Keeping Up With David Cook

[KSChristian4Clay]

The concert last Sunday was amazing!

David sang songs from before he was on Idol as well as a ton off of the cd. He also did a cover version of "I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight."  He has such a great sense of humor and he was just as good as I thought he'd be if not better! I have to say I'd love to see another concert. At one point someone yelled "Freebird!", so David asked if someone really yelled that. We said yes and he said the band would play it. He sat back on the stage and the band played the opening to Freebird. Just as soon as it got to the part where he should start singing he cut them off and said, "There's your Freebird!" 

Here's a sampling of my concert pics :

[Pepe]

MEESA, thanks so much for posting about your concert experience.  I just knew he would be fabulous.  David Cook is my favorite singer and person.  He has such heart and honesty in his songs and vocals.  Did they have a full house????????  Hope all his concerts are sold out!!!!!!!!! 

[Sasha]

Meesa>  thanks for sharing the pictures....   cant wait to go.


Sasha

[KSChristian4Clay]

It was pretty much sold out. The Cotillion is an excellent venue. Hopefully I'll see David again soon. 

[Claygirl]

Oh, Meesa! those pictures! Thank you so much for posting them!
I'm so glad you were able to see David, and had a great time!   About Freebird!
Didn't you just know my recap would be really long and huge?
(So much so, I'm going to have to split up my posts! )

Pepe! I wish I could've taken you along with me when I saw David! I can't believe it'll already be two weeks ago tomorrow since I saw him.

Sasha! Are you going to see David too? When's your concert date? Did it already happen? Please post how it went if you can!


Well, here's my David Cook concert recap! (That took me almost two weeks to finish! It took a lot of time on a dail-up computer to gather and watch all the videos, (to see them, the best way to see what I'm going to try to describe, click on wherever the name of one of his songs, (or the word "banter") is highlighted for a link to videos from youtube, and I'll try to follow up these posts with one of clickable pictures and a concert review from a site called "Always Acoustic" )
Now on with the recap!
(to the tune of David's song "Heros":)
"Not gonna come down, down off of these clouds, my hero's come and gone"
I finally, finally got to see David Cook in concert!
So let's see if I remember enough to write a recap.
I found out David was coming near me to Chicago about a month ago; after he'd already come to Illinois three other times, and none of them worked out for me to see him, I'd given up and stopped checking for new tour dates.
Until I got an email from his official site listing a whole bunch of new dates for the second leg of his Declaration tour, and there it was!
July 12th, House of Blues, Chicago IL!
Of course I immediately started researching tickets, just to find out the show had went on sale only that morning...and was already sold out!
Great for David, but not so good for me!
I started checking sites like stubhub, and any tickets there, were triple and quadruple the price!
Finally my mom, (after some convincing to give this new venue we'd never tried before a chance,) found and bid on a reasonable priced set on Ebay, and after six days of watching that listing, fearful I'd be outbid, and after using some "found" money I'd made selling our old VHS and DVD movies, which made up the difference with the higher price, (and another four days waiting for the tickets to arrive,) they were mine!
It was going to be a general admission show, standing room only, of course to see David I was going to give it a try, but wondered how I'd stand for hours, when my legs bother me to stand for long lengths of time, not to mention having my mom stand for so long too, plus with my being height challenged, with my luck, I'd end up way in the back of the room, standing behind some tall guy, unable to see anything!
So as a back up we called to see if there was any reserved seating available, only a couple weeks before the show, and we were lucky enough to get two seats,
(even though I hadn't planned to use mine,) I had my heart set on getting close to the stage!
We also found out we could use the seating vouchers to order dinner, so we made reservations for 4:30.
The final step was reserving a car to take us there and back home, from the car service we always use, like when we'd see Clay concerts, and everything was in place for a concert I'd thought would be impossible to attend.
Another week of watching the weather, checking to make sure the concert day would stay clear, (last time I was supposed to see David it poured rain, my basement flooded and that was the end of it, ) and before I knew it the day was here!
I was so excited I didn't get much sleep the night before, and thanks to being a ball of nerves, my mom didn't want dinner after all, (I really didn't either, but I wanted to already be in the building for dinner to bypass the line to get inside come show time, and have a better chance at getting close to the stage,) but we ended up forgoing dinner after all.
So instead of leaving at 3:00, we left at 4:45, and with traffic, made it to the House of Blues by 5:40.
(There's nothing like seeing the beautiful Chicago skyline as you're driving into the city, nothing will ever change my mind that this is the best city there is! )
There was already a long line that appeared to be going in one entrance, and another shorter line forming by the front doors, we got in that one, not even knowing if it was the right one, we knew we had a long time to wait because the doors didn't open until 6:30.
At least it was cool being down by the Chicago river, it had been stifling hot when we left the house. :fan
While we waited, we saw a group of pigeons walking by, and listened to a girl in front of us who was talking about taking video of David, I guess at other shows, and a couple people came up to our line to ask who was playing, I guess they wondered who was attracting such a crowd!
Then suddenly people started screaming, and everyone was trying to see if David had snuck outside, even looking over the rail we were standing next to, trying to see into the underground parking garage to see if he was down there, we didn't see anything, so I have no idea what that was about, but one woman in line wondered aloud if David had actually been walking around outside.
Finally at 6:40, the line still wasn't moving, but security started asking us to form two lines, close together, instead of being spread out down the sidewalk, and everyone was so startled, we were in one line, single file!
It was so funny when security had to come over and explain the concept of a double line over again!
Then they started saying that everyone 21 and over had to get out their ID's.
Everyone in front of us started pulling out theirs, and getting wristbands, and my heart started racing.
I don't have an ID! I've just never needed one as of yet, and even though the concert tickets said it was an all ages show, most shows at the House of Blues aren't, since they serve drinks.
I certainly wasn't planning on drinking, but my mom started saying, "They're going to turn us away, I just know it!" (Of course she could get in, but she wasn't the one who wanted to be there! )
Suddenly I felt like I was doing something wrong, and was going to caught red-handed by the approaching security guard.
When he got to me, I just told him right out, I didn't have an ID and I thought I didn't need one for an all ages show. After looking at me for a moment that felt like an eternity, (especially with the on coming stoke I was sure I about to have! ) he explained it was fine if I didn't have an ID, I just wouldn't be able to drink.
Whew! crisis averted, small heart attack avoided, no problem!
Finally the line started moving, and everybody excitedly started to rush forward, but then we were told to go back, by now everyone was getting tired of standing, and it was almost 7:00!
It took a guy who was also tired of waiting, to come from the back of the line and check, then come back and said, "Are you guys in line? Well it's moving!"
Security couldn't tell us this huh?
Finally we got inside, (the House of Blues is such a cool place, very eclectic art everywhere, just so many interesting paintings and things to look at, I mean there were shoes on the ceiling in the entrance! ) and everyone started filling up a staircase, to have their tickets checked, but we had to stop by the box office to pick up our seat vouchers first.
I couldn't figure how to get out of the roped off ticket-check line, until my mom just goes over and unclips the rope!
I don't know if she was supposed to do that, but it got us over to the box office!
We picked up our vouchers, (and I couldn't help noticing the "David Cook - Sold Out" sign in the box office window!

