CD RELEASE PARTIES PLANNED NATIONWIDE - UPDATED 10/12

[Cruiser]

Don't forget to go to http://www.redhottopic.com and sign up for the CD release party nearest you!


To commemorate the release of Clay's first CD,  events are being planned all over the country.  The celebrations will take place on the evening of Monday, October 13 in cities in almost every state.  

The official release of the CD is not until Tuesday, October 14; so many retail outlets nationwide will be opening at midnight October 13 to accomodate the fans.

RCA has confirmed that 2 million units will be pressed, which means they expect Clay's CD to eventually reach platinum or multi-platinum status.  

With the RCA promotion machine in high gear, there is a possiblity that the CD could achieve platinum in a matter of weeks if not sooner.  Clay sold 393,000 CD singles the first week of release.   Hopefully he will sell even more CDs and at least ship gold (500,000) the first week.  Let's help Clay reach this milestone by buying his CD!

Start your Christmas shopping early this year!   :  

Stay tuned here and to the front page for more details!

[NCisClayCountry]

:D Can anyone pass along any additional information about this? I know that everything is in the planning stages at this point.
Is there going to be a website devoted to this one specific item? And each state will have various parties and events...is that the deal? I wonder if there will be contests, music, etc. And what possible venues are they looking at to hold these? Are they thinking book stores, malls, etc? I am really anxious to know about these.  

[Pamela]

CD release parties and midnight store openings are being planned across the country in order to launch the sale of Clay's first CD.  In order for these events to be successful, RCA needs to know how many people will be at each event.

The events are being planned locally.  In order to sign up to attend any maybe volunteer to help, please go to:

http://www.redhottopic.com

and register.  Go to the message board and find the thread for 'United States' and then find your state, then the city where you will be attending the party.  Let them know you'll be there!  


EDIT - Borders book stores are considering hosting parties in many cities across the country.  If there is no Borders in your area, never fear.  Other venues will also be utilized as well.   -Pamela

[Pamela]

Is everyone aware of Clay's affinity for Krispy Kreme doughnuts?  Many of these fine confections were tossed to Clay on stage (sealed in bags of course!) during the recently completed AI concert tour.  

From the CD Release Party message board's Todd Venice:

"I just got off the phone with the special events marketing coordinator for Kripsy Kreme Doughnuts and I am happy to announce that they are onboard in a big way for sponsoring the NATIONAL CLAY CD RELEASE PARTY. The company is based in North Carolina, so they are huge Clay fans. They will be providing doughnuts at all the retail outlets opening at midnight in every city in which they have outlets.
I will work on getting doughnuts to cities that there is no outlet.  Also, they may put together some sort of fun presentation for Clay at the Raleigh party (Can you say "Clay's doughnut just went Platinum?")  Anyway, this should be a fun corporate tie-in to the mix and I will keep you posted as to any further developments every step of the way."

 Thanks to Krispy Kreme for joining in with their support of Clay!

And stay tuned here for further details as they come available!

[Pamela]

Some of you have messaged me about not wanting to register for yet another message board, or, that you are not comfortable with giving your information at the RedHotTopic board.

The purpose of registering is to demonstrate interest in the events to RCA, to guarantee enough product will be available in each city, and to create media interest in order to promote Clay and the sale of his CD.

However, if anyone is not comfortable registering at the RedHotTopic message board, please post here and list your city and we will transfer the count information to the appropriate state thread at RedHotTopic.  The only information they really need is the number of people who may be interested in attending.

Thanks for your interest, and thanks for supporting Clay!

[Cruiser]

Clay Aiken Album Release Parties: Coming to A Store Near You
There's an organizing effort underway...
 
