INDEPENDENT TOUR MEDIA REVIEWS

[Pamela]

NEW YORK

Still more like puppets than idols
By Rafer Guzman
STAFF WRITER
March 6, 2004

In some parallel universe, there's a Fox show called "American Artist" in which contestants struggle to make bold, original music. Instead of competing for a prize, each artist is given a "task": To find his or her audience and connect with it on some level. The winner gets to have a career - sometimes.

But wait - we already have something like that. It's called reality. But because it requires so much concentration and goes on for so long, with contestants occasionally dying in obscurity or killing themselves, it's not always easy to watch. Fox's "American Idol," then, is the exact opposite of reality.  And now on tour are Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson, the exact opposite of artists.

"American Idol" groomed Aiken and Clarkson to resemble other successful pop and R&B artists - hence, they resemble each other. Though one is male, the other female, they can be described with the same few words: Young, talented, likable. If they have more complex personalities than that, Fox wasn't telling.

The trouble is, Clarkson and Aiken still aren't telling. They've exited the bubble-world of "American Idol" (an environment as tightly controlled as "The Truman Show"), but still share the same management company, record label and songwriters- for-hire. That made searching their Thursday concert for hints of originality a tough task, like trying to crack a computer code: The tiniest hiccup in the data became something to glom on to.

Such blips were few and far between, but Clarkson provided most of them. For starters, she's changed her look. Instead of the well-coiffed girl-next-door who appears on her album, "Thankful," Clarkson played the tomboy in ragged jeans and a functional ponytail. She strummed an acoustic guitar on a countryish version of "Low," then an electric one for "Just Missed the Train." During the ballad "Beautiful Disaster," she sat cross-legged on the piano instead of draping herself over it.

Clarkson has a typical soul-belter's voice, powerful and with a big range. Perhaps because of that, the material that should have suited her best (such as the new jack swing of "Bounce") was also the most boring. The bolder Clarkson's song choices, the more impassioned her singing became. She put some sass into Reba McEntire's "Why Haven't I Heard From You?" and did a fine job revving up Bette Midler's old-fashioned "Stuff Like That There."

If Clarkson's personality shone through her songs rather than her words - she barely spoke during her 50-minute set - Aiken achieved the reverse. His between-song patter was far more charming than his music. At one point, he swiped a cell phone from a young fan and spoke to the apparently hyperventilating caller: "Karen? Let me talk, okay? Breathe."

But Aiken's set plodded along with mostly mid-tempo ballads and gentle pop numbers designed to accentuate his wounded-puppy image. After a short while, his songs became a blur of similar-sounding plaints such as "I've been hurt way too many times" or "I survived you."

The only break was an ill-advised cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry." When Aiken tried to purr, "The sweat of your body covers me," we discovered at least one thing about his personality: He can't funk.

NY NEWSDAY

[Pamela]

WASHINGTON DC

At MCI, American Idolatry For the Feats of Clay and Kelly
Monday, March 8, 2004; Page C05

Fox's "American Idol" may be just a karaoke contest wrapped inside yet another let's-laugh-at-people reality show, but its premise -- let America decide whom it wants to listen to -- has produced some actual talent. First-season winner Kelly Clarkson and second season runner-up Clay Aiken don't just have great voices, they've quickly become solid performers. During their co-headlining show Friday at MCI Center, they both cruised the stage comfortably, even signing autographs mid-song without missing a note.

Aiken opened, singing "Kyrie Eleison" as he walked through the audience. Fans, a mix of screaming teens and equally ecstatic middle-aged women, sat only when he did, during an acoustic medley that included Sting's "Fields of Gold" and James Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind." Aiken's love songs are predictable, but they kept the audience at full attention. When he paused to talk to a fan's friend on her cell phone -- coaching the hysterical woman to "breathe, honey, breathe" -- his geeky grin sent the crowd into further delirium.

Though she didn't get the thunderous response granted to Aiken, Clarkson delivered a solid set, belting out her ballad "Beautiful Disaster" accompanied only by a piano, playing guitar with her band on "Low," and whispering Betty Hutton's '40s torch song "Stuff Like That There." But Clarkson lost momentum through several unnecessary costume changes, and it was clear by the lukewarm reaction (and preponderance of Aiken T-shirts) that Clay was the main attraction.

Aiken and Clarkson closed the show with a powerful duet of Journey's "Open Arms," turning a saccharine '80s ballad into a vocal workout, bringing the crowd back to its feet. The pair's talent is genuine, and the crowd was ecstatic.

-- Catherine P. Lewis

WASHINGTON POST (registration required)

[Pamela]

WILKES-BARRE

Singers show there's talent in 'Idol'

By ALAN K. STOUT
alanks@leader.net

WILKES-BARRE TWP. - Say what you will about "American Idol."

Say that it's cheesy, corporate and contrived, and that it takes the idea that pop music should be a showcase for songwriters and sells it out for the sake of a few points in the Nielson ratings.

Say all of that, and you're absolutely right.

"American Idol" is about as creative and artistic as filling in a pothole, but that doesn't mean that it can't be entertaining.

Some American Idols - no doubt about it - can really sing, and that's clearly the case with 2002 winner Kelly Clarkson and 2003 runner-up Clay Aiken, who performed at the Wachovia Arena on Sunday night in front of a crowd of 8,000.

Clarkson, blessed with a remarkably soulful voice, offered a mix of songs from her debut CD "Thankful" and from her feature film "From Justin to Kelly."

And though some of the tunes themselves were forgettable, her voice shined during every number, particularly during performances of the R&B-flavored "Anytime" and her No. 1 hit "A Moment Like This." Her set ended with an energetic performance of another No. 1, "Miss Independent."

Aiken was next, and Aiken was better.

It's interesting that the young vocalist was never an actual winner on "American Idol," yet he was the biggest star at last year's American Idol tour that visited the arena. And he headlined Sunday's show.

The reason, most likely, is how well he embraces the songs he sings. Through his gestures and mannerisms, he truly appears to capture the feelings of the songs' lyrics, and thus, makes them his own. (Elvis and Sinatra did the same.)

There's also an innocence to Aiken, as if you could see in his smile that his fame is still new to him, and that he's excited about it and appreciative of it. That, too, makes him an engaging entertainer.

Highlights of Aiken's set include his hit "Invisible," "No More Sad Songs," "I Survived You" and an acoustic set of pop hits that included songs by Sting, James Taylor and Prince. The show ended with Aiken and Clarkson offering an excellent duet of Journey's "Open Arms."

Critics of "American Idol" might say that every church choir in America or every karaoke bar might have singers as talented as Clarkson and Aiken, but that's highly unlikely, and that's exactly why the show remains so popular.

It finds talent and it presents it with opportunity. And despite some justified knocks, there's ultimately something very American about that.

TIMES LEADER

Clarkson, Aiken: Two idols who just might turn out OK
By Alexander Choman TIMES-SHAMROCK MUSIC CRITIC  03/08/2004
 
WILKES-BARRE TWP. -- American Idol alumni Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken returned to Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza on Sunday night. But unlike previous trips where they were hot off appearances of the most recent competitions on the FOX phenomena, they were teamed together this night on the Independent Tour for a sold-out performance as favorites of America's latest infatuation.

Ms. Clarkson's voice is adjusting and maturing admirably. The problem comes in the songs that sounded cutesy. In Mr. Aiken's case, he is most definitely still a work in progress, results yet to be determined.

While they take turns headlining on each tour stop, Sunday evening it was Ms. Clarkson's turn to open, which she did admirably with a generous selection of songs from her hot-selling debut recording, "Thankful."

Playing before a set decorated with floor-to-ceiling transparent linen swatches bathed in various hues throughout the show, Ms. Clarkson rendered admirable versions of the title track, "Thankful," "Beautiful Disaster," "Anytime," "American Idol" show-stopper "A Moment Like This" and "Miss Independent."

Ms. Clarkson's voice seems to have matured significantly past these overproduced tunes that her producers burdened her with. On the other hand, her interpretation of Reba McEntire's work was not without merit -- perhaps her best song of the night.

For his part, cohort Clay Aiken was clearly this crowd's favorite of the evening. Security ushered him in through the rear of Wachovia Arena in a bit of a grandiose entrance. From the moment he appeared until and hour or so later, the screams of "Clay, Clay, we love you, Clay" didn't diminish from one part of the arena to the other.

Versions of Mister Mister's "Kyrie Eleison," "Perfect Day," "I Will Carry You," "The Way" and "When You Say You Loved Me" all opened and ended with roaring approval from the sold-out audience.

Journey's 1981 power ballad "Open Arms" seemed a bit anti-climactic as Ms. Clarkson joined Aiken joined for the finale.

Mr. Aiken was the consummate showman, playing in front of his competent five-piece band and three backing vocalists. Mr. Aiken has a cocky confidence that exudes charisma and a belief that he can cover any song and win over any audience. Judging by the reaction of the Wachovia Arena crowd, perhaps he can.

As it stands now, both singers have inherent talent and, properly guided and crafted for the right reasons, could be in this business for a long time.

SCRANTON TIMES

[Pamela]

WORCESTER

Bubbly `Idol' stars give concert real pop

By Renee Graham, Globe Staff, 3/9/2004

WORCESTER -- It hardly matters whether one thinks "American Idol," and the ready-made pop stars it produces, is a great egalitarian pop-culture phenomenon or simply the opening act for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Last night, there was no denying the effervescence exuding from "Idol" alums Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken.

So what if it was all cheesier than the lunchtime menu at Papa Gino's? Both Clarkson, the winner of the show's inaugural season, and Aiken, the second season's runner-up, performed hourlong sets so filled with gratitude and energy, there was no room left for airs and attitudes common among many pop stars. Both seem to understand that they're just a couple lucky so-and-sos who were plucked from obscurity to become concert draws. If Clarkson was supposed to be the headliner, no one told the sold-out crowd. The evening was all about Aiken, who has emerged as a kind of people's champion after losing the "Idol" title last year to Ruben Studdard. (Of course, it was the people who voted for Studdard, so go figure.) Prepubescent girls, and some well on the shadier side of adolescence whooped and hollered for Aiken, holding such colorful signs as "Clay is a Hottay." Accompanied by two Studdard-size guards, Aiken entered the arena through the crowd as if he were a conquering hero, singing "Kyrie," by the long-forgotten '80s band Mr. Mister.

Looking like a cuddly cross between comic book character Archie and E.T., Aiken chatted with the audience between songs, and even signed autographs while he was singing. He has a big, warm voice, though one that still seems more suited for show tunes than pop songs. Then again, most of his songs -- from "Invisible" to "Perfect Day" (not to be confused with the Lou Reed song of the same name) -- are fairly schmaltzy. Most regrettable was an ill-advised cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry."

If Aiken seems fresh from "Idol," Clarkson was ready to stretch. Dressed in black T-shirt, and ripped jeans complete with dangling wallet chain, Clarkson was eager to project an image beyond the carefully crafted pop chanteuse. Barefoot and playing acoustic guitar, Clarkson displayed a soulful, versatile voice that often seemed superior to the songs, such as "Just Missed the Train" and "Anytime." She went for a bit of PG raunch on "Bounce," but mostly this was a show that even the FCC could love.