and after a quick bathroom stop, headed back to the stairs, only now there was no one checking tickets or purses!
Security was so bad, I could've snuck in a camera! If I only had a decent one of course, and hadn't believed where it said on the tickets; "no cameras", but anyway, nobody checked my bag the entire night.
So, again not knowing if we were supposed too, we just went upstairs anyway!
Having nobody to show us where to go, and seeing the floor by the stage was already packed, we went up to one of the bars to ask where our seats would be, and were told to find another security guy in a red shirt.
Finally we found him, and told how there was nobody checking tickets and we didn't know where our seats were.
He smiled and said, "So you just took it upon yourselves to come to a reserved area without having your tickets checked?"
We nodded. "Uh, huh"
He shook his head, pointed out our seats, aka wooden bar stools, actually not as uncomfortable as they sound, (We were right next to them! And they had big, "Reserved for - our last name" signs on them, that we apparently couldn't see! And were pretty cool BTW! ) checked our tickets, and after asking if I wanted them as a souvenir, give us back the stubs, suggesting the shortest person should sit up close to rail above the main floor. That was his cue to look at me. Heh.
After we sat down, I realized our seats were better then any place I could've had on the main floor, they were centered right in the middle, where I could see center stage, not off to the sides like others, and up on a platform, above anyone else!
All night people, especially the shorts ones, were asking if they could sit where we were instead of standing, whining that they weren't allowed too, couldn't see well, and kept sneaking up on the platform just to be chased back down by the security guard! There was many devastated looks to the guard and dirty ones to us!
They could've paid for reserved seats too ya know!
It was such a small place, only could hold a thousand some people, that I'm sure anywhere you weren't blocked by someone taller then you, was a good view, not to mention the sound was incredible! Loud but not too loud, just perfect.
Anyway, by then it was about ten after seven, and even though the show wasn't supposed to start until 7:30, the opening band was already coming onstage.
They were a band I'd never heard of, called Need to Breathe, a southern rock band from South Carolina, with a front man who reminded me of Kid Rock.
They were very good, I enjoyed their songs, even though I can't remember how many they played, or what they were called.
I wouldn't buy their album or anything, but they did sing and play well, and seemed very thankful to be playing in Chicago, but I couldn't help thinking when were they going to leave and get to David!
They finished up around ten to eight, and we enjoyed watching the menu items and future bands flashing on the big screens, and even more people filling in.
There was no question this was a sold out show, every where you looked it was completely packed!
Suddenly we heard this banging next to us...we whirled around to see the security guard banging the empty stool next to us on the floor, asking what was going on and why we weren't rocking out and having fun, before he started playing air guitar!
We were having fun! Besides, the opening band wasn't who I was there to see! I think he may have been just really excited that David was almost out!
Finally around 8:20-8:30, after watching the closed curtain moving, and knowing David and his band were right back there moving around, (Eeeeeeee!)   the lights dimmed, and we started hearing music.
The crowd went nuts! Screaming, whistling, cheering, it was almost deafening!
This was Bon Jovi level screams like when I saw them at a much larger place, the United Center, and they're a much larger band, just an example of how excited people were!
You could feel the energy of the crowd, and of course that's when I just feel alive!
The excitement, seeing someone you love and looked forward too, and hearing live music you enjoy...there's no other feeling like it in the world.
(That feeling is what makes me wish I could be a recording artist someday, of course with me that feeling is totally crushed by my overwhelming stage fright, but anyway...)
David sang a 12 song set, something I was expecting from watching videos of his other shows, but I couldn't help hoping he'd throw in a couple more, (or sing his American Idol version of Billie Jean in tribute for Michael Jackson like my mother was hoping,) because his show was much too short!
(Of course I realize he could sing for an entire day and it wouldn't be long enough! )
What I was wasn't expecting was how much love the audience was sending to David compared to other shows I'd seen video of, in the middle of the concert, everyone just started singing along to every song, word for word, something David would take his ear piece out to listen to with a big smile on his face, not to mention everyone chanting his name, screaming, whistling, and shouts of "I Love You David!" and "You're beautiful"!
The curtains parted, and David started with "Heros", que the screaming! I'll never forget the feeling I had when the stage lit up and David was standing there, my heart felt like it was about to burst when I heard the opening notes to that song, I couldn't believe I was actually there.
I think I had a big silly grin on my face, and smiled over at my mom before whipping out my binoculars, I watched most of the show through them, I could see his face, his beautiful handsome face, so clearly and so close, (those eyes! those lips!!!! ) I didn't even care to see what else was going on onstage, because even though the guys in David's band are kinda cute, they can't compare to him!
He is such an amazing man! And so humble, in the middle of the song, he was looking around at everyone, the packed floor, the balcony's, with the cutest smile on his face, like he can never believe so many people love him!
(He pointed up at the balcony's too!)
Someone else said he scanned the place when he first came on stage with a big smile too, then threw back his head and laughed, probably again not believing just how full the place was, I wish I could remember that, but I think my brain stopped working when I saw him for the first time!

