#1 - Ready for your constant state of celebration

[bottlecap]

So, anyone heard from couchie yet about her meet & greet? And is it true that Finding Clay Aiken got mentioned at Meadowbrook? I haven't been able to figure out the context from what I've read at CH. Can someone clarify?

A little late, but yah to Ansa and Shelley for your Toronto recaps! Ansa, were you like me before you saw Clay for the first time? In my heart of hearts, I wasn't completely convinced he was going to be as great as everyone said he was, and I was preparing myself to be a little disappointed. Instead, I was blown away, and had absolutely the best time ever.

[Ansamcw]

So, anyone heard from couchie yet about her meet & greet?  And is it true that Finding Clay Aiken got mentioned at Meadowbrook?  I haven't been able to figure out the context from what I've read at CH.  Can someone clarify?

A little late, but yah to Ansa and Shelley for your Toronto recaps!  Ansa, were you like me before you saw Clay for the first time?  In my heart of hearts, I wasn't completely convinced he was going to be as great as everyone said he was, and I was preparing myself to be a little disappointed.  Instead, I was blown away, and had absolutely the best time ever.

OMG I just got home...and I didn;t hear about FCA in Meadowbrook...gotta find out more about that.

oh yes I felt exactly like that. I have heard so much about the concert and saw so much of clack that I was a bit apprehensive about how I will actually feel seeing it. I thought I might get disappointed and was trying not to get my expectations so high but...yeah the man totally delivered and exceeded my expectations. What is so amazing is just experiencing that voice live...it is fantastic.

[ShelleyC]

I think it's safe to say that Ansa enjoyed the Toronto concert... she was ready to pass out after the first 5 minutes... ;-)

[Couch Tomato]

Hey ya'll eeeeeeeeeeeeeee have to make this short and sweet (for me) since I have to run and get ready for Vermont.

So is there anybody left that hasn't heard the meet and greet story?

First of all, you don't have to PM with questions like what was he wearing? What did he smell like? Did he have stubble? WAS HE WEARING GLASSES? Becuase for the life of me I couldn't tell you. I had to look at the picture later to find out he was wearing glasses...cuz I swear I saw the beautiful green eyes, not the glasses.

Auntdementia of the CH and I both had m&gs and we held each other up...trying to help each other keep expectations VERY LOW. I was going to he happy with my hihowareya.

Ya'll know the process. Mary came and got us. Mini Jerome, who I found perfectly cordial, gave us the "rules." I didn't hear the no touching no hugging rules. He might have said no chit chat or keep chit chat to a minimum... I don't know. But it was 7:00 before Clay came out and the concert was at 8. I was about the fifth person in line and there were at least 15-20 people behind me...so when I saw them counting I go...ok it's gonna be 10 seconds each!

Clay came out and I only noticed how beautiful he looked...no other details. It's weird, cuz I can remember everything he said to me..word for word.

I came very prepared for my m&g. NO CAMERA. Well I had a camera but forgot to pick up film. So Huskerfalcon entrusted me with her beautiful camera (which BTW she got some KICK ASS pictures from first row in Boston). She showed me how to turn it on and off but that was extent of my knowledge. So when it's almost my turn I ask Nick if he knows how to use this camera and he said turn it on and he'll figure it out.

SO my turn, I pull out Learning to Sing that I'm going to have him sign. I give it to Mary and somebody asks how I want it signed. Clay may have been looking down at this point... So I say "Couchtomato." That got him heee. He looked up at me and said "Couchtomato? You really want me to sign this Couchtomato?" And he laughed and I said yes Clay. So he starts to sign my book ... and as he is signing I say to him, Clay, I want you to have this pin from my website Finding Clay Aiken. And he said, Finding Clay Aiken? Finding Clay aiken is your website? I said yes. OK I'll do it like this...

Clay: Have you met Quianna?

Me: No, I've never met Quianna?

Clay: She loves that website.

Me (eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee) ok not aloud.

Me: Oh tell her we're going to update the band pages soon, you've kept us busy.

Clay finishes singing my book...Couch Tomato...use your voice... Clay fricking Aiken...ok not the frickin' part.

