#58: The man is made of awesome!

[cindilu2]

I would love it if Clay switched in a full version of a power ballad like More than a Feeling or Alone for either Mandy or When I See You Smile. He sings the ever-loving crap out of both those snippets, and either one would raise the energy level of the set.

Dream On, I guess.

Hmmm, Dream On would be a lovely addition, too

You know, I forgot that he sang WISYS. I've been telling people he only had one full song (Mandy). Who knows - he added SSTBTHW to DCAT part way through the tour *waves to playbiller* so you nevah know!

[luckiest1]

Hee cindilu2

[bottlecap]

I wrote down that Clay sang Still The One in Asheville. That's right, isn't it? Did he sing it last night, and am I already in a Clay-fog?

I'm afraid Clay really would have to get kicked in the crotch to sing the high screamy parts of Dream On, and Parker may need a sibling some day, so I vote "No" on that one.

I miss KAndre recaps - so nice to see a new one.

[cindilu2]

I wrote down that Clay sang Still The One in Asheville. That's right, isn't it? Did he sing it last nice, and am I already in a Clay-fog?

I'm afraid Clay really would have to get kicked in the crotch to sing the high screamy parts of Dream On, and Parker may need a sibling some day, so I vote "No" on that one.

Hee - did you ever hear him sing The Girl Is Mine???

And for sure he sang STO in Asheville. I didn't hear it last night but maybe it was during the black out while they switched callers?

Oy. I just read a long, detailed post on OFC itemizing all the things that are wrong with this tour and why it is so disappointing. I swear to god, I will never really understand (some parts of) this fandom.

ETA: I know there are things we'd all like to see - I personally wouldn't have chosen Mandy for the solo, but mostly I'm just glad to see him having such a great time again. We'll get full on concert Clay again in a few months by the sounds of things. This tour is about fun and friendship and it's amazing to see him so loose on stage.

[cindilu2]

I'm alllllllllll alone in the concert thread.

[liney23]

KAndre... YAY!!! for KAndre recap! Love your recaps! Keep it up, FCA sistah!

cindi... I so agree with you! OFC has always been so critical of almost everything Clay does, tho, so he should be used to it. The only thing I don't like about this tour is his hair and I'll live thru it. LOL As usual, they are griping before giving Clay a chance to tighten it up and make any changes... which you know he will. If he's having fun, I'm having fun! What else matters? Idgits!

[jmh123]

Clay sang full versions of Suspicious Minds, Mandy, Still the One, When I See You Smile, and maybe one more or I am dreaming it.

ETA: Re OFC critics, my buzz is unharshable.

[cindilu2]

Clay sang full versions of Suspicious Minds, Mandy, Still the One, When I See You Smile, and maybe one more or I am dreaming it.

ETA: Re OFC critics, my buzz is unharshable.

You go, girl!

It's so funny - somehow I blocked out those other songs as 'solos' - maybe it's the ballad thing.

[cindilu2]

KAndre... YAY!!! for KAndre recap! Love your recaps! Keep it up, FCA sistah!

cindi... I so agree with you! OFC has always been so critical of almost everything Clay does, tho, so he should be used to it. The only thing I don't like about this tour is his hair and I'll live thru it. LOL As usual, they are griping before giving Clay a chance to tighten it up and make any changes... which you know he will. If he's having fun, I'm having fun! What else matters? Idgits!

The thing is, I don't know what everybody else thought but when I heard 'Timeless Tour' and saw the posters, and heard Clay's description of 'classic songs of the past' and took TnT and Ruben's last cd into consideration, I was expecting a mellow, ballad heavy, somewhat more formal show. What we're getting is JBT2 with a lot more laughter and camraderie thrown in. They both look like they really are having the time of their lives. And Clay is freaking well DANCING!11!1!!!!!1!! How can I be disappointed with that?

[jmh123]

Clay sang full versions of Suspicious Minds, Mandy, Still the One, When I See You Smile, and maybe one more or I am dreaming it.

ETA: Re OFC critics, my buzz is unharshable.

