David Archuleta

Someone explain to us why last season’s American Idol almost-winner David Archuleta is performing at the Glass House. The Pomona venue usually fills it’s marquee with the names of acts not so...inexplicably mainstream. Don’t get us wrong, we like American Idol—kind of—if only for its televised experiments in the manipulation of American pop culture. Unfortunately, decent winners are hard to come by, save for season one’s Kelly Clarkson and season four’s Carrie Underwood, who have nabbed two Grammys each. The so-called “Idol Curse” would explain the continuous train wreck of Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks (debatable) and David Cook. Like his runner-up alumnus Clay Aiken, Archuleta has managed to woo a swarm of adolescents and grown-ups alike with his aloof charms and what-the-hell-am-I-doing-here? smile. Stories of crazy stage-Dads and Mormonism plagued his name but look at him now: playing the Glass House and still trailing Cook in the charts. Hey, at least he’s on the charts.
Tue., March 17, 7 p.m., 2009