And I take my dorky picture... well I look dorky..he's cute and smiling. Will have to post it later.

So I'm ready to float on out of there becaue really that was so much more than I expected already. And he says to me, By the way, what's your "real" name. And I tell him -- the California Clangela... oops..no I just said Angela. And he said, Angela, well it was nice to meet ya. And I said nice to meet you Clay and that's when I floated out and retold the story in giggly fashion until I couldn't talk anymore.

Now, I'm trying to figure out which was better, the meet and greet or my first and probably only first row in Boston.

This trip has been a blast and it's only half over. Better run, another concert in an hour and a half. I love this tour. I am blown away. Fuck the reviewers!! Excuse the mess of this..I only had a few minutes to type up.

[Ansamcw]

EEEEEEEEEEEE...Clay is aware of FCA! Quianna loves our site! and he wanted to know Angela's real name. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE they have a connection...heh, maybe not.

That was totally cool and thanks for representing our site so well Couchie...with your M&G and my close encounter with CLay I guess we are doing pretty good with this concert.

Yeah Shelley was right...when I heard people screaming as ...We Built THis City...keep skipping my heart started to beat wildly and passing out was a possiblity I think He is soooo pretty and great singing too. Who cares what the asshat reviewers think...

[atinal]

EEEEEEEEEEE(I've never done that) for Couch Tomato (TM Clay) I was happy to hear about your meet and greet. I'm glad Clay acknowledged Finding Clay Aiken, and said that Quianna loved it. Your site has done a great service for Clay and his fans. I'm also glad you enjoyed the concert.

Ansa, I'm glad you finally got to see Clay. While the Clack and word of mouth are great, it just doesn't compare to experiencing it live.

I saw Clay in Kettering, after being home a few days, I did something I didn't think I'd ever do. See, I always said, if I got the chance to see 1 of each of his shows, I'd be satisfied. WRONG. I found myself checking ticketmaster and some of the boards to see if I could find a ticket to Merrillville. I told my husband I was thinking of going to another concert, and he said, go for it if you want to. So, I found a ticket and drove over 300 miles each way to see a concert I'd seen 8 days earlier. If you knew how much I hate to drive, you'd understand how much of a stretch this is for me. It was worth every frickin mile. I loved this concert.

Possibly it's because the whole first set is the music of my youth, much of which I would never have thought I'd enjoy someone else covering, but it is performed by someone I consider, even if it is with my bias, the best performer of this generation. I don't say that lightly, I really feel it. I would not have made that trek for anyone else. It's so much more than the voice. It's the humor, the timing, he pulls you into the performance. Well, I guess I'm preaching to the choir here, but just felt the need to share my own personal experience with this tour.

[bottlecap]

Yah for Couch Tomato Use Your Voice! So, which of you guys is really Quiana? And more importantly, are you willing to give us some backstage scoop? [seriously, I'd love to hear about how this show was put together, and how long they rehearsed it.]

atinal, I agree with your travel comment. I hadn't even been willing to make the hour drive up to Detroit to see Clay before this, but since I've finally seen him live, I may have to change my position about roadtrips!

Edited August 30, 2005 by bottlecap

[Ansamcw]

Thanks for sharing your feelings Attinal...I think its important for us to get to express whats been happening to us because it sure is tough to explain it to others. I tried to this whole week...people kept asking me about the concert and its really difficult to describe. I get so frustrated because as soon as I hear what I am saying to others I wonder if I don;t sound really nuts. But then I find another Clayfan and it makes so much sense.

Yeah right now I would say seeing Clay once is not enough. I do want to see him again and am determined to see the next big concert for the next CD. Hope to see more of you guys too.

[claylove]

Hello There - I am new here. Actually I was asked to stop by and provide some info in the TBAF forum but I figured I might as well come by the main thread and say hello to everyone here too! So I have been lurking a bit today and this seems like a nice and friendly board you have here. So glad to hear you are loving the JBT as much as I have. It never gets old. I was lucky enough to do some travelling and I caught ten shows, but would have gone to every single one if I could have. I was still sad that I missed New Hampshire, because I just adore Clay in glasses. (I am sorry that he scratched his eye in Toronto though). Of course now that I have burned up a bunch of my vacation time with this tour, I am guessing I will only be able to catch a few Christmas shows.... isn't it terrible when real life interfers with Clay time?????

