ClayManiacs

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Join us for tonight's cellcert from Poughkeepsie, NY!  Clay will appear with the HV Philharmonic.

Start times:

8:00 PM EST
7:00 PM CST
6:00 PM MST
5:00 PM PST

Poughkeepsie Maniacs :
Barbara(WilsonClaymate)
Marlene (mimi)
Marilyn + sister
Cindy (Claymaniac113078)

Woohoo...front row seat.  :thumb

Cindy (stilldreaming), Philly, IChris (Irene), and Butterclup are all going tonight too.  Is there anyone else attending tonight that hasn't been mentioned??

I wonder if Clay had ever even heard of Poughkeepsie before this tour. :giggle

Tsunamimommy says that they are packed in! "How many Claymates can you put in one aisle?"  

Away in a Manger (Angela)
(her vocals have really mellowed out)  

I'm so glad.

I wonder if she took some additional coaching.

Could be, SunnyD. She sounded really good.

Silent Night
Just beautiful ... I really love the little change-ups  

:wave Hey SunnyDancer and Meeeesa!

How about something purdy to gaze upon......

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Hey Ang!  :wave

I'll take him. Thanks!  :slick

Introductions  

I love all the cool backgrounds this tour.  I'm glad they aren't all black.  :thumb

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From Scruffy at CB:

Claystorm tried to give me a cellcert, but after straining to hear, I told her to forget it and not waste her minutes. I couldn't hear anything beyond a note here and there... darn.

She did say that the floor looked full- she couldn't see the balcony. One of the M and G ers wanted to tell Clay a story about how she had had an ankle injury that was directly related to her early fanship and he snarkily told her not to blame him because she was clumsy! :lmao

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Why, yes. Yes, he is.

Got any more? :slick

I said a walkin' in a winter wonderlaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand!

 :thud

Christmas Waltz

(http://www.clayversity.net/forums/style_emoticons/default/xmasdance.gif)(http://www.clayversity.net/forums/style_emoticons/default/xmasdance.gif)(http://www.clayversity.net/forums/style_emoticons/default/xmasdance.gif)(http://www.clayversity.net/forums/style_emoticons/default/xmasdance.gif)

Why yes Ms. SunnyPam...I do I do!  (sorry I'm watching The Grinch :lol )

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Reading the story about the lady that lost her son - comparing Mary's love for Jesus to the love she had for her son.  

Thank ya, Miss Clandy!

You go ahead and watch the Grinch. I'll just watch these pretties you've posted. :wink

Jemock said in CH chat that Allison Lawrence is reading one of the stories tonight.

I think this is her.  

Hey, is Allison a fanclub member?  :para  Interesting.  :slick

This is much cute than the grinch...IMO!   :roflmao

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v711/njrp4clay/NB%20CITH/NB15.jpg)

Dunno, but she sure is a big fan.


'Probably sings better, too. :wink

He was very funny about the middle schoolers, had bad acne, we can't have them on stage. "Mary Did You Know?" so beautiful, so tender. The orchestra and everybody is right on the edge of the stage. Clack is flowing freely, cameras all over, no flash, lots of pictures. Toni7babe has the whole first half, Jojo's here, she has everything, so lots of clack.

Wearing Long Coat. Looks very beautiful, no bangs, hair very soft looking.  

Is Jemock friends with Alison Lawrence?

No doubts there.  :bigsmile

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Whew . . . Sounds like the concert is going extremely well once again! :clap

It's hard to get used to such EARLY concert starting times . . .

Glad there will be lots of clack!

BTW ~  :wave

I don't know, SunnyD.

The CH certer says it was Allison.  :para 

I wish they'd make up their minds.  :roflmao

                                               :wave WATCHING A MOVIE RUNNING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN COMMERCIALS. :lol

Certer tried to speak to a fan about the M&G she had. The only thing she said was he was really down to earth. He was not stuck up and very appreciative of his fans. Somebody asked a question about a prank? He went into a very long story about the prank but we don't know what the prank was. So that's all we know for now.  

Ahh, I was wondering where you were, Glory!

What's the movie?

I have no idea, SunnyDancer.

:wave  Hi Glory and WiscBarb.

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His voice sounds fantastic tonight. It just gets better & better!   

I was listening to All Is Well from last night, and I really like most of it. But, the belt parts at the end, he just screamed some of those. You can hear his voice breaking at the start of the phrases. It concerned me.

Do we have any singers on this board?

 :wave

That's right! Sorry, Meesa. I forgot you sing. :blush

Have you heard him pushing his voice too hard in places?

That's okay. :wink

I think he is pushing too hard. The notes are difficult at several parts and it is hard on his voice to do that night after night.

