#13 The Aiken Experience. There's nothing else like it.

[rcknrllmom]

Well...it took me a long time to catch up on the posts....I'm sorry I missed out on a lot of fun on the board...the avie war...the top of the page excitement...the recaps of Kandre and Couchie...and the pictures posted by scarlett!!!! lots of great and funny posts...

I totally missed that when I was off the net..yikes.

rcknrllmom... I was thinking of you during our trip. I was wondering how we can get in touch...you were not posting so I didn;t think you were on line. I wanted to meet you and your talented daughter. Its too bad you didn;t come and say hi at the Mexican restaurant...I sure didn;t see any other Clay fans there. Well next time we have to make firm plans. I was so happy to meet other FCAers like Totally, Jamar, Clayzedover, AAIT and other people from CH that recognized my name.

This was one trip I will never forget and I hope we can have another chance to do it again...maybe in the East coast so we can get a bigger group of FCAers.

To all the recent celebrants...Belated...

:bday2:

can you see I am behind????? yup just reading this.....

we were over in the corner at the restaurant......we really should have made firm plans...and next time I will listen to those voices in my head.......lol....dont know WHY I figured it was FCA people, just had a feeling....

[rcknrllmom]

Okay, so everyone thinks that this pic is hawt, but no one has actually posted it? For shame!! It needs to be up front, center and posted nice and BIG for everyone to admire. It's YUMMMY!!! And very inspiring. It inspires all kinds of naughty thoughts.

We have a cleaning service at our house once a month, and today's the day. I let my two daughters keep their rooms as messy as they want, but when the cleaning service comes, their rooms have to be picked up so they can be cleaned. My older daughter got her room picked up, but my youngest? She just turned 13, and thinks she knows so much more than Mom & Dad about everything. Her room is about half picked up, and that's good enough, you know? Sigh. I need Muski to come and make her finish the job. Oh, well. I guess that's what doors are for - to keep closed so I don't have to look at the mess!

that needs to be posted a LOT....hottest thing I ever saw........is it my desktop.....yup....

[muskifest]

Personally, I find the part in bold very intriguing.

I can understand why he'd choose not to disclose anything in development. Not a good idea, for a multitude of reasons. However, he does seem to have something percolating, something he seems excited about, which does send my speculative mind racing...

Indeed, JennaZ :F_05BL17blowkiss: , indeed.

I saw someone elsewhere conjecturing, too and I liked what she had to suggest---a summer variety show.

hee! Can you imagine the bloodbath to get tickets to THAT?

OOOH OOOH! I know! He can do a traveling variety show! Have special guests in a different city each time! Do some solos, duets....a little skit here and there....some improvisational conversation...maybe something to engage audience members....more singing....lots of skin....tongue....pokey chest hairs....

oh...sorry...my mind took a detour there....heh.

[keepingfaith]

And it continues to amaze me to hear of how that AI5 Finale appearance seems to have really reeled 'em in!

Yep. AI5 reeled me in. I had seen zero Clay Aiken concerts before AI5, and I'm doing six this summer -- first three and last three. Yep. Man walked on the stage that night and something extraordinary happened -- and it's still happening for me.

I'll never forget the first time I visited the boards ... right after that show ... and read that many of his devout fans weren't so blown away. That totally baffled me. Like ... Whaaaaaaaaaat?????????? Are you kidding? I still don't understand it.

[JennaZ]

I saw someone elsewhere conjecturing, too and I liked what she had to suggest---a summer variety show.

OOOH OOOH! I know! He can do a traveling variety show! Have special guests in a different city each time! Do some solos, duets....a little skit here and there....some improvisational conversation...maybe something to engage audience members....more singing....lots of skin....tongue....pokey chest hairs....

LOL! I love the idea. Who knows? Maybe there was a high level network executive at one of his concerts who may have gotten some ideas...

I'll never forget the first time I visited the boards ... right after that show ... and read that many of his devout fans weren't so blown away. That totally baffled me. Like ... Whaaaaaaaaaat?????????? Are you kidding? I still don't understand it.

I know what you mean. I read of people who went to bed CRYING because they were so angry at what they saw. WTF? It was an impressive moment, but some let their expectations and feelings cloud their judgement.

