CELLCERT: JNT05 Constitution Hall, Washington D.C.

[wvclayfan]

Good night everyone! Loved being here for the last leg of the show. Have a great night!

[heater]

I'm wondering if he will Blog to explain the reason for cutting GN.  I have a feeling there will be a bunch of unhappy fans.  That way he could explain the reason for cutting it especially if it was a time restriction.

[heater]

P.S. Ellen has some Rascal Flatts pixs to show you....

Really!?!?!  Cool!   

[woodstock854]

I'm wondering if he will Blog to explain the reason for cutting GN.  I have a feeling there will be a bunch of unhappy fans.  That way he could explain the reason for cutting it especially if it was a time restriction.

You're right.  It would be like him to get the explanation out there.  He knows how speculative we fans are......

[wvclayfan]

I'm wondering if he will Blog to explain the reason for cutting GN.  I have a feeling there will be a bunch of unhappy fans.  That way he could explain the reason for cutting it especially if it was a time restriction.

I was thinking the same thing. He blogged after Jacob left, so I can see him doing it for this as well.

[heater]

Good Night everyone...thanks for another great cellcert!

See you all tomorrow night!

[woodstock854]

Goodnight, Heather!!!  And thanks again!!! 

[no1tvfan63]

that would be a good idea for him to blog! lets hope

[no1tvfan63]

nite everyone! thanks for the cellcert!

[ILClaymate]

Thanks Heaterfan and Meesa and everyone else who helped with the cellcert! 

Let's hope for a blog so we can get the oh-fficial word!!

See you all tomorrow! 

[ILClaymate]

This was posted a few minutes ago by farouche at CV who was there tonight:

I'm home.

Well, that was interesting.

The venue was very empty.  The floor was full, but the upper levels -- well -- sparse is being kind.  That said, the crowd was very receptive and enthusiastic.

The first half of the show was rougher than the Reading show.  The mic'ing was way too loud on the kid, and there were other sound glitches.  Clay's voice was rough, too, with burrs etc.  Sexy as hell, but worrisome.

As you probably know, he was attired a bit differently tonight.  He was wearing the assymetrically zipped hoodie under his white suit.  I have pictures.  I suspect a wardrobe malfunction, which in Clay's case calls for more rather than less coverage.

His voice in the second half, despite the earlier problems, was sublime.  Sublime.

Now for the part you are all probably waiting for.  He scolded some girls -- seated very near me -- for flashes during the DSIAFCD banter.  Alrighty then.  There had been some flashing -- not much. 

And then he sang in his gorgeous black suit, and then he was gone.

And he didn't come back.

Were we being punished because of some flashes?  Was it voice strain?

We were practically being cattle prodded out of the venue -- was it because the show was running over its allotted time at the venue?

I don't know.

But the crowd was not happy.  It definitely put a damper on the evening.  Especially when you consider that this was the most expensive ticket I think in the whole tour, and we got the shortest show.

No Good News.  Indeed.

[Pamela]

Hello all!  Checking in from DC.  It's true - no Good News.  I suspect a time issue since the venue personnel were very rude in telling everyone to "Get Out" when the curtain dropped. 

It was great to see Tiffany, Penny, Shari and Jill!!!  I loved seeing your smiling faces! 

For me personally, the show was incredible anyway.  The First Noel was amazing, the best I've ever heard. EVER.  He owns that song now.  It was beautiful.  Get the mp3 if you see it and just listen. 

Also, Emmanuel was the most poignant thing I've ever heard.  It was so heartfelt and personal I felt like I was eavesdropping on something private between God and Clay. 

I don't know what the problems were at this venue, but he alluded in the ensemble intro portion of the show that it had been one heck of a day.  So whatever it was, it wasn't something that just happened.  There were sound issues, long intermissions and the stage was much, much smaller than Camden.  Everyone seemed to adapt OK, but who knows what they had to deal with to get through the rehearsal and show.

I'm really sorry if this venue caused a problem, or if the group had a diffcult experience there.  I love Good News; it's art.  But for me, the vocal performances in DC, even with some weariness showing in Clay's voice, were beautiful enough to send me home happy regardless.

I can't even sleep.

