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

[Ansamcw]

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

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

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

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

That's why this place is so comfortable.

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

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

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

[Guest Toots]

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

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

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

[cindilu2]

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

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

Issues with his teeth??? Somebody could watch/listen to that performance, and be thinking about his teeth? Alllllrighty then!

(ETA: for the record, I think that his teeth are fabulous, and the dentist responsible for this work is a genius. I would give *my* eye teeth (literally) to have her do mine.)

[JennaZ]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Couch Tomato. Sounds like a wonderful night.

[keepingfaith]

Issues with his teeth??? Somebody could watch/listen to that performance, and be thinking about his teeth? Alllllrighty then!

Cindilu, you often make me laugh at loud -- and you've done it again. I love your attitude.

I wonder why she comes to these things but now I know it's to hold Jesse's camera/phone.

You too, Toots!

[Ansamcw]

EEEEEEEEEEE couchie is back!!!

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

[keepingfaith]

EEEEEEEEEEE couchie is back!!!

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

Dammit, I'm at the office and attempting to work up 2008-09 budgets for three departments. Do I want to do this today? Short answer .... f-u-u-u-u-u-u-ck no.

[saltwaterdog]

There's a YouTube up of Clay skating --

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Rz8xO5fPhJw

And now All Is Well is up at YouTube:

Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!

I hate downloading but I love You Tube. I heard they were up but :F_05BL17blowkiss: couldn't find these this morning.

[bottlecap]

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

[00lsee]

Just to clarify, I wasn't referring AT ALL to the IMO utterly inappropriate chatting and "I love yous"...that behavior falls under the category of bad manners/etiquette/yomamadidntraiseyouright, IMO. Inconsiderate concert behavior IS a problem with Clay fans, but I see the exact issues in just about any setting. Heck, the comings and goings and loud talking during a high school half-time performance bother me because I feel the band kids deserve attention and appreciation while they are on the field. And it really annoys me when parents chit-chat, barely clap. or are slow to give an appropriate standing ovation during their kids' concerts. And those are their own children they're ignoring! Yeah...these are the same people who would talk (loudly) during a sermon. heh

So, yes, I totally "get" the irritation at "performance rudeness" (both the noisy and the lackluster kind) and I agree.

As far as screaming, applauding, and standing, I try to take my cue from the venue and those around me. At an opera or more formal concert, or setting where I've been instructed to behave a certain way, of course I can control my enthusiasm. However, in a setting with no particular instruction, where audiences are expected to respond to the artist and to the show, then, in my opinion, having an audience NOT react to a spectacular note might be disappointing if the artist expects a reaction.

Actually, it might solve the whole audience issue to just have Clay sing only to me...heh *wink*

[cha cha trusty]

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?

Thanks bottle!!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I am continuing to gather clack and have posted most of what I've found so far on the same page:

CLAY AT VEGAS SKATING SHOW

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

:party038:

[Ansamcw]

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

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

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

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

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

[Ansamcw]

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

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

[bottlecap]

So I may have just watched the WAYDNE clip at my desk - unofficially of course - and it sure looks to me like Sasha hands Clay a pair of black skates. And yet he glides out wearing a pair of brown ones. What's up with that? And just who, pray tell, was backstage doing up his laces?

:20:

[Couch Tomato]

OK just caught up..I thought everything from the audience was this organic thing. Hell, even the suits in front of me (one was a producer of the event) was applauding Clay and not his skaters during AIW. It's an awesome song and well it was the first time I'd seen it. On the other hand it was very apparant that this was a Clay crowd and throughout the night people were reacting to what he did more so than the skaters. I don't think it was an overwhelming thing though. But I figure they can fix all that in editing if they want to...pump up the applause or tone it down. They are professionals so I'm not concerned about it. They did ask us to make a lot of noise.

I did look behind me at one point when Clay was not singing....a musical interlude or something...and I swear I looked and I saw nothing but binocs trained in Clay's direction. I thought that was funny.

ETA: who actually watches these things..how much Clay will we actually see?

And it was so much fun putting FCA names to faces!

Back to work.

[KAndre]

I see where you and Ansa are coming from, 00lsee (after all these years, I still say "Ooooo I seeeee" in my head when I type that), but I tend toward kf's take, I don't mind spontaneous shrieking at the end of the glory notes, but am bothered by the anticipatory shrieking at the beginning, middle and end - and that's in person as well as on recordings. Hell, there have been live performances I have been to that I can't tell whether he makes or not. I dunno. For me, Merrillville was such an exception to the rule...I know he's going to hit the big/glory/knock yer socks off notes, and I wanna hear it/them in it's entirity! I expect brutal arm punching from the eHP in their excitement during his singing...such abuse is par for the course...no...actually it's gotten to the point of being almost de rigeur. But I want to hear his live change ups.