You go, girl!

It's so funny - somehow I blocked out those other songs as 'solos' - maybe it's the ballad thing.

He sings the lead on End of the Road too, which is longer than a short medley clip if not a full song exactly, until Ruben takes it over for 30 seconds or so. Let's call it 1/2 a full song as boy band lead.

[treenuts]

Oy. I just read a long, detailed post on OFC itemizing all the things that are wrong with this tour and why it is so disappointing. I swear to god, I will never really understand (some parts of) this fandom.

The pissin' and moanin' is beginning to wear on me already. Hell, THE MAN IS TOURING AGAIN!!! <---- This is suppose to be "a good thing"...no? WTF?!

In all honesty I'm not sure some of these people would be happy if they didn't have something to continuously criticize.

JMO of course

[cindilu2]

Not for nothing, but that post? Gone.

Heheh.

[keepingfaith]

Sometimes I wonder …….. why I ever get off this board at all since I avoid whiny, entitled people like the plague in RL. I could be a Clay fan all on my own without the aggravation of reading the complaining posts that always bring me down. Why do I do it?

The business with Scarlett last night was out of control. Clack gatherers are breaking the law and they take a risk to do it. It’s a felony. That's why every fan doesn't pull out a camcorder at these events -- because only a few are willing to go there with the risk. And I think people jumped to conclusions as to why she didn't take her "purse" with her. Didn't everyone watch the Ft. Myers clack and see her "purse" that night? It seems rational to me that she chose NOT to take her bag with her when security called her out, and not necessarily that she was prevented from taking it. Anyway, that's the way I see it. People get pulled out of shows and warned from time to time and then allowed to go back in, but there's no guarantee of that, and it can't be expected. Again, it's breaking the law, whether Clay minds it or not. Some venues are going to crack down because they have security that likes to feel powerful, or because the venue demands it of their security, and you can't fight that, but you have to be aware of the risk if you play that game. You can look through past tour files and see that some venues have tons of clack, and others almost none. JNAT in 2006 has almost nothing from Detroit, because the security was heavy I presume. There's just no right to clack, and none should be presumed. And Clay should absolutely NOT be brought into things like this.

As to Clay's set list -- he'll sing what he wants to sing and I think he's made that clear. A lot of people, me included, didn't go the JBT and I look forward to hearing him sing Mandy and Suspicious Minds. He's made it crystal clear that he's a fan of Barry Manilow. Any song you can name will be liked by some and hated by others. I really don't like Alone because I never particularly liked Heart after Magic Man. I hope people can adjust to not getting what they want all the time. I've had a lifetime of training in that regard, and the Stones wrote a classic song about just that thing. I don't believe this tour is structured to showcase Clay's voice anyway. He'll do that in February and March for his big solo tour when there will be many more NJUs in attendance. I don’t think he wants to step on that tour with this one.

And has anyone ever considered that Clay is singing the solos he’s chosen for special reasons? Mandy, for instance, didn’t he have a roommate named Amanda that he was very close to? Maybe that was her favorite song and he sings it for her. “You came and you gave without taking, and I sent you away” … and I remember When I See You Smile was dedicated to Kristy on ATDW. So maybe he’s singing these songs to acknowledge a couple of relationships that have been important to him. As to Suspicious Minds, I’m not going there, but I can speculate.

Yeah, I'm kind of pissed. It happens now and then to me when people start trying to run Clay's business. He can do what he wants and I love him.

[Carolina Clay]

Preacher bit...too long...time for a break.

I'm pretty sure this is one of those moments that just doesn't translate to cellcerts, or even to Clack. The audience sure seems to be enjoying it.

This one does seem longer than the last two though.

I tend to agree with you, Cindy. I received a call from Sally just as this afternoon's cellstream was starting. She wanted to tell me how much she and her son enjoyed video of the preacher segment. They were both rolling on the floor.

Sorry I missed the concert thread today. I listened though while working on a blog, which I uploaded about an hour ago: Carolina On My Mind.