[Couch Tomato]

I know what you mean. I read of people who went to bed CRYING because they were so angry at what they saw. WTF? It was an impressive moment, but some let their expectations and feelings cloud their judgement.

I think the intense internet fans, of which I am one, can't just watch Clay objectively. We bring a lot of other stuff in with us like... the idol hate, the how will this be received by everyone else, the feeling that everything must be perfect and a lot more. I loved it and recognized it as a great TV moment. Anyway, this is why I giggled when the Knoxville reviewer said we give Clay a pass on everything - in WHAT universe. There's nobody harder on Clay than his fans.

ETA: Although I think "mandate" and "ultimatum" has become an answer for everything others don't like about Clay. I guess for me, although I would have preferred an album of orginals, I don't feel the need to defend them. Nor do I ignore the other questions because surely Clive didn't sit down and force him to do the two medleys which are cheesy good fun. I don't think he was so boxed in by covers that these were his only option. He loves them and he's said the tv medley is his favorite.

[jamar1700]

some let their expectations and feelings cloud their judgement.

Oh you don't say?

Story of this fandom IMO.

Really really agree on the Cary show too. I'm always uncomfortable when fans project their feelings onto Clay.

So no concert tonight? *pouts*

I'm torn. Not much of a clack watcher. Really. So I'm trying to decide if I want to watch the few things I feel I need to see now or wait until a later time when things aren't so bountiful. Decisions decisions.

[Ansamcw]

And it continues to amaze me to hear of how that AI5 Finale appearance seems to have really reeled 'em in!

Yep. AI5 reeled me in. I had seen zero Clay Aiken concerts before AI5, and I'm doing six this summer -- first three and last three. Yep. Man walked on the stage that night and something extraordinary happened -- and it's still happening for me.

I'll never forget the first time I visited the boards ... right after that show ... and read that many of his devout fans weren't so blown away. That totally baffled me. Like ... Whaaaaaaaaaat?????????? Are you kidding? I still don't understand it.

That moment was really huge...cos even my daughters were coming to me all worried cos their friends were swooning about clay all of a sudden. He really got a lot of people's attention and if they could've come out with music that matched how he looked at the time...I bet he would've gotten some big hit. But it was not meant to be. What that whole situation tells me is he really has the potential to be a mainstream pop star if he so chooses. But as he said...it takes the right songs.

[keepingfaith]

I've watched a lot of tour clack, but certainly not all by any means, and none of Asheville and Knoxville. After this tour ends there will be lots of time to watch every bit of all that clack, not to mention the montages and Best Ofs that will be done.

A summer variety show sounds sublime. Some of the biggest shows in TV history started as summer replacements, from Smothers Brothers to American Idol. Maybe Clay is devising a completely fresh format combining performance, skits and chat, along with audience Q&As such as Carol Burnett did at the beginning of her shows -- something that would showcase his versatility and quick wit. A "Cher" type show for the 21st century. I think Americans are hungry for real entertainment, and fewer "reality" shows. The old variety shows died because they were done to death with the same guests on all the shows and stale writing. Enough time has passed that these kinds of shows should be fertile ground, and Clay is so spontaneous and real that he can do it to it.

Edited August 14, 2007 by keepingfaith

[Claygasm]

can you see I am behind????? yup just reading this.....

we were over in the corner at the restaurant......we really should have made firm plans...and next time I will listen to those voices in my head.......lol....dont know WHY I figured it was FCA people, just had a feeling....

You were there??? Damn. I don't think I even remember seeing anyone else there! Guess I was just thinking of the margarita that was waiting for me!

Summer variey show? Makes me shiver. All I can think about is A Clay Aiken Christmas....

[JennaZ]

I think Clay has learned a lot since "A Clay Aiken Christmas." Even his Christmas concerts are less like that than they used to be.

If his show were like his concerts, with a lot of comedic interplay, I can imagine him pulling this off.

[Couch Tomato]

Don't shiver Claygasm..I didn't particularly care fo ACAC..but that doesn't mean he shouldn't try again. I think the problem with it was his personality wasn't in full force and I think he's learned how important that is. He has it in him and I want to see him go for it and I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt based on his last two concert tours. Something unscripted and off the cuff would be wonderful. I think he would excel at it.

