Blue Springs, just outside Kansas City, Missouri Cook graduated from University of Central Missouri in 2006. After he got his degree he moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma and joined a band. When auditions for American Idol came along Cook couldn't let it pass him by. Although he has been traveling all over the world since his success on the show he always loves coming home to Missouri.
"People seem, to have a whole lot of pride which is cool," said Cook. "Giving people some sort of a common bond. It's a huge honor."
Honor didn't come easy for the rock star; it was his nerves that almost got him kicked off American Idol.
"The first show I was a wreck," said Cook. "They had to blow dry the armpits of my shirt because I was just freaking out. And then I just started having fun and then everything just fell into place."
The popular show also gave Cook more confidence in his writing.
"It pushed me to be a little bit more open," he said. "I've become a little bit more honest, before Idol I always wrote kind of therapeutic…. too where I kind of rid of all the insecurities.
Despite his insecurities Cook always knew his calling.
"I knew i was always gonna be a musician," he said. "I knew I was always gonna play shows. Idol's given me the opportunity to do what I love to do everyday."
His biggest sacrifice in fame is his family
"I missed some birthdays," said Cook. "I missed some holidays. My family's great. They know that at this stage in my life this is what I'm supposed to be doing."
Cook does anticipate touring in the Philippines and Europe later on.
Connect Mid Missouri
:wave ~Kelly~
Claygirl:
From OK! Magazine:
How to Land an A-List Hunk!
4/29/09
Quote
David Cook,26
Personality is key for this American Idol champ. “Nice, confident, funny — attractive’s always a plus,” David tells OK! about his ideal woman. “I’m just this goober who likes crosswords.” His dream date? “Stay home, watch movies, order a pizza.” And you’d better get along with his mom — he sent her on a cruise with his Idol winnings. “To send her somewhere where she didn’t have to worry about anything was paramount,” he tells OK!.
OK Magazine
:wave ~Kelly~
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