Konzertkritik Wilkes Barre: Bühnenpräsenz, die ganze Arenen in Bann zieht

In his 50-minute, 11-song set, Archuleta drew screams not just for great singing – his big notes on “Hold On” (gemeint is wohl Don’t Let Go? Anm. d. Red.) and “You Can” were worthy – but for just being a crowd-pleasing young guy. (He also got screams just for a small hand wave when his back-lit shadow appeared on the closed curtain before it rose for him.)

Now a year removed from his “American Idol” second-place finish, Archuleta has grown into a stage presence that can command arenas. Opening with his current hit, “A Little Too Not Over You,” he bounced all over the expansive set, gestured more confidently and sang more assuredly.

In a larger arena, he lost some of the texture his voice carried at Allentown’s Crocodile Rock Café in March. But he also gained a bigger platform for songs such as “To Be With You,” which has grown to fill the larger space, and bigger notes, such as an amazing one on “Don’t Let Go” and the still stunning one at the end of his hit “Crush.”