And yep the little mexican place was so big that I can't even picture where rocknrollmom was sitting. they had this big space in the middle..looked like a dance floor.

ETA: I still think I'd like to see more of that talk show type thing.... I love his brain.

[keepingfaith]

That moment was really huge...cos even my daughters were coming to me all worried cos their friends were swooning about clay all of a sudden. He really got a lot of people's attention and if they could've come out with music that matched how he looked at the time...I bet he would've gotten some big hit. But it was not meant to be. What that whole situation tells me is he really has the potential to be a mainstream pop star if he so chooses. But as he said...it takes the right songs.

No doubt about it. But I'll go you one better, more than just a "pop star," that whole situation informed me that Clay was an American heart throb, singer or no singer; he was just damned hot. Women across the country were blind-sided over Clay that night before he ever opened his mouth to sing. The mantra of the night was "THAT's Clay Aiken? OMG!" At my workplace the next day, women were talking about whether he'd had "work" done because he had morphed into a sex god from the too skinny, spikey-haired, nerdy guy they remembered. In one fell swoop he was a MAN!

I loved Clay Aiken on AI2, but not because I found him attractive or sexy. I thought he was adorable, but mostly I thought his voice was a national treasure. I cheered him on from my sofa week after week because he was a true undiscovered mega-talent who could so easily slip into obscurity if I didn't vote my fingers off every Tuesday night. I'm still thankful for the Wild Card thing. For me, American Idol is Season 2 and the Season 5 Finale. The AI show has never interested me in and of itself, and the only thing that could "reel me in" to that show is Clay. He defines American Idol, and without him that show is nothing to me. I don't hate it or love it or give a crap about it; it's just nuthin' without Clay.

Okay, now I get it. I'm "schmoopie" about that AI5 finale.

[Claygasm]

Ok, I'll give him another chance - but if he turns up on his summer variety show in a lime green sweater, I am out of here!

In all seriousness, I know he has the personality and the talent and the charisma. I think the key to a good variety type show is the format and its been a very long time since there has been a veriety type show with a good format. They have bordered on the cheesy or have just been down right boring. If this comes to pass, however they frame it, it MUST showcase Clay's personality, charm, sense of humor, quick wit and his singing talent. In other words, stick him up on a stage with an adoring audience, Angela and Quiana and let him fly!

The other thing to consider is when his next CD may be released. Let's say it would be scheduled for fall 2008 (and IMO I think this is early). If he did have a summer variety type show I would think he would want to project whatever kind of image he wants the album to project.

Hey, maybe his next CD will be a comedy album! Do they even have those anymore? I loved my Bill Cosby albums and my Smothers Brothers albums!

But, maybe the project in development isn't a suummer variety show. What else? A talk show? Hosting some kind of show like a competition show? Aren't the summer Olympics next year? Maybe he's involved in that somehow (other than competing of course.....). Or maybe it has nothing to do with TV. Could it be a movie? Maybe he's voicing a character or even acting.

The possibilities are endless - as is his talent!

[Couch Tomato]

Okay, now I get it. I'm "schmoopie" about that AI5 finale.

hee By George...and all that jazz!

[luckiest1]

I'm home! Did ya miss me?

I've read a lot of things about how "brave" he must have been at Cary. Honestly, I suspect fans placed far more meaning into the situation than he did. To assume that he must have been affected by the presence of youknowwho is to attribute to the gnat far more influence than he deserves.

Total WORD. I've heard all sorts of statements about things he did or said in Cary and how they obviously relate to gnats, and while people are, of course, entitled to their opinions, I just don't share them.

OK, I'm going to attempt to write a semi-coherent Knoxville recap now, while my cat insists on laying across half of my keyboard. Any typos can be blamed on him.

Knoxville recap....aka going out in STYLE!