Well I will stop by and chat some more another day. I am loving Tears Run Dry. The Boston version was fantastic and I want to go burn a mp3 so I can listen in the car tomorrow.

Glad to meet everyone!

~Claylove~

[buzztechie]

Just an FYI for those of you who know SkateJoy. It is her birthday today and you should check out the BoC Board for a small little tribute to our favorite Jerome fan.

[bottlecap]

Welcome to claylove! skatejoy, happy birthday, and I hope the upcoming Joyful Noise tour allows you the opportunity to have many encounters with Jerome, none of which involve the confiscation of your memory card.

[Ansamcw]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! SKATEJOY!!!!!

Clack gatherer extraordinaire...Number one Jerome Fan...and one of my favorite Clay Photographer!

Can someone tell me how I can stop watching Tears Run Dry....I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!!

[Ansamcw]

SIGH I wish we can simply ignore them but we do have to give space to these Asshat reviewers:

Vermont

Clay Aiken attracts Claymates

Burlington Free Press

ESSEX JUNCTION I ran into my first Claymates onMonday night as I walked past the green wooden doors that separated a Champlain Valley Fair parking lot from the backstage area at the grandstand.

Two women had waited outside the doors, trying for a glimpse of the night's headliner, Clay Aiken. A third woman, 25-year-old Angel Smith of Baltimore stood off to the side holding a purse bearing Aiken's image and ticked off the states she had seen thesinger's perform in since the end of July. New York, Connecticut, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and, now, Vermont.

"I never used to travel before he came along," Smithsaid. "I've flown for my second time the other day because of Clay."

It was then, a scant 30 minutes before the spiky-haired singer took to the stage, that I realized that I had been living a lie.

[Ansamcw]

Boston

Aiken sticks with stale 'Idol' formula

Boston Globe

By Marc Hirsh, Globe Correspondent | August 30, 2005

If you were a newly autonomous artist, released from the contract foisted upon you by ''American Idol" and one of the few unqualified successes to come out of the Fox phenomenon, would you stage your summer tour as though it were an amusement park rock 'n' roll revue? Clay Aiken did, and his Jukebox Tour, which hit the Bank of America Pavilion on Sunday, showed all the imagination, professionalism, and depth of the cheesy group numbers performed on the show from which he's supposedly trying to distance himself.

The evening's tone was set at the start, as a jukebox played Starship's ''We Built This City," recently named the worst song ever by music magazine Blender. As the record started to skip, Aiken came out dressed as the Fonz and hit the jukebox, at which point a backdrop reading ''The '50s" unfurled and the band started up. Medley after medley followed, as Aiken (with substantial help from backup singers Quiana Parler, Angela Fisher, and Jacob Luttrell) sang the most recognizable parts of hits from the past six decades. Some strange moments resulted, as when Aiken sang in front of a backdrop reading ''ELVIS" in huge letters, prompting the question of who exactly the crowd was supposed to be applauding.

The Claymates had no doubt, screaming their devotion. One couple carried a sign informing the singer and the world that this was their 100th Aiken concert. Aiken acknowledged them and many others from the stage, showing an ease with audience interaction and stage patter, even when it was simplistic and moon-eyed commentary like, ''The music of the 1960s paints a portrait of lightheartedness and fun."

Aiken occasionally broke from the medley format to perform an entire song from start to finish, though ''Mandy," ''Solitaire," and a surprisingly pretty version of Christopher Cross's ''Sailing" were truer to his middle-of-the-road pop stylings than ''When Doves Cry." By the time he closed with six of his own songs -- and the Claymates responded as though ''Invisible" wasn't actually a creepy stalker anthem -- Aiken was left to sink or swim on his own merits. The rest of the show suggested that you can take the boy out of ''American Idol," but you can't take ''American Idol" out of the boy.