Clay Aiken fans across the nation are involved in a grass roots effort to organize CD release parties. The parties will take place on the evening of October 13th, the night before the album is released. The idea is to gather and socialize until midnight -- the clock strikes 12, the CD is released, and the singer's debut album starts to leave the stores. The site that is helping organize the events is RedHotTopic. You can go there and register and learn about events near you. Each of the 50 states have at least some sign-ups, with the more populous states having quite a few. The event is also going international, with release parties being organized in Canada, Japan and New Zealand, among others. I've heard a rumor -- though I can't yet confirm it -- that the Borders bookstore chain is negotiating with RCA to be the venue for the event. If there's a Borders near you, you might want to check on this. Additionally, Krispy Kreme is considering sponsoring the CD release parties -- Aiken has a well-documented fondness for the sugary sweet donuts. The release parties should be interesting. There's a Borders near me (here in lovely New Jersey) and I'll be attending -- assuming the Borders connection comes through. What's fascinating is, in addition to Clay the musician, there's something called Clay the social phenomenon. Both are interesting, and both bear watching.

EDIT:  Click on link to participate in the poll!  -Pamela

ABOUT.COM ARTICLE

[kirk48]

Two items to mention. 1) The Release Party in Southeast Michigan is on GO at the Media Play on Telegraph and 12 Mile Road in the Tel-Twelve Mall. The organizers at redhottopics are looking for volunteers to help get the word out, so if you are interested please go to the site and sign up. Even if you just plan to attend they need to hear from you so they can get a handle on how many people you intend to bring along and how many cd's your group will purchase. I've read that this is the first time any artist has had a ground swell, grass roots, event like this. Let's get the word out and see if we can't shock some of the foolish OBC doubters to open their eyes wide when Clay goes Platinum on the first week!
2) It was reported that Borders Books was going to sponsor parties, but later reported that there were in fact not interested because "they didn't think the cd was going to sell very well." Again, if this is true, or even if it is not we need to attend the parties that are being sponsored and have a great time while supporting Clay in the most Clay-Maniac fashion by purchasing his new, soon to be top hit album. Finally, I might mention that I am a fifty five year old man  . . . and my fellow skilled trades workers laugh when I get excited while talking about Clay's voice and talent; but they get a big kick out of it at the same time. I think at least some of them have begun to wonder if I'm not onto something, since I notice that no one complains when I listen to a (homemade) Clay CD. Well, enough for now, I'm starting to ramble.

[Pamela]

The party in Raleigh is actually at the Triangle Town Center Mall.  There is a Barnes & Noble and a Sam Goody's record store there.  A lack of foresight on the part of Borders is unfortunate.  However, the location isn't that important as long as there are CDs available to purchase.  

And Krispy Kremes available to eat.   :)

[kirk48]

I'm sorry if I sounded mean spirited, Pamela is right, anyplace is fine as long as they sell cds.

[Pamela]

Hey kirk48, no problem!

It's just that I have grown to understand that there are people who just don't 'get it', or, maybe they just don't understand how to appreciate seeing so many people having so much fun supporting a great guy with a big heart and a huge talent.   I just don't worry about it any more, I just try to keep my head and my heart focused on the goal, on the big picture - Supporting Clay to the best of my ability.

"If you are a Clay Aiken fan, no explanation is necessary.  If you aren't a Clay Aiken fan, no words can explain it."

 8)

[Pamela]

The Measure of a Fan
By Donna Reynolds

With a week left until the release of Clay Aiken's first full-length
CD, Measure of a Man, the Claymates are busier than ever! This time
around, their goal is to push the CD to platinum on its first day
out. Whether they can do this or not remains to be seen, but in an
effort to reach this goal, they are organizing a network of CD
release parties to coincide with the October 14 release date.

The parties are being held across the U.S. and Canada as well as
internationally with fans in Singapore, New Zealand and Germany
already on board. Several major record store chains, including Media
Play, Borders, Virgin Megastores, and Sam Goody, have hopped on the
bandwagon. Branches are being encouraged to stay open until after
midnight on October 13 in order to capitalize on potential sales of
this CD, which cannot be sold legally until 12:01 on the 14th.

Using a website called Red Hot Topic (www.redhottopic.com), fans are
arranging parties in their respective cities and keeping tallies of
the number of people per city. The numbers are updated daily and in
one two-day period, the number doubled. The message boards on the
site are broken down by state and then by city where each local
coordinator is charged with handling the details and communicating to
those planning on attending.

