JUKEBOX TOUR MEDIA REVIEWS

[Pamela]

MOLSON AMPHITHEATER TORONTO

LIVE: Clay Aiken Turns On His Jukebox
Friday August 26, 2005 @ 05:30 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff

Molson Amphitheatre
Toronto, Ontario
August 25, 2005
By Brian Wong

It was only two years ago that Jesus-lovin' super-nerd Clay Aiken went from Raleigh, North Carolina-nobody to first runner-up on American Idol, then sold a kajillion copies of his 2003 debut, Measure Of A Man. Already, the 26-year-old singer looks poised for a Vegas stage next to La Celine.

Aiken isn't packing venues weeks in advance yet — only three-quarters of the Molson Amphitheatre's seats were occupied for his show, while geese frolicked in the lawns. But his current Jukebox tour, in which the singer aimed to cover pop hits of the last 50 years, would make a decent casino musical revue.

There were certainly enough middle-aged women to rival a Wayne Newton concert. And Aiken seemed to take the estrogen fest in stride.

"How many gentlemen are proud to be here tonight?" the chatty singer asked. "They're probably watching Canadian Idol or something."

When Aiken found a "gentleman" who admitted that he was dragged to the show by his wife and daughter, the singer stepped down into the stands to speak with him.

"You don't like me?" Aiken inquired. "I thought everyone in Canada would be nice."

If this singing thing doesn't work out, the guy has a pretty good career as a talk show host.

Or musicologist. As the astounding two-and-a-half-hour concert (plus 20 minute intermission) went through rock 'n' roll, schmaltzy pop and power balladry decade after decade, Aiken gave bite-size history lessons on the respective eras of music.

With a seven-piece band that included three back-up singers — Kiana Parlor, Angela Fisher and Jacob Luttrell, who all deservedly received lead solo time — the skinny Aiken with the musical-theatre-ready voice pulled out several medleys.

The '50s section included the chirpy "Rockin' Robin," the jolly swaggering "That'll Be The Day" and "Great Balls Of Fire," for which Aiken jumped on top of the grand piano.

An Elvis tribute (complete with stiff, pelvic thrusting) was followed by the bright '60s, represented by tunes like The Monkees' "Daydream Believer" and The Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love," where the enthusiastic Aiken looked like a crazed bobble head.

He then asked the crowd about what impacted in Canada in the '70s and when one fan replied, "Trudeau-mania," the singer looked back at his band and shrugged his shoulders in bewilderment. The culture shock continued when he picked up a fan's poster that read 'Clay, you are an honourary Canadian,' and Aiken replied, "You spelled 'honourary' wrong."

The rest of the show was pretty much like Idol karaoke; many of the songs Aiken performed were showcased during the rounds of his Idol journey: the overblown, gospel-ish take on Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water," Heart's '80s power ballad "Alone," Barry Manilow's "Mandy" and Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me."

It's those ballads, and his own material like "Invisible" and "The Way," where Aiken thrives. Whether or not you feel any affinity for him, his voice and ability to hold a note is undeniably strong — a case that's similar to that of Ms. Dion.

Of course, like Dion, a lot about Aiken is icky. There's that eerily sparkling stare, the flung vest during his take on Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca," or the intimate caressing with his back-up singers during Prince's "When Doves Cry." A lot of it, however, ends up pretty funny when you see the geeky Aiken wooing his divas, Parlor and Fisher — two bodacious black women who could snap him like a twig.

But they wouldn't do that; even with cheesy medleys Aiken is just too cute — in a very weird sort of way.

©CHART ATTACK

[Pamela]

MOLSON AMPHITHEATER TORONTO

Lounge star
Too much cheese spoils mostly competent Clay Aiken show
By JANE STEVENSON

THERE'S A showroom in Las Vegas with Clay Aiken's name on it.

At least judging from his medley-heavy and costume-friendly show last night at the Molson Amphitheatre.

Aiken's so-called Jukebox tour -- marking his first-ever solo concert in Toronto -- covered pop music from the '50s to the early 21st century.

And I do mean covered.

At last count, Aiken -- the second season runnerup of American Idol -- and his nine-piece band performed over 60 songs, mostly snippets mind you, although some got the full treatment.
 
