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#52: "He doesn't need the spotlight. He just glows."


jmh123

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48 members have voted

  1. 1. What should be the next thread title for FCA?

    • I am so grateful for a board that is celebrating The Clay!
      3
    • We have no idea in hell what Clay is up to. We hope he's happy.
      9
    • God, I love that man. He rocks my socks.
      23
    • He's made a changed woman out of me!
      2
    • Clay Aiken - Better than burnt weinies!
      11


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Since we are in a dry spell and I'm bored, I thought I'd ask a question about Clay as a performer. My son and I were discussing Clay in relation to other performers like MJ, and I said that even though Clay is not as big as MJ (not talking smut here people, focus), partially due to Clay taking more control of his life than MJ, and the fact that Clay can't dance like MJ, that Clay is every bit of the performer that MJ or any of the other big stars are. How's that for a run-on sentence? Since my son does not understand Clay's appeal, partly because I do, he was arguing with me about that. Something that he does frequently because he's 24 and a guy so he thinks he knows everything.

So what is your guys' experience? How do you think Clay compares to other performers? I don't actually have any first hand experience since I never went to a concert before Clay, but I have read many posts on the boards about Clay being one of the best all around entertainers from people who have gone to many concerts.

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I've seen many many many people in concert - everyone from The Ramones to Barry Manilow (I actually saw The Brady Bunch in concert *insert blushing emoticon here*)

What Clay has that no other performer I have ever seen has is his rapport with the audience. I have never seen anyone interact the way that Clay does. He pays extremely close attention to the audience members and makes them part of the show. He's not just someone standing on stage, singing his songs and then getting the hell out.

He puts on an amazing show every night - not by using fancy flash pots, or lights, or half naked background dancers - but with his mind, his wit, his heart and that amazing voice.

Just my two cents (do I need to put IMHO and YMMV here???)

ETA: YAY!!! 20 POSTS!!!!

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I'm alive!

Caresses her modem passionately...

merrieeee, whaddaya mean it doesn't work like that? I did the exact same thing in Rome and figure I got a free pass from the Pope!

BTW, Peche Lambic is tasty.

KAndre... Yay! She's alive, too! :cryingwlaughter: KAndre and Clay reappearing in the same week! Kewl!

The new picture of Reed in Moscow brings to mind another bright blue shirt of clingy goodness...

th_Blueshirt.jpg th_Moscow1.jpg

tree... that blue shirt of clingy wonderfulness has always been one of my favorites! Wonder why he stopped wearing it after one concert. Dang!

On a more serious note.....:) ......here's a really excellent and interesting (but long) article re sourcing internet information that ALL of us should probably read and bookmark.

The Crap Filter

FromC... thanks for that article. L.O.N.G. but great!

Heheh, I have a slightly different 'shop of the I *heart* Toronto shirt pic.

thelegend.jpg

Hmmm, while searching my photobucket for that pic, I went to the last page first and found that this is the very last (thus,the oldest) pic in there and it remains to this day one of my most favorite ever. In fact it was my avi and wallpaper for at least the first two years of my fandom. Just something about the look in his eyes - so much character in them for one so young. I *heart* him.

Natural_Clay.jpg

cindi... :cryingwlaughter::cryingwlaughter: I love your second picture a lot, too!!!

JustClay... To me, there are several things that differentiate Clay from the average run-of-the-mill entertainers. One is his incredible ability to connect with and interact with his audience. Another is his ability to laugh at himself and gently laugh at the behavior of a portion of his fans. Then, there is the obvious contagiousness of his having so much fun up there. He never takes himself too seriously or the business he's in.

He is more versitile that most... he has an incredible gift of mimicry, shown wonderfully on the JBT and his initial performance of Keith's Like a Virgin in the SRHP tour. He also very generously shares the spotlight and gives credit/encouragement to others who are also entertaining with him.