The parties vary in size and scope from city to city. Most groups are
having dinner and then moving on to a record store to pick up the CD,
but some cities are going all out! In New York, cocktails and dinner
will be served in a private party room at Planet Hollywood (1540
Broadway) starting at 9 PM, after which the 400+ attendees will
descend on the Virgin Megastore in Times Square. In Raleigh, where at
last count 3700 people have registered, they are taking over the
Triangle Town Center with the mall extending its hours for the event.
Clay's mother is planning on attending this party.

The Hilton Burbank Airport & Convention Center is the site of the
L.A. event. The doors open at 5 PM. For fans who are unable to get
tickets to see Clay on Jay Leno's show that night, an East Coast fan
is uploading a tape of the show, which will be downloaded for
broadcast to the West Coasters! They are also planning to listen to
Clay's live interview with JoJo Wright on KIIS FM at 7PM.

And which party will Clay be attending? Probably none of them since
he is flying from L.A. to New York for an early morning appearance on
the Today Show immediately following the radio interview. But fear
not, there will be games, raffles, giveaways and in some locations,
life-size cardboard Clays for photo shoots!

This should be interesting. Clay's fans have repeatedly proven their
dedication and certainly will be buying up the CDs as quickly as they
hit the shelves. Add to that the pre-release sales of this CD, which
has been on Amazon for weeks. The CD has been consistently in the top
ten, competing for sales against artists like Sting, Dave Matthews,
Better Midler, and Dido! If non-Claymates catch the fever, the CD
could very well beat the current record for the fastest selling
album, held by the Beatles for the album 1, which sold 3.6 million
copies the first week. 1 went on to sell 13.5 million copies the
first month (November 2000). Second place goes to Nsync's No Strings
Attached, with 2.4 million copies sold in its first week out.

Foxes On Idol will be following this event with correspondent Andrea
Shuman attending the party in Boston. Stay tuned. This may be the
biggest story of the year for the recording industry.

THE MEASURE OF A FAN

[Pamela]

American Idol" fans — or at least Clay Aiken fans — will still have diversions, however: Hawai'i fans of Aiken, the runner-up in this year's "American Idol" series, can participate in a national fan rally on Oct. 13. Aiken's debut CD, "Measure of a Man," comes out Oct. 14.

Bev Robinson, a Honolulu Aiken fan, said fans from more than 75 cities across the United States, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Singapore and others are participating in the rally. Robinson plans to participate, calling it "a first in the music industry."

Aiken admirers will gather at 9 p.m. Oct. 13 at Dave & Buster's at Ward Entertainment Center, where Aiken videos will be shown, leading up to a live performance on the "Tonight" show with Jay Leno that evening.

Click here to read the story!

[Pamela]

Idol’s hold grows into his own ‘Clay Day’
By Nadine Kam
nkam@starbulletin.com

Clay Aiken may have been the first runner-up, behind Ruben Studdard, in last season's "American Idol" competition, but to a whole bunch of fans, he's still No. 1 and they're throwing parties -- in 75 cities around the world, from the United States, to Canada, Germany, New Zealand and Singapore -- on Monday night to mark the release of Aiken's CD, "Measure of a Man."
Their goal is to raise "Measure of a Man" to platinum record status -- sales of 1 million records -- in a day.
The parties will feature Aiken video screenings, games and prizes leading up to his appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," and closing with the 12:01 a.m. release of "Measure of a Man," which will be available for purchase at Tower Records, 611 Keeaumoku St.
"Clay Fever" took us by surprise earlier this year when a Star-Bulletin contest had readers predicting who would win TV's biggest singing showdown. Readers voted overwhelmingly for Aiken, out of the field of 10 wannabe idols.
To much of the world, Clay Aiken is a cute-as-a-button red-headed moppet who happens to have a voice as big as a building, but that doesn't mean we want to track his every move.
Trust me, I know a little about idol worship, having traveled to Seattle after Kurt Cobain's death to pay respect to the musician. But he had that rock star insouciance, a certain too-cool-for-this-world swagger.
Aiken is simply the boy next door, who has described himself as "uncool."
 