[Claygirl]

Next was "Mr. Sensitive", when people first started singing along a little, and one of the sexiest moments of the concert happened...David banging on his guitar to the beat of the song! He is seriously the sexiest man I have ever seen!
Now it was time for a little Banter
After a sip of water and a big smile, he pointed out how somebody had or threw something from Bath & Body works on stage, and said it was great because his guitar player Neil had run out of lotion!
Then he asked how everyone was doing, (more screams!) said being there was a trip and that he's been to Chicago a few times, and his concert date here was one of his shows that was circled on the calendar, and that he "loves this damn town"! (Eeeeeee!!!)
Then shared with everyone the "true story" of how the last time he was here, he threw up on the Farris wheel at Navy Pier, complete with a little bow. Then he asked how many people have his record, (my hand shot up! ) and when the whole room didn't scream, he said so not quite everybody, and that they, (the band) had work to do that night, then said how he was going to sing "Breathe Tonight"
(him and Neil playing guitar together = he also licked his guitar pick and stuck it on his forehead during the song, I don't know why he does that, but like everything he does...it's cute. )
which was a bonus track on the Wal-mart version of the album, then said how he wasn't actually plugging Wal-mart or Best Buy or any other CD retailers, (even though those two just happen to be the ones who sell his CD with bonus songs! )
After that it was time for Banter again, he stood way back and took a good look at the balcony's for a moment, then he said they were looking a little ominous, and I thought why? Where there so many people up there that they might fall or something?
Then he said, "there's like, what? Eight balcony's in this place?" And he held his hands up covering his head, and said he was just wondering if he'd strategically covered all the bald spots he's workin' on. So cute.
The whole audience went, "Awwww", then started calling out that he's beautiful and perfect, David seemed like he was trying to ignore it, and pointed to one of the balcony's and asked if they were the highest, and when the audience kept screaming, he said they didn't know or care who was highest, then asked, "what?" everyone repeated what they were screaming and he said not to all scream it at once, then said it was amazing and he started waving his fingers, like 'Come on, keep it up', before he laughed and put his head down. So, so cute.



Then he sang "Lie", such a beautiful song, he sang it a new way, where he was singing acappella with no music at all in the middle of the song, just his beautiful voice and the audience singing along.
He always sings that song with such emotion in his voice and on his face...that that's when I just lost it and started crying, I didn't care who saw me either, I was just so overcome that moment, just being there and seeing him...
Next, and I was getting really excited now, was my favorite, "Kiss on the Neck", (I was bouncing on my stool wanting to get up and dance!) David started by saying he asks this question every night, and he thought he'd ask it again that evening, how many couples were there? Lots of screaming, and David said, "Oh, quite a few, fantastic. I'm jealous." With a shy smile, it was so cute! And of course caused more screaming, (you know, I could help David out with that. ) Then he said he'd ask it again, how many single people were there? More screaming, (and my hand shot up! ) and he said he was just checking, and that this song was for us.
Kiss on the neck is such an amazing song to hear live, and one I was most looking forward to hearing, and did I mention how sexy he is?
After he sings the words "kiss on the neck" in the song, he'll moan, "ohhh", and he held on to the mic stand and rested his head against his hands... (watch the video!) I almost fell off my stool! :fan And when he sang the line, "we can win you over..." the audience finished it, "with just a kiss on the neck!" So cool!
Then he said, "OK, everybody's getting warmed up, I need a favor, I'm going to need you to put your hands like this..." everyone's hands went straight up, and he told us to hold on and keep 'em up, asked if we were ready, and said there was another step, and he started clapping and said he wanted to see us keep doing it, and everybody clapped to the beat for the rest of the song!
So much fun!
Then before he sang 'till I'm Blue he said it's been a blast and he's been on the road since...everyone in the audience started screaming "February", David paused and pretended to look annoyed, then asked us to hold on a second, before he picked up his mic stand and held it out over the audience and asked how long they've been on the road. When everyone screamed February 13th again, he smiled, and said "cool, apparently since February 13th, crazy, thank you!"
Then he said how they've done amazing things, traveled the country, and went over seas to play for the troops, and how they get to share the stage with great bands like Need to Breathe, and he asked us to give it up for them, then said how he's been doing this since he was 15, and how he was in a band called MWK, (the Midwestern Kings,) with Neil and Andy, (and he pointed to them) in Tulsa, (more screams,) and David seemed surprised and said, "Whoa, thank you!" Then said how about half the audience is like, "just shut up and play the song".
'till I'm Blue was another beautiful song, I'd only heard it once before that night, so it was a bit of a new surprise, and I just loved it, especially when he held his mic stand up to Neil's guitar, so we could hear his solo better, then waved his arm like "clap for him"! Then he held his mic stand up in the air and waved his fingers again like "keep it up!" (My mom thought that was a little cheesy, I of course, thought it was cute. )
Next was "Barbasol" another song I had been looking forward to seeing live, and had always been one of my most favorites on his album, definitely one of the more "harder rock" ones.
David is so sexy singing this song! Seeing video of it is one thing, but to actually see it live...it's just incredible. This was another song the audience seemed to know all the words too, (and there was more guitar playing with Neil )