Clay Aiken tries to be an Idol to everyone

Boston Herald

By Christopher John Treacy/ Music Review

Monday, August 29, 2005 - Updated: 12:35 AM EST

Just in time for Boston's ``American Idol'' tryouts at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, Clay Aiken's Jukebox Tour pulled into the Bank of America Pavilion to remind potential contestants of what's possible if you make it to the show's finals.

Rather than touting a new disc, Aiken's tour is in support of his miraculously extended 15 minutes of fame. And it's also a showcase for the vocalist's vivid imagination. In it, Aiken fancies himself a '50s teen heartthrob, the Elvis incarnate, a Motown star, a '70s soul singer, a choirboy with keen falsetto, a young Casey Kasem.He does all this while being soundtracked by some of the biggest pop hits of the last 50 years; taken for what it is, the show is entertaining.

But despite an exhausting 100 songs (most in medley format) spread over a two-hour-plus show and presented in chronological order, he isn't all that well equipped to deliver from so many different musical corners. It was when he jumped on top of the piano during ``Great Balls of Fire'' that the hilarity first hit home – Aiken's nondescript sexuality just doesn't have the necessary ``balls of fire'' to pull off such a stunt. The same went for the Elvis tunes, the Bee-Gees' selections from the '70s, and an attempt at Prince's ``When Doves Cry'' from the '80s. He saved a small offering of his own songs for the new millennium segment at the end.

It's the backup singers who really carry this charade. Angela Fisher, Quiana Parler and Jacob Luttrell provide amazing vocal support, without which Aiken would simply fall flat. Each was given their own individual chance to shine, particularly Parler during Gladys Knight's ``Midnight Train To Georgia,'' misplaced in the '60s segment of the show despite it having been a hit in 1973.

Moving by decades up to present day, Clay Aiken bent over backward to show us all the things he does nicely. But ``nicely'' is a bland word, and really he'd do much better to pick just one or two things he's extraordinarily good at and go from there. Preying on beloved pop hits is easily crowd-pleasing, but it doesn't add any personality to what was already a pretty bland offering. And someone really ought to have told him ``Solitaire'' will always belong to Karen C

Aiken, Seaport move music fans

Boston Herald

A harborfront hotel full of Clay Aiken fans got a jolt yesterday.

A fire in an electrical switch room cut the power – and air conditioning – at the Seaport Hotel, forcing the Fidelity Investments-owned hotel on South Boston's waterfront to bus guests to other city hotels.

Firefighters responding to an alarm yesterday morning quickly put out the blaze, which was contained in an electrical switch room in the hotel's parking garage.

The hotel was then forced to turn off its main electrical lines as power-company crews went to work to repair the damage. Emergency generators kept the lights on, but not the air conditioning, according to a hotel spokeswoman.

The sudden loss of power surprised a legion of Aiken fans hanging out at the Seaport after Sunday night's concert at the nearby Bank of America Pavilion.

Seaport managers spent yesterday afternoon guiding hotel guests onto buses bound for the Boston Harbor Hotel and other alternate lodging.

``I was really surprised,'' said Barbara Allen, an Aiken fan who flew in from California to see her idol, and who unexpectedly found herself yesterday afternoon in front of the Seaport waiting for a bus.

``Everything took on a life of its own,'' she added.

Located in Fidelity's World Trade Center complex, the Seaport picked up any difference in room costs in cases where the rates at other hotels were higher, officials said. ``No guests were in any danger,'' said Lauri Howe, a spokeswoman for the Seaport. ``Guests were moved for their own comfort.''

[Ansamcw]

Gilford, New Hampshire

Clay Aiken plays Gilford

NH Citizen Online

GILFORD — Second season American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken both wooed and wowed a large crowd at Meadowbrook Musical Arts Center.

"He's a great entertainer. I was rooting for him all along," said Cheryl Moody of Farmington who attended Saturday's concert with her sister, Judi Aubert of Rochester. "I think he's just awesome. I just love his voice. If he comes back I'm going to bring my 10-year-old daughter," said Aubert.

Aiken's good looks coupled with his family values and charitable work was a common theme among concertgoers, predominantly 40-ish something women. "That's what I admire most. He is a good moral role model. Kids need that," said Frank Downing of Malden, Mass., who said he is a substitute teacher who works with autistic children.