© Copyright 2004 Globe Newspaper Company.

BOSTON GLOBE

Clarkson and Aiken live up to 'Idol'atry

By Amy Amatangelo
Wednesday, March 10, 2004

In a match made in marketing heaven, Kelly Clarkson, the winner of the first "American Idol'' competition, and Clay Aiken, the runner-up in last year's competition, took their joint tour to the Worcester Centrum on Monday night. Both stars clearly have not forgotten the reason they have a career.
 
     Aiken performed a slew of numbers from his album, "Measure of a Man.'' His effortless banter with the crowd was delightful. He signed autographs, took a cellphone from an audience member, and when he saw a 5-year-old girl with a sign that read, "Clay, can I sing with you?'' he brought her on stage. To his surprise, the young fan knew all the words to "When You Say You Love Me.''
 
     "You know this song better than I do,'' he said.
 
     Let's be honest - the idea of Aiken covering Prince's hit "When Doves Cry'' seems preposterous. But as judge Paula Abdul likes to say, it's all about making the song your own. And Aiken owned the song. Whether it was during a power ballad such as "I Survived You'' or his hit "Invisible,'' the Raleigh, N.C., native seemed to be having a blast on stage.
 
     "Idol'' judge Simon Cowell's rallying cry is that contestants not only need vocal talent, they also need charisma. That kind of charm can't be taught, and Aiken has a joyful stage presence that is downright contagious. That's one reason he's touring with Clarkson, instead of Ruben Studdard, who aced him out in their season's final vote.
 
     Compared to Aiken, Clarkson did not seem nearly as comfortable in front of the crowd. Although they shared the same three backup singers and band, the two sets were vastly different. Clarkson's stage was layered with Oriental rugs and giant candles and her stage persona was more affected.
 
     Clarkson was often drowned out by her band and, at times, seemed to be screaming the lyrics. She fared better on such numbers as "Beautiful Disaster'' and "Thankful,'' accompanied by just the piano, so her rich voice could be heard. The live version of her mega-hit "Miss Independent'' was the highlight of her set.
 
     Like Aiken, Clarkson remembers where she came from. She closed with her first hit, "A Moment Like This,'' and signed autographs during the entire song.

BOSTON HERALD

Idol Duo Breaking From Pack

By Scott McLennan - Entertainment Columnist

Worcester- Singers Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson may be proclaiming their "independence" from the AI machine that created them, but the pair's concert Monday at the Centrum revealed how much a product of that machine they are.
Aiken & Clarkson's Independent tour is a well-polished entertainment vehicle, one that allows each singer to stand on the merits of work presented on albums produced in the wake of their successes on the AI TV show.
Both have broken from the pack, no longer simply faces in the ensemble AI tours that have previously hit the road. And both have done well, as Aiken's MOAM and Clarkson's Thankful have provided plenty of fodder for Top 40 radio and MTV"s teen rage, TRL.
But when all was said and done with the Independent tour stop at the Centrum, there was no getting around the fact that Aiken & Clarkson are winners of a glorified "Gong Show" ( and Aiken was actually runner-up in season 2 of Idol). And without that distinction, no singers with a range as limited as Aiken's or stage mannerisms as clunky as Clarkson's would have the right to be headlining on an arena stage.
But to their credit, Aiken & Clarkson came across as totally likeable characters. Aiken is the guileless Peter Pan-like fellow who warms a mother's heart and radiates the sort of non-threatening attraction that compels young girls to scrawl " Aiken 4 Clay" on their T-shirts.
Clarkson is a bit more sassy, unafraid to let a little blues growl slip into her work, but still the sort of girl a father can be proud of; the odds of finding out Clarkson had a late-night wedding in Vegas seem as remote as finding weapons of mass detruction in Iraq.
At a time when the school of pop is awash with ne'er-do-wells and harlots, Aiken & Clarkson present themselves as safe alternatives. And that warm, cushy feeling was embraced by a near-sellout house.
Aiken was the first to declare his independence. The pixieish singer emerged from an aisle in the middle of the arena singing the joyous "Kyrie." Aiken crooned and signed autographs through the crowd, and by the time he joined his white-clad band and backup singers, a full-on "Up With People" vibe was in effect. Aiken did a great job connecting with his fans, bringing little kids on stage, chatting on fan's cell phone and lauding the crowd's enthusiasm at every opportunity. His connection to the songs he sang was a bit more tenuous, however.
Whether aiming for bouncy on " A Perfect Day" or a love-lorn feel on " No More Sad Songs", Aiken kept coming up neutral. His by-the-numbers set was harmless enough untill he tackled Prince's "When Doves Cry." When done right, that slow-burning jam can throw off a ton of heat. Aiken's rendition came across more like a Saturday Night Live parody of white guys singing soul music.
As a singer, Clarkson covered more range than Aiken. Sharing the same band Aiken used, Clarkson opened her set with "Low," and fished for some credibility by strumming guitar on the tune.
Clarkson also took chances, pumping up TTWLI with a harder-hitting outro, and toning down "Beautiful Disaster" into a simple piano ballad. Her effort to recast "Anytime," a duet she recorded with former Idol star Justin Guarini went haywire when she and her male couterpart from the ranks of the backup singers veered horribly off-key and had to restart the song.
Clarkson regained momentum for a strong closing run through her hits AMLT & MI.
And not an adolescent vocal cord was left intact when Aiken reappeared to join Clarkson for a night-ending version of Journey's "Open Arms."
Singing over-the-top versions of old hits by other people is AI at its most basic. Seeing Aiken & Clarkson go down that road for the big closing number of their first post-Idol tour makes one wonder just how interested in independence they really are.

WORCESTER TELEGRAM

Move over, Kelly, Clay is America's "Idol"

A Telegraph Column By Stacy Milbouer
Published: Thursday, Mar. 11, 2004

I shaved my legs for Clay Aiken on Monday night, and I was not alone.

The hordes of women (there was barely a man in sight) who crammed the Centrum in Worcester, Mass., for the Clay Aiken/Kelly Clarkson concert not only shaved, but shampooed, perfumed and as the Fab Five would put it tszujed like crazy, just to be in the presence of the unofficial winner of last year's "American Idol" contest.

Yes, I know, Kelly Clarkson was on the bill, too, and she was good. But no one, not anyone should follow Aiken on stage. It's like eating Jell-O for dessert after feasting on Duck a l'Orange.

And trust me, this Duck a l'Orange had them swooning in the aisles.

After the concert, two of my five companions admitted the thought had crossed their minds, that Aiken was the messiah who had come to Earth to lift us up in these depressing times.

OK, that might be going too far, but there is no doubt that Aiken has "It" with a capital "I", and the age range this guy appeals to is almost as wide as his vocal range. Infants held by postpartum Claymates seemed lulled to sleep by Aiken's "This is the Night". Teen girls traveling in packs with spotlights reflecting off their braces carried signs imploring someone to "Get Me Back Stage". And let us not forget those among us who have reached middle age and last remember feeling this hypnotized when we polished our go-go boots while listening to the new "Beatles "65" album.

Yes, the same people who pulled their hair out when Paul McCartney sang "Yesterday" on "The Ed Sullivan Show" 40 years ago were swooning when Aiken belted out his No. 1 "Invisible". It's hard to believe the live New England debut of that song took place a mere seven months ago when Aiken, Ruben Studdard and the other Idolites took to the Centrum stage last summer for a schlocked-up "American Idol" tour.

Talk about meteoric rises: Aiken's spiky little head must be spinning. But you'd never know it watching him perform. If there is one thing better than his voice, it's his stage presence. This guy sang his guts out, signed autographs, ducked beach balls and never broke a sweat. In fact, he was so comfortable with the screaming throngs of estrogen-emitting females that he seemed to want to clone himself, sit down and watch the show right along with them.

Instead, he did the next best thing. He dished with them, at one point plucking a cell phone held up by a fan who was ?sharing? the concert with her at-home buddy. And, as if he were talking to his best friend in Raleigh, N.C., he said ?hi? in the cutest southern accent this side of the Mason Dixon.

"That's right," he said. "It's me, it's Clay. Whatch y'all doing? What's your name? Debbie? Hi, Debbie . . ."

Debbie went wild. Her friend went wild. The audience was on its feet as it was when Aiken brought to the stage a 5-year-old girl who held up a sign that read "Please Let Me Sing with Clay." The two did an impromptu duet of "When You Say You Love Me", and as Aiken himself put it, the 5-year-old "knew the lyrics better than I did."

Life is a strange when you become off-the-charts jealous of a kindergartner.

What's there to say? He can sing the sparkly eyeshadow off a teenybopper and curl the thinning hair of a grandmother with just one note of "Carry You". It's about his voice, of course. But it's also about his Southern drawl, his paintbrush eyelashes and the fact that he actually seems as nice and innocent as his press package makes him out to be.

And let's face it: For some reason, this gawky boy-man with a sea-urchin hairdo, giant feet and 6-foot-plus frame is downright sexy. He knows this and appears to be embarrassed by this and that makes him even more appealing. The audience nearly dropped dead when he did a little bump and grind with one of his background vocalists, then blushed a deep shade of red.

As for Clarkson, who followed on stage after Aiken's hourlong performance . . . whatever. One teenage girl behind me summed it all up: "I was, like, so falling asleep with Kelly. I was feeling a little depressed. Then Clay showed up again, and I was, like, all excited again."

Sad, but true.

The highlight of Clarkson's performance was her closing duet of "Open Arms" with? you guessed it Clay Aiken.

Stacy Milbouer can be reached at news@telegraph-nh.com.

NASHUA TELEGRAPH

[Pamela]

COLUMBUS

One idol shines; another searches
Friday, March 12, 2004
Elizabeth Weinstein

Idol worship was on display Wednesday night at Value City Arena when a force named Clay Aiken rolled into town to perform songs from his chart-topping debut album, Measure of a Man.

Females from toddlers to middle-aged mothers sported Aiken T-shirts, painted his name across their faces and carried banners with pictures of the American Idol runner-up turned international phenomenon.

When he walked through aisles of admirers to the stage, an initial hush preceded eardrum-piercing screams that continued throughout the evening.

Kelly Clarkson was there, too: She performed before Aiken and after a bland set from a Disney-friendly opening act, the Beu Sisters. Clarkson has come into her own musically since winning the first American Idol competition, finding a hybrid of pop and rhythm and blues that works nicely with her soulful voice. But her tame reception, compared with Aiken’s Beatle-esque treatment, must have left her wondering, and rightfully so, "Where is the love?"

Clarkson emerged wearing torn bluejeans, a black T-shirt and a ponytail. The acoustic guitar strapped to her shoulder was a pleasant surprise and she strummed it ably during several songs.

Clearly determined to pre-empt any diva image, she kicked off her shoes, flashed a winning smile and peppered her chatter with familiarities such as "What’s goin’ on, y’all!"

Clarkson sang most of the songs on her album, Thankful, but the highlight came when she propped herself on the piano and sang an acoustic version of Beautiful Disaster, followed by a rousing cover of the Jay Livingston/Ray Evans scat tune Stuff Like That There.

Aiken began his set in a mismatched blazer, green polo shirt and blue cargo pants, his indefinable but undeniable allure causing teen girls and their mothers (and even their grandmothers) to swoon.