Not sure it is fair to compare him to any other singer/group, as he is more than just a singer. Many of the biggest, like Madonna, simply put on a extravagent show. Clay involves the audience and makes them a part of the show.

I've only seen n'Sync in concert besides Clay and I enjoyed the shows tremendously. Their dancing and comedy were a lot of fun. However, if I had to choose between them, Clay would win hands down because of the emotional connection I have with him. I enjoyed n'Sync in their day... I LOVE Clay Aiken and his ain't over yet.

Or... what SueReu said... :cryingwlaughter:

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Since we are in a dry spell and I'm bored, I thought I'd ask a question about Clay as a performer. My son and I were discussing Clay in relation to other performers like MJ, and I said that even though Clay is not as big as MJ (not talking smut here people, focus), partially due to Clay taking more control of his life than MJ, and the fact that Clay can't dance like MJ, that Clay is every bit of the performer that MJ or any of the other big stars are. How's that for a run-on sentence? Since my son does not understand Clay's appeal, partly because I do, he was arguing with me about that. Something that he does frequently because he's 24 and a guy so he thinks he knows everything.

So what is your guys' experience? How do you think Clay compares to other performers? I don't actually have any first hand experience since I never went to a concert before Clay, but I have read many posts on the boards about Clay being one of the best all around entertainers from people who have gone to many concerts.

I've seen a LOT of people in concert over the years; for a few years I worked for a company that had a TicketBastard outlet and managed the department it was a part of...so we got tickets to anything we wanted, basically. I went to a lot of concerts at that point. Bryan Adams, Neil Diamond numerous times, Bette Midler, Corey Hart ( :lol: ), Tina Turner, Gordon Lightfoot many times, Anne Murray, Amanda Marshall, Neil Sedaka, Chicago...and many more I've relegated to the sands of time! As I love live music, I enjoyed most of them.

However....there wasn't a single, solitary one I seriously considered giving up my job to follow to the next stop. Just sayin' :whistling-1:

There were several I saw a few times...but not ever in the same tour or year. Didn't even think about it.

There were NONE I travelled anywhere but down the road to see. Certainly not to another country.

Do I need to tell you what I've done to see Clay live? no, I didn't think so, because many of you have done the same thing.

I don't really know what it is. Certainly the personal connection that liney mentioned. Certainly the quality of his amazing voice. Certainly the humor. Certainly the fun of joining others you know in an adventure. Definitely the sum of all of these things. But that still doesn't cover it

Maybe it's like he says....if we knew, we'd bottle it and sell it. It just is.

And I'm DYING to do it again!! :loveclaysbutt:

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Happy Canada Day! CanFlag2.gif

The new Carolina On My Mind blog celebrates this week's Canadian and US birthdays, as well as the 2007 Frisco Fest with graphics, a video, links, and recollections. The entry also features cindilu2's new July calendar. Thank you for your hits/comments that help us on the Google front. Hope you enjoy the memories, too. :hug:

YAY!!! 20 POSTS!!!!

Movin' on up! :cryingwlaughter:

I'm off to post the blog at the OFC. Back in a bit ... :Iluvclaysbutt:

Caro listen.gif

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Flove the blend, SueRue AND your new avi too!!

cindilu, THIS is my new favorite PS :tasty:

Well,right after this one :hysterical:

So what is your guys' experience? How do you think Clay compares to other performers? I don't actually have any first hand experience since I never went to a concert before Clay, but I have read many posts on the boards about Clay being one of the best all around entertainers from people who have gone to many concerts.

justclay, excellent question! I'm not sure there is one answer, just as others have said. But if I had to put it into one sentence I would say "it's like magic"!