Downing's wife, Fran, characterized herself as an avid "Claymate," the name taken by his most rabid fans saying she had tickets to attend Aiken's Sunday night concert in Boston. She has previously traveled to Indiana twice and once to Michigan to see his shows.

A 2004 Christmas album, "Merry Christmas With Love," followed Aikien's 2003 debut, "Measure Of A Man." "He has an amazing voice. One that comes along once in a millennium — the range, the volume and he call hold a note longer than anyone," she said of Aiken, 27, who hails from Raleigh, N.C. "And it's not just his singing. He connects with people and does a lot of work for charity," she continued.

"He was the best singer. He should have won (Idol)," asserted Rachel D'Onfro of Westminister, Mass. She said she saw Aiken's Christmas show last year. "He was my number one pick from the very beginning (of American Idol)," she said. D'Onfro said she's downloaded all of Aiken's songs, even an early demo album. "And I'm not even a Claymate. There are (fans) here from Hawaii," she said. Aiken started the night with a medley of 50s and 60s songs, doing some covers of such classic artists as Chubby Checker, Elvis Presley and the Everly Brothers classic "Unchained Melody."

Aiken is working with Canadian producer Jaymes Foster Levy on his sophomore effort, which he hopes to have out by next spring.

[buzztechie]

Just an FYI for those of you who know SkateJoy.  It is her birthday today and you should check out the BoC Board for a small little tribute to our favorite Jerome fan.

As we approach the end of Skate's birthday, ShelleyC's birthday is now upon us. This calls for yet another change to the BoC Board!.

Enjoy!

[bottlecap]

Happy Birthday to ShelleyC Lutrell! Enjoy the next to last concert by your boyfriend(s?) tonight!

[Ansamcw]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHelleyC

The best concert buddy around...hope you have a great day!

Jacob!?!?! who knew

[Ansamcw]

In Honor of Shelley's Birthday we get a much better review from Vermont:

After Dark: At Play with Clay

Burlington Free Press Concert review

By Erica Jacobson

Free Press Staff Writer

ESSEX JUNCTION -- I ran into my first Claymates on Monday night as I walked past the green wooden doors that separated a Champlain Valley Fair parking lot from the backstage area at the grandstand.

Two women had waited outside the doors, trying for a glimpse of the night's headliner, Clay Aiken, a runner-up from reality show "American Idol." A third woman, 25-year-old Angel Smith of Baltimore stood off to the side holding a purse bearing Aiken's image and ticked off the states where she had seen the singer perform since the end of July. New York, Connecticut, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and, now, Vermont.

"I never used to travel before he came along," Smith said. "I've flown for my second time the other day because of Clay."

It was then, a scant 30 minutes before the spiky-haired singer took to the stage, that I realized that I had been living a lie.

Contrary to everything in my musical past and my planned future purchases (the "La Dolce Vita" soundtrack, the new Franz Ferdinand album), I really, really like Clay Aiken.

"It's his voice, his looks," Smith said, explaining her Aiken fascination. "He just gives you a look out in the crowd and your heart just stops.

"It's like a high school crush."

Aiken, I sense, knows this all too well. His truly enamored fans wear rhinestone pins proclaiming "I luv Clay" and carry cell phones that chirp Aiken's hit "Invisible" with every call. They follow him from venue to venue, crossing continents and, in some cases, oceans to swoon as Aiken croons for a few hours on stage.

What I discovered Monday night is it's hard to blame them, really.

Aiken is an entertainer. Whether he's playing to a half-full fairgrounds show in Vermont or sold-out casino shows in New Jersey, he's out to please. His voice skipped across the decades, at home belting out everything from a few lines of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin" to Prince's "When Doves Cry" in its entirety. As Aiken approached the '70s portion of his multi-decade review, he admitted things were about to get a little messy " 'cos this skinny white boy can't dance so well."

"These feet are too big to dance around so much," Aiken said in his North Carolinian drawl.