IBHFC

                               YEAH SUNNY I SING AND I AM SORT OF A NURSE. :lol :lol MANY TALENTS.

                                         MOVIE ON LIFETIME VERY GOOD.

Well, tell him to back off a little, will ya?

If they're tough to do, he should be approaching them more gently--not trying to clobber them. :para

Glory, you're amazing! :lol

Ooops! I'm back. They just called off church for tomorrow. We're getting some very nasty weather tonight/tomorrow.

The Christmas Song/Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

I'll let him know.  :slick

Fourth Story

80 degree Christmas. Not New York I can assure you. Okay, Hawaii. With a frosty 60 degree Christmas. Something about nobody being able to remember the words to something. Sing songs...Silent Night, Rudoph.

Is Allison Lawrence reading this one? :wink

 :lmao

Sorry about the bad weather, MEESA!  On the bright side, you'll have even MORE TIME to burn DVD's! :bigsmile

Clay's voice ~ Right from the beginning, people have seemed concerned or surprised that he ends the concert with TWO songs that he "belts" and reaches for the big notes.  He does these two after he has already sung for at least an hour.  It almost seems like he is "challenging" himself.  

BUT - I'm not a singer or sort of a nurse . . . .  so my observations are kind of just that . . observations of a "concerned fan".  :blush

Very true, Barbara!  :clap :bigsmile

MGUCL

This song really sounds like something Clay would write. He sings it so well.  

                                         :lmao :lmao BARBRA I DON'T REALLY SING. :lol

                                          WONDER WHAT THE WEATHER IS IN KC WHERE MY SON IS MEESA.

I think he does like to challenge himself. Some of his encore selections have surprised me, and I've shaken my head, wondering why he would chose a song like Solitaire, or in this case, All is Well. But, he usually blows them out of the water.

I just don't want to see him blow his voice out. :para


:lol


Those count, too. :hugg

Meesa ~ do you have snow or ice?  We have ice/freezing rain going on here. 

SunnyDancer ~ you'll have to tell us what you think about All Is Well after Tuesday.  Maybe it will sound different live?  I was at one of the first concerts and I haven't listened to any others since then so I can't really give an expert opinion.  :wink

Oops, we need more purdy's I see...

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Glory - It is in the 20s with freezing rain in KC right now. Just like what we are getting according to the Weather Channel.

Introducing Angela and Quiana and Sean and Jessie and orchestra

Laughter...Clay joking about 'you with your cameras...ready....'

DSIAFCD

Freezing rain with light snow mixed in.

Boo for the rain and ice! :para

Yay for the purdies! :bouncy

Glory Note and Falsetto!  :thud Wonderful applause after Don't Save It All For Christmas Day!!!!! Screaming, cheering!!!  

 :wave

I can't believe the cell cert is still going on! We haven't been home long. I haven't mentioned it before, but I think Clay had problems with "All Is Well" in Wichita - it was a great concert, but I think his voiced cracked a couple of places during that song - I think it is a hard song to have as a last song in a concert.  Hit me - I  worry that he is trying to do too much all at once. But Clay with a few problems is lots better than anyone else in full voice.

Still screaming, cheering....

All Is Well  

And it was 82 degrees here today - thought I would have a heat stroke at the Christmas Parade.

At any point, did anyone mention the size of the crowd tonight??

CLANDY - I know because of the "camera police" in Waukegan, you didn't get many pictures - but the ones you got are awesome! :clap

GLORY - I didn't know if you were a singer . . . I only know you as a hugger! :lol

FRANKIE -  :wave  I think you've described our guy quite well!

Nails both Glory Notes. Crowd ... Wow!  

Barbara - They said it was pretty packed there tonight.

I take it the crows are going wild.

Barb - Lora had a post in the OCD today about the venue seiing tickets at a discount and about the venue not being full - I just cannot understand that. He has never been to Louisiana, and I am losing hope that he ever will. People do not know how lucky they are to have him actually come to where they live. We drove 24 hours (12 hours each way) to see him this tour.

EDIT!!!!! Lora's article may have been about tomorrow night's venue - I would have to go back and read it again.

12 hours in the car??

God bless ya!

Indeed!  :lmao :lmao  

And if Clay hit both Glory notes, who won the "challenge" of Clay vs. Clay's voice? :slick

Thanks Meesa for your updates. :hugg Great concert tonight.

Drove 14 hours each way last Christmas - 2 days before Christmas.  :bduh Yep, I'm crazy, but he is worth it!  :bouncy

                                    I AM SUPPOSED TO FLY OR DRIVE TO KC FOR CHRISTMAS. :soapbox

                                        AND I LOVE HUGS AND ALL OF YOU. :hugg :hugg

Clay unbottoned his jacket, put his hand in his pants pocket during DSIAFCD, then rolled his eyes.