We dragged our asses out of the Crowne Plaze in Asheville at 11 am on the dot...check out time! Decided that since we'd missed breakfast, which ended at 10, we'd give the swanky Biltmore McDonalds a second shot. This is seriously the most upscale McDonalds I have ever seen. There is a baby grand piano in the corner, and it played us such artists as Coldplay, Toto and Elton John. Bizarre. There was also a large fireplace with a tapestry hanging above it, which we got pictures of. So we had a nice, nutricious breakfast and then drove across the street and into the Biltmore grounds, where we once again had to give our tickets out the car window, park (in lot B this time) and take a shuttle bus to the Biltmore estate. We headed straight to the gift shops where we encountered many of the same faces as the night before. I saw a woman wearing a DCAT shirt and hugged her....thankfully she turned out to be someone I actually know from FCA (cha cha trusty) so I didn't make a total fool of myself! We browsed through toy shoppes and Christmas shoppes and candy shoppes, where we eventually bought a few postcards and a cool bottle of water with the Biltmore picture on the inside. We went into the house and got our audio tour packages, which consisted of a little electronic doo-hickey that hung around your neck, and a pair of headphones. I lasted about 30 seconds listening to some woman telling me the history of the house before I took the headphones off and asked my daughter just to give me the highlights of every room. The house is gorgeous, if you like that sort of thing. It reminded me a lot of Casa Loma here in Ontario. But it was hot and humid and packed with a million, zillion Clay fans who were guided through a maze of ropes and arrows up four floors and eventually down into the basement before we were allowed to escape. One thing I can say is that the views from almost every room of the house (even the servants' quarters) were spectacular!

We eventually boarded the shuttle bus to head back to our car, but for some reason when we followed the exit signs we weren't taken on the same route as we were the night before (which was pretty direct, but still a few miles). This time we were taken on a twisty, turny, windy, scenic route of most of the hundreds of acres of estate land, before we caught sight of the golden arches again. We pulled into the Mickey Dee's parking lot long enough to kidnap cindilu2, hit Starbuck's across the street for sustenance and a pee, and hit the road to Knoxville. Two hour later we pulled into the undergroud garage for the Knoxville Hilton and lugged our shit up to the 17th floor, where, with disneykid's pull, we'd managed to score an executive suite for much less than the usual rate. With a breathtaking view of the the city, and private access to the executive lounge on the 18th floor, we were finally stylin'! :medium-smiley-070:

We changed and decided to walk to dinner and the venue, which was only a couple of blocks away. We asked for recommendations at the front desk and were told about a Brewery and Grille near the Tennessee Theatre, so we headed on over, to find it the most hoppin' place around. Of course, it was full of Clay fans. Our waitress, Sheena, immediately asked if we were going to the concert, and tried her hardest to make us believe that she'd love to attend, except she really had to work. She was a riot, but we weren't really buying it. So we had one of the best meals we'd had in a long while, including $2 drinks, and desert, and headed out to the venue around 7:20 pm.

We were suprised that they still seemed to be doing a brisk business at the box office when the show was listed as a sell out. Perhaps they were just picking up tickets at will call? In any case, there was a gorgeous poster of Clay in the lobby, probably 10 feet tall, that many people were posing under. There were signs on the door stating that absolutely no cameras of any kind would be allowed inside the venue, and yet person after person got their picture taken with that thing (with flash to boot!) and I didn't see anyone being stopped. We made our way to row G, centre, which were incredible seats. Don't Scarlett, Solo and eventually merrieeee file in directly behind us, and accuse us of stalking them? Uh, yeah, who's stalking who? Scarlett again tried to get me to take her camera and I again reminded her that the clack would definitely be skipping around if I tried to tape while simultaneously jumping up and down and screaming. I'm sorry, it's just who I am. To my credit, I offered to switch seats with her, but she switched seats with someone else when an amazon sat in front of her. I watched her off and on through the show, and I have to say again how much I admire her in action. She definitely sacrifices so much of her concert experience for the greater good. Standing O for all clackgatherers!

So, I mentioned before that we had a young guy in front of us. I put him at around 20 but apparently he was 18 since he stood up when Clay asked for all the 18 year old males to stand. He was with a girl about the same age, and an older woman as well. Unfortunately he was a good 6 feet tall, so it was ok when he was sitting (since the seats were staggered) but when he stood up he presented a bit of an obstacle. Still, any 18 year old guy who stands and applauds at a Clay concert is ok in my books, so we didn't worry too much about it. I got a real kick out of watching his reactions. He and his girl friend would turn to each other at certain point with looks of astonishment at something Clay did or sang or said, so it was obvious to me that they'd never seen this particular show before.