Unlike other personalities born out of the reality TV revolution, Aiken seems down-to-earth. A trio of North Carolina women who had won tickets -- both plane and concert -- to see Aiken fanned themselves with $6 souvenir Aiken fans and gushed about his down-home charm before the show. During the concert, Aiken didn't demand adulation from the crowd, it just happened.

He also acknowledged Monday night that there might be a few nonfans in the stands.

"There are also gentlemen in the audience who did not want to be here," Aiken told the crowd, asking women to point out the boyfriends, husbands and dates who had begrudgingly tagged along. "They would much rather be eating a corn dog."

Now, as a no-frills concert purist, I thought the jukebox format of the show was a little risky.

Make it too choppy and the songs become unrecognizable. Make it too drawn-out and it turns into little more than spending a night at a karaoke bar watching friends belt out drunken versions of Elton John's "Don't Go Breaking My Heart." Aiken managed a nice mix of hits, slow ballads as well as the occasional song sung entirely by one of his three back-up singers. And even Aiken's costume changes through the decades -- skinny tie with suit for the '60s, white leisure suit for the '70s -- weren't too excessive or frequent enough to confuse Aiken with a Ken doll.

As the last notes of "Invisible" echoed off the grandstand, I folded up my notebook and walked out to my car.

It wasn't supposed to be like this, I thought. I was supposed to see Aiken in concert, exorcise my infatuation and move on. Don't get me wrong, I'm not rushing out to buy his "Measure of a Man" CD. Whatever music of Aiken's I come to own will be between me and my iPod. I will say that I'm still wondering just where to get one of those handbags ... .

Contact Erica Jacobson at 660-1843 or ejacobso@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com .

[Skatejoy]

Thanks for the birthday greetings! I'm back from the wild New England weekend. Haven't had a chance to think about a recap, but here are some pictures from Vermont

We had pretty far seats and the lighting was bad, but I still got a few good pictures.

Tie tug

Sellin’ it

Quiana wincing in pain

The girls’ revenge

Can someone explain what’s happening with his ear??

The Clangela

Full Album

Enjoy!

[Ansamcw]

Great pictures as always Skatejoy! Thanks for sharing...

[bottlecap]

Sniff. I'm feeling a little melancholy this morning. After a month's time, you get used to it always being there, and forget it's only temporary. So, with a bit of a heavy heart, it time to say goodbye to........ Mr. August, Tux in the Grass. The pain is somewhat lessened the appearance of Mr. September, Blue Shirt on the Rocks.

What, you thought I was feeling bad about the end on the Jukebox Tour? I've loved it, but there is so much Clack to sort through, I don't really feel like it will be over until it's time for the Christmas tour. I'm now looking forward to the appearance of the montages and the "Best of" lists for JBT. Who knows, I may even start watching TV again in the evenings. I have sadly neglected some plane crash survivors stranded on a mystery island....

If anyone's going to the last show in Atlantic City tonight, give Clay a few EEEEEE's from me!

[Ansamcw]

I hear ya bottlecap...I know I will miss all the cellstream...but frankly Clay left a huge pile of Clack for us to go through. I have lots to get through for the FCA concert pages.

I don;t think it will be a quiet fall really...There is the AMC appearance and I have a feeling we might get a new single out before the year is over...Hoping so anyway. Then the christmas pin season will start followed by JNT2...

Its good to get a bit of a breather before the next deluge...I predict 2006 will be a huge year for Clay...

[Couch Tomato]

Just a quick note to say last night's concert was my favorite Clay concert ever... his voice was awesome as always but his personality was really on display. One more concert tonight... and then it will be over. I'm not really sad about it...it was such a wonderful gift. I do hope he does this kind of show again....there are SO many songs to choose from and he could conceivably do a completely different show next time around...but first, the album and a tour in support of that. I love love love Tears Run Dry and Back for More so I truly hope these songs make the album. I also love 1000 days...lyrics smyrics! heee

[Ansamcw]

Clay's Unicef Page

This was updated recently and there is a slideshow narrated by Clay about the plight of Children in Uganda. Some very heart wrenching images. It seems very trivial considering the nature of this issue...but he looks gorgeous and so serious in these photos.

I'm so glad he has a chance to do something for these children.