one of the coolest moments of the whole show was when David asked the audience to count off to the beginning of the song, he started by saying he wasn't sure, but we seemed like the kind of crowd who'd want to move around a bit. Of course there was more screaming, and he teasingly said, "you guys are like; I don't care", (of course then there was louder screaming,) and he said we seemed to have it all figured out, and said the song was called Barbasol, and asked us for our help, where the whole audience counted down in one voice with him, "1,2,3,...4!"
Next was "I Just Died in your arms tonight", David said he thought the next song was one we might sing along with, "work out the vocal cords a little tonight, yes?"
Then he teased us by saying we didn't seem very enthusiastic, then after more screaming said it was a little better.
This was another amazing, high energy song to see live, (David did these great rocker screams during this song! And he waved to the audience during it! )
I was bouncing on my stool again, wishing I was down on the floor for one reason...I wanted to dance!
The audience sang along for every word, we even sang a whole verse by ourselves toward the end, where David took his ear piece out to listen, another incredible moment you had to be there to experience!
Next David said how he's "a big baseball guy" and he checked the schedule, and saw there was a game going on at Wrigley (field), (White Sox vs. Cardinals' I think, ), and he said "the Cardinals' are there", really softly like he knew the response he'd get, of course there was thunderous booing, and David said, "Easy, easy, I feel you, I feel you," then said how he'd be singing "Declaration" in "enemy territory", at the Home Run Derby in St. Louis, the next day, and then he promised us he wouldn't enjoy it!
It was another amazing song, with the whole audience clapping along to the beat, and David asking for the lights to be turned up so he could see everybody, he even picked up something someone threw on stage, (from what I read it may have been a matchbook,) studied it for a moment, laughed, then licked that too and tried to stick it to Neil's arm!
Then David thanked us for coming out, and said how they get to go on stage and do what they love to do, and how amazing it is that so many people show up to see them make noise every night. Then he said they were going to sing his current single "Come Back to Me" and that they have a video out for it, and said how you can buy it and support a good cause, i.e. them! After someone screamed out "I Love You", he smiled, said he appreciated it, and "thank you". Again during the song the whole audience sang an entire verse by ourselves.
Now it was time for David to slip away for awhile, for what I call a faux encore. You knew "Light On" was coming, he's sung it at every show on his tour, but he'll disappear for a few minutes as if he's left before he comes back to sing it like an encore, and while he was gone, the whole audience was chanting his name! During Light On, David and Neil played guitar together again, and in the middle of the song David asked if we wanted to sing along again, and we all sang another whole verse by ourselves, while David listened.
His finale song was "A Daily Anthem", it was a very bittersweet moment, because I knew the end of the concert was coming, and I couldn't wait to hear the song, but I didn't want that amazing night to end, and I didn't want to see David go.
He started by thanking us for coming on behalf of himself, his band, crew, and Need to Breathe, he thanked the House of Blues, and said how they'd played at a couple of them, but ours was the best, then he thanked us for supporting his music in his cute humble way, (Awww!) then he said the next song was about three years old, he'd written it around Christmas while he was in Tulsa, and it's kind of become the song that wouldn't die.
This song is something I'm always going to remember, when I watch the video of it, my breath catches in my chest, and I get all teary eyed, and I just go right back to the moment, an overwhelming feeling I have trouble describing, but one that'll stay with me forever, especially at the end when the entire crowd waved their arms back and forth as one, and sang the ending chorus long after the music stopped, and the look on David's face as he put his hand to his mouth, swallowed and had tears in his eyes, before he smiled and started throwing picks to the crowd, then ran out of them, looked for more, and kept tossing them into the crowd, even trying for the balconies, (I read they kept bouncing off! ) seeming like he didn't want to leave, before he finally walked off stage.
If anyone reads this who's not a fan of David's, you might not understand just how I felt that night, and how thankful I am that I got to experience that, because seeing him meant the world to me, it's something I've waited well over a year for, and dreamed of but thought might never happen, a night of memories I'll treasure forever.
Anyway, after that last song, my mom turned to me and asked what I hated to admit, "Is it really over already?" Yes, it was.
After taking the "Reserved" signs off our chairs, (a souvenir! ) we filed downstairs, and since our pick up car wouldn't be coming for another 45 minutes, we looked around the House of Blues store, but there wasn't really anything worth buying, (I did see a cute bear dressed as one of the Blues Brothers, but out seat vouchers that could've been used to buy something in the store, had been kept by the security guard who checked our tickets! ) and I have no idea where they were selling anything from David's tour, I didn't see a stand or anything, (good thing I already ordered what I liked online months ago, ) so we called the car service to come for us a little earlier, before we went to wait outside.
(I read there'd been a Meet & Greet, but I didn't know about it, and apparently will never get in to one of those! )
We kept walking around not sure where they'd come for us, and ended up waiting next to one of the same girls we been in line with earlier, saw someone drive by screaming, "There's David Cook! Oh My God!!!!" which nobody fell for, and saw someone else driving by blasting David's CD, which reminded me of how people were doing that the first time I went to see Clay, with Clay's CD, and before I knew it we were in the car, on our way home, (with me trying not to cry from the overwhelming blessed feeling I was having from seeing him, and a little because it was all over,) and then we were home, where I got online almost right away to start this recap, but yet it still almost took me two weeks to finish. Hope you liked it!
And now a few quotes from David's songs, ("Searchlights" and "Silver") David, "you make me fall forever, with no end in sight," and now "I'm miserable without you, you know."
Thank you to my mom, for finding the tickets for me, paying for everything, going with me, and for basically making the night happen at all, to the person who was selling my tickets on eBay, without them, I'd never gotten into this sold out show, to the House of Blues for having him there, and everyone who was kind and generous enough to take such amazing pictures and videos and share them with the world, so people with no decent cameras like me, can go on reliving that night over and over,   to God for making the stars align just right to make everything work out perfectly, and of course to David, for just being his amazing, perfect, talented, handsome self.

[Claygirl]

[Pepe]

KELLY, I was wondering where you have been and now I know.  I should have known that you wouldn't disappoint me.  What a tremendous review you have written.  What a gift you have for writing!!!!  I feel like I was there right along with you!!!  How did your mom feel about David??????  I admit it that David Cook is my idol, (sorry Clay).  I love his voice, I love who he is and I love his heart and his music.  I couldn't be more thrilled that you finally got to see him in person, you are so deserving.  I can't imagine the hours you have spent writing this review and bringing us the pictures  Thanks so much Kelly, we appreciate it so much.

[Claygirl]

From Always Acoustic: a review from my concert!
By Aaron Keker
July 13, 2009

“I just try to visualize what I want to do before the show starts and hopefully it comes out that way.” David Cook
HOUSE OF BLUES, Chicago - In these economic tumultuous times, there are not many musicians that can sell out the House of Blues in Chicago like David Cook.

The massive fanatical line waited peacefully, for at least an hour before entering the House of Blues, in hopes of getting close enough to the stage so that they would have an intimate perspective of rocker David Cook.

The line stretched from around the west side of the building, continued south onto the Dearborn Street Bridge and appeared to be either close in proximity or actually reaching Wacker Drive.