It often felt like an exhaustive, decade-by-decade examination -- as the show dragged past the two-and-a-half hour mark including a 20 minute intermission -- when it had all the makings of what could have been a decent night of music.

While it's not my taste, Aiken does have a No. 1 album, 2003's Measure Of A Man, that he's numerously toured in support of in the U.S.

He said he felt compelled to do a different show this summer but I might have waited until his sophomore album was released.

The real revelation was Aiken himself, the self-professed nerd from Raleigh, N.C., who is quite charismatic in a live setting, friendly and funny and in complete control of both his band and the audience, while not at all willing to take himself too seriously.

When he introduced the Canadian executive producer of his next album, Jaymes Levy Foster (sister of David Foster) in the audience, he said of the delayed disc: "It's going to have Canadian flair to it when it comes out in 2025!"

Another funny bit saw him taking requests from the audience -- everything from Guns 'N Roses Sweet Child O' Mine to O Canada -- while fighting against the noise from competing fireworks courtesy of the CNE.

But the first clue the cheese was coming was the way the concert started: Three of Aiken's musicians asked for quarters to put in the small jukebox on stage.

Of all things, one of the worst songs in rock history, Starship's We Built This City, came blaring out and then started skipping crazily before a black leather jacket-clad Aiken appeared on stage and pounded the jukebox to make it stop.

From there it was non-stop '50s classics such as Twistin' The Night Away, Let's Go To The Hop, The Great Pretender, etc., plus the obligatory Elvis tribute.

A wardrobe was also dragged on stage so that Aiken could literally change clothes with each new decade of songs -- the white polyester suit for the '70s, spandex for the '80s.

Maybe Aiken's just pandering to his wide-ranging audience, given the cross section of women of all ages, families and the occasional couple -- one was celebrating their 25th anniversary and let him know it -- in the seats.

When he did stop long enough to deliver a song in its entirety -- Unchained Melody, Love Me Tender (which he performed solo on piano), Suspicious Minds, Solitaire, Mandy, Bridge Over Troubled Water, When Doves Cry, I Can't Make You Love Me, and his own hit Invisible -- he had the vocal goods.

And some much needed soul was injected into the evening by his two astonishing female backup singers who took over lead vocals on such standouts as Midnight Train To Georgia, Rescue Me, Think, I Feel The Earth Move, and I Will Always Love You.

Naturally, this review will not go over well with Aiken's devoted fanbase, apparently not as healthy in Toronto given the low-turnout, estimated at around 5,000 people making for the smallest audience I have seen at the amphitheatre this summer.

But I'm sure I'll hear from all those Claymates (females) and Claydawgs (males) -- and even Claynadians -- who feel their beloved Aiken can do no wrong.

I just think he can do much better.

©TORONTO SUN

[Pamela]

MOLSON AMPHITHEATER TORONTO

Ladies, you sir, here's Clay 
BYLINE: Vit wagner, Toronto Star

Time was when U.S. presidential elections defined the gender gap. That was before Clay Aiken came along.

And, if last night's performance by the former American Idol to a half-empty Molson Amphitheatre is anything to go by, Canadians are as divided as their southern counterparts where Claymania is concerned.

The show was part of Aiken's so-called Juke Box Tour, which saw the 27-year-old North Carolina native chronologically canvas hit songs from the past five decades. After a heavy emphasis on the 1950s and '60s, Aiken and his supporting cast broke for intermission.

"The best song so far tonight was 'Midnight Train to Georgia,'" a man sitting in the row behind pronounced to the woman beside him.

"But Clay didn't even sing that song," his companion protested.

"Precisely," the man retorted emphatically.

That particular song, presented during a tribute to Motown, had been ably executed by a backing singer doing her best Gladys Knight impersonation. And, yes, it was easily the high point of the evening to that point - which, all things considered, wasn't saying much.

Not since Matchbox Twenty visited the same venue a couple of years back has an Amphitheatre audience been so visibly divided along gender lines.

On one side, there were deliriously enthusiastic women, many of them the self-styled "Claymates" - or, on this occasion, "Claynadians" - who helped the singer's 2003 debut album, Measure of a Man, charge to the top of the charts. On the other, a much smaller contingent of men, most of whom were far more restrained, if not altogether befuddled.