So why Clay? Why does he command such loyalty and devotion?
"Oh, well, have you got an hour or two, or five?" asks Bev Robinson, one of the planners for Oahu's Clay date, who says that she can wax on about him for hours.
"It starts with his voice, then you go to the person, and he's such a good man; you can tell, from what he's said to what he's done."
You want background? She knows it by heart: "He's a special-education major and before getting on the show was one semester short of getting his degree. He's looking forward to finishing college, I believe at the University of North Carolina, and he's said all along that he wasn't looking for celebrity, but looking for influence.
"He's set up the Bubel Aiken Foundation to help mainstream people with special needs.
"And he's stood for his principles against RCA who wanted to change (read: dirty) his image. You can read all about it in Time magazine."
Aiken made the cover of Rolling Stone, but the story in Time ran inside. Fans took solace in the headline, which was "Building a Better Pop Star." (The Aiken story had been slated for the cover, but was topped by news of the leak of the name of a CIA spy.)
Robinson learned about the Clay parties on the Internet, where streams were set up on RedHotTopic.com, state by state, allowing fellow fans to interact. That's how she met up with people like Cynde Fernandes, Krissy Wannomae and Venus Dagdagan, who gushed, "I got to meet Clay in person!"
She had flown to the mainland in August for an "American Idol" concert in San Jose, Calif., and at a "meet and greet" event invited the singer to come to Hawaii.
"He responded, 'I'd love to!' I was in a daze but I remember what a nice gentleman he was. He was very gracious and definitely worthy of all our adulation. I'm also fortunate to have a very understanding spouse -- even though he voted for Ruben." (Studdard beat Aiken by 1 percent of 24 million votes.)
Of course, not all the significant others are so understanding.
Wannomae, who works in her family restaurant, KJ's Local Grindz, where a poster of Aiken is prominently displayed, said, "My mom said, 'You're too old for this.' My boyfriend is completely sick of him. When I told him about the party, the first thing he said was, 'I'm not going.'"
Fernandes says her husband rolls his eyes when Aiken's name comes up, so she and Wannomae were glad to find one another.
"Before that, I felt like I was the only one," said Fernandes, a paralegal.
On the Internet they can track bootlegging fans who post videos of Aiken's concert performances across the nation.
All the women seemed somewhat surprised by their sudden groupie behavior, particularly because they said they had never experienced any idol mania during their adolescence, when hormone-induced hysteria is almost expected.
And the women can't seem to describe Aiken's magical hold over them.
"I don't know. He just has that 'It' factor," Fernandes said. "He's just so likable."
"He's so clean cut and seems like a nice, likable person," Wannomae said. "He's the kind of guy I would like as a best friend. I feel like we could sit down to talk and chat and chat and chat."
"He's brought so many people back to music because some of the music out there just makes you go, 'What did they say?' We don't identify with it," said Robinson. "It's not comfortable."
Robinson, whose kids are grown, said a majority of Aiken fans are in their 30s and 40s, predominantly women, though she's expecting some men at the Monday night party.
"I'm on the upper range of that, but I always say I was too young for Elvis and too old for the Beatles, so this is my time."

STAR BULLETIN

[Pamela]

Aiken fans aim to turn CD into platinum feat of Clay
Friday, October 10, 2003

They are motivated, organized and determined.

The Clay Aiken Nation will be fan-ning out around the globe late Monday and into the early hours of Tuesday in an attempt to make their man's debut album go platinum (or sell a million copies) in just one day.

Calling the grass-roots effort "The CD Release Heard Around The World," at last count more than 8,000 people had signed up to attend parties and get to their local music store at the stroke of midnight Tuesday to buy Aiken's "Measure of a Man" disc the moment it's available.