Once those fans entered the venue and were situated near the stage, they never moved until the concert concluded.

If David Cook visualized a rambunctious and sold out Chicago House of Blues audience, that not only provided enthusiastic ovations the entire evening, but also sang alongside David on hits like “Heroes,” “Lie,” “Declaration,” “Come Back to Me” and “Light On,” then it was a very successful evening.

Who knows, it might even rank up with one of his fondest moments of Chicago besides seeing Our Lady Peace at the Vic Theatre?

As Need to Breathe concluded their performance, and David Cook was about to enter the stage, I really thought he would kick off his evening with “Declaration.” Unfortunately, I was incorrect and he opened with “Heroes.”

David Cook definitely kept the Chicago show “fresh” as he performed “Til I’m Blue,” “Kiss on the Neck” and “Breathe Tonight.” The ultimate shocker was that “Permanent” was not even included on the set list.

However, David Cook did perform a cover song of Cutting Crew’s “(I Just) Died in Your Arms.” David Cook’s modern rock rendition of the 80’s classic was astonishing and reminded me of another successful cover song by Seether of “Careless Whisper.” Hopefully, David Cook will release it as a cover single.

There was one remark by David Cook that outraged the Chicago audience. Before performing “Declaration,” David Cook remarked, “I am going to the Home Run Derby in St. Louis,” and that comment triggered large boos by the audience. Could it be because a majority of them were Cubs fans? Fortunately for David when the song concluded, it received the largest ovation of the evening, but was eventually surpassed by the energetic ovation on “Light On.”

I waited, patiently, for almost a year for David Cook to perform with his band and it was worth the wait. I was a little disappointed that David Cook never dropped any songs down acoustically. If he had, I guarantee the audience would have been extremely animated. In fact, the perfect opportunity would have been during his solo performance of “Lie.” During “Lie,” David Cook even showed that he can still sing vocally without any instruments playing as he sang the chorus.

Finally, I can tell by David Cook’s stage presence, and the fact that his fans are willing to stand in line for at least an hour, maybe two, that this is only the beginning of David Cook’s rock stardom. Only time will tell but who knows, maybe David Cook will even become the most successful American Idol Winner ever? Below is the set list from the House of Blues in Chicago.

Chicago House of Blues:

1. “Heroes”
2. “Mr. Sensitive”
3. “Breathe Tonight”
4. “Lie”
5. “Kiss on the Neck”
6. “Til I’m Blue”
7. “Bar-ba-sol”
8. “(I Just) Died in Your Arms”
9. “Declaration”
10. “Come Back to Me”

Encore:

11. “Light On”
12. “A Daily AntheM”

Always Acoustic

And this interview where David mentions how much he loves Chicago!
by Aaron Keker
July 3, 2009

2008 American Idol Winner and platinum artist David Cook had to say this about his other hidden talent, which may be Wii bowling. Or is it?

“My highest score on the Wii Bowling is probably like 220.” David Cook

AARON KEKER: This evening you will be performing at the Winstar Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma.

DAVID COOK: Yep!

AARON KEKER: How far is Thackerville from your previous residence in Tulsa?

DAVID COOK: How far is it?

AARON KEKER: Yeah!

DAVID COOK: Aw man! These geographical questions are going to kill me.

AARON KEKER: (Laughs)

DAVID COOK: I’ll say a couple of hours. (Laughs)

AARON KEKER: (Laughs) No man! I’m not trying to pull out the map or anything. I was just curious.

DAVID COOK: I wish I knew. (Laughs)

AARON KEKER: (Laughs)

DAVID COOK: I’m in the same state. I know that.

AARON KEKER: I noticed that a majority of your songs on your debut album were published by Analog Heart Music, Inc.

DAVID COOK: Uh-huh.

AARON KEKER: Was Analog Heart Music, Inc. named after your solo record Analog Heart?

DAVID COOK: Yes it was. For me, that was like my first foray into doing music outside of the band atmosphere. You know, it was just me and I love what Analog Heart represents. Analog to me means nostalgic and means historical. I guess from that standpoint, I’ll divide that like Analog Heart and a digital world kind of thing.

AARON KEKER: Right. Now is that your publishing company too?

DAVID COOK: Uh-huh. Well I mean I got a publishing deal through Cherry Lane.

AARON KEKER: Okay.

DAVID COOK: But that is my publishing company, yeah.

AARON KEKER: I heard a thirty second snippet of “Straight Ahead” from Analog Heart.

DAVID COOK: Yeah! Yeah! “Straight Ahead.”

AARON KEKER: What are some of your favorite songs from Analog Heart?

DAVID COOK: I love “Straight Ahead.” “Silver” I think was a great song “The Truth.” I’m trying to think of what else, it’s been a while. I like “Porcelain.”

AARON KEKER: Uh-huh.

DAVID COOK: Just more for kind of the imagery of the song. But yeah, for a million different reasons, I love all of the songs on the record.

AARON KEKER: Okay. I am better at Wii Bowling than I am at real bowling

DAVID COOK: (Laughs)

AARON KEKER: (Laughs) I believe my highest score in real bowling is 165.

DAVID COOK: Okay.

AARON KEKER: I watched a video of you bowling on You Tube. What is your highest score ever at bowling?

DAVID COOK: My highest score ever at actual bowling is probably a 173. My highest score on the Wii Bowling is probably like 220.

AARON KEKER: Wow!

DAVID COOK: But I found a loophole. I found a cheat.

AARON KEKER: Did you? What’s that?

DAVID COOK: I won’t divulge it, —

AARON KEKER: (Laughs) Aw! Come on!

DAVID COOK: the cheat. Well you know if you and I ever compete at Will Bowling, I got to have some sort of an edge.

AARON KEKER: Well you’re right!

DAVID COOK: (Laughs)

AARON KEKER: Actually you’re going to be here on July 12th, so maybe I need to bring the Wii backstage and we can get a little tournament going.

DAVID COOK: Let’s do it!

AARON KEKER: All right!

DAVID COOK: It’s on!

AARON KEKER: All right man!

DAVID COOK: It’s on!