None of this was lost on Aiken.

"Gentlemen don't like to be at the show for some reason," he announced.

The singer went so far as to comb the audience for proof of this assertion, eventually finding a Hamilton man who sheepishly allowed to having been dragged along by his wife and daughter.

The reasons behind the division are anyone's guess. Aiken's supposedly ambiguous sexual preferences have been a source of public speculation. Frankly, who cares? Plainly, he presented himself as straight on stage, demonstrably romancing his female accompanists at every opportunity.

Aiken's repertoire also leaned heavily toward swooning romantic balladry. In a medley-packed show littered with scores of songs, he managed to get to the end of the 1980s without so much as alluding to punk, new wave or Bob Dylan, preferring instead to make show-stopping meals out of "Sailing" by Christopher Cross, and "Mandy" by Barry Manilow.

Blame it on chromosomes - or anything other root cause you might want to identify - but by that point he had already lost me last night. 

©TORONTO STAR (registration required, but I wouldn't bother)

[Pamela]

BOSTON

Clay Aiken tries to be an Idol to everyone
By Christopher John Treacy/ Music Review
Monday, August 29, 2005 - Updated: 12:35 AM EST

Just in time for Boston's "American Idol'' tryouts at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, Clay Aiken's Jukebox Tour pulled into the Bank of America Pavilion to remind potential contestants of what's possible if you make it to the show's finals.

Rather than touting a new disc, Aiken's tour is in support of his miraculously extended 15 minutes of fame. And it's also a showcase for the vocalist's vivid imagination. In it, Aiken fancies himself a '50s teen heartthrob, the Elvis incarnate, a Motown star, a '70s soul singer, a choirboy with keen falsetto, a young Casey Kasem.  He does all this while being soundtracked by some of the biggest pop hits of the last 50 years; taken for what it is, the show is entertaining.

But despite an exhausting 100 songs (most in medley format) spread over a two-hour-plus show and presented in chronological order, he isn't all that well equipped to deliver from so many different musical corners. It was when he jumped on top of the piano during "Great Balls of Fire'' that the hilarity first hit home – Aiken's nondescript sexuality just doesn't have the necessary "balls of fire'' to pull off such a stunt. The same went for the Elvis tunes, the Bee-Gees' selections from the '70s, and an attempt at Prince's "When Doves Cry'' from the '80s. He saved a small offering of his own songs for the new millennium segment at the end.

It's the backup singers who really carry this charade. Angela Fisher, Quiana Parler and Jacob Luttrell provide amazing vocal support, without which Aiken would simply fall flat. Each was given their own individual chance to shine, particularly Parler during Gladys Knight's "Midnight Train To Georgia,'' misplaced in the '60s segment of the show despite it having been a hit in 1973.

Moving by decades up to present day, Clay Aiken bent over backward to show us all the things he does nicely. But "nicely'' is a bland word, and really he'd do much better to pick just one or two things he's extraordinarily good at and go from there. Preying on beloved pop hits is easily crowd-pleasing, but it doesn't add any personality to what was already a pretty bland offering. And someone really ought to have told him "Solitaire'' will always belong to Karen Carpenter.

©BOSTON HERALD

[Pamela]

MEADOWBROOK

Clay Aiken plays Gilford

GILFORD — Second season American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken both wooed and wowed a large crowd at Meadowbrook Musical Arts Center.

"He's a great entertainer. I was rooting for him all along," said Cheryl Moody of Farmington who attended Saturday's concert with her sister, Judi Aubert of Rochester. "I think he's just awesome. I just love his voice. If he comes back I'm going to bring my 10-year-old daughter," said Aubert.

Aiken's good looks coupled with his family values and charitable work was a common theme among concertgoers, predominantly 40-ish something women. "That's what I admire most. He is a good moral role model. Kids need that," said Frank Downing of Malden, Mass., who said he is a substitute teacher who works with autistic children.

Downing's wife, Fran, characterized herself as an avid "Claymate," the name taken by his most rabid fans saying she had tickets to attend Aiken's Sunday night concert in Boston. She has previously traveled to Indiana twice and once to Michigan to see his shows.