Unfortunately, the uninspired, forgettable songs that make up Measure of a Man are nothing to swoon over, not that it mattered.

Perfect Day, No More Sad Songs and I Survived You were pleasant enough, but, when he sang about picking up a girl in a bar (When You Say You Love Me) or declared his love through trite metaphors (crescent moons and shooting stars on Shine), it rang false, contradicting his geek-next-door charm.

The worst moment occurred when Aiken broke into a sedated version of Prince’s When Doves Cry, then proceeded to bump and grind (giggling awkwardly all the while) with a female backup singer.

At moments he shone, as during his singles This Is the Night and Invisible. He turned on the charm by inviting a lucky teen from the audience to join him in a song, later promising a girl he would find a special place for the teddy bear she handed him.

Unlike Clarkson, who has found a comfortable niche in pop music by staying true to herself, Aiken seemed torn between two personalities: the familiar boy next door with a powerhouse voice and the new teen heartthrob.

If he’s wise, he’ll ditch the uncomfortable sex-symbol act and concentrate on his voice, a gift that can make even the most insipid pop song a tolerable listen.

As Idol judge Randy Jackson might say, "Sorry, dawg, but I just wasn’t feeling it. It was just all right."

Fact checker please!  Clay did not sing Shine in Columbus.  Nor did he sing This is the Night in Columbus?  I'm not sure this writer was even there!  

No link - subscripton only.  I'm sure I would pay for erroneous information.  :roll:   :

[Pamela]

DETROIT

Clay Aiken works his way into heart of "Idol" Audience
By Doug Pullen
Journal Entertainment Writer
The Flint Journal 03/12/2004

DETROIT - Like that rental car company used to say, you try harder when you're No. 2. Clay Aiken, last year's "American Idol" runner-up, has made instant success look pretty easy.

His solo career has eclipsed that of that big ol' teddy bear of an R&B singer, Ruben Studdard, who won the 2003 competition. And he's pretty much established himself as The Favorite of all the "American Idol" stars who have emerged since the obscenely popular TV talent show debuted more than two years ago.

That includes Kelly Clarkson, who was crowned the first "American Idol" winner in 2002.

The two talented young singers now are traveling together on the "Independent" tour, which takes its name from her million-selling winner of the first season in 2002.

It brought the gentle North Carolinian and spunky Texan Clarkson to Joe Louis Arena, home of another insanely popular franchise known as the Detroit Red Wings, on Thursday night for a near sell-out crowd of about 13,000.

If Aiken's easygoing charms, honey-sweetened tenor and obvious popularity with the mostly female crowd were any indication, he doesn't have to play second fiddle to anyone anymore. Of course, he did last night, taking the stage after a 20-minute set by newcomers the Beu Sisters, whose generic girl pop wasn't any more distinguishable than their pleasant but average voices, and before Clarkson, whose impressive pipes couldn't quite compensate for her utter lack of charisma or stage presence Thursday night.

Clarkson's got a powerful voice and a likable, earthy quality - she walked the stage barefoot in a black tank top and a pair of jeans that was more holy than righteous. Simon wouldn't approve - but other than a heartfelt rendition of the ballad "Beautiful Disaster" and calling a birthday girl up on stage to sing, Clarkson acted like she couldn't wait to get her 50-minute show over with.

Who could blame her? Aiken is a tough act to follow, and it was obvious that the mostly female crowd, which ranged from little girls to their grandmas, was mostly there to see him. The ratio of handmade Aiken shirts, signs and memorabilia (including an older woman's bib that read, "Clay makes me drool") outnumbered Clarkson's about 5 to 1, suggesting the cult of Clay is in full swing.

That's not to say Clarkson's time has passed. It's just that Aiken's time has come.

The "Idol" machinery has transformed the self-described geek into a natural, wholesome entertainer who obviously appreciates what's happened to him over the past year - like selling 3 million copies of his first album, seeing his face plastered all over magazines and MTV and co-headlining a major arena tour.

He opened his 65-minute performance by walking and singing his way through the crowd, a reminder that he was one of us until a year ago. When he wasn't emoting on a series of inspirational ballads that just might make him the Steve Perry of the new century, Aiken often interacted with the crowd. He breezed into the barricade between the crowd and the stage a couple of times, stopping to shake hands and sign autographs.

He called up a female fan to dance with him on a version of Prince's "When Doves Cry" and plucked cellphones out of the crowd to talk with fans in Illinois and Louisiana.

Aiken, who'll perform Aug. 14 at the Clio Area Amphitheater (no ticket details yet), also sang beautifully, drawing from songs on his solo debut, "Measure of a Man," that play to his vocal strengths more effectively than Clarkson's generic-sounding debut did.

He didn't sing "Bridge Over Troubled Water," but he did a soaring version of "I Will Carry You" and his first hit, "Invisible," that had the crowd in his palms.

M LIVE

[Screaminrieman]

I too was at the Columbus concert and say the same as you others mentioned before about the reviewer. I am a 35 year old male who enjoys good music, good vocal qualities, and love the fact that Clay was just like me just one year ago. The only difference is I can't sing, but I can play a mean guitar. I took my sister and her daughter and friend as well as our mom. She is wheelchair bound and don't get out. This was her one night to remember, ok, second, since we all went to American Idols in Cincy. She was in heaven when Clay performed and that is worth it. We had a blast and I will take my son to a Clay concert when he comes here to Cincinnati (not on a school night). I love the fact that there are no cursing and it is pretty much a clean show. Not many of those out there these days. Keep up the good work Clay.

[Pamela]

WINSTON SALEM

News & Record
March 15, 2004
By Eugene B. Sims

Clarkson, Aiken leave fans happy with Triad concert

Television made a real-life appearance Saturday night in Winston-Salem with two of “American Idols” biggest stars.

Kelly Clarkson and North Carolina native Clay Aiken have thrilled audiences through “American Idol.”

The night started off with a brief set from the Beau Sisters. They filled 25 minutes with arm waving, stage sashaying, toothless teenage pop. Their songs were a capella for the most part. Occasionally, a lone guitarist would step up to flesh out the songs.

The Beau Sisters’ cliché lyricism stood out as much as their ceaseless chatter between songs. The sisters are easy to forget.

Kelly Clarkson hit the stage with “Low.” She had a very capable band backing her up. This allowed her to show off her rudimentary skills on the guitar that was buried in the mix.

Next up, a new up-tempo version of “Trouble With Love,” where her true talent got to shine.

But, once again, someone gave her a Les Paul that was just as beautiful as she was for “Just Missed The Train,” a rocker that managed to get folks out of their seats.

The pop song “Beautiful Disaster” was stripped down to its true soul with Clarkson being accompanied only by a piano.

The backup vocalists got to strut their stuff on the intro of “You Thought Wrong” during Clarkson’s costume change. The power of that song live was more potent than the recorded version. That made for an easy transition into a straight-up cover of Reba McEntire’s “Why Haven’t I Heard From You.”

Clarkson exhibited her own wing of pop obscurity with several songs from the ill-fated film she did with Justin Guarini. And, of course, a night with this American Idol wouldn’t be complete without a fluffy song that propelled her into super stardom. The audience ate up “A Moment Like This” before a true musical dessert titled “Miss Independent” came along to round out a fine, musical feast.

Clay Aiken opened up with a lifeless cover of Mr. Mister’s “Kyrie” as he traveled from the back of the arena to the stage. Aiken’s backing band was the same as Clarkson’s. They did double duty as Clay lit into a string of well-known songs such as “Perfect Day,” “I Will Carry You,” and “No More Sad Songs.”

Hollywood trickery was in full effect as Aiken stopped to take a cell phone and sing to the “person” on the other end during “When You Say You Love Me.” Clay and band broke out an unreleased song called “Without You” that lulled the audience into a light sleep. Thankfully, his song “Invisible” was quick to break the dormancy as Aiken strutted the stage with rooster-of-the-walk attitude – ironic considering the song is about NOT being noticed.

Aiken then toned down the stage presence for “I Survived You,” paving the way for an acoustic “Measure Of A Man/When I Need You” medley. He then finished off the night with James Taylor’s “Carolina On My Mind,” Prince’s “When Doves Cry,” and “The Way.” Kelly Clarkson joined him for the last song, a mechanical cover of Journey’s “Open Arms.”

I’d gladly tune into Kelly-vision. The rest of the night was made for channel surfing.

Eugene B. Sims is a DJ at WKRR, Classic Rock 92  

Hollywood trickery?  This guy didn't believe the cell phone call was real. BWAHahahaha!

Aiken and Clarkson Excited Twin City crowd on Saturday

By Charity Apple
Times-News
March 16, 2004

WINSTON-SALEM – Two vocal powerhouses gave a sold-out crowd at Winston-Salem’s Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum something to shout about Saturday night.

That’s when “American Idol” alums Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken performed their “Independent” tour, its third stop in North Carolina. The other two were in Charlotte and Raleigh, Aiken’s hometown, on Feb. 24 and March 1, respectively.

This venue may be smaller than the other two but the enthusiasm was still outrageous. Middle-aged women wore homemade shirts with Aiken’s picture plastered all over them. And teenage girls were out in full force – some had home-made T-shirts that said things like “I’ll do anything to get backstage” or “the 10 things we love about Kelly.”

Others carried signs with the words “I Love Clay” or requests like “Clay, bring us backstage.”

One woman seated on the floor even had a sign for every song that Aiken sang, as he soon found out when he asked her to present them.
“All right, do you know what I’m singing next?”, he asked her. “If you pick the correct one, you can come backstage.” The woman began shuffling through the stack and enlisting others’ opinions for help. “Don’t cheat now!” Aiken screamed in his Southern drawl. “Now all y’all that have seen the show 15 times can’t help her.” When the woman responded, “When You Say You Love Me,” Aiken asked if she got help. “You did? Well, I tell you what – you get to come backstage anyway, for being honest,” he added.

Aiken certainly made her day. The woman continued to scream as Aiken went on to introduce his mother, who was seated in the front row.
“Everybody say hey to my Mama.” Aiken said.

The last time I saw Aiken in concert, (RBC Center last year) his mother was seated in the nosebleed section, so I’m glad that she got a good close look at her baby boy.

Well, that is until Aiken performed Prince’s “When Doves Cry.” The song involved some gyrating against a background singer – Aiken didn’t seem uncomfortable – until the song ended. “It’s just not right, really.” He said, laughing. “There are people in the audience that have known me since I was 6 years old.”

The audience just laughted along with the moment – hearing Clay sing (and talk) was like visiting with an old friend. He performed a number of songs off the “Measure Of A Man” album, including the title hit, “Invisible” and “The Way,” which is due to come out as a single today. And he did a great rendition of James Taylor’s “Carolina In My Mind.”

Clarkson was equally as good on vocals. Her songs “Thankful,” complete with video of family and friends and “Beautiful Disaster” were simply amazing. She looks like a young Sheryl Crow up there on guitar.

But it would’ve been better if she’d just left the talking to Aiken. During the entire show, she introduced each song by saying things like “and this song is…” “and this song is about…” She could take some lessons from Aiken when it comes to how to deal with the audience.

