#20: Clay is just so frickin' cute! Cute, cute, cute!

[bottlecap]

Because Farouche uploaded some fabo pix from tonight!

HERE THEY ARE!!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Thanks so much for this cha cha! So nice to have all the pictures in one place.

I didn't get to do any downloading before I left the house this morning, so I just snagged the Clay skating video at work. (Sssshhh! Don't tell!) Clay was so frickin' CUTE in that clip even though he didn't sing, I think it will tide me over until I get home. It made me giggle that a man that we know can impressively skate and sing at the same time pretended that he couldn't so he could be dragged around on the ice by a couple of beautiful women last night. He's a sly one, that guy!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! Think he sold a few more CITH tickets last night?

[keepingfaith]

The look he gives Sasha when she brings the skates should be patented as the "kill me now" look! 'Cause I'd die right there.

[ldyjocelyn]

It's always so nice to wake up to fresh hot clack along with my morning coffee....

Wow, did he sound good. Awesomely good. AIW is such a good vocal showcase for him, and he takes full advantage of it.

As far as looking good -- I'd say he was Cute (with a capital C), although I have to admit that when his bangs "split" on the middle of his forehead (as it looked to me during the first half of the show), I certainly want to comb his bangs straight down. They got better during the last half of the show. (And that's the last you'll hear me talk about the hair....for a little bit at least....) The suit was gorgeous, and I love that burgundy shirt/tie combination. (I think the monochrome look is a classy one.) And I love it that he's still pair a fantastic suit with striped socks.

Clay skating was so cute. He looked like he was holding on to Sasha and Surya for dear life. Lucky beyotches. Anyway, that's a neat way to end the show. I'm thinking that they usually have a commentator voice over when they show the final broadcast, and I bet they'll play up to the hilt Clay being on skates. Said commentator usually doesn't talk during the performances (thank God), but they make mention before and after each song on who is performing, and during the last number, they give the "credits." That's the way I'm remembering these at least.

Ansa, I love you, but I'm with muski and kf in that I don't think "spontaneous combustion" during a song is called for every single time he hits a great note. Sure, there are going to be times when he seems to especially knock it out of the park, and then it's justified. But there are going to be days when he's fantastic, and the audience (including nju) know it, but still won't be wildly enthusiastic. Doesn't mean that they don't totally love it, though. I think for me, it partially comes from being an amateur musician -- when I'm playing, I want people to hear the entirety of the song, and wild applause during the middle of it might mean the audience might miss even MORE spectactular work. I guess for me I'd rather have Clay get 15 minutes of applause AFTER the song is over than clapping during the song. But, different strokes too. I know that.

And with that, I'm off to a workshop all day, and won't be around again until late afternoon. Wah. Have fun today guys!

[keepingfaith]

To paraphrase Robert Duvall's character Col. Kilgore -- I love the smell of fresh Clack in the morning! It smells like heaven.

[Bookwhore]

The look he gives Sasha when she brings the skates should be patented as the "kill me now" look! 'Cause I'd die right there.

And where might one find that 'look'? If one neeeded to see it? A friend of mine needs wants to know.

Whew...sex Clack first thing in the morning is so energizing!

:F_05BL17blowkiss: Y'all have a great day. I can start my day with a grin on my face now.

[ldyjocelyn]

The look he gives Sasha when she brings the skates should be patented as the "kill me now" look! 'Cause I'd die right there.

OMG yes. THAT's MY CUTE BOYFRIEND!!!!

So....how old is Sasha? Shall we start the Clasha right now, right here?

bookwhore, here's the CU link to spot's WAYDNYE. Check out the last 30 seconds or so....

[keepingfaith]

So....how old is Sasha? Shall we start the Clasha right now, right here?

The Clasha! She's 23. And he looks at her like this ...

[duckyvee]

Clack

Cuter than cute!

[Ansamcw]

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...

[muskifest]

O

Well....that's a good morning to me, that is.

Just watched Thankful's AIW...that cute guy can sing, huh?

Wow. I'm SOOOOOOOOOO glad he sang that song and that people watching television will be able to see and hear him do it. We lucky ones at the holiday concerts last year can now ooooh and ahhhhhh with many of those who will undoubtedly fall under the Aiken Spell. Even the most vehement "Aiken's 15 minutes of glory" proponents will be totally...

damn, he's fine.

[keepingfaith]

I agree wholeheartedly about spontaneous reactions. I just don't happen to think that there's anything spontaneous anymore about fan reaction to the AIW glory note. At Merrillville -- absolutely. That was fabulous. At Holiday on Ice -- for me a distraction. If I paid my money to be at a show and the person beside me started screaming at the onset of a glory note, any one of them, I might just react to THAT instead.

And I'm not so sure Clay wouldn't feel the same about it. You don't cheer an orchestra at the climax of a Beethoven symphony -- you bravo and standing o at the end, and let it go on as long as necessary. The screams for the AIW glory note should never be hasty and borderline obligatory, because it will dilute the emotion of the moment. Clay is an artist, not a dancing bear.

JMO, as always.

[bottlecap]

What?!! Clay's not dancing bare? Rips up CITH tickets.

Oh, wait... dancing bear... Never mind.

Scotchtape - I need Scotchtape!

