Ansamcw

oh couchie was asking about how the final show would be...

I have seen a lot of skating shows on TV but only one or two where there is a live singer. I do believe they do a lot of super imposing, some back and forth from the skater to the singer...but they always will have more time on the skater, specially if they make great moves. I would really like to see how the skaters interpreted Clay's songs.

I think I would be more thrilled if this is the group with Kurt Browning...but I am pretty familiar with all these skaters too and its great to see them interacting with Clay. So Shae lynn is a solo skater now? what happened to Victor??? They are a great dance pair.

KAndre...hmmm shrieking covering change ups??? ahhh I think this happens a lot on DSIAFCD...I would agree with that frustration cos his big glory note is not really at the end like in AIW...and at times he does other change ups like the falsettos that get covered up. This time I didn't think the cheers to the DSIAFCD glory note was as huge and I could really hear the new ending very well.

I cannot do anything else this morning...just sitting here and waiting for more clack and watching what we have again and again. I am really impressed at his maturity on these songs...

In my mind, spontaneous and genuine applause is good, but if it gets to be a "Thing" that overwhelms the actual performance or confounds the NJUs in the audience, it's not so good. Organics moments - Yeah!; choreographed reactions - Blah! It's a Christmas concert, not a midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show where the entire audience knows when to throw toast or put up their umbrellas, ya know?

oh yeah...thats why I hate planned AWWW moments with blinkies and people singing Happy Birthday or singing back to him. There is only one Wiles barre MOAM...

I didn't recognize Jaymes although she was on the row in front of me and down about 6 seats. I only realized it when a worker came over after Clay was done and psst psst psst said..tell Jaymes that Jesse wants his camera (or was it phone..heh..I'm not good with the details) LOL. So I go ..oh I think that's Jaymes Jaymes, Clay's Jaymes.

In the words of kf, was she with her cousin?

I wonder why she comes to these things but now I know it's to hold Jesse's camera/phone. Wonder if they will edit out his facial contortions?

hee...I do suspect she may help Clay and Jesse with the arrangements??? She is a consultant??? She is a Clay fan that wants to watch???

About the facial contortions...I hope they don't try and edit that out...that is part of the performance...every vocalist ends up doing something with their face or body as part of their technique. I know Josh Groban has contortions too and even a lot of the strange postures some singers do is done to open up the lungs to get more air or to squeeze the air out. Sometimes to make great performance you can't be worried about how you look....

EEEEEEEEEEE couchie is back!!!

I am so happy that I do not have any work today and I have to stay home...I guess you all noticed I can't shut up this morning...

Clay is an artist and all artists deserve some respect. That's all I'm sayin....

I often have a hard time listening to some clack because of all of the "I love you's" and chatting and screaming. I certainly don't pay to hear people screaming yelling standing up in front of me, whatever. I'm sure my view is not widely held but it is still a matter of respect, if not for the artist, for the people who paid to see and listen. Rock Stah, Pop Stah, Opera Stah, Symphony Stah...all the same! R E S P E C T is universal!

I am an opera fan and those beautiful voices evoke the very same emotions in an opera fans as Clay's voice evokes in his fans. Many times I've wanted to scream bravo and clap my hands off but I don't. I love Clay's voice not the shrill screaming, I love you's and whatnot.

Sorry if I've offended anyone, certainly didn't mean to but I'm just expressing my opinion. This is all about me and not directed at anyone else.

That's why this place is so comfortable.

Awww toots...don;t apologize...we are all just giving our opinion. I do agree that the misplaced I Love You's and shrieking at inopportune time can be disrespectful. But I don;t think a spontaneous applause is a sign of disrespect but respect and accolade for a job well done and tells a performer that theyare loved.

I just watched Spots AIW...much more clear audio...and you can see Clay's expression and how he was really working to give a great performance. It is also clear here that a lot of the applause in the middle of the song was applause for a move that Todd makes, the big applause for the first Well I believe was also for Todd. But the final glory note...wow...I can see from this video that his dry throat was bothering him...there was more roughness evident in his voice but he really worked at his facial muscles to open up his throat so that he can give a great final note....

For those that don't enjoy his facial contortions....it probably may bother you. Also those that have issues with the teeth...BUT, I just so appreciate this performance more cos he really reached down deep for this one. BRAVO CLAY!!!!

awwww.

to the main thread!

A question for the skate show attenders (who are probably sleeping or traveling at this hour of the morning) or for someone who can tell from the Clack: Were there other musicians on the stage besides Jesse on the piano?

I do believe its only Jesse...but that is just from the clack. I think there is an additional back track. I loved it when the performers acknowledged him and Clay was taking the lead for that.

Was he the one who played OHN? Cos that was good.