His presence is polished and comfortable. He didn’t mind singing into someone’s cell phone and then saying, “Who am I talking to? I can’t hear you…it’s loud here…but I’ll sing to you anyway. By the way, my name is Clay Aiken.”

Aiken has come a long way since his “American Idol” auditions; he got voted off the first time but came back as a wild card. Gone is the eye twitching that he did in “Idol” auditions. And he no longer resembles Opie Taylor, well, except when he smiles (but that’s OK).

It’s still difficult to imagine this Raleigh boy as a star, but as I drove out of the coliseum Saturday night, 50 people were crowding around the gate, hoping to catch a glimpse of him (and Kelly). He’s made the big time, but he hasn’t lost that hometown appeal.  

[Screaminrieman]

yeah, I get messed with all of the time because I like Clays music and voice. Again, he was in the crowd as I am. Did anyone see the CNN story on Reuben and Clay?  It was sweet!!! Another reason I like Clay is because he works with Autistic children. My sister is in that same line of work and is actually going back to school to get her degree so can teach full time. She has three children she works with and one of them is autistic. It takes special people to do this thing!!! :)

[DanieP80]

Hollywood trickery? This guy didn't believe the cell phone call was real. BWAHahahaha!

HA!  Ok, guys I'll admit it.  I work for Clay Aiken.  I'm really in the audience for every show handing him cell phones.  Don't I wish!

The guy that reviewed the show works for a Classic Rock station, eh what does he know?

[Pamela]

The guy that reviewed the show works for a Classic Rock station, eh what does he know?

Um...the complete discography of Grand Funk Railroad?
The number of joints in a nickel bag?
The real lyrics to Purple Haze?

:mrgreen:

[FAITH]

Grand Prairie Concert

Clarkson eclipsed by feats of Clay

By Erin Quinn
Special to the Star-Telegram
Posted on Sat, Mar. 20, 2004


GRAND PRAIRIE - It's about time that mothers and daughters were able to find a boy they can agree on. Judging from the full house at Nokia Live on Friday night, that time has come, and that boy is the wholesome Southerner Clay Aiken.

Aiken is paired on this tour with Burleson's own Kelly Clarkson, the winner of American Idol Season 1. But by the sound of things, the audience, many of them mother-daughter pairs, came to see Aiken, who finished second in Season 2.

Aiken's set, which included standard renditions of his two MTV-adored singles Invisible and The Way, was spare, featuring a trio of backup singers and a band that let his voice do most of the work. He didn't stray far from his debut album, the triple-platinum Measure of a Man.

An acoustic medley spotlighted the album's title track, James Taylor's Carolina in My Mind, and Prince's When Doves Cry.

That last number was a little feistier than we're used to from white-bread Clay, but he pulled it off as much as a nice Southern gentleman can pull off Prince.

Clarkson's set was less successful. She seldom engaged with the audience, and when she did it was to let them in on meaningless tidbits ("I'm not wearing shoes, y'all!"). The voice that won Clarkson America's first Idol title was in fine form, but it was drowned out by too much bass.

The highlight of Clarkson's set was her duet with surprise guest Tamayra Gray, the third-place finisher in AI's first season. Gray and Clarkson made believable the jazzy, soulful sound Clarkson seemed to be going for all along. Their duet and Clarkson's rendition of Stuff Like That There, the song that got her noticed by America -- and acidic judge Simon Cowell -- made Clarkson's set much stronger and overrode the poor acoustics.

STAR TELEGRAM

ETA:  Link - Thanks Faith!

[Pamela]

GRAND PRAIRIE

Review: Show full of thanks
 
Idols Clarkson, Aiken please crowd at Nokia Live
11:49 PM CST on Friday, March 19, 2004
By DARLA ATLAS / The Dallas Morning News
 
GRAND PRAIRIE – There's no better place to be barefoot than when you're at home.

Burleson native Kelly Clarkson opted to stay shoeless during most of her concert Friday night at Nokia Live, at which fellow American Idol alum Clay Aiken was her co-headliner. While the barefoot thing is her trait on this tour, she seemed especially relaxed and happy to see familiar faces in the audience.

"My friends are in the crowd – everybody give it up for my friends," she said, pointing them out, then adding, "They're screaming for themselves. That's not cool."

Ms. Clarkson started with her single "Low," showing off her newly acquired guitar skills.

In contrast to Mr. Aiken's ballad-heavy performance, her show had an R&B feel, featuring more up-tempo songs heavy on bass. On "You Thought Wrong," a duet from her Thankful CD with fellow Idol contestant Tamyra Gray, the audience was treated to a surprise when Ms. Gray showed up to sing along. (At least one other contestant from their season was in attendance; Grand Prairie resident Nikki McKibbin was spotted before the show.)

But Ms. Clarkson sounded best in the slower songs that were all about her still-stunning voice. "Beautiful Disaster," accompanied only by piano, was a hit with the fans, who expressed their affection loudly.

Her biggest crowd pleaser was "Miss Independent," performed with a little extra oomph, as well as the closing number of the show, "Open Arms," a duet with Mr. Aiken.

While Ms. Clarkson had love from the audience, Mr. Aiken had downright adoration. Coming out from a side door singing Mr. Mister's "Kyrie," the crowd was on its feet from that point on as he sang songs from his triple-platinum Measure of a Man.

Remember that goofball version of Mr. Aiken from Idol – the one who sang "Grease" wearing a red-leather jacket while displaying an appalling lack of rhythm? He's gone, replaced by an ultra-confident, laid-back, rhythmically competent, bedroom-eyed hunk. It's official: Clay is sexy.

But he's still the same non-threatening boy inside; Mr. Aiken continued to win over the audience by chatting with the fans in the front row, at one point taking a cellphone from someone and talking to the woman on the other end.

Like Ms. Clarkson, he also impressed with his crystal-clear voice. When he sang "Invisible," he had the crowd jumping along with him on the beat (again, let it be known that he now has rhythm). They then swooned during his ballads, including his new single, "The Way."

After performing an acoustic medley of classics such as "Carolina in My Mind" and "Fields of Gold," Mr. Aiken tackled an ultra-slow version of Prince's "When Doves Cry," before bringing it up to normal tempo. It was a risky move, but he pulled it off.

E-mail datlas@dallasnews.com

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

[Pamela]

ST LOUIS

American Idols

By Barry Gilbert
Of the Post-Dispatch
03/22/2004

Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken successfully transferred their megaselling debut CDs to the concert stage at Savvis Center on Sunday night and, judging by the reaction of their adoring fans, they are anything but false idols, at least for now.

Clarkson, the 2002 "American Idol" winner, and Aiken, the 2003 runner-up, each performed for about an hour before a crowd ranging from the very young to the not-so-young - and including lots of moms and daughters. It was Clarkson's turn to go on first, and she hit the stage in hip-hugger jeans and an orange T-shirt reading "Dirrrty South," strumming a guitar to the opening of "Low" from the "Thankful" CD as the spotlight found her.

A highlight of the early part of her set came when she sat up on the piano for a reworked and effective version of "Beautiful Disaster," followed by the jazzy "Stuff Like That There," the song that introduced her to the audience and judges on "American Idol."

After a costume change to black top and black fedora, the Texan sang the only unexpected tune of her set, a hard-charging take on Reba McEntire's "Why Haven't I Heard From You."

She finally got the crowd to its feet - by invitation - midway through her set and closed with a rousing "Miss Independence."

Clarkson is the more musically adventurous of the two, and although she seemed totally at ease and in control during songs, she was oddly self-conscious and giggly during between-song patter.

Aiken, in contrast, is a natural entertainer. He entered the arena from the back, singing Mr. Mister's '80s hit "Kyrie" - the first but not the last unusual song selection for the North Carolina native.

And it was clear whom the crowd really had come to hear. They were on their feet from the opening note as he sold the music from his "Measure of a Man" CD.

With self-effacing humor, some simple but playful dance steps and a boatload of personality, Aiken cherry-picked his CD - "Perfect Day," "I Will Carry You," "No More Sad Songs," "Invisible" - and included a birthday sing-along for a fan and a cell-phone call to another fan's kin in Toronto.

Later, a medley began with the CD title song and veered into cover territory: Sting's "Fields of Gold," Leo Sayer's "When I Need You," James Taylor's pre-"Sweet Baby James" tune "Carolina in My Mind" and, of all things, Prince's "When Doves Cry." It was a welcome detour into other textures and tempos.

Aiken closed with "The Way" and returned almost immediately with Clarkson for a duet on Journey's "Open Arms." And then it was over. No phony encores, but no extended bows and thank-yous, either. The house lights simply came on - to some grumbling from the audience.

ST LOUIS TIMES DISPATCH


This appeared in a column, County Lines, in the Breese, Ill., Journal, on March 25, 2004, by Lynn Venhaus:

"It all started two summers ago, when my friend Lisa told me about this “American Idol” show on Fox, so I tuned in midway and was immediately hooked on the unique talent show competition. We’d call each other up to say who we were voting for and critique the performances. I voted for Kelly Clarkson and yes, I will admit I gave Justin Guarini a couple phone votes, too, but that was before he got way too full of himself. I thought Tamyra Gray was also going places.
The show became a phenomenon, and the second season started just a few months later in January 2003. From the get-go, I liked the easy-going big black guy from Alabama with the Luther Vandross vibe and the geeky yet charming kid from North Carolina with an amazing set of pipes, so I voted for Ruben and Clay quite a few Tuesday nights. I was eventually won over by Kimberley Locke, my sister’s favorite, too. On the finale, when Clay hit that last note of his terrific version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” I was certain he had won, but I wasn’t going to be upset if “The Velvet Teddy Bear” won either. When I tried to vote that evening, I just got busy signals. We all know how it turned out, but it hasn’t hurt Clay to be the runner-up.
Well, cut to a year later and all three “AI” vets have big careers, hit albums, concert tours, award nominations, national celebrity, and all because the American public embraced them. Since we helped them become stars, we feel like we have a part in their success. They’ve all had makeovers and now have handlers, stylists, and publicists in their entourages, but somehow, they still seem genuine, and grateful. I hope that doesn’t go away. Their talent is undeniable, but they have those unpretentious, fun-loving personalities that are refreshing in today’s edgier, sleazier pop music. Maybe nice guys don’t finish last.
Feeling like proud aunts, my friend Lisa and I went to the Kelly Clarkson-Clay Aiken concert at Savvis Center in St. Louis Sunday night. I figured the crowd would be a lot of teenage girls and moms, but was surprised to see quite a few dads and teenage guys in the audience, too. My observation is that people really like Kelly but they love Clay. As he moved through the crowd singing “Kyrie” as his opening number, it was shrieking pandemonium by hundreds of teenage girls, just like other teen idols who’ve come before. But let’s hope his career is longer than Leif Garrett and Shawn Cassidy.
Kelly, the down-home Texas girl with an excellent vocal range, and Clay’s aw-shucks humility attract fans of all ages, and a trio of gray-haired grandmothers in “Aiken #1” T-shirts were several rows over. They were having a blast. Clay’s a natural entertainer, looks like he’s been doing this for years, and I see him Broadway-bound someday. He’s certainly grown in showmanship from his first “American Idol” performances to now, where he can really sell a song and have lots of fun with the crowd. Dare I say it was wholesome, with some surprisingly good choices of music covers by Clay, like Sting’s “Fields of Gold,” James Taylor’s “Carolina on my Mind” and Prince’s “When Doves Cry.” Kelly did a nice job with a Reba McIntyre song whose title escaped me.
Lisa and I left with our fantasies of being back-up singers – the absolute coolest job in the world – intact.
(If you want to see Clay perform on TV, he’ll be the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” this Saturday, with “Will & Grace’s” hilarious Megan Mullaly, who plays Karen, as the host. It’s a rerun, and it’s impressive.)
I think people are surprised to find out how good some of those “American Idol” kids are. They come out of nowhere, from places all across the U.S. Seventy-thousand, mostly disillusioned, young people audition, and it gets down to a dozen, who have to endure rigorous rehearsals, rejection pressures, and life in a fishbowl all the while trying to get America to root for them. Some come out with lives forever changed and capitalize on a lucky break. Fame may not be fleeting for Josh Gracin, the number four guy from last summer (the married Marine), who has a country song on the charts and his country album’s coming out soon. Third runner-up Kimberley Locke’s album’s out this week. Clay’s new single featuring “The Way” and “Solitaire” is climbing the charts. And cute kid RJ Helton, from Season One, has an album out this week, too.
Now the American public is in the beginning of the third “American Idol” competition, and the judges say this set of 12 finalists is the best yet. Who’s next for their dreams to come true? I’m predicting LaToya London as the winner, but there’s some good folks in George Huff, Jasmine Trias, Jennifer Hudson, Diana DeGarmo, and I even like the big guy, football player Matt Rogers and that goofy Jon Peter Lewis. Will they overshadow the previous winners?
Hard to say, but it’ll be interesting for the next two months. I’ll get real tired of the product placements, those drawn-out results shows, the bad song choices, Randy saying “dawg” and Ryan Seacrest.
But a show that makes a media darling out of rejected William “She Bangs” Hung is as fascinating as it was the summer of 2002 when it captivated a nation despite all those boy-band wannabes (EJ, AJ, et al). And most of the time, I agree with Simon, which is kinda scary, but he gives a reality check, sometimes too brutal and blunt, instead of fake praise.
At least it’s more fun than watching backstabbers and gold-diggers on those other reality shows.

