Article: Aiken is Heavenly Christmas Angel

Concert Review: Aiken is heavenly Christmas angel
BY VERONICA STICKNEY
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

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COUNCIL BLUFFS - Clay Aiken's show at the Mid-America Center Friday night wasn't flawless.

Aiken, though, pretty much was.

Dressed in a dapper white suit, the crooner belted out an array of Christmas tunes - from a mixed-up version of "Jingle Bells" to lesser-known songs such as "Mary Did You Know?"

He was in Council Bluffs as part of his Joyful Noise 2005 tour.

It's the second time Aiken, who finished second on "American Idol" in 2003, has done a Christmas tour. This year's show was much better than last year's.

This time, Aiken acts as a Christmas angel of sorts, narrating the story of a boy and an elderly neighbor.

Scenes of the two, played by actors from Aiken's hometown of Raleigh, N.C., move the show along. The songs fit well with the moments the characters were having, and Aiken's voice on Friday never faltered.

Aiken was as much storyteller as he was singer, a role that some fans might have had a hard time accepting. He stayed in the background through much of the first act, singing and guiding the characters. Magically, Aiken could pause action with the wave of a hand or encourage a behavior with a look or gesture.

Throughout the first act, Aiken weaved songs such as "Merry Christmas With Love," "Sleigh Ride" and "The Christmas Waltz" with scenes of the neighbor and her husband years ago and of her teaching the boy to dance.

By the end of the 55-minute first act, the boy has helped the woman find her holiday cheer.

After a 25-minute intermission, Aiken performed a series of songs from a microphone near the back of the stage.

This was problematic for some with seats on the side of the arena. Billowing stage curtains often blocked the view of Aiken and gave wide open shots of backstage activities and props, such as a white box fan set up to blow smoke.

Many fans - more than 2,800 people attended in all - ended up moving to open seats near the back of the arena to get a clearer view of the stage.

Regardless of the view, though, Aiken's voice was beautiful.

His rendition of "O, Holy Night" was chilling, and the high note he reached in "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day" didn't disappoint either.

Overall, Aiken's Christmas show was a well-told, cleverly choreographed, heartwarming story just right for the holidays.

His voice was perfect, as usual, and his presence was, too. If anything, we could have seen more of the personality we've grown to love. He didn't speak to the audience until the end, and then we wanted more.