 :slick Thanks, Clay.

The glory notes aren't what concerns me, though. If he gets enough breath, he can lock into those easily enough.

It's the little breaks I heard before them that I don't want to lead to vocal problems. :para

Glory - I just have a husband who hates to fly - especially during holidays.  I love to fly, and I love to not be stuck in a car for hours - just do whichever makes you happy!

Meesa - thanks for all of your hard work  :hugg I will read the first pages tomorrow - I have a 4 year old to get to bed!

Good Night, everyone!  :ghug

He so knows the BLPT gals are there. :lol

Glory - That's a few more weeks from now. We haven't had a white Christmas in several years, so you should be okay. Usually it's in the 50s at least on Christmas Day.

I can only imagine what he might have been thinking during that eye-roll. :lol

Well, the stream died. I'm going to head off and burn some DVDs. See you all tomorrow night.  :wave

Thanks, Meesa. :bigsmile

SUNNY - I know what you are referring to . .   It bothers me that Clay has often mentioned that he doesn't do any vocal exercises or warm-up before he sings.   :para   Hopefully, he will do what he needs to do protect that voice.

Thanks Meesa for the reports.

WiscBarb ~ thanks muchly! :blush  Only 6 pics but I'm stretching them out as much as possible.  :lol  Hopefully I'll get a few more than that in Merrillville.  :cross

Hand in the pocket and an eyeroll?  Wow, the BLPers will be excited tonight.  I guess Phillygirl picked the right concert tonight!

ETA:  Frankie...I think the cheap tickets were for tomorrow night at Mohegan Sun.  That is a HUGE venue so I'm pretty sure that is why.

I sure hope so. I've always thought that was short-sighted of him, not doing any kind of vocalese or warm-up before a show.

But then, what do I know?

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WAVES FROM NY! :wave

I SURE DID!! :bigsmile

GREAT CONCERT!!  :smack

HE WAS FANTASTIC TONIGHT!  HE WAS IN THE ZONE TONIGHT! :slick

AND IRENE GOT AWESOME CLACK!! :bouncy

Sundancer said:



Hi people  :wave ...just caught up reading the cellcert after my company left...Sunny, first thank you so much for sharing some of your performing background with me over at Critical Mass...I'd love to see you in one someday...you've  stated in this post a concern I've had for a while...and I didn't want to seem like an alarmist in the fandom...but, I first noted the beginning of the rasp...and then progressively more ...on to breaks...in believe it or not, his EP All Is Well...I could hear a difference in that glorious smooth sound of his...I was hopeful that he rushed to record it while he was touring... then last summer, at the Greek...that first half was a nail biter to an extent for me...Thea and I hoped it was just the dry air...how he completed the second half...don't know...the first half...it sounded like his voice might give out...and it worried me at the taping in Vegas...I hope he reworks DSIAFCD...the breaks in the phrases were quite notable in that selection.

I'm primarily an instrumentalist...played piano since 4, cello since 9 all the way through college and beyond...but while I was in college as a music major, I had to take the requisite courses in vocal production...later after no longer playing in an orchestra, I joined a well respected church choir...and in that experience...plus a community chorale I learned more about singing technique.  I do hope that Quiana will influence him...however stubborn he might be...I've not heard the vocal problems in any of her performances...to help him preserve the amazing instrument he has.  With his allergies, and his insistence on performing while ill...the vocal cords tighten from that...it has to be a strain, however Clay has certainly learned how to sing from his diaphragm which does help him guard against a more direct force on his cords.  I did read on another board that the Paxil could have led to water retention..swelling...and that would be his entire body...including cords...so maybe the longer he is off those meds the better.  Personally, I am prone to laryngitis...and when I would return to singing/even speaking for teaching...I could feel how taut my vocal cords were...and I'd have to wait to regain my vocal range...

I'm actually glad he'll not be singing [ETA...with the heavy demand to carry the concert...touring...]  during the Spamalot run...I hope that gives him a chance to rest the cords for a prolonged period.  Kelly of AI...continued to sing...forcefully after the pushed run on the show...and extensive touring/recording...and I read that she was told she must lay off for awhile...Celine Dion has shared how she refrains from speaking on the days she is performing...how she accomplishes that...God only knows...can you just imagine our Clay laying low...guess the text message option would become a life line...  

After watching the clack from last night's All Is Well it looked to me like Clay was dreading singing it. He looked and acted really uncomfortable. He usually kind of crosses his fingers and grins but not last night, and he left the stage almost before he finished the last note. I feel really bad for him. It must take a lot out of him to not be sure of how it will turn out.
(ducking from tomatoes)