No link available.

[Pamela]

CHICAGO

Humility and charisma distinguish 'Idol' Aiken

By Joshua Klein
Special to the Tribune

"American Idol" judge Simon Cowell has a seemingly endless supply of snarky quips and wry putdowns, but there's one dismissal that crops up in his critiques more often than others. "You've got talent," he generally begins, before dropping the ax. "But we're looking for a star."

Yet if there's one thing the talent show "American Idol" has evinced it's that stardom isn't quite as simple as braving the ire of hack judges and winning a call-in contest. It takes personality, and that's something that can't be bestowed like a crown or champion belt. The U.S. version of the British show is well into it's third season and has only produced one real star: Clay Aiken—and he was the second season runner-up who survived an early dismissal by winning a wild-card round.

Surely those behind the "American Idol" franchise recognize Aiken's underdog appeal, which is why they've sent him out on the road with fading season one winner Kelly Clarkson, who clearly has more to gain from the joint outing. The two have been swapping the headliner slot, and at a mostly filled United Center on Monday night it was Aiken's turn to start the evening.

Throughout his rapid ascent from geeky nobody to something akin to a real pop idol, Aiken has retained his aw-shucks demeanor and good attitude, reacting to his fluke fame with just the right degree of humility. Aiken was confident but still endearingly awkward, just what you would expect from someone talented enough to make the most of a lucky break.

Opening with Mister Mister's "Kyrie," which Aiken began while emerging dramatically from the back of the arena, Aiken breezed through the middle of the road material from his hit record "Measure of a Man," but it was the details and asides that set his performance apart from many of his "Idol" peers.

For starters, Aiken acknowledged his clunky Chicago debut, during the last "American Idol" tour, which was rife with technical problems and long delays. He laughed whenever he frequently flubbed what few rudimentary dance moves he attempted, and even made light of forgetting the lyrics to a few songs. "You know I'm not lip-syncing when I don't know the words," he said in the middle of a brief acoustic set, which found him covering James Taylor's "Carolina in my Mind" and Sting's "Fields of Gold."

Aiken was less comfortable with Prince's "When Doves Cry" than he was performing his own custom made "Perfect Day" or "Invisible," but he was rarely less than charming. He even survived a right of passage endured by all (male) pop idols: ducking teddy bears one second and underwear the next.

Clarkson performed to a noticeably deflated arena, about what one might expect given the overwhelming number of Aiken fans. Clarkson has a powerful set of pipes, but she lacks Aiken's personality, and her songs felt numb with anonymity.

Her singing was shrill and frantic, frequently overshadowed by the background vocalists, and she seems to have taken all the wrong advice from those more interested in demographics than songcraft. The only thing that unified songs like the piano ballad "Beautiful Disaster," the bombastic "A Moment Like This," the streetwise "Bounce," and Reba McEntire's "Why Haven't I Heard From You" was a distracting dedication to oversinging. "Is anyone else tired?" she said, panting, after trying to out-Christina Christina with the Aguilera-penned "Miss Independent."

It was a relief, then, when Aiken returned, duetting with Clarkson on Journey's "Open Arms." Suddenly the crowd was energized, and Clarkson kept in check. Aiken, of course, looked as low-key as usual. Stardom may take a lot of work, but real stars make it look easy.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

The Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken concert

BY JAE-HA KIM Staff Reporter
 
The Kelly Clarkson/Clay Aiken concert Monday night at the United Center was exactly what you would expect from a pair of winners -- well, one winner and a runner-up -- from "American Idol." It was sweet, earnest and well rehearsed, but not particularly memorable.

While it's clear that each performer has a strong set of pipes, neither has toured enough to put on a truly exhilarating live show. You can sit home and listen to their CDs and pretty much get the same experience.

The two idols have been taking turns closing the show, and on this night it was Aiken who opened for Clarkson -- the first winner of Fox's singing contest. With his shock of red hair and big smile, it was hard not to warm up to Aiken, who happily cackled at his own jokes and make fun of his onstage clumsiness.

Like Clarkson, he hit enough sour notes to prove he was singing live. Performing cuts from his debut album, "Measure of a Man," Aiken relied on a ballad-heavy set that included "Invisible," "Perfect Day" and the title track.

His selection of covers was curious. He opened the show with Mr. Mister's hideous "Kyrie." The boy from North Carolina redeemed himself with a touching rendition of James Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind." And he got the parents in the audience swaying to Leo Sayer's sappy "When I Need You."

Many of the kids in the audience were too young to realize these weren't Aiken originals. Others were just confused. When he launched into "Fields of Gold," two teenage girls sitting behind me didn't recognize it as a Sting original, but rather as the background music to one of Michelle Kwan's figure skating routines.

Aiken is a likable performer who would have benefitted from adding some more rock 'n' roll into his set. He gave it a nice shot with Prince's "When Doves Cry," but when the performer is mocking his own performance, it's difficult for the audience to take it seriously.

When Clarkson's five-piece backup band and trio of singers -- including fellow "Idol" contestant Kiana Parlor -- walked onstage, it took a second to realize it was the same group of musicians that had just backed up Aiken. Except now they were clad in black, rather than white.

Clarkson distinguished her set from Aiken's by forgoing a pop princess getup. Performing barefoot on the carpeted stage, she wore a pair of tattered jeans and a black tank top. She looked a little, well, drrrty.

But when she opened her mouth, the angelic voice that drove "A Moment Like This" to the top of the charts identified her as a good girl attempting to play bad ... which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

With songs like "Beautiful Disaster," Clarkson displayed a tranquil calm. Covering Reba McEntire's "Why Haven't I Heard From You," she showed vocal versatility.

It was only when she traded verses with the amazing Parlor that it was clear that the best singer doesn't always win the contest.

CHICAGO SUN TIMES

I wonder if these two guys actually went to the same concert.  Interesting.  Also, Chicago concert-goers:  Did Kelly sing a duet with Quiana Parlor, or do they need a new fact-checker?

[Pamela]

OMAHA

Review: Sound system drowns Kelly's, Clay's talent

BY JAN DEKNO
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken are both exceptionally talented singers.

That comes as no surprise to the millions of TV viewers who voted for them during the talent series "American Idol" - Clarkson was the winner in 2002 and Aiken was the runner-up last year - or to the thousands of fans who cheered them on during Wednesday night's concert at the Omaha Arena.

Too bad, then, that the sound was cranked up so loud during most of the show that the quality of their voices was all but obliterated.

The problems?

So much bass that the seats literally shook, especially during Clarkson's set.

So much over-miking that some of Aiken's crystal-clear high notes were made to sound as if he were singing on helium.

Nonetheless, the audience had a great time, waving countless signs, tossing stuffed animals at Clarkson and offering a bouquet of flowers to Aiken in exchange for an autograph.

Clarkson took the stage first - as co-headliners, she and Aiken have been alternating in the final star slot - and showed that as a performer, she much prefers her rock roots to the pop songs of "American Idol."

But her voice shone brightest during her set's quieter moments. Highlights included the title song of her debut CD, "Thankful," which she wrote in gratitude to family, friends and fans; and a soulful, scaled-down version of the torch ballad "Beautiful Disaster."

After a short intermission, it was Aiken's turn to charm the crowd. And although this is his first concert tour as a solo star, he made his appearance in true rock-star style - by entering from the back of the arena and singing the dramatic strains of Mr. Mister's rock anthem "Kyrie" as he and his bodyguards made their way to the stage.

During his set, Aiken performed many of the pop songs from his debut album, "Measure of a Man," but also offered an appealing mix of other material.

Most effective was an acoustic medley that included a wistful "Fields of Gold," a sentimental "Carolina in My Mind" and a soulful "When Doves Cry," which started as a soulful hymn and ended as a G-rated dance groove.

Opening the show was a quartet of appealing Florida singers, the Beu Sisters, who showed off fine harmonies and a number of appealing pop songs, most of which the siblings wrote themselves.

And because most of the time they sang a cappella or were accompanied by a single guitar, you could actually hear their voices.

That's something that would have paid off for the stars.  

OMAHA.COM

[Pamela]

SALT LAKE CITY

EX-IDOL STARS BELT OUT TUNES FOR DELTA CROWD

by Sam Vicchrilli
The Salt Lake Tribune

Pop stars Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson took to the stage Friday at the Delta Center amid the echoing screams of thousands of women, plus a few men. This, coupled with the bad acoustics, led to fuzzy sounds, through the powerful vocals of the former "American Idol" stars came through clearly.

Aiken, who performed first, has found his niche as the "aw shucks" Backstreet Boy, with a comfortable stage presence, plus catchy, cohesive songs. Clarkson, hidden under dyed blond hair, unnatural cosmetics and a genre-hopping sound, has yet to develop an identity as strong as her voice.

After his thundering opener, Aiken kept the energy strong with "Perfect Day," followed by a birthday dedication to fellow Idol and Utahn Carmen Rasmusen for "I Will Carry You," whose opening line is "Yeah I know it hurts."