As most of the world with television now knows, Aiken, the 24-year-old from North Carolina with the golden voice was a close second to Ruben Studdard in the last "American Idol" contest on Fox.

Instant stardom followed -- a concert tour, countless television appearances, the cover of "Rolling Stone."

And now, the much-anticipated album and an outpouring of Clay-fection.

Linda Cahall, the Harrisburg Clay-ordinator, said the project grew out of "an ad-hoc group of fans who know each other from Internet message boards."

A Web site went up -- www.redhottopic.com -- and just through word of mouth, events were planned in every state, Canada, Germany, New Zealand and Singapore.

The local festivities, dubbed "Central Pennsylvania Celebrates Clay," will include the masses gathering from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at the Red Robin restaurant in Lower Paxton Twp. Cahall promises that only Aiken's image and music will be heard on the sound system, television sets and video screens.

At 9 p.m., the party moves to the Media Play on Jonestown Road for more Aiken music and videos, games and door prizes.

WROZ "The Rose" 101 FM's Michael C. Anthony will be the host and broadcasting live.

Registration is required so that there are enough CDs for everyone. Call Media Play at 652-4200 for more information.

A million copies in a day is an ambitious goal, but Aiken is no sales lightweight.

His single, "This Is The Night/Bridge Over Troubled Water," released in June, went platinum in 37 days. And, it's been rumored that the pre-sales for "Measure of a Man" have been strong enough for RCA to ship a multi-platinum number of units.

Those kind of accomplishments come as no surprise to Aiken admirers.

"Everything about Clay makes me happy," said Carol, a mother of three whose husband would "kill her" if she used her full name. "Clay makes me want to be a better person. And my husband has come to see a bright side. At least when I am talking about Clay, I am not ranting about President Bush and the war in Iraq."

Cahall said she's gotten party RSVPs from people ranging in age from teens to grandparents.

"What's unique about Clay fans is that we will be buying CDs, not burning them from the Internet," she said. "In fact, many will buy multiple copies on Oct. 14. The music industry envies what Clay's fans have done for him already."

LINK

[Pamela]

For one Tucson fan, Clay Aiken as good as Krispy Kreme
ROGELIO OLIVAS
Tucson Citizen

RCA Records"American Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken is the real winner in the hearts of his Tucson fans.
Tucson fans are Aiken for Clay. They just can't get enough of the "American Idol" runner-up. They're grabbing magazines, recording TV programs and even flying to other states to attend concerts by the budding superstar.
Next week, fans here are expecting 50 people at Borders on Oracle Road as part of the International Clay Aiken CD Release Party. The Old Pueblo is one of 80 lucky cities in North America celebrating the debut of "Measure of a Man."
Tucson librarian Michelle Graye will be there. She's one of the co-organizers and one of his biggest fans.
"You don't hear voices like that very often," says Graye, 49, who traveled all the way to Birmingham, Ala., this month to see the former youth camp counselor and special education major and other "American Idol" alumni in concert.
"He's come a long way. He's really metamorphosed" since his early days on "Idol," she adds, explaining that the 24-year-old Raleigh, N.C., native seems more comfortable in front of an audience.
He's also undergone quite a physical transformation, going from a goofy, awkward, dyed brunette with sideburns to a polished showman with strawberry blond spiked hair.
The goofy part is still debatable. Some have likened him to Howdy Doody, Alfred E. Newman and Pee Wee Herman with a bad haircut. Others mold their little Clay into whoever and whatever they want.
"He's not perfect looking, but there's just something about him. He's just really cute," says Graye, who thinks he resembles British actor/hottie Jude Law. (Bartender, I'll have whatever she's drinking. Sorry, Michelle. I couldn't resist.)
For Graye and other members of The People's Republic of Clay Internet fan club, the singer's appeal goes beyond his looks. They cite his genuine sense of warmth, kindness, sincerity and love for children.
"You just want to adopt him. He makes people feel like there's hope in the music world. That it's not a vast wasteland," Graye says.
Her infatuation with the singer hasn't created any problems between her and her fiance - so far - and her family and friends don't think she's gone too far with her Clay Aiken fixation.
"They're good with it," she says. In fact, her sister and 10-year-old niece, who live in Birmingham, accompanied her to the concert there.
Graye agrees with Entertainment Weekly's recent description of cover boy Aiken as a guilty pleasure.
"It's like eating Krispy Kreme. He's just too good to be true."
Others seem to agree. His appeal is broad, with a fan base that includes little girls, middle-age women and gay men. Graye's group, whose members range in age from 18 to late 50s, includes a physician, a lawyer and a real-life rocket scientist.
Aiken's also a fave of the gay set, who seem to relish his over-the-top performances and vocal histrionics, à la a male diva. For the record, he says he's straight. Sorry, guys.
Graye doesn't blame gay guys for admiring Aiken. How can they resist?
"Clay has that unknown quality that's very hard to describe, but it's certain parts God-given talent, personality and charisma leading people to describe him as a young Frank Sinatra or Elvis."
Coincidentally, one of the other sites considered for the party was Krispy Kreme, a sponsor of the national event. But maybe rational heads determined that Aiken and Krispy Kreme doughnuts at the same time just might be too much ecstasy for faint hearts to handle.
You can contact Rogelio Olivas at rolivas@tucsoncitizen.com.