It has the P&F info/links, many Jax photos, and Lucia's M&G recap edited down a little. Thnx for your visits/comments. I can't keep this daily stuff up; the new week starts tomorrow, and I'll go back to my three-day routine.

Hope we hear more form Scarlett soon. Have a great week, all!

Caro

[ldyjocelyn]

I really don't like Alone because I never particularly liked Heart after Magic Man.

Thank you Jesus, a kindred spirit in keepingfaith! I've always felt kind of alone (ha) in my dislike of that song. *does Snoopy Happy Dance knowing there's someone else!

Mandy was a song from my junior high. The album I played over and over again that 8th grade year was Barry Manilow Live! So I'm pleased as punch I get to hear that again.

I understand the disappointment that "we're" not getting as many new songs, but as treenuts so succinctly put it:

Hell, THE MAN IS TOURING AGAIN!!!

I have to agree with people, though, that are expressing a desire to hear more of "More Than a Feeling." Wowza does he sing the shiznit out of that.

See, that's what I love about the man, He can sing practically anything, from standards to Broadway to pop to rock, and do it well. Now, he seems to choose what people call cheezy, but I don't care. I've always loved my music smothered in Cheeze Whiz.

[ldyjocelyn]

Photos from jacksonville.com

Not sure if I can capture any of them though...

[ldyjocelyn]

CLAY BLOGGED!

Well, that was nice of him. Thanks for the names of the rest of the musicians! And his vacation sounds wonderful -- I think I want to go there now. Hee.

If nothing else, it sounds like I could say "I slept in Clay Aiken's bed."

[cindilu2]

That was a nice blog - glad to hear from him. He's proud of the show they put together - that's all I need to know.

Heheh, maybe he's rewritten history changed his mind about Mexican food.

[keepingfaith]

He must have blogged immediately after the show. Two connections ... I mentioned on some post that I thought Quiana may have had a hand in getting Casey Thompson, which seemed logical to me .... and my kids are in the Yucatan right now, with Merida and the Mayan ruins among their destinations -- which is why I'm taking care of these three DOGS!!

[bottlecap]

PFFFFTTTBB! Alone kicks Mandy's sorry whiny ass.

[ldyjocelyn]

PFFFFTTTBB! Alone kicks Mandy's sorry whiny ass.

Are you looking for a fight? As in "Eye of the Tiger" fight?

Mandy rulz! Hee.

OK, just from his blog, I think the bass player is Alvin Garrett, who was in Ruben's Just a Few Cats.

[keepingfaith]

PFFFFTTTBB! Alone kicks Mandy's sorry whiny ass.

Bring It On Home and Just One Look kick all asses. I LOVE Sam Cooke. In my dream world Clay would sing full versions of both. The one I could do without the most: Achy Breaky Heart. Okay, now I've put in a discouraging word. Are you happy?

[cindilu2]

I am just curious about this and mean no disrespect to Ruben at all, but do you think these are the biggest concert crowds he's played to in a while? I truly haven't followed him very closely but the things I've read here and there on the boards over the years always seemed to imply he didn't do so well in concert. Truth or FanFiction? If true it really must feel great for him (and also makes me happy that they are experiencing it together). I heard merrieeee say (on the CH cellcert) that the venue today was pretty full on the floor and about half on the balcony. Not bad for a Sunday afternoon!

[keepingfaith]

I am just curious about this and mean no disrespect to Ruben at all, but do you think these are the biggest concert crowds he's played to in a while?

In a word, yes. I remember when Clay was trying to encourage fans to go see Ruben at the NC fair about three years ago, and a lot of fans went because they knew Clay would be there. Of course, he played the David Foster shows which are well attended, and the Ain't Misbehavin' show, but to headline a concert, yeah I think these are big crowds for Rube.

[treenuts]

I have to agree with people, though, that are expressing a desire to hear more of "More Than a Feeling." Wowza does he sing the shiznit out of that.

Yep! I must admit thus far I have rewatched the clack of "More Than A Feeling" and "End of the Road" just *a few times.

* translated = nuuuuuumerous