Fingers crossed for a date near me!

[ldyjocelyn]

I may be reposting some stuff.  If I am, sorry, but it's all good stuff, right?

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=216778337634061

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=997733534522713

dancermom has given permission to post her recaps here.  This is a short one after the first night.

Quote

Show is done. I am walking on air. The show was shorter than the other shows 1 and a half hours. Clay was in fantastic voice and boy he can dance. No intermission.We are getting drinks will type more later!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CrHl1F_JMl1/

[ldyjocelyn]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CrHjfqWp6UY/

[ldyjocelyn]

 

[ldyjocelyn]

 

[ldyjocelyn]

 

[ldyjocelyn]

https://www.facebook.com/sue.file.7/posts/pfbid0YU9R6cP7VuypRPGjtAR1gReobMJLSXuUvmW6TiLgqSfbEirEDGAxfGSrTsmi66hbl

https://www.facebook.com/520996046/videos/pcb.10160597865726047/565960102031239 (video)

https://www.facebook.com/520996046/videos/pcb.10160597865726047/1966883263654231

 

[ldyjocelyn]

From dancermom about Sunday night (although it was Nigel's son Simon that was there):

Quote

"To Love Somebody", "Unchained Melody", "Bridge Over Troubled Water"...Clay was in out of this world voice.  He looks scurmptious. Black jeans or pants fit verra nicely.  Nigel Lythgoe was in the audience tonight and they said raise your hand and he stood up. Clay was giving thanks tonight to all those who supported them for 20 years especially since Canada could not vote for them in AI 2. Funny moment...he said you had your own AI and we came on the show and then someone said...not anymore and Clay said...we will just pretend it's still around.

 

[ldyjocelyn]

 

[ldyjocelyn]

https://www.facebook.com/jayd.nepomuceno/posts/pfbid02SNQviwtw5P5xk2q3169E3Z7FuNosEGLi8kY5mpizuuoFvscmLTvgUviTEfyCduiyl

https://www.facebook.com/linda.saltarelli.35/posts/pfbid0SActrHHSF7Jr7ufbVReKYrQ4WimUrkFFKWEZUtYsYdRa3BmXJTtrXgcyTeYFzMa4l

https://www.facebook.com/kathy.recchione/posts/pfbid0TFxisq2ihWo788pvGHuEDGj7J8pMNJVcPAiVdB3wJEqnFwcd6sfGx14ttH971SHMl

 

[ldyjocelyn]

Interrupting the backtracking to get the photos from Music Life Magazine here.  Some stunning pictures (I didn't grab the Ruben ones but there's some good ones of him too).

https://www.musiclifemagazine.net/photo-gallery-ruben-studdard-and-clay-aiken-avalon-ballroom-theatre-niagara-falls-ontario-april-16-2023/

[ldyjocelyn]

From Olivia95 at CV, recap from Monday's show. She has given permission to share.

Quote

How were they in even BETTER voice today?! Literally blew my mind how they sing like that!! The show was even better today, two songs made me cry. Love that man. I also want to take a second to talk about the love that Clay has for Ruben and of course the love Ruben has for Clay. I love watching Clay as he watches Ruben sing because the love is written on his face. You can sense their palpable friendship from your seat. It is the deepest most genuine relationship and you can feel it. I love their bond. Clay was jumping around today early in the show, I wondering if he had extra coffee lol it was great! They also did jumping jacks as part of the exercise bit when they sing that one song. I have never seen anyone in concert back to back, but of course I would for Clay! These were my first official Clay concerts since I had only seen him at the two private piano shows before. Sorry I cant make this red!

 

[ldyjocelyn]

https://www.facebook.com/anthonykuong/videos/1394103751406625

Several videos here:  https://www.facebook.com/rick.allen.75470/posts/pfbid0fWbGnb6DbhKiMWL6abUXxLQfFxq3PpCcpHHFJVrTSMTXdY4hCmcF6rMh2YW9wXz9l

From luckiest1:

 

 

[ldyjocelyn]

https://www.facebook.com/1201053067/posts/pfbid0vd7UcSEUXpBVSSsZPqLsoGr2NC1EhvNqbbxwBdnBgNYrF3JtfRtMfv3hVEugKoJnl/

https://www.facebook.com/1201053067/posts/pfbid024N5KKbwy4PwmzteRagcp42qW5QU8aVGFUYqDTeU1WCW26E519xzaG3KAoBvQPCDal/

https://www.facebook.com/1201053067/posts/pfbid033vX2qioSYwgPosXP93VxcigKMnLjLQH7inkmHErVFhLvjuyS5VQXm2atCoGcgrZrl/

[ldyjocelyn]

 

 

 

[ldyjocelyn]

Recap from dancermom on Monday's show.

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Words cannot describe how wonderful the last 2 concerts have been. Clay has been in fantastic voice. I mean the best I have ever heard him. I think it's been good that the band is Ruben's band and the musical director is Ruben's musical director and Clay was bumped out of his comfort zone with Sean because wowza!!!! He is just A-----MAZ----ING!!!!  Not only his vocals but just the joy he is emoting and his aura on stage is just set to thrum and high.

"To Love Somebody" yesterday was out of this world. He was so animated and moving all over the stage and Ms Mike stand had a lot of caresses and interactions.  Be still my heart when you add his singing to that.