LINK

[Pamela]

Claymania meets midnight madness
Aiken fans from all over to celebrate CD release in 'Idol' star's hometown
By MATT EHLERS, Staff Writer

Come Tuesday, you'll be able to buy the CD at virtually every record store and Wal-Mart in America.
Where's the action?   
Can't wait to get your paws on Clay Aiken's "Measure of a Man?" Eager to show off your homemade T-shirt or scrapbook to other members of Clay Nation? Join the faithful at a Monday night party, or head to a record store for a midnight purchase.

But "Measure of a Man" (RCA) is Clay Aiken's major-label debut album, and for some, the corner store isn't good enough. So people are descending on Raleigh -- Clay's hometown -- from such places as Las Vegas and Iowa to buy a CD, swap stories and share in the vibe.

Retailers can officially begin selling "Measure of a Man" at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, and many of them are. They're throwing parties and celebrating the hair, the eyes, the voice -- everything that is Clay Aiken.
It's record-release hoopla unlike anything the Triangle has experienced -- even for such nationally known acts as Chapel Hill's Squirrel Nut Zippers and Ben Folds Five or former Raleigh resident Ryan Adams.

"The whole process has been extremely exciting," said Mike Robbins, general manager of Triangle Town Center. In his 25 years in the mall business, Robbins said his closest experience to the Clay furor was a 1981 Rick Springfield appearance at a Cleveland mall that drew 300 to 500 fans. Clay won't even be at Triangle Town Center -- though his mother, Faye Parker, will be -- but Robbins expects a crowd of 3,000 faraway out-of-towners and locals for the "Official Clay Aiken CD Release Party," which begins Monday at 5 p.m. with karaoke, "Clay-cuts" hair styling and more.

The Triangle's three Schoolkids Records outlets also will be open for midnight sales. Owner Michael Phillips said it's not uncommon for Schoolkids to stay open late for popular new releases. "Most of our business comes from college kids, and they tend to get up for this kind of thing," he said. But Aiken's music draws an eclectic crowd, from little girls to little old ladies, people who don't normally spend a lot of time in record stores.  "My 10-year-old daughter is doing backflips," Phillips said.

The excitement around Aiken, 24, is immense. After finishing second on the Fox network's "American Idol" talent show, he has gone from being a geeky college student to appearing on magazine covers and being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey and Diane Sawyer. The media attention has only fueled the hype.

Aiken's chances for a long-term career are debatable, but one thing is certain: His first record will be a huge hit.  "The guy has got a fantastic voice," Phillips said. "I think he's been overhyped, but the guy can definitely sing."

LINK

[Pamela]

If you can't make it to a CD release party tonight, here's the next best thing...watch the webcam at Triangle Town Center in Raleigh, where Clay's hometown will be celebrating the release of his first CD!