AARON KEKER: One of my favorite songs from your debut album is “Lie.” Will that song ever be released as a music video?

DAVID COOK: I hope so. I know right now we have “Come Back to Me” out and it’s still kind of making an upward spiral. So I think when it comes time to pick another single, I know “Lie” will probably be in the mix. I think it’s a fantastic song and I feel like there’s a lot of people out there that can relate to the message behind it. So, you never know.

AARON KEKER: I remarked in my album review of David Cook that I thought “Declaration” and “Heroes” had soundtrack potential. Will we see either of these songs released on a soundtrack album anytime soon?

DAVID COOK: I know we’ve pitched it to certain things and I’m certainly not opposed to getting music out there in any avenue that we possibly can. As of right now, I don’t think that there is any solid. But if there’s anything about this business I’ve learned in the year that I’ve been in it is never say never.

AARON KEKER: Your debut album was released on November 18, 2008 and was certified platinum by the RIAA in just a little bit over two months. Are you surprised it was certified platinum so quickly?

DAVID COOK: Absolutely! Yeah! I think given the economic climate as well as the musical climate it’s so hard you know to sell a million records anymore. And to be able to do it that quickly it is a testament to a lot of things. I think it’s a testament to the fact that we’re able to put together a great record. I also think it's a testament to kind of the brevity and reach of a show like American Idol. It gave me an amazing platform to be able to do something like that. There’s a lot of things that play into that being the end result.

AARON KEKER: Are you planning on releasing any additional live tracks kind of like “Permanent” that you did?

DAVID COOK: We talked about like a deluxe version of the record. We talked about; you know putting out a live record. We talked a lot of different angles. I know right now the record hasn’t been even out for eight, nine months.

AARON KEKER: Right.

DAVID COOK: So we wanna kind of give it a little bit more room to breath and then attack what to do next. I know we’re on the road until the end of the year. So the jury is out on what to do right now.

AARON KEKER: Right. I’m all about getting those live tracks off of iTunes.

DAVID COOK: Aw dude! I’m with you!

AARON KEKER: (Laughs)

DAVID COOK: I love live records. I’m certainly wouldn’t be opposed to doing one.

AARON KEKER: Of course acoustic too.

DAVID COOK: We’ve done like the random one off acoustic gigs and I love ‘em man. To me that’s a sign of a good song when it works acoustic and it works like kind of balls to the walls full band. Again I wouldn’t be opposed to it; even doing like an acoustic live record would be really cool. It just depends on time, angle and logistics.

AARON KEKER: When you’re on tour, do you like bring out the acoustic guitar and just practice?

DAVID COOK: Well we actually have a mobile kind of make-shift recording studio set up with us on the road. So a lot of what we do is we’ll record a riff acoustic to just kind of sit on it in hopes, that once the tour and record cycle is done we’ll get to work on another record.

AARON KEKER: Right.

DAVID COOK: I mean acoustic guitar is a pretty big part of what we do…. Whether we’re practicing for the show that night or coming with new ideas. Yeah, you can’t really get by on the road without an acoustic guitar. (Laughs)

AARON KEKER: Right. (Laughs) You posted a blog on March 22nd regarding fans finding your hotel room and even calling your room number.

DAVID COOK: Uh-huh.

AARON KEKER: Not only that, but they have attached things to your tour bus. My question for you is whether The Beatles madness has slowed down and whether you are still continuing to be accessible to the fans?

DAVID COOK: Absolutely still accessible to the fans! One of my favorite things is to, you know after the show talk to people. Go out and sign stuff. Having conversations with these people because I think it’s good for business.

AARON KEKER: Right.

DAVID COOK: I don’t know. I’ve always enjoyed talking to people. As far as Beatle mania —

AARON KEKER: (Laughs)

DAVID COOK: (Laughs) I love that phrasing. I don’t know that we’ve ever really had to deal with Beatle mania. But if it happens we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

AARON KEKER: Right. You’ll finally be performing with your band in Chicago on July 12th.

DAVID COOK: Uh-huh.

AARON KEKER: How excited are you to perform in Chicago at the House of Blues?

DAVID COOK: I love Chicago. One of the best shows that I ever saw was in Chicago at the Vic Theatre. I got to see Our Lady Peace and an amazing show. So to be able to come to the city that I’m absolutely in love with and to play at a place like the House of Blues, I’m really, really excited. I think it will be a great time.

AARON KEKER: Yeah! You know, actually Our Lady Peace is going to be here sometime in August.

DAVID COOK: Yeah! They’re supporting a new record. I’m actually going to try and catch one of their CD release shows here coming up. So we’ll see.

AARON KEKER: Now you will have a layoff between July 12th and July 15th for Duluth. Will you be spending time in Chicago; you know walking around the city —

DAVID COOK: If I have anything to say about it, I will for sure.

AARON KEKER: (Laughs)

DAVID COOK: (Laughs)

AARON KEKER: (Laughs)

DAVID COOK: If you see an awkward looking dude in a Fedora walking around it’s probably me.

AARON KEKER: Oh, really? Well you know we got to get our Wii Bowling game in right?

DAVID COOK: Absolutely! Absolutely! Got to make the time!

AARON KEKER: Yeah! Do you have any superstitions before you perform on stage?

DAVID COOK: You know, I’m a pretty superstitious guy but when it comes to shows not really. I know we as a band, we kind of put our hands in the circle and do the whole hoorah thing. I’m a big believer in power, positive thinking, so I just try to visualize what I want to do before the show starts and hopefully it comes out that way.

AARON KEKER: Right. Will you perform any songs acoustically at the HOB similar to your acoustic performance of John Lennon's “Merry X-Mas (War is Over)” on December 3rd at Rockefeller Center?

DAVID COOK: We’re always talking about keeping shows fresh and that certainly is not a bad idea. So maybe?

AARON KEKER: (Laughs) The music universe lost a very talented musician in Michael Jackson on June 25th.

DAVID COOK: Uh-huh.

AARON KEKER: Did you grow up listening to Michael Jackson as a child?

DAVID COOK: Absolutely! I remember like “Scream.” I remember seeing the Thriller video for the first time and being just scared out of my mind.