"Bridge Over Troubled Water" was divine. He nailed those notes like only Clay can wail.

The whole thing reminded me of why I got hooked in the first place 20 years ago and why I am still here. YES! That Clay on stage just gives me chills. Just thinking about it brought the chills.

I had a wonderful Soundcheck yesterday.  Clay sang Even More to us. We aren't getting that in Niagara because they have shortened the show for the casino time restrictions.  I got one wonderful hug.  Would it be bad to get another Soundcheck??? It is my birthday in a couple of days.

 

 

 

[ldyjocelyn]

More photos from Monday:

https://www.facebook.com/zeiteriontheatre/posts/pfbid0rXoKDGqK2R1ojE41tGN5yYsBVKo7ePydphz5Hmiw8Xc4q3pgugo5qYddttqL2m99l

 

[ldyjocelyn]

A fun comparison, via cindilu2 on YouTube. Amazing stuff.

 

[luckiest1]

👋Hi to all, just checking in, it's been forever!  I have finally got back to real life after 2 stellar concert experiences in Niagara Falls.  It was great to see old friends again and to get the gang back together for a road trip.  I am now living in hope that there will be a drivable data on the 2nd leg of the tour so I can see it again.  That comparison BOTW montage from my friend & travel buddy cindilu2 is mind blowing!

[ldyjocelyn]

Hi luckiest! Good to see you, and I'm glad you had a fabulous time!  It's pretty amazing how he's "still got it," right?  

I too hope for more trips in the fall, I think I may be able to go to St. Louis...and in the meantime, I'm waiting patiently for my Waukegan and Bloomington shows!

[ldyjocelyn]

ashleyj from CV has given permission to reprint her recap of the M&G she did Sunday:

 

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Best $300 I’ve ever spent. The soundcheck was just me and another girl, so they brought us up on stage to sit on some stools. They asked if the two of us knew each other and I said “No, but we became best friends in the hallway”. Clay said “kind of like me and Ruben” . They each sang a song and let us take pictures and videos, before we headed out into the lobby to take the real photo and get our goodie bag.

If you can do so, definitely definitely splurge on this experience. I’m still floating and can’t believe I get to do it again two more times this week.

She also had some links to videos for download (it helps if you have Apple products) -- if you want them, please let me know!

[ldyjocelyn]

Video interview through Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=777178057406433

[ldyjocelyn]

Good instagram stuff:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CrPAB_hOai1/

 

[ldyjocelyn]

Another recap from dancermom.  Her birthday was yesterday so she splurged on another M&G; plus there were rumors that no photos/videos allowed.

Quote

 

There is video.

Just saying.

The announcement at the beginning were one of the strict ones about no video. No Pictures yada yada yada.  But they weren't enforcing it as far as I could tell.  Mark didn't try in the beginning because of the announcement but then realized they weren't really enforcing it. jc4aikenheart asked at intermission and they said just pictures with no flash. Mark said well...you don't use flash with video. 

It was a wonderful birthday today.  Clay and Ruben did sing Happy Birthday to me and Gordon, the merch dude who runs the Soundcheck got video of it. I asked him after the show if he had it but he couldn't find it. He said he would look and to find him at Lehman. They are soooooooooo nice!!!!!! 

The whole show was so much better than the shortened Niagara Show.  More Clay is ALWAYS better.

There were a lot of people at the show who hadn't followed Clay since AI but came to the show. The 2 women behind me were absolutely over the top gobsmacked by Clay.  After "To Love Somebody" they were saying things like He sounds amazing and  he sounds like a mature version of his AI self and it's fantastic.

I am still walking on air.

The traffic out to Patchogue on Long Island is horrible. Just horrible. It took 3 hours to get out there. Thank goodness the ride home was fast!!!

 

And, to prove her point, here's a short video from FB.

https://www.facebook.com/barbara.stad/posts/pfbid02ETBCM3ewDEyTFkkxjj8n8nhjubHu53uHfK7F9wZm1deC2hhpFHyvNnM5jAxtnnEl

[ldyjocelyn]

New interview!

https://www.wdbj7.com/2023/04/21/hometown-entertainment-clay-aiken-ruben-studdard-bring-their-ruben-clay-twentythe-tour-roanoke/

[ldyjocelyn]

From artquest at CV, reprinted with permission.

Quote

 

During the M&G, the guys asked us to be sure to be an energetic audience. And we certainly were. I didn't get a good look, but I would guess the auditorium was about half full? And both guys got a good reception, though Clay's was, not surprisingly, more enthusiastic. After the intermission, Clay came back on stage before Ruben, who seemed to be delayed. Was this a shtick? Clay finally started singing Ruben's song (yes?) when the big guy came back on. There was some casual conversation about how long it actually takes to go to the bathroom, funnier than it sounds, and then the concert continued.

During the first half, I happened to glance at the guitar player, who strangely enough had his left hand lifted and placed against the acrylic drummer's screen. And then the screen began to topple. Clay and others rushed to catch it and put it back in place. Ruben, who was singing, didn't miss a beat.

The love and respect between these two is palpable. Maybe one of the best things about the show. Oh, whom am I kidding. It was the singing. Clay's Unchained Melody brought me to actual tears. And Troubled Waters lifted the roof.