"When You Say You Love Me" was dedicated to a woman in Tampa, Fla., listening in by cell phone. Aiken's energy on "Invincible" [sic] and "I Will Survive You" [sic] got the crowd clapping and stomping in sync. He ended his set with Prince's "When Doves Cry."

Clarkson started off with a bang for "Low" followed by the country-ish "What's Up Lonely." The techno beats were turned up on "The Trouble with Love is," marking the start of a whirlwind set that was disorienting in its genre jumps.

Clarkson's songs are simply haphazard. Fortunately, Clarkson's vocal integrity is constant. She's best at doing what made her a winner--singing.

Clarkson's strongest song of the evening was "You Thought Wrong," an emotional song led by two female-back-ups before Clarkson joined to bring the bass heavy song to an orgiastic climax. Clarkson strutted around her rug-covered stage for the Reba McEntie cover "Why Haven't I heard From You?" before launcing into some PG-13 hip-swinging for the rap-ish "Bounce."

The crowd got moving for the sway-fiendly "anytime," followed by the show's closer "Thankful."

Dyed blonde hair?  Invincible?  Fact checker please!

Clay Aiken — high note of show

Kelly Clarkson sings well but without spark

By Scott Iwasaki
Deseret Morning News
.
      If Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken were competing on "American Idol," Clarkson would have been cut after Friday's performance.
      Not that Clarkson's voice was bad. It wasn't. She sang well. Her set just felt empty. She lacked personality.
      Aiken, on the other hand, was full of charm, and he connected with the audience. In fact, he started his set in the audience.
      Aiken made his entrance at the back of the Nu Skin Theatre in the Delta Center during his version of Mr. Mister's "Kyrie."
      Smartly dressed in an untucked blue shirt, blue neck tie and khaki slacks, Aiken greeted his fans with his boyish smile and slid into "Perfect Day."
      At one point, he grabbed a mobile phone from one of his fans and spoke with her friend in Tampa, Fla.: "I've got a song for you, but the phone is not working."
      With that, he serenaded the audience with "When You Say You Love Me." "Invisible" and "I Survived You" were also sung with heartfelt sincerely.
      Then the band and the three backup singers played an acoustic set, featuring the title track from Aiken's album "Measure of a Man," as well as Sting's hit "Fields of Gold," Leo Sayer's "When I Need You" and James Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind." Another remake, Prince's "When Doves Cry," along with Aiken's trademark single "The Way," wrapped the set.
      Clarkson didn't reach Aiken's energy level. While her voice was strong on songs such as the folk-rock "Low," the rhythm & blues bump of "What's Up Lonely" and the soulful "The Trouble With Love Is" had Clarkson just going through the motions.
      She kept asking if the crowd was having a good time, but she always seemed in a rush to get on with the next song.
      "Just Missed the Train" and Reba McEntire's "Why Haven't I Heard from You" were high vocal-energy works and a piano/vocal version of "Beautiful Disaster" sounded great in the mix. But her personality was flat. And her chunky wardrobe, complete with stiletto heels, was a bit much.
      The loudest audience response during Clarkson's set came when Aiken joined her for Journey's "Open Arms."
      New vocal quartet the Beu Sisters opened the show. Accompanied by a lone guitarist, the sisters sang smooth harmonies. Their set included the dreamy "You Make Me Feel Like a Star" "Any Time You Need a Friend" from Disney's "Home on the Range," and the sassy "Stop! Stay Away From My Sister."

DESERET NEWS

THE DAILY HERALD

Jessica Eyre
Date March 29, 2004

All the Clay-mates were out in force at the Delta Center on Friday night to see "American Idol" talents Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson.

Ironically called the "Independent" tour, the two power singers joined forces for their 30 dates nationwide.

Aiken, the runner-up of last season of "American Idol," gave a shout-out to Utah's Carmen Rasmusen, who was in the audience, during his charming hourlong set.

Dressed casually in a loose shirt and tie, Aiken recognized his fans -- many toting signs saying "I love you Clay" -- with charm and confidence.

While most of the songs were from his current album, "Measure of a Man," a collection of cover songs -- among them James Taylor's "Carolina In My Mind," Sting's "Fields of Gold" -- let him do what he does best: showcase his voice.

An interesting turn from the usual borderline Christian Rock-type music was a cover of Prince's "When Dove's Cry." And it appeared Aiken was channeling a bit of Prince's energy with the onstage moves with one of the backup singers.

But Aiken's fun personality made the show entertaining, and not just a music recital by a guy with a good voice.

Clarkson, the first "American Idol" winner, took to the stage in ripped jeans and bare feet, and spent most of her 45 minutes skipping while she worked. Her set was filled with more dramatic lighting and more dance-style music than Aiken, which was a nice contrast in a concert with two headliners.

At one point, a giant disco ball dropped slow-spinning twinkling lights around the entire arena, making it feel like a big school dance.

And when Aiken joined Clarkson for a duet of "Open Arms" by Journey, the crowd went wild, and it was difficult much of the time to hear the singers over the screaming pre-teen girls.

We already knew Aiken could sing -- but his showmanship is coming along nicely.

DAILY HERALD

[Pamela]

SAN DIEGO

Clay and Kelly, a study in contrasts
By: PAM KRAGEN - Staff Writer

SAN DIEGO ---- Perhaps it was fitting that Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson performed for a near-capacity crowd at Cox Arena on Tuesday, the same night Fox TV aired its latest installment of "American Idol."

Clay and Kelly got their start in the top-rated televised vocal competition, and the presence of so many fans (a mostly-white family audience, ranging in age from 8 to 80) proved that Clarkson (contest winner in Season 1) and Aiken (first runner-up in Season 2) remain a hit with fans, even as a new round of "Idol" contestants vie for the next slice of pop fame.

Their uneven concert sets, though, proved that "Idol" fame can be fickle when it's toyed with. Aiken's hourlong opening set was a smash with the audience, while Clarkson's follow-up left many concertgoers cold, with dozens streaming for the exits well before she wrapped up her one-hour program.

Why? It's not her singing. Clarkson is probably a better-trained vocalist than Aiken, but her physical appearance and the ear-splitting, generic rock concert set she delivered was so far removed from what "Idol" fans expect, that only her diehard fans were moved to stand and sway.

As "Idol" fans know, the TV show is all about the singing. The contestants perform live, without the benefit of studio tricks or backup singers (a set-up that would easily scrap the careers of many of today's top pop stars). Clarkson, Aiken and second season winner Ruben Studdard triumphed because they've got the goods and don't need fancy echo machines, digitizers or retakes to correct vocal flaws.

So the flaws apparent Tuesday were in style, not vocals. Aiken's intimate, personable dozen-song set was delivered in a simple, bare-bones way to his adoring audience. While Clarkson's concert buried her fine voice under layers of loud rock music, reverb, shouting backup singers and cheesy stage props. It was hard to hear and see Kelly under all that noise.

Adding to the contrast were their appearances, beamed with unforgiving video clarity from giant video screens on either side of the stage. The tousle-haired, freckled Aiken ---- dressed in a conservative midnight blue pinstripe Oxford shirt, tie and his ever-present "W.W.J.D." ("What Would Jesus Do") bracelet ---- looked like a matinee idol with his flawless pale skin, bright green eyes, pearly smile and no makeup. The once-wholesome-looking Clarkson had a funky rock chick vibe going on, with heavily applied dark makeup, tattoos, nose stud, tight black tank top with bra straps askew, torn jeans, bare feet and a few more pounds than "Idol" fans may remember.

Aiken entered the arena through the audience and continually conversed with fans, accepted love tokens, grabbed a raised cell phone from the crowd to chat with a stunned lady on the line in Louisiana, and entertained a marriage proposal from an 11-year-old girl in the audience ("Is that legal in California?"). His folksy, self-deprecating, geeky demeanor was the same engaging presence that has won him millions of fans (if not the official "Idol" title).

His set featured 10 songs from his debut album "Measure of a Man" (which recently went triple-platinum, nearly more than Clarkson and Studdard combined) which were delivered ably if not spectacularly in most cases. What worked the best, not surprisingly, were the quiet, unaccompanied solos of "Measure of a Man" and Sting's "Fields of Gold," along with an exceptional a capella rendition of Prince's "When Doves Cry" that brought down the house. He sang with power, near-perfect pitch and big closer notes throughout and his voice retains its bell-like clarity.

Clarkson, who often accompanied herself on guitar and sang with soulful beauty, talked about her Monday visit to Sea World and accented her performance of "Thankful" with slides of her friends, but the connection to the audience wasn't quite there. She too sang most of the songs from her album, "Thankful," including a much-improved acoustic version of "Beautiful Disaster" and a funky version of "Trouble With Love Is." The crowd roared for her hit song "Miss Independent" but the level of applause seemed to decline in direct comparison to the rising volume of her onstage band and backup singers.

The Aiken/Clarkson concert series is labeled "The Independent Tour," a nod both to Clarkson's hit song but also apparently to the duo's efforts to distance themselves from "American Idol." Neither of them sang any of the cover ballads they re-popularized on the TV program, disappointing many Aiken fans hoping who shouted frequently for "Solitaire" and "Bridge Over Troubled Waters."

Yet while Aiken openly embraced his connection to the TV show with frequent references to his fellow contestants and his auditions, Clarkson seems determined to prove she's nothing like the corn-fed, curly-haired sweetheart TV fans remember. That may work for her in the long run, but it disappointed some fans in the audience Tuesday.

NC TIMES/CALIFORNIAN

Clay Wows his Fans; Kelly Also There
by Gil Sery -- 04/06/2004

Foxes on Idol writer Gil Sery recently saw the Kelly Clarkson/Clay Aiken concert. While Clay wowed his fans, Kelly didn't make a connection with the audience.

As you may have read in the blurb for my article "Motown Week: A Retrospective," I attended my local Kelly Clarkson/Clay Aiken Independent Tour concert last Tuesday instead of watching American Idol. (Why 19 Entertainment chose to schedule a concert on a Tuesday night is beyond me. After all, they have six other nights to choose from when people aren’t watching their show and voting for their favorites.)

The opening act was a group of five girls known as The Beu Sisters. To preteens, I’m sure they sounded pretty good, but their bubblegum pop sound was more reminiscent of P. Diddy’s now-defunct all-girl band Dream than anything we’ve seen on American Idol. Their songs were upbeat and catchy, and even had catchy names like “Hey Mister, Stay Away from My Sister,” but the problem was that they all sounded very much the same.

Half an hour later, Clay Aiken, flanked by six bodyguards, was spotted singing and walking through the audience in the direction of the stage, much to the delight of many of the 6,000 screaming fans in the audience, especially those up front. Aiken was easily the best performer of the night, singing with feeling and interacting with the audience on a personal level.

After a couple of songs, he noticed one female fan in the front row who had been holding up a cell phone while Aiken was singing. Taking the phone from the fan, Aiken proceeded to talk to the woman on the other end of the line who turned out to be a fan of his in Louisiana. Her friend was holding up the phone for her so that she could hear the concert.