Ok, what do I remember about the concert? Clay was right in front of me, and these were the best seats I'd had since I stole that seat in Sterling Heights for the second half of the show. But these were really mine and I'd got them fair and square in the presale. It was wonderful not to be dodging heads. The acoustics in the venue were amazing, and it was air conditioned. Clay came out and sang the first few songs, then talked a bit about how he had a feeling that this was going to be a good show, and how nice it was to be indoors for a change. I remember laughing my ass off when Jerome hunched himself over and ran past us in the aisle between pit and front row to gently remove a woman standing at stage left (our right) with a rose. I remember singing a part of the Brady Bunch theme song to him again which seems to tickle him, but he used those hand signals he perfected on some TV show to silence us, and they worked. He was just in great spirits. I don't remember what was first half and what was second half. He told the story about the pecan cookies and Quiana and the Secret book that Oprah talks about, and how he'd taught "her" a lesson by pretending to go to the hospital for 3 hours, but he really didn't. Poor Quiana. I remember him razzing her about her "spanx" which meant girdle, and telling her to go offstage to fix it because she said she couldn't breathe. I remember him talking in the middle of RHW because the girls started us clapping and he said he didn't think it was a clapping song, which made us clap all the harder. I remember him asking for the house lights to go up and no one doing it and him making jokes about how long it was gonna take, and Ethel shining her flashlight for him until they did. He was amazed at how many men there were in the audience, and in particular how many young guys. I remember that when Quiana sang her song at the end of the first half, Clay sat over with Angela, and was motioning for the spotlight guy to take the spotlight off of him and put it on Quiana! And then he reacted with is body motions to Quiana's singing, and clapped at certain parts, and then when Quiana sang the words about lying alone in the big empty bed with thoughts of you going around in my head, Clay mouthed or sang the words to those lines only, then winked and smiled at Angela. During intermission, I tried to tell this to Solo and Scarlett but they both looked at me like maybe I wasn't quite all there and said that I only wished it was so. But I swear to God, he did. My daughter told me she saw it too. Now, I am not a shipper, I'm not saying that, but it was sweet and cute and I hope someone caught it on the clack. It's probably just some kind of an inside joke between the two of them.

Second half.....he sang the shit out of a bunch of songs, and I was in 7th heaven because I could see his whole body this time and not just shoulders up. During TWYMMF, he jumped down off the stage into the audience, and he came up the aisle to the right of us, so he was probably 10 - 15 seats over, but since everyone was standing we could only see him when he was right at the end of our aisle. He crouched down and sang to the little girl sitting in the aisle seat on row G. She had Down's Syndrome. It was so sweet. Again, I hope there's clack. I have no idea how he got back up on stage, because I think I read somewhere that there didn't seem to be any stairs or anything. I think I saw a flash of white (boxers or skin, who knows?) but again, I hope there's clack. Hee, are you sensing a theme? I NEED CLACK OF THIS AMAZING SHOW!!!!! He tried to do the whole "I.....am......not cool" thing as intro to the classics but this annoying woman just wouldn't STFU and he was getting kinda frustrated with her. Eventually, every time she started shouting something, Quiana would make these noises to cover her voice up so that Clay could try to concentrate on keeping a straight face and continue with the banter. It took awhile but he managed to do it. The classics were classic, he camped up Sexy Back to whole new levels, and Angela whipping him was the icing on the cake. He strutted off the stage in a perfect imitation of some cool dude, complete with the two finger kiss. Angela blew the roof off with Listen. Clay did a gorgeous version of LAA, then it was time for BYLM again, far too soon. The evening just flew by, and I hardly seemed as though the concert had even begun. I wasn't sure if many people would have brought glow sticks to this venue, especially since at one point he'd asked for people to cheer if they were from the Knoxville area, and it sounded as though the majority of them were. (KAndre you can just scroll through this part to keep your blood pressure down. ) But never fear, during his speech about supporting the arts you could hear the snap, snap of glowsticks everywhere being cracked, and they were out in full force again. There was a great cheer during "through the lies you were the truth" and then Clay did the final intros, and signed "thank you" to us on his way off the stage.

