'American Idol' tour draws fans young and old

Utah's Archuleta is the reason many attend the concert

All of the fans streaming into the E Center for the American Idol Live concert Monday night had different reasons to be there.

But most had one common purpose.

"Because David Archuleta rocks," said 15-year-old Abby Lloyd who came with her two friends, sisters Mindy, 15, and McKelle, 17, Beckstrom of Logan.

The three girls left the weeklong Especially For Youth program of The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints to attend the concert. They were confident they would not get in trouble for playing hooky — they met family members at the concert.

"They had David Archuleta's face on the screen on campus because he went to EFY," Lloyd said.

The girls teased Abby's father, David Lloyd, for wanting to see Syesha Mercado. Lloyd admitted that he actually wanted to see all of the Idols perform in person.

Sam Lloyd, 17, said he was there because of the girls.

"There was a ticket," Sam said, "I didn't have any plans and I came."

Dustin Randall, 15, of Ogden, was a little more devoted. His shirt bore Archuleta's face and said "#1 Fan."

"I bet my goat that he would win," Randall said about Archuleta winning the "Idol" title. "A real goat."

A friend got the goat.

As the student body president at his junior high, Randall said he played Archuleta's version of "Imagine" over the P.A. at the school, telling students during the morning announcements to vote for him.

"He probably lost because of me," Randall said.

He said he also had some vegetables thrown at him. "People got mad and said they would vote for Cook."

Randall's friends Sara Mcarver, 15 and Megan McKnight, 15, also had T-shirts with "Idol" faces.

"I'm the No. 2 fan," Carver said. "There can't be two number ones."

McKnight's shirt displayed Jason Castro's face.

"We saw David's dad, Jeff, and I was so embarrassed," McKnight said.

Other concertgoers were not as shy with their professions of true devotion.

"David Cook all the way," said Tiffani Fredrickson, 16, of Ogden. "It's been Cook from the beginning."

Fredrickson and her friend, Amanda Alston, 16, said they were not fans of Kristy Lee Cook, who performed while the duo walked around the concessions area.

Michal Davis of Salt Lake City took her four children to the concert, even though she said she never watched "American Idol." Her daughter, Morriah, had been watching it, voting for Archuleta 582 times after the finale.

Most of the concertgoers were families of both young and old. But there were a few in between.

Michelle Trujillo, 23, said she went to the concert because she loves Archuleta, and her husband Justin, 26, added, "I love my wife."

During the intermission — and before Archuleta performed — Ken and Lisa Kammeyer of South Jordan took a break with their three daughters. All agreed that Michael Johns had been the best performer so far. Lisa Kammeyer said she liked how each performer embraced his or her own style.

"You don't see that much on the show cause they're so focused on doing what they were required," Kammeyer said.

The family are die-hard Archuleta fans. They couldn't wait for his time on stage later in the evening.

"Nobody is leaving early here," Kammeyer said.

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E-mail: mbennett@desnews.com

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