AARON KEKER: (Laughs)

DAVID COOK: What I loved about Michael is he wasn’t just a musician. He wasn’t just a performer. He was kind of this guy that transcended pop music and pop culture and made it bigger than what it would’ve been otherwise. Its guys like him that paved the way for things like American Idol and people like myself. I think Quincy Jones said it best, “Michael Jackson doesn’t come along once in a lifetime. Michael Jackson comes along once.” I think that is a pretty half way to sum it up.

AARON KEKER: My youngest brother emulated and dressed up as Michael Jackson’s character in the music video Thriller when he was five years old.

DAVID COOK: Oh wow!

AARON KEKER: (Laughing) Yeah. That’s funny that you were bringing up “Thriller.” Did you try to emulate anyone growing up?

DAVID COOK: Actually I probably tried to emulate everybody at one point. I kind of grew up with a vocal mimic. Zeppelin. Country like Garth Brooks. Journey. Stuff like that. I always tried to sing like certain people until I got into my early 20’s and I was like maybe I should find my own thing.

AARON KEKER: Well, you know it’s lucky that you did. Otherwise, you would’ve been just doing cover songs at you know local bars.

DAVID COOK: Absolutely! I played them before all of this Idol stuff because cover bands always make more money, which is kind of a bum out.

AARON KEKER: Well yeah! Yeah!  I don’t think you are doing to bad right now, right?

DAVID COOK: Yeah! Yeah. Not now!

AARON KEKER: (Laughs)

DAVID COOK: But there was a time. (Laughs)

AARON KEKER: Right. (Laughs) What was your reaction when you were informed that you would be on the cover of The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2009 alongside President Barack Obama and Senator John McCain?

DAVID COOK: The funniest thing about that is that I didn’t know.

AARON KEKER: (Laughs)

DAVID COOK: I got a call from my mom and she was like “have you seen The World Almanac?” And I’m like why would I see The World Almanac. Why?

AARON KEKER: (Laughs)

DAVID COOK: She goes “you’re on the cover” and I didn’t catch it to later that day. I walked into like a Wal-Mart or something and I saw the book. It kind of freaked me out. Then an end of a joke came in that it must have been a really slow year. They had Obama, McCain and me then a picture of some flags. There had to be more stuff that happened in the year than that.

AARON KEKER: Right.

DAVID COOK: But hey, I will take what I can get. (Laughs)

AARON KEKER: You know, I think I actually watched the interview and they just said that you just made a huge impact, I think in the music world that year.

DAVID COOK: Oh, wow! Well thanks World Almanac.

AARON KEKER: (Laughs) Yes.

DAVID COOK: (Laughs)

AARON KEKER: (Laughs) Well we all either know someone or have a family member who has passed away due to cancer. So my sympathy goes out to you and your family regarding Adam.

DAVID COOK: Thank you very much.

AARON KEKER: Yeah. If you could do a tribute cover song of Adam’s favorite musician, what song would it be?

DAVID COOK: Well this is where it gets tough. We actually kind of joked around about this at the funeral because they had some of his favorite music playing on the PA during the visitation and stuff. You would hear like snippets of me and then you would hear like The Cure and Depeche Mode. I just remember joking with somebody that I’ve learned two things about my brother today. That he was extremely well respected and loved by his peers and his family and that he had terrible taste in music.

AARON KEKER: (Laughs)

DAVID COOK: Based on the fact that it got played every five minutes at the visitation, I would probably say “Boys Don’t Cry” (Laughs) by The Cure.

AARON KEKER: Right. (Laughs)

DAVID COOK: (Laughs)

AARON KEKER: Some of my favorite duets are Shaun Morgan and Amy Lee on “Broken” —

DAVID COOK: Yeah! Yeah!

AARON KEKER: and “Till We Ain’t Strangers Anymore” with Jon Bon Jovi and LeAnn Rimes. If you could record a duet with any musician and release it on your next album, who would it be and why?

DAVID COOK: That’s a tough one. There’s a lot of people. If it’s a guy, I would love to do a cover with Bruce Springsteen. I think that would be amazing. I actually missed a chance to go see him in New Jersey a couple months ago and I’m kicking myself for that. So hopefully when he plays the Meadowlands in the fall, I’ll catch that. I’ll say Fergie if it’s a girl. Why not? Interesting.

AARON KEKER: Final Question. It may be a little premature, but any idea when your next album will be released?

DAVID COOK: The second record will be released before the third record.

AARON KEKER: (Laughs)

DAVID COOK: That’s about all I know right now.

AARON KEKER: (Laughs) In other words you got no working song titles or anything yet?

DAVID COOK: Nothing yet, Aaron. We probably have sixty or seventy like riffs and noodle ideas to work with but nothing firm yet. I kind of want this next record to be as organic as possible. So I think, you know, what we’re going to try to do as a band is kind of hold up for a little while and knock some songs out and then go from there.

AARON KEKER: When is the last tour date for this year, do you know?

DAVID COOK: I wanna say right now its October 18th, I think it’s the last tour date we have right now.

AARON KEKER: All right, David! Well thanks for your time and I hope you have a wonderful holiday. And I will see you July 12th.

DAVID COOK: All right! I’ll start practicing my Wii Bowling.

AARON KEKER: All right man! Bye!

DAVID COOK: Bye!

Always Acoustic

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

KELLY, I was wondering where you have been and now I know.  I should have known that you wouldn't disappoint me.  What a tremendous review you have written.  What a gift you have for writing!!!!  I feel like I was there right along with you!!!  How did your mom feel about David??????  I admit it that David Cook is my idol, (sorry Clay).  I love his voice, I love who he is and I love his heart and his music.  I couldn't be more thrilled that you finally got to see him in person, you are so deserving.  I can't imagine the hours you have spent writing this review and bringing us the pictures  Thanks so much Kelly, we appreciate it so much.