[luckiest1]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I got to see Clay skate! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Yesterday was so great. The party was amazing - best one I've ever been to. So well organized for 300 people. I heard tell that Clay stuck his head in the room when they were setting up, and Jaymes came in to look around. She grabbed a few of the tote bags that they had done up for the party and had Clay sign them. One was raffled off. I think it's so cool that he knew how huge the party was. We had 2 FCA tables, it was wonderful. I tried on Clay's shirt from the BAF gala thanks to smartypantssuz.

The show was awesome - as a skating fan it was just a mix made in heaven, for me. So many of those skaters I have followed for years, I felt like I was in a dream at some points. Shae Lynn Bourne all over Clay Aiken? OMFG. I just about died. I've met her, talked to her, shaken her hand, she's Canadian. EEEEEEEEEEEE! And Philippe skating to Sleigh Ride CMSU, it really did. Todd doing AIW was funny, just because it's very typical Todd style, although he's never been one of my favourites. We were all standing for Clay's last note, long before Todd stopped skating. I wonder if he thought we were cheering for him? My daughter said Clay was laughing when he turned around, but I honestly couldn't see his facial expressions, our seats were in 12th row and I should have brought binoculars but I forgot. BUt we had a wonderful view of the stage and of the skaters, so I was thrilled. Just being there was thrilling. And when he came out at the end on skates, I just about fell over dead. I was jumping up and down screaming my head off. He waved to our section when he came around the ice. He was so fantastic last night. I can't wait to see the clack. I'm sure there must be some, no one was being harassed about cameras that I saw.

So we are heading home this morning, but by the time we get home with the time difference it will be 11:00 pm or so, so I doubt I'll get much work done tomorrow, I'll be trying to catch up on the boards!

*waves to all the peeps I met in LV*

I promise to scan and post the insanely funny picture of my daughter and I riding the Manhattan Express roller coaster when I get home. As long as Gibby & Fearof H2O post theirs.

*waves especially to couchie, who must be asleep at her desk by now* She is insane, in a good way.

[Guest Toots]

EEEEEEEEEEE couchie is back!!!

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

Keep it up, we've missed you!

So I may have just watched the WAYDNE clip at my desk - unofficially of course - and it sure looks to me like Sasha hands Clay a pair of black skates. And yet he glides out wearing a pair of brown ones. What's up with that? And just who, pray tell, was backstage doing up his laces?

:20:

Yeah, what's up with that? I noticed the same thing, black to brown! Did Jaymes scurry backstage to do the laces and where was Mary? I'm sure they have professional lacer's...now that would be a good job because he would be sitting while you were lacing and you could just sneak a quick peek upward and

couchie, don't fall asleep at work now....I would not function with 2 hours but you are still on a Clay high so no problem there.

When do we get to see the pictures of our sisters?

[Ansamcw]

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

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

[Ansamcw]

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

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

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

[atinal]

I love the end of Spot's AIW video when Todd extends his arm to show appreciation for Clay's performance. Because the ovation is so long Todd seems to play off of that. Someone upthread said that AIW was right up Todd's alley to skate to is right, I've seen him skate to a couple of Bocelli numbers. These types of songs are very well suited to his skating.

Ansa, I've always enjoyed Kurt Browning too. One of my all time favorite routines he did was "Singing in the Rain."

I'm really looking forward to the airing of this show. I love figure skating and with my all time favorite singer providing most of the musical background I'll be in hog heaven.

[keepingfaith]

I want to post something personal because I'm so excited about this I don't know what to do -- and all the people I've tried to call are out of pocket. So here it is: My son in the military was told to expect orders this fall to Iraq or Afghanistan -- that one or the other, or both, was a sure thing, per regulations. Period. End of message. I remember telling lightmyfire and Clayzorback that I couldn't even deal with the thought of it. I was against this crazy foreign policy/war/insanity before it started. I've now heard from the kids and there were orders floating around for a three year posting with very specific requirements and my son is the only fit -- so OMG he has orders to the Atlantic coast of Georgia for three years instead of deploying in and out of Afghanistan and the Green Zone in Baghdad. Am I dreaming? God, I hope not because I didn't realize how uptight I was about this until the pressure turned off and now I am walking on air. I am elated. This is a miracle. No really. This has to be divine intervention here. This is un-freaking-believable. Much better to teach at the federal law enforcement center, huh? God, this is great. I'm going to celebrate. With a margarita!

[Couch Tomato]

:F_05BL17blowkiss: Wow. I'm happy for you. And I'll just say if it were my son, I'd prefer he was somewhere in the states teaching. Thank you so much for sharing with us. What a load off!!!

[merryclay]

Guys, Thanks so much for the recaps.

keeping faith- what wonderful news. I'm very happy for you.

I love skating, singing and flirting Clay. He was so good.

[Ansamcw]

Oh Keepingfaith I am so happy for you...that is indeed a blessing...and a huge burden off your chest.

thanks for sharing!!!!