It’s this kind of fan interaction that set Aiken apart from Clarkson that night. He paused at one point during his set to briefly recount his history on “a little show you may have seen called American Idol,” and continued by listing all the sales records that his fans had either set or broken and thanking them for each one. Clearly this is a performer who remembers that without his fans he wouldn’t be up there on stage.

Nevertheless, between all the talk, he proved that he definitely belonged up there, singing each song with feeling, and drawing shrieks of delight and even some standing ovations from his many fans. The biggest reaction was undoubtedly when Aiken launched into his performance of the popular “Invisible.” The audience truly came alive and sang along with him. One of the songs he sang was “The Way,” which was notable for the fact that that song is the B-side of his “Solitaire” single, yet he did not perform “Solitaire” itself.

After an hour of songs, Aiken bid his fans goodbye and left the stage as the lights came up for intermission. Once intermission was over, Clarkson took to the redecorated stage singing “Low.” As great a singer as she is, Clarkson could not quite match the vibe generated by Aiken. She moved quickly from song to song, only stopping occasionally to return an, “I love you too,” to some fans’ screams. There was definitely power to her voice, but the feeling just wasn’t there.

Clarkson barely interacted with the audience and didn’t work the stage as much either. The biggest audience reaction came from “Miss Independent,” to which many fans stood up in their seats and clapped to the music. Many of Clarkson’s performances reached the level of screaming instead of singing, something that had not happened during Aiken’s performances, even when he went for the high notes.

Still, Clarkson wasn’t all bad. Her performance of “Miss Independent” was well received; she sang several duets with one of her backup singers, including “You Thought Wrong,” a song she originally sang with fellow Idol finalist Tamyra Gray.

Clarkson didn’t sing exclusively from her album, though. She gave a great rendition of “Stuff Like That There,” the song she sang during Big Band Week on American Idol, and also sang songs like “Timeless” and “The Bounce” from her movie From Justin to Kelly.

While there were many fans in the audience sporting T-shirts of Miss Clarkson, the last song of the night made it crystal clear whom the fans were there to see. Clarkson started out singing Journey’s “Open Arms,” but was drowned out the moment Aiken appeared on stage to sing the second verse with her. The two collaborated on the concert’s last song, always walking towards each other but never quite meeting, (perhaps due to the nature of the song).

Maybe it was just that Aiken’s fans outnumbered or outscreamed Clarkson’s, but this was definitely not Clarkson’s night. This was not the Kelly Clarkson we had grown accustomed to seeing excel on American Idol, nor was it the Kelly Clarkson who had appeared with so much energy and pizzazz during the first American Idol tour. This Kelly Clarkson appeared tame, subdued, and going through the motions.

Perhaps it had something to do with the nap she took several hours before the concert. She mentioned this on a couple of the local radio station interviews she did that night, when some deejays noted that she sounded tired. Had she performed like this on American Idol, it might have prompted Randy Jackson to say, “I’m just not feeling you, dawg.”

FOXES ON IDOL

[Pamela]

SACRAMENTO

Review: Clay Aiken's all the craze at Arco in 'Idol' lovefest
By Will Evans -- Bee Staff Writer  

The Clay Nation was aching for Aiken - whatever. The usual puns aside, people love Clay Aiken.
Love is a strong word. And yet it is not too strong for one 14-year-old Sacramentan, chewing bubble gum around her braces as she waited in Arco Arena Wednesday night for the tour stop of "American Idol" stars Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson.

"I just have a weird obsession with him," Megan Owen explained. She and her friend were wearing red T-shirts that they had turned into symbols of devotion by writing "Clay's Lifeguard" in puffy paint. (You see, he's afraid of the water. And they know that.)

"I mean," she said, "I'm in love with him."

And so even before the singing, and certainly during, it was Aiken's show. Clarkson was just someone who won a TV show contest a couple of years ago and came on to warm up the crowd.

Clarkson would start a song in a promising way, with only a guitar or light band background to compete with, so she could highlight her voice. But in song after song, after the intro they'd jam in a heavy, noisy background and drown her out for the remainder.

She just couldn't be heard clearly over the clutter of three backup singers, two guitarists, a keyboardist and a drummer who was especially too loud. With her words sounding garbled, all we got was the feeling that she was singing, along with her vocal flourishes - which she does just fine - here and there.

With "American Idol" stars, we don't care about the bands - it's the singer's voice that got us here. And Clarkson missed the chance to show us why she won.

Her two female backup singers became a refreshing contrast - with more energy, punctuation of their phrases and projection of their voices. Even on "Miss Independent," Clarkson's funkiest and catchiest song of the evening, the sparks came from the backup singers.

She was best at the end of the show, singing "Open Arms" in a duet with Aiken, as their voices clicked and squiggled up and down and all over. Overall, though, she just didn't come off like a star. But then, many in the audience didn't come to see her, anyway.

Debbie Wood, 55, and Helene Sasser, 67, drove to Arco from Reno for Aiken. The sisters, both mortgage bankers, both wearing black outfits and hoop earrings, shook their heads in wonderment at Aiken. Sasser clutched her hands to her head every once in a while like an overwhelmed teenage fan. Their 88-year-old mother, a fan who couldn't make the trip, got a CD player for the first time just to hear Aiken's album.

"He's the new Sinatra, he's the new superstar," Wood said. "I think this is history in the making, right here."

Aiken's entrance was pure pop star. He came in from the back of the arena, walking down from the upper levels of Arco - singing and beaming, the near-capacity crowd on its feet, fans bouncing around him, security guards with arms hovering, the screaming unleashed like you just took out your earplugs. Through the rest of the night it sounded as though a thousand small screaming creatures had been uncaged. Clay was on.

Aiken has developed a quirky, fun performance style, built around his dorky but warm smile, the jerky movements of his lanky body and the spurts of dance moves that look silly and cute at the same time.

And in contrast to Clarkson, Aiken's songs showcase his voice. Sure, he often sounds quite Broadway, as Simon Cowell, the nasty "Idol" judge put it. But that's what the fans apparently like, and it's a quality that allows him to enunciate his words and sing with contrast, important in such a large venue. He also benefited from having catchier material than Clarkson, songs such as "The Way," "No More Sad Songs" and "Invisible."

Aiken picked out a sign in the audience that read, "We dropped 13,000 feet for you," held by a woman who sky-dived that morning. "But you did that for you," he said, "and because you're obviously crazy."

"We fell for you," she yelled in response, upon which Aiken called her over to the side of the stage and crooned "When You Say You Love Me" directly to her. She put out her hand, and he took it. She swooned, her eyes popping. The act seemed to make the rest of the audience jealous and way too vicariously excited.

Likewise, there was a palpable shock when the innocent Aiken delivered a pelvic thrust when dancing with a backup singer during a cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry."

Not that Aiken doesn't have sex appeal. Take the homemade T-shirt of Jessica Fat, 16. The back of her shirt professed her desire to have intimate relations with the singer.

But her 15-year-old friend quickly added: "Not before marriage."

To Aiken, presumably. Such devotion.

SAC TICKET

Surprise: Aiken has talent

By Tony Hicks
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

The horrifying realization came about three songs into Clay Aiken's set Wednesday night at Sacramento's Arco Arena:

Maybe it was the woman seated on the right, who said "American Idol" got her through a long hospital stay. Maybe it was the seven giddy middle-aged women on the left, all of whom came straight from the same office clad in Clay Aiken T-shirts. Or maybe it was all those old ladies running around in "Grandmas for Clay" shirts

Whatever the cause, a guy could catch himself thinking something he wouldn't have taken 500-1 odds on only a couple hours earlier:

"Man, there's no way that Ruben guy should have beat Clay on 'American Idol.' This guy was robbed."

What!?!?

Oh, God. Who said that?!

Let's not go overboard and call him a musical genius or even a legitimate star, yet there's really no preparing a cynic for the nonthreatening, charm machine that is Clay Aiken, who is co-headlining the "American Idol" tour with fellow "Idol" wailer Kelly Clarkson. The man's confounding. He looks like Martin Short and sings with as much subtlety as a guy wearing a cod piece on Broadway. He's the most uncool man in America, and that even includes Florida.

Yet the mystery slowly unraveled, in front of one of the most drastically varied age group of females ever to gather at a mainstream pop concert. Mothers see him as the most deferential son-in-law. Grandmas see him as a doting grandson. Girls see him as a supremely confidant, yet incredibly nonthreatening nice guy, who could smile and sing them sweet ballads while slow dancing at the junior prom.

Guys? Not many, unless one counts the middle-aged ones doing sentry duty over their 11-year-old girls. I still don't feel the love, and probably never will. But at least I'm starting to understand it.

Aiken is confidant, unassuming and can sing. He doesn't have to live up to the always demanding standards of cultural coolness because his crowd just doesn't care. They love him. Bingo.

Clarkson shares those traits, only without the same nerdy charm. Cheerleader types -- even ones with howitzer vocal chords -- just don't get the same amount of respect with the grandma-rocker demographic.

Clarkson is distancing herself from the world's Britney Spears-clones. Dressed down, hair ponytailed and without shoes, her job was to be perky and sing, while connecting to the youngsters. She noticed their signs and even wore one girl's homemade T-shirt.

In 52 minutes, Clarkson covered most of last year's "Thankful," including "What's Up Lonely," "The Trouble With Love Is," "Just Missed the Train" (during which she tried playing one electric guitar chord over and over. It's a good thing she can sing), "Beautiful Disaster," "Thankful" and "Anytime." The last is a big ballad designed to showcase her power, which it did until she plunged too deep into Mariah Carey-ville. It seems to be some sort of law or something for good young pop singers.

But Clarkson is slightly different because, while she can go toe-to-toe with any pipes in the land, she picks her spots well. She knows when not to blast away, staying subtle when necessary and setting up the big notes. She ended with a rousing "Miss Independent," a power dance song (for her, anyway) that showed she can be more than another TV singer doing standard ballads.

Aiken came out hyped, entering the arena from a second-level door opposite the stage (and sending the grandmas into screaming fits). By second song "Perfect Day" his almost hokey-yet-commanding way of handling the crowd was conjuring visions of a low-grade Barry Manilow. Miraculously, by the time he did the big ballad "No More Sad Songs," he was more than holding his own on a night that was so dangerously top heavy with weepy ballads, a Journey concert was threatening to break out. But more on the encore later.

After the curiously sunny stalker song "Invisible," Aiken couldn't dodge his show-tune roots, bringing everything down (literally, sitting on a stool) for a medley mixing originals and cover snippets from Sting, Leo Sayer and James Taylor. Now this was tolerable and all, but when he broke out the lounge version of Prince's "When Doves Cry" it was time to stop the madness.

Almost. The most gleefully predictable moment of the night was the show-closer, when Clarkson returned for a duet of "Open Arms." You know the drill -- they walk slowly toward each other, belting out lines and pretending they're in love. What was interesting, though, was the way their powerhouse voices mixed. It was like stumbling into the morning shower and, instead of getting the expected trickle, out comes Niagara Falls.

The whole "American Idol" thing is what it is: A manufactured attempt for corporate entertainment to suck America into a televised competition, parlaying it into ready-made markets of CD sales and concert tours. Despite an enthusiastic crowd, Wednesday's show smelled very temporary. No one is spending more than minimum wage on promotion, lighting or a big stage set up. No choreographers, dancers, or even a different band for each artist (the band just changed from black to white outfits between sets). Television did all the work, and the masterminds will squeeze these kids until the public's collective memory fades.