Pepe!
I said I'd be back with details didn't I?
I was just about to send you a PM to let you know I finally had my recap done! I should've known you would've been here and seen it right away!
Yep, that's where I've been, working on this.
There was a bunch of videos to go through to find the best ones, then I was uploading them to my MySpace, (which I'm still doing, and causes me to lose my internet connection so I can't do anything else while they're uploading, ) then a lot of pictures to find my favorites, (which I was uploading to three different places, my MySpace, photobucket, so I could post them here, and another photo site, where I'm going to order a few, ) and then the actual recap took forever to write, (I would've had it posted a couple days ago, but we kept having big storms coming through. ) because things kept coming to me, so with my dail-up it took forever, but that's all I've been working on everytime I went on the computer because I wanted to finish it before I forgot anything or the videos weren't available anymore, but then I felt bad that it was keeping me from catching up with everyone here, (my next project. ) I'm just so glad you liked everything I found, it was such a special night for me and I couldn't wait to share my memories of it with you and anyone else who might enjoy hearing about it.
I'm so glad you liked it, I'm never sure anything I write is any good, but I knew I wanted there to be a lot of details, because I was always thankful for the detailed recaps from people who would like, see Clay in Spamalot or other concerts I wasn't able to go too, and by reading them I'd feel like I was there.
My mom thought he was "good". Not really her kind of music, but good. She was definitely clapping more for him then she ever did when we went to see Clay!
You how much I agree with you about David, I love everything about him, and I think he's such a special guy.

I couldn't be more thrilled that you finally got to see him in person, you are so deserving.

Thank you so much Shirley, that means so much to me.

~Kelly~

[Pepe]

KELLY, good job, no I should say GREAT JOB RECAPING THE CONCERT.  Loved David even more when I heard he had been over to Iraq to entertain our soldiers. 

[Sasha]

Kelly:  thanks for the recapp and pictures Im reallly looking forward to going.  Im going  Aug 1 this coming saturday cant wait. he is playing at Foxwoods MGM in CT..................staying overnight its 2 hours from home.....


Sasha

[Claygirl]

KELLY, good job, no I should say GREAT JOB RECAPING THE CONCERT.  Loved David even more when I heard he had been over to Iraq to entertain our soldiers. 

Hi! Thank you again Shirley!
Me too! (Of course I love him more with every single thing he does! )

Hi Sasha! Oooooooo! That was just a few days ago! Did you have as great a time as I did? Details!!!!
(I traveled about an hour and a half from home to see Clay once, we, (my mom and I,) didn't want to stay anywhere, so we made the long drive there and back.

Anyway just wanted to pop in to remind everyone to watch David on;
Live with Regis & Kelly this Friday, 8/7/09, (hopefully this is a new appearance and not a rerun, let's watch to make sure!

Also my tivo, (how I love Tivo!) is saying David will be on;
Good Morning America the same morning with Adam Lambert and Kris Allen, (let a real Idol show the newbies how it's done! )

I hope to have more news soon, but I can't even seem to get my OCD posts finished, so many thing I have to do, and nothing gets done. Ugh.
I did win a bunch of photo print credits from snapfish.com from entering the codes from Coke bottle caps to mycokerewards.com, and I was able to get 140 4x6 pictures of David, Free! they just came today!
Selecting them all did add to my distraction from getting my posts done though.
Also had a poster, 11x14 made of my favorite concert pictures, with a coupon it was only $5.00!



~Kelly~

[Sasha]

Went to see David last Sunday the concert was great he was just as great as I thought he would be. Wish I had brought my other  camera , jsut took my small one, i could have gotten some better ones, we had good seats but we had the camera police next to us.  they dont check your bags, they let some people stand in front of the stage the whole time..  they were filming the whole show but one usher next to me kept telling people to put the cameras down, one lady said she is filiming the whole im just taking a ocuple pictures so she just kept taking pictures so did  i   , she didnt say anythihg to me.  what a pain she was she was the only one.

My friend and I really enjoyed David, he has great sense of humor....  great performer, I would so see him again in heartbeat. Glad I got to see him like him even more now.  The croud really loved him we all went nuts he came out one more time after he did an encore already

Sasha

[Sasha]

(clickable)

[Pepe]

SASHA, thanks for telling us about your concert with David.  Loved the pictures you posted too.  Isn't he great!!!!   Love the guy!  I can just look at him and tell what kind of heart he has!  now don't be laughing at me Jo!!  Hey do you think he likes older women???  I hope he has a long career and doesn't ever change.

KELLY, so glad you started this thread!!!    Did you get to see him on GMA.  I thought he was the best of the three, I love that song anyway.

[Sasha]

Thanks  Pepe.....  Im not laughing im an older women to.     My hubby taped that I will have to watch later.  THe running behind  one I took is for my buddy Liz im sure she is up there laughing....  I know she  would have liked him also.


Sasha

[Pepe]

SASHA, yep I know LIZ would have loved David.  I sure do miss her I think about Liz often and I can't forget what she went thru with the ALS. 

[Claygirl]

Love the guy! I can just look at him and tell what kind of heart he has! I hope he has a long career and doesn't ever change.

Shirley, I know I haven't checked in here in awhile, and then when I do, I see this quote from you and it just made me:  and I couldn't agree more!

KELLY, so glad you started this thread!!!  Did you get to see him on GMA.  I thought he was the best of the three, I love that song anyway.

I wish I could take credit for starting this thread, but that was Meesa. I've only tried to continue it.   I did enjoy seeing David on GMA, and of course he was the best!

Sasha, thank you for posting your David concert recap and pictures! I enjoyed them very much!

~Kelly~

[Claygirl]

Let's see, where to begin with some new David news?

He'll be on Live with Regis and Kelly on 11/23/09.

David debuted a new song called "Make Believe" at his 11/10 show.
Here's the Video

Also another new song was played during the World Series Highlights on ESPN called "One Second to Change Your Life".

And go here if you want to see David's new tattoo, the number 14 on his forearm.
14 tattoo pic

Here's David's precious pup Dublin; isn't he cute?


Here's a picture of David with another dog, Edie, she isn't his, he gave her to a loving family, and I just thought this was so cute I had to post.


And from twitter; a dinner David made; "Teriyaki Pork Chops a la Dave"


Looks good! The man cooks! He cooks! Can he be anymore perfect? I think not!

~Kelly~