I was sad to see the end of our final concert on this tour, but so happy to have been lucky enough to attend all 7 of them. Plus, already having Christmas tickets in my possession makes me feel a whole lot better about a 3 month break (not to mention Las Vegas!) so I didn't cry this time around. We decided to skip the busline and head straight back to the hotel, so we could call it an early night, and be in a semi-coherent state to begin our 12 hour journey home the next morning. Which we were, after eating our fancy schmancy executive breakfast with our own private concierge, up on the 18th floor. Hee, we heard a rumour that Clay had stayed there the night before, but I have no idea if that was true.

So we hit the road around 8:15 am and, with a couple of stops to eat and pee, and no delay whatsoever at the border (seriously, this woman didn't care who we were or where we'd been) we pulled into the driveway here about 11 and a half hours later. cindilu2 and I spent some time watching some awesome Asheville clack in the back seat, which was great! So now I am off to queue up what I hope are hundreds of videos, before I head to bed because tomorrow I have to go back to real life. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Edited to fix all the typos and spelling mistakes that my cat made me make. Damn cats!

Edited August 14, 2007 by lickiest1

[Gibby]

It's sooooooo refreshing to be among like-minded fans. I love it here at FCA!! Elsewhere I feel weird when I don't immediately jump on the bandwagon of 'he's so brave to go in front of that scum and give such a great concert,' or 'Clay really really is a rocker - Clive just won't let him rock.'

And now, I find that many here liked the AI5 finale? YAY!! I loved it. I didn't love the hair, but I thought it was great that the color and style of the hair were COMPLETELY different than Sandecki's. That was the point - Clay wasn't the person everyone thought he was. He was totally different, and BETTER.

I still have the video of the AI5 finale on my treo (cell phone/mp3 player/video player/PDA). I take my treo to the gym, and watch Clay videos when I'm on the elliptical machine. The video of the AI5 finale never fails to put a smile on my face. I love it. It was such a FU to AI, and it was amazing that Clay managed to surprise EVERYONE with his appearance. And he totally blew everyone away with his voice. It was like he came on AI and said, 'Now this, people, is how you sing.'

[Couch Tomato]

But, maybe the project in development isn't a suummer variety show. What else? A talk show? Hosting some kind of show like a competition show? Aren't the summer Olympics next year? Maybe he's involved in that somehow (other than competing of course.....). Or maybe it has nothing to do with TV. Could it be a movie? Maybe he's voicing a character or even acting.

The possibilities are endless - as is his talent!

what do you mean, other than competing...... Clay would be fabulous at <put your sport here minus water sportt, minus anything involving feet, what does that leave? archery?>

Of course saying his own show is reaching big..and that's nice but then if it's a guest appearance on say Jericho, will that be a let down? There are a million cable channels..if he can't have his own show on one of the networks..what about something on VH1 or Bravo or Wifetime LOL. Or a million other channels. Hosting a west wing marathon. Hosting a game show...damn he could have been good on that lyrics show LOL... the possibilities ARE endless.

Oh, Idol the Musical has closed. Im shocked I tell you -- SHOCKED.

Damn, Licky...I am amazed. I got halfway through my LA recap today heee. And still may not finish until tomorrow and god knows when I will finish Indio. And aren't I the one with the journalism degree? This should be easy!

[Claygasm]

It's sooooooo refreshing to be among like-minded fans. I love it here at FCA!! Elsewhere I feel weird when I don't immediately jump on the bandwagon of 'he's so brave to go in front of that scum and give such a great concert,' or 'Clay really really is a rocker - Clive just won't let him rock.'

And now, I find that many here liked the AI5 finale? YAY!! I loved it. I didn't love the hair, but I thought it was great that the color and style of the hair were COMPLETELY different than Sandecki's. That was the point - Clay wasn't the person everyone thought he was. He was totally different, and BETTER.