[keepingfaith]

What?!! Clay's not dancing bare? Rips up CITH tickets.

Oh, wait... dancing bear... Never mind.

Now Clay dancing bare would elicit more than spontaneous screaming -- I think there would be spontaneous combustion on my part. But that's a visual I can entertain and entertain and entertain.

[Guest Toots]

I agree wholeheartedly about spontaneous reactions. I just don't happen to think that there's anything spontaneous anymore about fan reaction to the AIW glory note. At Merrillville -- absolutely. That was fabulous. At Holiday on Ice -- for me a distraction. If I paid my money to be at a show and the person beside me started screaming at the onset of a glory note, any one of them, I might just react to THAT instead.

And I'm not so sure Clay wouldn't feel the same about it. You don't cheer an orchestra at the climax of a Beethoven symphony -- you bravo and standing o at the end, and let it go on as long as necessary. The screams for the AIW glory note should never be hasty and borderline obligatory, because it will dilute the emotion of the moment. Clay is an artist, not a dancing bear.

JMO, as always.

Exactly...well said kf. The same applies to the opera where glory notes are the standard and the bravos only occur when the singer is finished singing the beautiful chill inducing notes. The artist should not be interrupted. Maybe a little respect would be called for when paying $$$ to hear a performance of any kind because you're entitled to hear all of the performance. Sometimes the fans forget they aren't the only ones trying to get what they paid for...

Off to gather the clack!

[cindilu2]

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

P.S.... everything Clay makes me do is, errr, spontaneous.

[soulsista4clay]

awwww.

[Ansamcw]

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.

[bottlecap]

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?

[Ansamcw]

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.

[00lsee]

keepingfaith wrote:

The screams for the AIW glory note should never be hasty and borderline obligatory, because it will dilute the emotion of the moment.

Here's my take: To me, the screams for the AIW glory note are because of the emotion of the moment. While I would love to hear Clay really finish that whole song without audience screams and applause, I really don't expect that in a live performance, unless the audience is coached ahead of time by the producers (or maybe hogtied and gagged. heh). I have to say that I felt a scream welling in my throat and felt the urge to leap out of my chair when he nailed that note...and I was just watching a fuzzy video clip at home. For me, there was nothing obligatory or unspontaneous about a response that had been building and building for the whole song...that ecstatic reaction was a completely involuntary expression of pride, excitement, love, and joy. Felt pretty good, even sitting here by myself. I'm sorry it bothers you, though. Everyone has different peeves. (waves)

Ansamcw wrote:

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.

That's how I see it, too. In fact, I think he positively thrives on that energy.

Thank you so much, clack people. I need you and I'm grateful.

As I watched and listened, I thought I heard something...(no, not the ignominious squawk of "I love you, Clay" during a television taping, although, regrettably, I heard that, too)...No, I thought I heard the sound of people breathing, drinking coffee, sleeping, eating, working...people as yet unaware of their fate. I thought I heard the sound of countless unsuspecting people living their ordinary lives...before this show airs...before they see him and hear him and fall headlong into love with the extraordinary Clay Aiken.

Resistance is futile.

Words fail me. How does he do it? Clay Aiken is just....GAH!

waggles eyebrows at Karma4Clay...jump in, baybee!

[jmh123]

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...

[Ansamcw]

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...

[Guest Toots]

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.

[keepingfaith]

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

If she had been a Tara Lipinski jumper, she'd be the all time greatest IMO. Her agility and flexibility on ice are spectacular. So, she "enjoyed" Clay, huh? Join the club, Sasha dahling.

[Couch Tomato]

I'm home...uh, well I'm at work. I've had 2 hours sleep but I can do it. heee. That was ridiculously fun. And where did my cute cute boyfriend go. Who replaced him with hawt Xmas song singing man. I like him too. Since you're watching clack you know everything. This was my second best seat ever so I just watched my boyfriend ...and just tried to clap when eveyrbody else was clapping for the skaters. Couldn't help it. heee..Just feel like I'll see more of them on Xmas day. Anyway, I'm not one that pays attention to all Clay's friends and peeps...well except the backup singer portion of the posse... so 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.

Anyway, I had a blast meeting everybody from FCA. I did not hear my phone ring at all in that loud casino. I'm so sorry PK that I stupidly didn't have my phone on vibrate and in my pocket. So sorry that we missed you.

Oh, Clay sounded great. He really did some fun changeups and I'm looking forward to Minneapolis!

Toots..I haven't read much..but I kinda agree with the I love yous...sometimes it's nice but then sometimes it's overkill. The show was about the skaters even more so than Clay and so some respect if due there as well. Clay knows we love him after all this time. Just sometimes it gets to feel like a dare or a competition. Also, I ran into my friend Salud and we chatted. And she brought family to this thing that had never seen Clay and when Clay was not on the people behind them chatted like they were at a picnic. They had to ask them to keep it down. But to me that's a common courtesy that no one should have to request. Period!

I have pictures. If you don't want your picture posted in the thread where membership is required (and I know that doesn't make things secret) just let me know.

And to the lurkers that came up to me that said you lurked and enjoyed...HEY. I'm glad you're there. And I know because my best Clay friend is a first class lurker, that some people just like to lurk. Feel free to drop me a line every now and then though or to say hi. But even if you don't..I'll see you at the next event!