A 2004 Christmas album, "Merry Christmas With Love," followed Aikien's 2003 debut, "Measure Of A Man." "He has an amazing voice. One that comes along once in a millennium — the range, the volume and he call hold a note longer than anyone," she said of Aiken, 27, who hails from Raleigh, N.C. "And it's not just his singing. He connects with people and does a lot of work for charity," she continued.

"He was the best singer. He should have won (Idol)," asserted Rachel D'Onfro of Westminister, Mass. She said she saw Aiken's Christmas show last year. "He was my number one pick from the very beginning (of American Idol)," she said. D'Onfro said she's downloaded all of Aiken's songs, even an early demo album. "And I'm not even a Claymate. There are (fans) here from Hawaii," she said. Aiken started the night with a medley of 50s and 60s songs, doing some covers of such classic artists as Chubby Checker, Elvis Presley and the Everly Brothers classic "Unchained Melody."

Aiken is working with Canadian producer Jaymes Foster Levy on his sophomore effort, which he hopes to have out by next spring.

©(NH) CITIZEN ONLINE

[Pamela]

BOSTON

Aiken sticks with stale 'Idol' formula

By Marc Hirsh, Globe Correspondent | August 30, 2005

If you were a newly autonomous artist, released from the contract foisted upon you by ''American Idol" and one of the few unqualified successes to come out of the Fox phenomenon, would you stage your summer tour as though it were an amusement park rock 'n' roll revue? Clay Aiken did, and his Jukebox Tour, which hit the Bank of America Pavilion on Sunday, showed all the imagination, professionalism, and depth of the cheesy group numbers performed on the show from which he's supposedly trying to distance himself.

The evening's tone was set at the start, as a jukebox played Starship's ''We Built This City," recently named the worst song ever by music magazine Blender. As the record started to skip, Aiken came out dressed as the Fonz and hit the jukebox, at which point a backdrop reading ''The '50s" unfurled and the band started up. Medley after medley followed, as Aiken (with substantial help from backup singers Quiana Parler, Angela Fisher, and Jacob Luttrell) sang the most recognizable parts of hits from the past six decades. Some strange moments resulted, as when Aiken sang in front of a backdrop reading ''ELVIS" in huge letters, prompting the question of who exactly the crowd was supposed to be applauding.

The Claymates had no doubt, screaming their devotion. One couple carried a sign informing the singer and the world that this was their 100th Aiken concert. Aiken acknowledged them and many others from the stage, showing an ease with audience interaction and stage patter, even when it was simplistic and moon-eyed commentary like, ''The music of the 1960s paints a portrait of lightheartedness and fun."

Aiken occasionally broke from the medley format to perform an entire song from start to finish, though ''Mandy," ''Solitaire," and a surprisingly pretty version of Christopher Cross's ''Sailing" were truer to his middle-of-the-road pop stylings than ''When Doves Cry." By the time he closed with six of his own songs -- and the Claymates responded as though ''Invisible" wasn't actually a creepy stalker anthem -- Aiken was left to sink or swim on his own merits. The rest of the show suggested that you can take the boy out of ''American Idol," but you can't take ''American Idol" out of the boy.

 

©BOSTON GLOBE

[lorraine]

PAMELA - WHY OR WHY DO THESE CRITICS CONTINUE TO FRUSTRATE ME SO.  DO THEY HAVE BLINDERS ON OR ARE THE DEAF.  O.K. I AM JUST VENTING BUT OUR HONEY DOESN'T DESERVE SUCH TERRIBLE REVIEWS.

[Pamela]

Lorraine, this one should make you feel better!

CHAMPLAIN VALLEY FAIR, VERMONT

After Dark: At play with Clay

Published: Wednesday, August 31, 2005
By Erica Jacobson
Free Press Staff Writer

ESSEX JUNCTION -- I ran into my first Claymates on Monday night as I walked past the green wooden doors that separated a Champlain Valley Fair parking lot from the backstage area at the grandstand.

Two women had waited outside the doors, trying for a glimpse of the night's headliner, Clay Aiken, a runner-up from reality show "American Idol." A third woman, 25-year-old Angel Smith of Baltimore stood off to the side holding a purse bearing Aiken's image and ticked off the states where she had seen the singer perform since the end of July. New York, Connecticut, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and, now, Vermont.

"I never used to travel before he came along," Smith said. "I've flown for my second time the other day because of Clay."

It was then, a scant 30 minutes before the spiky-haired singer took to the stage, that I realized that I had been living a lie.

Contrary to everything in my musical past and my planned future purchases (the "La Dolce Vita" soundtrack, the new Franz Ferdinand album), I really, really like Clay Aiken.

"It's his voice, his looks," Smith said, explaining her Aiken fascination. "He just gives you a look out in the crowd and your heart just stops.

"It's like a high school crush."

Aiken, I sense, knows this all too well. His truly enamored fans wear rhinestone pins proclaiming "I luv Clay" and carry cell phones that chirp Aiken's hit "Invisible" with every call. They follow him from venue to venue, crossing continents and, in some cases, oceans to swoon as Aiken croons for a few hours on stage.

What I discovered Monday night is it's hard to blame them, really.

Aiken is an entertainer. Whether he's playing to a half-full fairgrounds show in Vermont or sold-out casino shows in New Jersey, he's out to please. His voice skipped across the decades, at home belting out everything from a few lines of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin" to Prince's "When Doves Cry" in its entirety. As Aiken approached the '70s portion of his multi-decade review, he admitted things were about to get a little messy " 'cos this skinny white boy can't dance so well."

"These feet are too big to dance around so much," Aiken said in his North Carolinian drawl.

Unlike other personalities born out of the reality TV revolution, Aiken seems down-to-earth. A trio of North Carolina women who had won tickets -- both plane and concert -- to see Aiken fanned themselves with $6 souvenir Aiken fans and gushed about his down-home charm before the show. During the concert, Aiken didn't demand adulation from the crowd, it just happened.

He also acknowledged Monday night that there might be a few nonfans in the stands.

"There are also gentlemen in the audience who did not want to be here," Aiken told the crowd, asking women to point out the boyfriends, husbands and dates who had begrudgingly tagged along. "They would much rather be eating a corn dog."

Now, as a no-frills concert purist, I thought the jukebox format of the show was a little risky.

Make it too choppy and the songs become unrecognizable. Make it too drawn-out and it turns into little more than spending a night at a karaoke bar watching friends belt out drunken versions of Elton John's "Don't Go Breaking My Heart." Aiken managed a nice mix of hits, slow ballads as well as the occasional song sung entirely by one of his three back-up singers. And even Aiken's costume changes through the decades -- skinny tie with suit for the '60s, white leisure suit for the '70s -- weren't too excessive or frequent enough to confuse Aiken with a Ken doll.

As the last notes of "Invisible" echoed off the grandstand, I folded up my notebook and walked out to my car.

It wasn't supposed to be like this, I thought. I was supposed to see Aiken in concert, exorcise my infatuation and move on. Don't get me wrong, I'm not rushing out to buy his "Measure of a Man" CD. Whatever music of Aiken's I come to own will be between me and my iPod. I will say that I'm still wondering just where to get one of those handbags ... .

©BURLINGTON (VT) FREE PRESS

[claydevotee]

PAMELA - WHY OR WHY DO THESE CRITICS CONTINUE TO FRUSTRATE ME SO.  DO THEY HAVE BLINDERS ON OR ARE THE DEAF.  O.K. I AM JUST VENTING BUT OUR HONEY DOESN'T DESERVE SUCH TERRIBLE REVIEWS.             

LORRAINE:  As they say, "That's Show Biz!".  I'm sure Clay isn't that upset over those reviews.  He probably knew at the onset of the JBT that the critics would be accusing him of being nothing more than cheesy, dorky karaoke singer. I suspect he realizes that as long as he has his amazing fan base, he'll do just fine in spite of the nay-sayers!

[Pamela]

MERRILLVILLE

Clay Aiken’s tour strolls through decades     
Written by KELLY VON EBERS / Photos by BARRY BRECHEISEN     

They call themselves Claymates. They are the swarms, the masses, the women who save their vacation days to road trip from city to city catching every show imaginable and becoming no less enthusiastic with each passing song… they are the fans of nerd-gone-pop-star Clay Aiken, currently touring the States on his spanning the decades “Jukebox Tour.”
 
The summer tour, just over a month long, features upbeat medleys and jaw-dropping performances of hits from the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80’s and ’90s by Aiken and his overly talented backup singers Jacob Lutrell, Quiana Parler and Angela Fisher, all of whom have the potential to be successful solo recording artists.

Aiken came into the spotlight with the second season of American Idol, where he lost the “Idol” title in what was quite possibly the closest reality show race to date. Apparently, being the runner up isn’t so bad. Aiken’s debut album “Measure of a Man” soared to the top of the charts and become double-platinum, which is more than can be said for any other runner up on Idol, much less any winner. Not to mention landing on the cover of Rolling Stone that year three months ahead of the winner, Ruben Studdard.

As illustrated by the sold-out crowds throughout the tour, people of all ages will – and do – enjoy Aiken’s energetic yet intimate, empowering and humble performances. From my 9 year old “Clay rocks my world” little sister to my 70 year old “I came along for the ride” grandmother, the show truly has something for everyone and is a must see for anyone with an ear for music of any kind.

The show began with the hits of the 50’s, well before 26 year old Aiken’s time. Proving that even dorky guys can pull off a tight leather jacket if they twist and turn *just* right, Aiken took the audience back to the Elvis decade complete with a hip-shaking performance on top of the piano. The Motown classic 60’s had whispers of “She is the luckiest girl EVER” buzzing through the crowd as Aiken did some serious bumping and grinding with backup singers Quiana and Angela during Jackson Five hit “Candy Girl”. For someone who persistently reminded the audience that he can’t dance, Aiken sure kept the crowd on their feet love struck with his every move. (And guys, his fans are NOT just lonely women, there were males dancing with just as much enthusiasm as the rest of us). Aiken also performed Neil Sedaka’s “Solitare”, which he re-recorded and dedicated to his father on his debut album.

After a short intermission Aiken grooved into the 70’s with “Oh What a Night” and his own rendition of “Mandy”, made famous by his idol, Barry Manilow. Bringing back his days on Idol, Aiken treated the audience to “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, which he performed late in the competition, leaving the entire nation convinced we had a winner, but only giving him the second place title. Perhaps the most powerful performance of the night, 80’s hit “When Doves Cry” illustrated perfectly that Aiken can take a song from any genre and make it his own.

The most amusing costume change of all, Aiken’s crew was decked out in spandex, overly bright jackets, vests and half unbuckled supersized overalls for the ’90s. Attempting the “cabbage patch”, Aiken pointed out “this is what we call a conniption fit in the South!” With songs that took me back to the days of elementary school dances and a too close to the real thing for comfort version of “Livin’ La Vida Loca”, Aiken truly kept the audience engaged and entertained straight through the show.

Showing his recognition of their talent, Aiken was sure to share the spotlight with Angela, Quiana and Jacob, all of whom performed solo numbers. Aiken also performed songs from “Measure of a Man” as well as selections that may end up on his next album, set to go into production shortly.

For the entire 2 ½ hours of the show, never once did Aiken bore the audience, miss a note or fail to make a song seem as if it had never been performed better before. Criticized from day one for his style and appearance, Aiken has undoubtedly surpassed expectations and become more successful than anyone could have imagined. Still enjoying the success of “Measure of a Man”, Aiken has proved that “Idol” judge Simon Cowell was clearly wrong when he stated back in season two, “Clay, you don’t look like a pop star.”

 

©LUMINO MAGAZINE (great pictures at the link!)

[Pamela]

FRAZE PAVILION OH

The Fraze Pavillion is "All Shook UP" by Clay Aiken during his stop in Kettering, Ohio August 15th on The Jukebox Summer Tour 2005
Staff Writer:  Teresa Nichols
 
"Seen any good CLACK?" asked Clay Aiken at the Fraze Pavillion in Kettering,Ohio Monday night.  Clay Aiken went on to demonstrate just how "Clack," worthy he is by performing songs from numerous eras for over 4,000 screaming fans. Whether he was putting his own twist on Elvis songs, belting out a tune from his upcoming CD, or taking us through the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's to today, Clay rocked the house.

As fans poured into the venue, so did the rain. The Fraze took on the appearance of a rainbow as fans donned ponchos of many different colors. Aiken kicked off the show with "Twisting The Night Away," and quickly sent us through the 50's. The highlights of this era were demonstrated by Aiken's romantic and emotional version of "Unchained Melody," and his expertly executed Elvis Medley. I think even The King himself was smiling down on Aiken. He took us from "Love Me Tender," "Hound Dog," "Blue Suede Shoes," (of which he wore one blue shoe), "Don't Be Cruel," "Heartbreak Hotel, " "Jailhouse Rock," "Can't Help Falling In Love," (My personal favorite), to "Suspicious Minds." Any thoughts that Clay could not dance (and I liked his Grease Shake), were put to rest as his hips swiveled and legs shook.

His ability to reach his audience is unsurpassed, something I had the pleasure of witnessing in person last year when he played The North Carolina State Fair. I had the thrill of my life, the infectious combination of his talent, his tuneful songs, his ability to reach the audience and his stage presence lingered with me long after the show had ended.

Clay seems to be able to bring something unique to each new show, for this show, it was recruiting an audience member to join, Jacob, Quiana, and Angela as a "Pip," on "The Midnight Train To Georgia." He also treated us to some pretty fancy footwork, I have to say. I was very impressed. Prior to this, he moved quickly through the 60's Medley, which included "DayDream Believer," "Downtown," "Can't Buy Me Love," "Sugar Sugar," "Happy Together," and his own version of Neil Sedaka's "Solitaire." He hit all those incredible notes with the pure powerful sounds known to be that of Clay Aiken.

We were also treated to the exceptional talents of Quiana Parlor, Jacob Lutrell, and Angela Fisher. Each one of them are talents in their own right. Jacob rocked us with "Rock With You," and from what I saw, Michael Jackson has his work cut out for him. Quiana brought the house down with her rendition of "I Will Always Love You." Why is this girl not signed to a record label ? The show would not be complete without Angela who displayed her own incredible voice with "Where Did Our Love Go."  Clay graced all three of these talented artists time to shine. Duets were aplenty, some of which included: "Mr Sandman," (Angela/Quiana), and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," (Clay and Angela).

It appears on this tour, it was Angela's time to be the center of Clay's attention. He even wore a T-Shirt with her picture on it, told her he had a crush on her, and even kissed her. Then he made mention that the T-shirt and her
CD were on sale in the lobby. Was all this to help Angela? From where I was sitting, the rumors started to fly.

The audience also enjoyed the time he took to sit and ask people what they had done the night before. One audience member shouted out, "Played Cornhole!" Clay responded, "I don't even want to go there." This was hilarious, as all Ohioans know it's a game similar to horseshoes, but it uses small beanbags and 2 slanted boxes with holes toward the high end of the slant. He also asked everyone what was important about the 70's. He got many good responses, but the correct answer was "Clay was born."

We enjoyed hearing abbreviated renditions of "Car Wash," "Oh What A Night," "September," "Nights on Broadway," and there were longer versions of "Mandy," and "Bridge Over Troubled Water," after which he really heated things up with "When Doves Cry." The dance moves on this showed us a" naughty" side to Clay. Who said he can't dance ? Somebody tell me, who taught him those moves ? I was already sweaty from the poncho.

Many Many fans took repeated opportunities to shout out " I love you Clay!" He was charming, he was sexy, and he was spectacular. Aiken definitely left the audience wanting more. How appropriate to introduce one of his new songs " Back For More," off his upcoming CD. The first time we heard him perform this song was on Good Morning America, but the loyal fans knew all the words. I am predicting that this song will get him the airplay he deserves, and shoot straight to #1. It contains everything a hit song is made from and the one artist that will make it a hit. He would not give us a release date or a title for the CD, but mentioned it's hard work and they're working on it. And so, fans will have to continue to light up the message boards in their continued search for more "Clack."

This show would not have been complete without a medley of songs from Clay's Measure of a Man CD. Everyone sang every word to every one of these songs, with Aiken's hit song, "Invisible," closing the show. This concert was hands down the best I've ever seen. I think it's his sense of humor and clear delight at having a faithful audience that contribute most to Aiken's winning personna. Many fans were heading to Toledo for his next show. Further testament to Clay's appeal along with the fact he put on a magnificent show.

©MUSIC NEWS MAGAZINE