TRIANGLE TOWN CENTER WEBCAM LINK

Enjoy!

[cassms]

CD Release Party tonight at Media Play near Gwinnett Place Mall:

starts at 7 pm
Media Play
Venture Point
3850 Venture Dr.
Duluth, GA
770-476-1504
(off I-85 at Steve Reynolds Blvd., right near Costco)

Couldn't resist sharing this poem sent by the Georgia Clay Aiken fan club (through redhottopic site):

All the e-mails they did send
We have a party to attend
At Media Play at Venture Mall
You're guaranteed to have a ball
Clay's album we are going to buy
And overnight we're going to try
to make it platinum, so be there.
It's going to be a great affair.
We're going to play some crazy games
Like pin the tail on Simon's nose
And taking off all Clay's clothes.
His sporty shorts will have to stay
We'll save those for another day.
We're going to have a jersey tug
We're even going to cut a rug.
We're going to judge a knee-bend show,
We're going to have a panty throw.
We're going to watch all Clay's videos.
And backwards try to turn our toes.
We'll eat pizza, vanilla ice cream too,
And Krispy Kremes bought just for you.
We'll hear Clay break into song,
He'll be singing all night long.
And Clay may even place a call
To thank his fans one and all.
We're going to buy CDs galore
Until there's none left in the store.
If we do all this just right
He will go platinum overnight.
  author:  Eboya

Way to go, Eboya!!  Come have a blast with us!!

[Pamela]

Excellent poem cassms!  Thanks so much for sharing with us!

The CD party in Raleigh was a huge success!  There were approximately 1500 wristbands given out for CD purchases and as we got in line around 11:00 pm all the local news stations were there shooting.  We had two different radio stations with live feeds from the site and Clay even called in around 10:00 pm EST!  He had just finished shooting the Leno performance and was on his way to the instudio visit with JoJo at KIIS FM in LA!  (Invisible was #1 on G105 in Raleigh as well as on JoJo's Top 9@9 last night!)

The grand prize at the Raleigh party was the actual pair of red shoes Clay wore while performing Grease on American Idol.  A lucky person from Raleigh won the shoes; but there were people at the Raleigh party from about twenty different states!

Clay's mother was there all night and signed autographs for several hours.  At 12:15 EST we watched Clay's Leno performance on a huge screen that was set up at center court.  He was fabulous!  (But that's another thread...)

I met some of the nicest people and made some new friends; it was a wonderful experience I wouldn't have traded for the world.

[Pamela]

Fans Travel for Unofficial Clay Aiken Tour
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
 
RALEIGH, N.C.  — Two sisters from Ohio have spent a few days visiting Raleigh and touring certain hot spots. The draw wasn't the state Capitol or any museums, but rather, Clay Aiken (search) and the release of his first album.

"This is the perfect place to celebrate Clay's first CD," said Marty Scott as she sat in the center court of Triangle Town Center.

Scott and her sister, Brenda Wasson, traveled from Akron, Ohio, for the big event.

The pair showed up just after 3 p.m., even though Aiken's CD, "Measure of a Man," (search) didn't go on sale until 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, the CD's official release date.

Their tour of the area included visits to the YMCA where Aiken used to work, his high school and church. They wanted to be in his hometown to share in the area's appreciation of its biggest star.

"Where else could you go but Raleigh?" said Wasson, 42.

Aiken, 24, a Raleigh native and Leesville Road High School graduate, finished second in this year's "American Idol" (search) competition.

By 7:30 p.m., mall employees had handed out more than 1,000 colored wristbands, each of which entitled the wearer to purchase a CD from either Sam Goody's or Barnes and Noble.

Fans had the chance to have their hair styled like Aiken's, sing a little karaoke or get an autograph from Aiken's mom, Faye Parker. Hundreds waited in line for a black-and-white headshot of Aiken, with the words "Clay's mom, Faye," scrawled across it.
 

LINK