[woodstock854]

Pamela,
Thanks for the first hand report.  From what you have said, it really does sound like a time issue.  I am glad to hear you were not disappointed.  I am sure Clay put his all into the concert, despite the apparent problems.  We all know that is how he is.
And I ABSOLUTELY agree about Emmanuel.  It is my new fav.  It now joins the ranks of O Holy Night and Good News in my book.  Gotta LOVE it!!
Woodstock

[Tiffany]

This is my review of the concert. I ditto what Pamela said and it was great seeing you too. 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I LOVE CLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This concert was one of the best nights of my year. I had the best seat I ever had. I thought I had 15th row but turned out I was on the 11th row on the left side. There was 6 seats on that side and I was on the 3rd one. Amazing view of Clay and I think he looked at me a few times.  Want to believe it anyway.  I could see Pamela sat on the same side. She was on the 5th row and she thought she had 7th. So close to the stage. It was so great to see her.  I just read the cellcert. Yes! Some things were differant tonight. He wore a white hoodie with a white jacket and no tie. As some said I thought he could had been cold as well. Still looked so gorgeous to me. I noticed a lot of people started to leave right after Don't Save it All for Christmas Day and the ushers told us we had to get out so was odd and was sad we didn't see Clay sing Good News. It could had been cause of time. Intermission was longer. Was hoping Clay wasn't sick or anything or if it had to do with the flashers. I hope we find out why he didn't sing it and hope to see it in Baltimore tonight.  to the flashers. He said during the intros how rude. We clapped when he said that. Other then that I thought the audience was respectable. I thought he seemed like in a very good mood but chatted fast. Not sure what other problems they had today. Maybe it was during practice.  Also there was a few sound problems with the mic with a few people but I didn't see any problems with Clay's. It was a shame that it wasn't a big audience. Hardly not a lot of people in the balcony. My dad sat in a box seat on the right and he had a good view. A Claymaniac I met for dinner with a friend. Her name is Penny. I told her there was no one sitting next to me but one person and hardly no one was in the back of me so I told them before the 2nd half started they could sit with me cause their seats were in the back.

Clay was beyond amazing. Every single song was prefection. I really started to cry after he sang Emmanuel. It was beautiful. We had a few standing O's and I was the 1st person to stand up after that song. I'm not a big fan of the 1st Noel but tonight it really WOWED me. Had a Standing O for that as well. Also Quianna was beautiful with MGUCL and we did a Standing O for her. Angela did a great job on MIss You Most as Christmas time. Oh Holy Night. What can I say. He is so wonderful and the is best singer with that song. I have to say I enjoyed the story. I thought it was really touching. Great audience response and laughs with the came in 2nd line. Gregory and Alison did a great job. Ailson and Clay sang great together on Silver Bells. I thought the dancers did a great job as well.  He did do a growl in CMH.  We all went wild over that.  And in Baby that's a fact in DSIAFCD, he did sexy look to the audience and we did a Whoa!!!!!!! after that.  The Glory Note was amazing. We stood up and clapped and screamed after he did that. When he sang Jingle Bells and started to snap his fingers I think I was the only one that went Whoo Hoo! after that.  Did a lot of WHoo Hoos after he sang. All the songs and his preformance was incredable. I too was happy with a big grin on was face after it was over. I can't wait for Baltimore tonight.   

[ILClaymate]

Posted by maharper at the CB:   

I was at the meet and greet and Jerome told us because of the flashes Clay did not sing Good News. He said we broke the rules.

And from the CH about the hoodie:

newland21
Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 9:42 am GMT    Post subject:   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't know the answer to no Good News.
Clay was wearing the hoodie because the local dry cleaner ruined his shirt, which had been sent there because he'd gotten a stain on it.
I wouldn't expect to see it again - he thought it looked awful.
Personally - I thought it was cute!

And just to set the record straight - the local theater group was from Alexandria, not Arlington. (Clay admitted all the A" cities in the area confused him. Hee!)

[wvclayfan]

Posted by maharper at the CB:   

I was at the meet and greet and Jerome told us because of the flashes Clay did not sing Good News. He said we broke the rules.

So sad! Why can't people just follow the rules? Those who are using the flash are ruining it for the other concert goers. It's ridiculous. Plain and simple - DO NOT use your flash.

I still want to believe it was more of a time issue than a flash issue ...

[ILClaymate]

Hi Ay!  Nice avie!    I think it was probably a culmination of several things and timing could have been part of it and Jerome just used that to get his point across.  Flashes was probably part of the problem as well as timing.  The hoodie seems to have been a wardrobe malfunction so I don't think it was due to him not feeling well unless he was ticked off! 

[cpnina]

cpnina was there too!!!!! but my cellphone was dead!!!
I  met Tiffany and Pamela!