He just hits the right note both musically and humorously. He is an improvisor like no other I've seen. He is so comfortable and quick and in command on that stage. Not to mention a hunk a hunk of adorable man/child/sexgod/prankster. Which altogether results in FUN!! He makes me smile like no other :cocktail:

The primary difference between he and MJ is that MJ could dance GREAT. Clay can't really dance much at all. MJ was a musical innovator, Clay is a vocal stylist and puts on a show in the old classic sense of the word. MJ has a lot of modern technical cool stuff and major choreography going on. Clay's shows are more of an old fashion kind of fun which is refreshing but not everybody's cuppa. But he has a great natural wit that MJ did not have. He is also a decent comedic actor which MJ was not. There. Clear as mud? :cryingwlaughter:

Happy Cananda Day

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I'm not a person who has gone to a ton of concerts. I only go see people I really want to see - people that I love. So all my experiences have been fantastic. I've seen folks like Earth Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson, Patti Labelle, Elton John, Kenny Loggins, Boys II Men, Luther Vandross and I loved them all. I don't require that they entertain me in a certain way -- and they all did it their way. With Luther I was just blown away by the voice -- sheer perfection. He can't dance. He didn't banter. Had his set little jokes that didn't work and that was perfectly ok with me because the man cold just sing his ass off. With Clay I love his personality and the funny along with the voice. It's just always a fun experience for me.

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I know it's probably pretty hypocritical, but I hatessss when people 'shop Clay's head onto other bodies - and the better they are at it, the less I like it. I guess it's because enough lies have been printed/posted about him that end up being believed as 'truth', putting his head on other bodies is a slippery slope.

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I have to concur with those who mentioned Clay's rapport with the audience...I love Clay's bantering. Dug out a CD I made of the SRHP banter; it was such a fun walk down memory lane...he is so cute and funny!

ETA: Cindilu I agree with you about the photoshops.

Kim

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I love Clay's banter as much as his voice. The cd's I make have a song, then banter, then a song, then banter, etc. And everytime I listen to them, they put a smile on my face, and will remind me of another piece of clack that cracked me up. Like him putting Quiana on his lap because they wouldn't keep the spotlight on her, or him winking at Angela and pretending to make the moves on her when her family was there, or him chasing Angela with the ice cube during WDC.

And the voice is like no other. I love the distinctive voices like Bette Midler, Barbara Streisand, Elton John, and Elvis, but Clay has a tone to his voice that, for me, is absolutely perfect.

Couchie, I remember when Boys 2 Men first came out and I saw them singing acappello on Regis and Kathie Lee (I watched that show for years until Kelly went after Clay, haven't watched it since). I thought Boys 2 Men were amazing and they had a lot of songs that I liked. Loved Clay's version of EOTR better though. I'd love for him to sing more songs like that because that was one of the highlights for me during the JBT.

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I've spent some time looking through the Jamd site, and found so many pictures I didn't have in my collection. Here's some of the favorites I snagged:

He looked so fine at the Virgin Megastore!

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merrieeee, he doesn't look sick here, does he?:

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In this one he reminds me of someone. PARKER!

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This is just a cool picture all the way around!

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Clay had a particular style from the very beginning it seems ....

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Yeah, baybee!

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About Clay's voice, for me it's the variety of signature sounds in his voice. When he puts a move on a note it may be hushed or husky but it's ONLY Clay who has that tonal quality that makes me tingle. I like it.

I like it a lot.

2016526.jpg

Comparing Clay's concerts to other artists, that's kind of impossible for me. I only ever went to concerts that were classical, folk, rock or blues -- and a lot of them, but not pop. I'm trying to think if I ever went to a pop concert other than Clay. The only thing I can think of is Linda Ronstadt, but that was in the early 70's and she was pretty rock then, but I think she counts. So Clay Aiken and Linda Ronstadt would probably be it for pop shows -- and Linda never said a WORD.

Yep, I have Clay enshrined in a category up at the top all by himself. The ultimate all-around live musical experience with a natural entertainer who loves people and shows it. I'm ruined for others.

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I've been going to concerts for [censored] years. All kinds. NO ONE tops Clay in my book. He's so funny and sweet and sexy and cute.