I still have the video of the AI5 finale on my treo (cell phone/mp3 player/video player/PDA). I take my treo to the gym, and watch Clay videos when I'm on the elliptical machine. The video of the AI5 finale never fails to put a smile on my face. I love it. It was such a FU to AI, and it was amazing that Clay managed to surprise EVERYONE with his appearance. And he totally blew everyone away with his voice. It was like he came on AI and said, 'Now this, people, is how you sing.'

WORD on loving FCA!

However, only has time made me like the AI5 finale. Being the shallow person I am, I kind of hated the hair so it colored the whole thing for me. A few of you were on the same board as I was at the time and you may remember that try as I might - and I did try - I just couldn't make myself like the hair!!!! I couldn't get past it either.

I told you I was shallow.

But in retrospect, I now can look past the hair - well, almost.... - and enjoy his swagger and his attitude and how he looked no more than that Sandecki dude than I do. I can even appreciate the voice. I swear, I didn't even notice the singing at the time! I still wonder how many watching that night were impressed by the voice. I still think most just thought Sandecki's reaction was hilarious and that Clay had HUGE feet (ok, maybe that is just me - but his feet looked especially big that night!). Whatever, Clay was a big part of THE watercooler moment of that finale and that can't help but be a good thing.

[Claygasm]

Some pretties from toni7babe for your viewing pleasure......

[Ansamcw]

Those pictures are gorgreous...what concert are they from???

oh an great recap licky...its so embarrassing that I only have one recap so far and the NC, knoxville recaps are coming earlier...hee

[playbiller]

HI, I am live, just really behind on everything - seems like I insulted my sister and she now wants me to do the Ashville recap - although we disagree with each other and just about every other person who was there. Both of us thought Clay sounded fine. I thought the speakers were cranked up too loud and there was some speaker squawks, she thought the speakers were fine.

About Cary, all I have to say is that if Clay was praying for anything in Cary it was to survive that heat - the man danced so much, and it was so hot not under the lights, it must have been a million degrees on stage!!!!

[Claygasm]

Those pictures are gorgreous...what concert are they from???

I was so excited when I saw them I forgot to notice but from the sweat I would say Cary!

[ldyjocelyn]

From WRAL:

WRAL photos from Cary

My favorite:

Thanks for the link jmh! It seems that the professional photographers are doing a pretty darn good job this tour capturing him. For a while there, it seemed only the fans could do it. Heh.

The most adorable, lovable, huggable almost devilish creature that melts my heart .

thread title?

So....why isn't this in the thread title suggestion thread yet? I would think that as an ADMIN you would know to do that... :eusa_whistle:

Oh, and BTW? Clay's pimp walk and finger kiss to the audience was absolute PERFECTION!

OMG! This I have GOT to see!!!

The one I've seen so far is 070810_Cary_Banter_Imcool_toni7babe. It's pretty funny. He does "gangsta" darn good.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE for merrieeeeeeee and "the stars alligned" concert. I'm so glad it happened for you. And lickiest1 and friends -- EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE for you as well. I'm glad your home safe and sound, and had a fantastic time.

The last few days epitomized, to me, what this fandom is all about. The weekend was spent with the bestest travelling buds, old (though not in years) friends, new friends, lots of Board buds and I cannot wait to do it again. We fell in love all over again with a wonderful man who can sing like there is no tomorrow...yeah it's the voice again. We laughed, smutted, sang ( no we are not that good now you ask*g*) , got no sleep and generally did act like we were 12 years old!

Man, is this so true. Here's to good friends, tonight is kind of special....with Clay Aiken singing to you, what else could you ask for?

I think the intense internet fans, of which I am one, can't just watch Clay objectively. We bring a lot of other stuff in with us like... the idol hate, the how will this be received by everyone else, the feeling that everything must be perfect and a lot more. I loved it and recognized it as a great TV moment. Anyway, this is why I giggled when the Knoxville reviewer said we give Clay a pass on everything - in WHAT universe. There's nobody harder on Clay than his fans.

Amen, Sister couchie!

ETA: Although I think "mandate" and "ultimatum" has become an answer for everything others don't like about Clay. I guess for me, although I would have preferred an album of orginals, I don't feel the need to defend them. Nor do I ignore the other questions because surely Clive didn't sit down and force him to do the two medleys which are cheesy good fun. I don't think he was so boxed in by covers that these were his only option. He loves them and he's said the tv medley is his favorite.