From hanapepe at the CB:

A very late report here-there should be TONS of clack because there were cameras everywhere! I talked to Spot afterwards, and she did get it all! Whoo hoo! Looks like some beauties have already been posted-thanks! For a skating fan like myself, it doesn't get any better than tonight! Had a long chat with Sasha's mom early this morning, and Sasha really enjoyed Clay, and there will be stuff shot before the show with her and Clay that will hopefully be shown...

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE the Clasha!!!

I always loved Sasha's skating...so very graceful. Too bad she is not a consistent jumper...

I think Sabrina's problem is that her main target audience is not the same as DWTS. Disney caters to tweens and under. I doubt they would be up voting for her. I also have a problem with celebrities like her and Mel that dance a lot in their regular work. At least Mel's not that active as a Spice girl anymore. But Sabrina is still very active as a Cheetah girl and they do a lot of dancing...so she does have an unfair advantage over the others.

But.. but... Clay is a Rock! Stah! not an opera star.

exactly...Clay is a different typr of performer from Luciano and Andrea Bocelli. In an opera...there is a story behind the songs and there is a very different atmosphere. Clay is a pop star...and that was a skating event where people are used to cheering in the middle of performances.

I do understand feeling frustrated when you listen to clack and Clay's voice is obscured by the audience..I just don;t think it was out of place for the audience to cheer in AIW. If that was LAA...nooo. If that was ICMYLM...no way...but on DSIAFCD and AIW...pretty much expected.

keepingfaith...I guess our point of disagreement is whether it was spontaneous on this occasion. I happen to think it was...cos I felt like standing up and screaming myself. I guess it does boil down to individual reactions. I do think because of this songs history I will always be nervous for him cos it is a tough note to sing. Every time he does it he puts himself out there and so it is always really exciting for me when he does it as well as he did last night. If it makes me want to stand and cheer on clac I can just imagine how the audience seeing it live must feel. I just read a report from artquest on CH saying it made her cry and she wasn;t a big fan of it to begin with.

I guess its hard to judge at times through clack cos the concert experience is much more intense in person. All I know is that during the 4 concerts I saw last summer...I had to force myself to sit at a lot of times cos I didn't want to disturb others...but was really grateful when there are more enthusiatic response cos I can be as enthusiastic as I can be. Mind you...I did feel that at times the standing up done by some people were a bit robotic like they should stand cos its Clay...so I can understand your feeling about those type of reactions, I just don't think that was the case with this AIW.

Now as your comparison to an orchestra...it is a very different atmosphere and different norms. I think what becomes frustrating for some performers are the constant screaming teeny boppers that drown out the music and simply reacts to your presence. That is what can be frustrating. But each performer sets up a different mood for each song. There are songs where Clay really want the audience to be jumping, screaming, dancing and singing along with him. There are songs where he wants to get the audience emotional and there are songs where he strives to create a building momentum for that glory note...and I do believe that he gets a thrill when his audience follows his cue. You can see it in the little smile that he has as he sings that glory note and the look of triumph after.

LdyJ...I don't mean to say that the audience MUST cheer in the middle of the song or to every big glory note...if the audience can keep quiet all through out and give a long ovation in the end then that is their honest reaction...thats great too. I just think that the live audience has priority over the the live recording. What I mean about that is when I buy a ticket to an event...I want to be right in the moment and be able to react to whats happening without worrying about how the clack will sound. Now this does not mean that an individual audience member has the right to disturb everyone else that bought a ticket too...so people shouting in the middle of a song as a fameho moment...not nice. If I want to stand and cheer but everyone else is seated...then I control myself...but at moments when the audience as a whole give a spontaneous excited reaction...I don't think that could be helped and that is what I liken to a quad performance and must be very invigorating for a performer since they worked to get exactly that kind of reaction. I just think that there are songs that are arranged to induce that kind of spontaneous excitement. I keep thinking of DF cos he knows how to milk those money notes..thats why he kept making Clay do that UM note during his gala cos the audience reaction was priceless...or in the last Sedaka appearance he stopped the band playing just before clay did the glory note...Its all to create a build up of momentum for the climax. In Clay;s repertoire he has some well known glory notes that people wait for...and is arranged to get that reaction like Solitaire, DSIAFCD, UM and AIW so at times I feel like the audience reaction simply becomes part of the experience.

WAYDNYE...so sexy...GAH!!! I think thats my favorite version ever. He really is getting better in interpreting the songs. He is just getting better all the time...

I can't find a clack file for Holiday on Ice. Where is it hiding?

I think its up on CH vault so it must be up on CU...its on TV appearaances, capital one holiday on ice folder

its been a while since I post hoed...but...

and the hug...with Shaelyn bourne...

so it was Shealyn that skated to DSIAFCD...I think...

Spots skating video is up...totally cute

I do think he is not as used to figure skates cos the wobbliness happens when he has to stop and I think thats his inexperience with the toe pick. I know my daughters have an easier time with hockey skates.

Watched AIW again...and I loved how Clay would move his jaw down to open up his throat more to control that first big well. The cellcerters were saying that the air is so dry that they were losing their voice...so I suppose this was extra challenging for him last night.

I can;t wait to hear from Couchie and the others. Based on the two videos I;ve seen Couchie had the best Clay view so far!!!!

I really can't wait to see this on the telecast...I am so anxious to see how Todd interpreted AIW...I bet it was pretty dramatic. I also don;t think the available videos would hurt the show after seeing it. It really has a very limited scope. I do thi it may just promote it and make people want to see the show after seeing Clay;s great performance...

Clay looked sooo tall and manly in the midst of all those skaters...even beside Philippe...and specially having Surya and Sasha beside him...

Can't wait for other clack cos he just sounds and looks FANTASTIC and CUTE...

In landing a quad there's that element of suspense -- will he land it? YAY -- a QUAD! Scream Yell Applause The reaction to a quad is when the jump is completed -- not at lift off

But with Clay singing and hitting a big note, I don't think it should be reacted to like it's a big surprise or something. And, those notes he holds out and modulates and croons, I want to hear every nuance of them -- I'm for screams and applause when he ends the note.

I just want to hear every sound this man makes!!!!!

I do believe there is an element of suspense too on AIW...on any glory note really because the audience recognize that it is a very tough thing to do. Not all live performance will be perfect and the reaction I see as an acknowledgment of a job well done. I also believe that this reaction will always be there because of the history of this song. I just watched that performance...and I'm sorry, but I wanted to just jump out of my seat and scream too. I just think that if the audience was quiet at that part...I would miss it and would seem like a flat audience reaction. I just never expect a perfect audio on a live performance and the audience reaction is part of the deal for me.

I can't listen to this song on cellcert, it does make me nervous and the strength of his voice usually breaks up the sound and hurts my ears. On the video...WOW, he is sounding better than ever. The very very few imperfect tones I think was brought on by the dry air. What I love is how relaxed and confident he looked singing this song.

Now looking forward to more clack!!!! he looked ....CUTE!!!

SO what is it with this board and skunks...this morning I woke up to this strange odor all over the house...Hubby tells me a skunk has burrowed down under our dining room crawl space for te winter...GAH!!!

Anyway...hubby will put in some ammonia and moth balls to drive the skunk out. I think it was looking for some emergency shelter from the driving rain we had last night...

Wont wait up for Clack...goodnight everyone...

looking forward to reading lots of recaps and watching clack tomorrow

He just came out with Sasha skating on Figure skates...he is goign around the rink...he had his arm around her when he came out???not sure about that one...

He is not as steady with the figure skates as he was with the hockey but he could be hamming it up too according to cellcerter...

it was cute when Sasha came out with the skates after WAYDNE...

he was doing goofy faces as he was skating.

So Sasha gave Claysome skates and Clay said yes...so he will be going out to skate with all of the other skaters...

EEEEEEEEEEEE cute Clay...

CG I think Clay ans Sasha just came out together...

I love the arrangement of this one...

Clay and Sasha..

Winter wonderland...lots of laughing...oh clay's mic pack wasn;t working...so they had to stop hee

he keeps checking the mic...

ok here we go,,,he sounds wonderful

Black shirt and silvery tie...

they are back...MCWL...

wow lots of new variations.. this is great...he sounds really good...

NOOOOO

lost connection....

whew...back

it was Meno and Sands that skated

they said he is looking very slim...the piano with Clay was so special...

the CS...Sasha only came out after the fourth line...so it was great.

No screens or jumbotron...

clack is coming...the clac gatherers are supposed to go straight to their room

the suit fits very very nicely...

a couple of falls...Sasha fell and Stephen cousins

AIW...todd Eldridge skated...and the cellcerter just had to watch Clay so does not know how Todd did...

Philippe was playing around with the lyrics and he starte to relax.

he sang most songs sitting on the stool

aww Clay walked Shae Lyn to the ice and she kissed him in the cheeks and blows kisses at him

Sasha also blew a kiss at him

lots of cheers for Clay...he hasn't said anything...but kinda acknowledged the cheers..

quite a big falsetto in the end of DSIAFCD...

Hair report...looks good like sedaka hair.

Sleigh Ride...audience clapping along...

Philippe Candeloro skated with him

intermission now

May I say that I really don't care for the fans screaming the minute he hits the big note in AIW, or any other song for that matter. I want to hear him sing the big note. All of it.

I can understand where you are coming from...but that is similar to a skater landing a quad...its just so difficult and its exciting when it is done well that its hard not to cheer.

I really love this slower version of CS...wonderful job!!!