Good butt too.

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Thanks to everyone visiting my O Canada blog!

Caro, your new blog is lovely, thanks for the memories :)

Cindilu, you're more inventive with Tee Shirt designs than I am, LOL.

I've often wondered how many Canadians are on the boards, I know there's a lot of us. I've only seen him once, for the JNT 05. He didn't really interact much with the audience, but he had me under his spell every minute. I swear I could see the glow around him. (The thread title here reminded me of that again).

Having only seen two other concerts, Engelbert H, & Zamphir, they weren't in the same ballpark as Clay at all!

I'm not a fan of photoshopping body parts, to me Clay is perfect with every bit of his own body!

I wanna see him again, it's been way too long.

AnimationScrpkymTampapeek.gif
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Nice pictures! Thanks as always, kf!!!

Clay Concerts? Where to begin... Like a box of chocolates. Like being in class with a really cute teacher. Like a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster without the alcohol. Like floating on air from giggles. Like having and maxing out an all-day-front-of-line combination pass to Universal/Disney/SeaWorld/BuschGardens. Like listening to angels with halos set at a jaunty angle. Like riding a dragon. Like, like nothing else in the world!

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Hmmm...a Clay concert experience versus other artists....I have to agree with Couchie. I've never gone to a lot of concerts but the ones I've been to were incredible in different ways. Clay does have more a direct connection with his audience than any other entertainer I've seen for the size of the venue (I've been to little jazz clubs where I swear I was on a date with the bass player)...MJ put on an extravaganza that was an event - the audience united in a way that's hard to describe - it was almost an out of body experience. Prince - oh man, Prince - he hit Houston on that tour where he said this was the last time he would do his old stuff and it was sublime. John Legend - eye candy and pretty singing. I honestly can't say Clay is the best concert experience I've had - but he is third behind Prince and MJ - and I've have better seats at Clay's concerts. The concert at Buttfuck, ND - Lord, I can't even remember the name of the city - was the pinnacle of my Clay concert - first concert of the tour so everything was fresh - perfect standing placement at the catwalk - a freakin' killer setlist - and I got to flirt with Clay AND Jacob. And then there was Atlantic City, nights 1 and 2 with the JBT - perfect in every way - including screaming at some heifer trying to make me sit down. And last, but not least, West Point - where I saw the heart of a performer (and Scarlett couldn't recognize Jerome).

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And last, but not least, West Point - where I saw the heart of a performer (and Scarlett couldn't recognize Jerome).
Oh man, I almost forgot about that. The heart he showed those few nights on the JNaT was amazing and unique! But what's the story behind the part I bolded? There's gotta be a story there! Tell?
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Nice pictures! Thanks as always, kf!!!

Clay Concerts? Where to begin... Like a box of chocolates. Like being in class with a really cute teacher. Like a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster without the alcohol. Like floating on air from giggles. Like having and maxing out an all-day-front-of-line combination pass to Universal/Disney/SeaWorld/BuschGardens. Like listening to angels with halos set at a jaunty angle. Like riding a dragon. Like, like nothing else in the world!

:hysterical:

"I'll have what she's having" - from "When Harry Met Sally"

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About Jerome -- no story there. I just have trouble remembering faces.

But at least I know the difference between West Point & Long Island....

ETA: *waves to jazzgirl* Try rendering Asheville clips while it's 104 outside! :Thud:

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Nice pictures! Thanks as always, kf!!!

Clay Concerts? Where to begin... Like a box of chocolates. Like being in class with a really cute teacher. Like a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster without the alcohol. Like floating on air from giggles. Like having and maxing out an all-day-front-of-line combination pass to Universal/Disney/SeaWorld/BuschGardens. Like listening to angels with halos set at a jaunty angle. Like riding a dragon. Like, like nothing else in the world!

Sheer poetry. :flirtysmile3:

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