Preach it, sister couchie! But then, I think you're mostly preaching to the choir here. I've just always had this feeling that Clay loves stuff that is considered "uncool," "cheesy," what have you. And that's OK with me.

A summer variety show sounds sublime. Some of the biggest shows in TV history started as summer replacements, from Smothers Brothers to American Idol. Maybe Clay is devising a completely fresh format combining performance, skits and chat, along with audience Q&As such as Carol Burnett did at the beginning of her shows -- something that would showcase his versatility and quick wit. A "Cher" type show for the 21st century. I think Americans are hungry for real entertainment, and fewer "reality" shows. The old variety shows died because they were done to death with the same guests on all the shows and stale writing. Enough time has passed that these kinds of shows should be fertile ground, and Clay is so spontaneous and real that he can do it to it.

My twin!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEE! They say that "everything that goes around, comes around." It may be time for that format to come back, and I can see Clay Aiken leading the charge.

Don't shiver Claygasm..I didn't particularly care fo ACAC..but that doesn't mean he shouldn't try again. I think the problem with it was his personality wasn't in full force and I think he's learned how important that is. He has it in him and I want to see him go for it and I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt based on his last two concert tours. Something unscripted and off the cuff would be wonderful. I think he would excel at it.

Yes, that's it! First of all, you gotta remember that I liked much of ACAC -- and my mother thought it was "off the chain." (My words, not hers...) I think though that a few years of experience under his belt has given him some more insight on what works and what doesn't for him personally as an entertainer. If nothing else, his shows lately have proven to me that when he finds something that makes people laugh, he'll refine it; it something doesn't, it gets dropped the next show. The only problem I see of giving him unscripted stuff is that the show would be 5 hours long, because the man can TALK. (I'd also probably have to have closed captioning on, because he also talks FAST!)

But, maybe the project in development isn't a suummer variety show. What else? A talk show? Hosting some kind of show like a competition show? Aren't the summer Olympics next year? Maybe he's involved in that somehow (other than competing of course.....). Or maybe it has nothing to do with TV. Could it be a movie? Maybe he's voicing a character or even acting.

The possibilities are endless - as is his talent!

I was thinking about this tonight. Didn't he say something early on in the tour (after it was discovered that he shaved his arms and legs) that there would be some sort of announcement, probably toward the end of the tour? For some reason, these unnamed projects lead me back to the shaving and the spray tan and such.

Anyway....I'm just looking forward to it, whatever it is. I'm just way too easy for the man. (That Knoxville reviewer would just LOVE me....)

And now, I find that many here liked the AI5 finale? YAY!! I loved it. I didn't love the hair, but I thought it was great that the color and style of the hair were COMPLETELY different than Sandecki's. That was the point - Clay wasn't the person everyone thought he was. He was totally different, and BETTER.

That's pretty much my take too. Was thrown by the hair for a bit, but the difference between him and Sandecki was so marked, that it soooooooo totally worked.

Man, I need to watch that clip again....

'night all.

[muskifest]

Ah, Gibby! Another one bites the FCA dust! :F_05BL17blowkiss: Yeppers, dis iz dah place!

AI5? I was also among the shallow who was appalled at the hair---both the style and the color! But. He blew the roof off the place and his singing was just icing on the FU cake! After the previous crappola that had beseiged the man, his titanium balls clanked melodiously when he strutted...

STRUTTED!, I tell you!

onto that stage to shock and awe every single body in that theater and home tuned in from afar. His stride, his expression, his....

coool

the reaction from Sandecki, then Clay's smile and THEN the voice....that VOX that topped off the climactic buildup....gawd.

It's true...after all the WOW factor of his BEING (and those honkin' humongous feet), he nailed us all and Those-Who-Loved-To-Denigrate-Him (yep, Harry Potter) with the simple superiority of the VOX.

Case closed. The end. So yeah...I can understand why someone not already enmeshed in his every breath and wardrobe change might have been totally floored that night.

THAT'S Clay AIken? Yep....makes sense to me....

I get to see him again...soon. :Tour3: :TourExcite: