Nasty local officials spoil Archuleta autograph signing session? – There’s one in every crowd
STOMPer Terence says nasty and unhelpful local officials marred David Archuleta’s autograph session at Iluma shopping centre yesterday (April 7), when they refused to let several fans enter.
The STOMPer said:
Expectedly, it was already packed when I arrived at American Idol finalist David Archuleta’s autograph session at 7pm at Iluma.
Sticking out from the sea of people was a sign indicating the start of a queue, which had formed inside a fenced perimeter but spilled out and surrounded it all over so it was virtually impossible to tell where the end for joining was.
Yet within remained an inexplicable space large enough for children to run around in.
When the crowd blocking the perimeter finally diminished and the enclosure almost emptied, I asked one of the security guards inside it if I could enter.
He directed me to the opposite side which was still blocked and where another guard directed me back across.
Ten or fewer of us then managed to find a small opening in the middle, where a third guard explained that he could not accede unless permitted by our local staff in charge, who reluctantly agreed to let in five after being nagged at but adamantly rejected the remaining three or four (who were also holding the prerequisite Singapore-edition album in an almost sadistic way.)
There were non-uniformed, local personnel who were part of the organizing or managing team and wearing a certain pass (whom the security guards had to obey and they themselves were not the nasty ones.)
Is it really so difficult for our local staff to:
– reduce the jam by filling up that large space within the enclosure earlier?
– demarcate the joining end of the queue by reserving that area near the enclosure’s entrance for supporters (like how spectators were barred from one escalator landing on the 2nd floor, possibly restricted to official photographers?)
– just let the last handful of us enter and join the almost-gone line which I believe David would have happily obliged and spent no more than an additional two minutes?
While we may not be one of those die-hard fans who probably turned up in and waited since the morning in order to get up close with David, surely being punctual should entitle us to having our CDs autographed, which was after all the whole purpose of this session?
T@AFSComment: Out of an estimated four thousand people only 4 didn’t get in? Sounds like the event ran well to me. No one hurt. No one arrested. Sounds like a well-behaved crowd that didn’t need too much policing from the “nasty” local officials.
Knowing David he probably would have stayed the extra 2 minutes to sign the remaining autographs, even though I’ll bet his arm felt like it was about to fall off at the moment. Sorry to hear about your disappointing experience with the nasty, unhelpful local officials, Terence. Next time, I suggest you show up earlier along with the other 3,996 or so “die-hards.” 
Ahh…ahh…Atchoooautographhound!
‘Scuse me.
Last 3 posts by archuletafanscene
- Song For The Night - March 16th, 2010
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archiefandoc (2)
archuletafanscene (1)
Emma Aiden (1)
Omg that’s a lot of people wow david he is really growing I love that everyone should love david
HollyOrganic
said this on
April 8th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
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Estimated 4000?? o.O;
frogcooke
said this on
April 8th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
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I was one of those who were not eligible to have my CD autograpahed by David because I was told my CD was not a Singapore Edition not because I was late.
The sad thing about it was I pre-ordered 3 maximum copies allowed from Amazon.com thinking that David’s CD would not be sold in Singapore. When David’s Album was released in Singapore I bought many more copies from Sembawang Music store at Plaza Singapure and they also gave me few gift posters of David. I gifted the extra copies to friends who appreciate David’s music. All the CDs look similar to me and on that day I brought a CD I thought was a Singapore Edition and a poster with me to Iluma. I was shocked to hear that my copy was not purchased in Singapore and I said how about the gift poster from Singapore. The lady said no, it was the official policy that David only sign CDs purchased from Singapore and no gift poster allowed. I knew David would not mind signing my copy or the poster but the lady was polite and firm so I just accepted it albeit feeling very sad.
Actually my intention was to get up close to David and say “hello” to him, the autographing was secondary. After watching how hard David was trying his best to make sure all those lucky fans at the “inner circle of the barricade” get their CDs signed and the massive number of fans wanting a piece of him, I was glad that I spare him signing another (my) copy.
Diana
said this on
April 9th, 2009 at 4:45 am
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diana… u r lucky dat u r not in a crowd of fans, who wants David’s autograph…. Its hot!!! cramp!! i think d people outside got d best views than d one inside…. one dumb mistake that d organiser did is… to have all d fans standing up, instead of sitting down… Pity to those who r not tall enough 2 see d stage!!!
aj
said this on
April 9th, 2009 at 9:59 am
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I find that the security/officials nowadays are very inflexble atautograph sessions. At Farenheit’s autograph at IMM, the security would not let fans in even though it was not crowded!
sad said this on April 15th, 2009 at 5:42 am (Quote)