But taste aside, a cynic's pre-conceived notion that Clarkson and Aiken are just as expendable vanished Wednesday. When the pop juice runs dry -- and it will, because the market flames out fast for even the hottest "TRL" wonders, nevermind the ones not pushing sex -- both will survive. The dramatic, personable Aiken is clearly headed for Broadway, while Clarkson's friendly Texan demeanor and vocal skills could dominate the young country or adult contemporary ranks for years. Their careers look a little more promising now. Even to cynical eyes.

CONTRA COSTA TIMES

[Pamela]

GLENDALE

Fans in a frenzy for 'AI' duo
 
Theresa Cano
azcentral.com
Apr. 3, 2004 02:30 AM

Arizona's chapter of "Claymates" was out in full force Friday night to witness 'American Idol' season two runner-up, and unlikely sex symbol, Clay Aiken deliver a wholesome, charming and most importantly, vocally impressive set.

It's hard to tell how or when Aiken, who is on tour with 'AI' season one winner Kelly Clarkson, transformed from a geeky 'AI' contestant to a full-fledged pop phenomenon, but for those in attendance at Glendale Arena the message was repeatedly said loud and clear ... "We love you Clay!"

From toddlers to grandmas and grandpas, the crowd went into a frenzy as Aiken opened the show entering from the back of the arena with a cover of Mister Mister's "Kryie."

Based on the scream factor alone, the night clearly belonged to Aiken who opened the co-headling show. Aiken played up his awkwardness to just the right degree. While he did his best to try to execute a few dance moves, he relied mostly on what got him to the point of having thousands of adoring fans ... his voice.

Aiken's range is impressive to say the least. He effortlessly cruised through his hour-long set which included fan favorites “Invisible,” “The Way” and “I Will Carry You” from his debut album, Measure of A Man. The teacher-turned-pop idol served up a short acoustic set that featured stellar renditions of James Taylor's "Carolina On My Mind" and Sting's "Fields of Gold."

The singer could do no wrong in the eye's of his fans, many of whom brought handmade signs that read anything from "Clay Nation" to "Claymates" to "Save a marriage - give my wife a hug." Yes, Aiken did his part to save the doomed union.

His one, two punch of a power packed voice and quirky demeanor are no doubt why fans have jumped on the Clay train and no one in the crowd wanted to get off.

A cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry" was Aiken's only misstep of the night. While his vocals were in step, the awkward production featured the goofy singer bumping and grinding with a backup singer. It was a little too suggestive for the innocent, "aw shucks" appeal of the singer.

That little incident aside, the 'AI' stars' stop in the Valley served as a safe haven for parents who wanted to take the family out for a night of good, clean fun.

Clarkson opened with "Low," off of her debut album Thankful. The tune which is reminiscent of a Sheryl Crow rocker sounded great live. The Texan's voice has a soulfulness and depth far beyond her 21 years.

A funky remix of Clarkson's new single "The Trouble With Love Is," was received well by the crowd, many of whom danced and sang along.

While Aiken got the loudest screams, Clarkson got more fans off their feet during her set which featured a mix of rock, pop, soul and even a big band number. The personable singer frequently exchanged banter with the crowd and even spent a good amount of time signing autographs at the end of the stage.

Bouncing, dancing and at times, banging her head as she sang, Clarkson truly seemed to be having the time of her life during her set. Stand out numbers included "Miss Independent" and "Stuff Like That There." 'American Idol' fans might remember the latter as the song Clarkson sang on "Big Band Night" that pushed her ahead of the pack on the show.

The only problem with Clarkson's portion of the night was the pacing in between songs. At times rushed and other times slow, the singer never really got into a rhythm with her set.

Both were plagued by sound problems in the arena. A distracting echo could be heard throughout both of the singer's sets, which was especially disruptive during slow numbers like Aiken's "I Survived You" and Clarkson's gorgeous number "Beautiful Disaster."

Clarkson closed out the night, joined by Aiken, for a cover of Journey's "Open Arms." The tune showcased both singer's voices perfectly and was arguably the strongest performance, vocally, by either one during the night.

While Aiken's "Claymates" might have been the reason most in attendance bought a ticket, Clarkson no doubt pulled her weight as a worthy star herself.

Here's hoping that both come around to the Valley again.

AZ CENTRAL (Slideshow at the link - lots of pictures!)

Idols worshipped at Glendale Arena

By THOMAS BOND
Get Out
April 2, 2004

It's good to be an idol.

“American Idol” TV singing contest stars Kelly Clarkson (winner of the first season) and Clay Aiken (runner-up of the second edition) were the subjects of much adoration by a crowd of approximately 10,000 fans at Glendale Arena. Both stars responded with strong vocal performances if less than exciting stage shows.

Aiken took the stage first in an untucked, dark blue shirt and loosened necktie with gray pants and sneakers singing Mr. Mister's “Kyrie,” followed by “Perfect Day” and “I Will Carry You.”

He seemed comfortably at ease onstage, acknowledging the signs of fans including one that read, “Save a marriage — hug my wife!” which he did. His southern drawl and unassuming nature seemed to connect with the crowd.

Vocally, he was in fine form. With a full set of songs to sing instead of one to make-it-or-break-it with on television, he rarely over-emoted and found the nuances in the tunes to lay back or hit hard.

“I thought he was a lot better in person than he was on TV,” said Kasandra Merrill, 27, of Mesa, who brought her daughter Jensynn, 7, to the show.

Backed by five musicians and three backup singers all clad entirely in white, Aiken performed the majority of his 3 million-sold-and-counting debut album, “Measure of a Man.” After a strong “I Survived You,” he gathered the backup vocalists, guitarist and keyboard player for an acoustic medley of tunes that included Sting's “Fields of Gold” and a nod to his roots with “Carolina On My Mind.”

He wrapped up the segment with an a capella intro to Prince's “When Doves Cry” — less than 48 hours since the Purple One had performed it in the same building — that segued into an electric finish. At one point he even got a bit frisky, going pelvis to pelvis with a female backup singer. Aiken closed his set with “The Way”

After a short intermission, Clarkson began her set playing acoustic guitar on “Low.”

Dressed in a black tank top with torn jeans that soon gave way to black jogging pants, she performed her set barefoot. She was backed by the same musicians and singers who had all changed into black clothing.

Where Aiken was low-key and sauntered around the stage when he moved at all, Clarkson was perky and playful throughout her set, though it came across somewhat forced. Her material, including “Bounce” and “Miss Independent,” was considerably more upbeat and the singer showed off a few rudimentary dance moves.

She performed the majority of her own debut album, “Thankful,” and signed multiple autographs while she sang. While the crowd's response was warm, it was noticeably more so for Aiken.

Clarkson concluded her set with “A Moment Like This” and the lights went dark for just a moment before she started singing Journey's “Open Arms.” When Aiken returned to the stage singing the second verse, the crowd greeted him with a grand ovation and the pair finished the song as a duet. Though their voices blended pleasantly, there didn't appear to be much chemistry between them and after a quick half-hug they exited on opposite sides of the stage to end the show.

With the venue only half-full and literally nothing in the form of stage production for the entire night, the concert had the definite feel of a State Fair show.

“It wasn't good, but it wasn't bad,” said Sari Lin, 14, of Scottsdale. “I've been to better concerts.”

While Aiken and Clarkson have fine voices and seem genuinely personable, both are painfully lacking in stage presence, especially for an arena show. Even more especially for a music writer who'd seen Prince and Rod Stewart — two tremendously engaging entertainers — in the same place within the same week as this show.  

GET OUT AZ

Live Review: Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson in Glendale, AZ

by Christina Fuoco
liveDaily Contributor  
 
April 05, 2004 01:35 PM - The Fox Network television show "American Idol" has been described by some as a glorified karaoke contest with mediocre talent vying for a much-coveted record contract--but fans who caught the Phoenix-area stop by first-season winner Kelly Clarkson and second season runner-up Clay Aiken know better.

During Friday's show (4/2), Aiken impressed with his buoyant stage presence and powerful, Broadway-ready vocals. Dressed in a fedora-like hat, an untucked, button-down shirt and baggy pants, he didn't waste any time getting the crowd into his performance. As his background singers performed the opening lines of Mr. Mister's "Kyrie," Aiken entered from the back of the arena and waded his way through the audience while singing the religious-based '80s hit.

He immediately went into "Perfect Day," from his debut "Measure of a Man," jumping and punching the air to the beat. He was clearly enjoying himself on stage. The audience--which filled about 75% of the arena--reciprocated. Fans, who nickname themselves "Claymates," screamed as he removed his hat to reveal his trademark tousled hair.

Claiming the audience didn't pay to hear him talk, Aiken kept the stage banter to a minimum, instead using his 60-minute slot to showcase material from his multi-platinum album, "Measure of a Man." Many of the songs tread religious waters--besides "Kyrie,"--including "When You Say You Love Me" and "This is the Night"--touched on religion.

Aiken connected with the audience, sitting on a step while bathed in turquoise light, singing "No More Sad Songs" to audience members in the first rows. He also chatted up a fan who claimed to be at his first concert.

A couple on the opposite side of the runway held up a sign insinuating that a hug from Aiken would save their marriage. He couldn't resist and gave the woman a hug. He then dedicated "When You Say You Love Me" to them. As he ended the weeper of a song, Aiken was handed a pair of panties, which clearly embarrassed him. "I've had them thrown, but not handed," he said. "I like this so much more, I think. It's a lot nicer."

The one down side of his performance was the thin cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry," which stripped the song of all its funkiness. It was accompanied by an awkward dance with a background singer, one of three who, throughout the show, copped Motown-like dance moves.

With Clarkson's set, however, there were many missteps. She performed a dance-remix version of her latest hit, "Trouble with Love Is," the love theme from the British comedy "Love Actually." The powerful, gospel-like song was watered down with techno beats and random shouts.

She strummed the guitar during the Sheryl Crow-like opener "Low," during which she showed her comedic chops by demonstrating "the lawnmower," a dance move that she recently performed on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."

Throughout the show, Clarkson--who is pushing her album "Thankful"--annoyingly mumbled her lyrics as she signed autographs for those in the front rows. The singer needs to decide if her 60-minute closing set is a concert or a meet and greet.

When she did concentrate on her performance, Clarkson proved that she could be a talent to reckon with--if only she'd stop saying "cool beans" throughout the show.

While Aiken mainly strolled the stage calmly, Clarkson banged her head to her upbeat pop numbers. Often barefoot (and bragging about her pedicures), she sat atop a grand piano to sing a couple numbers. She also performed a medley of tunes from her box-office-flop movie, "From Justin to Kelly," with the help of a background singer who delivered Justin Guarini's spots.

She recalled her "American Idol" days by singing "Stuff Like That There," which she originally performed during the show's big-band-themed episode. That was one of a few highlights, along with "Miss Independent" and the moody "Beautiful Disaster."

Clarkson closed her set with the apropos "A Moment Like This," a number which finally showcased the vocals that propelled her to the top of her "American Idol" competitors.

However, during the encore, it was clear who the fans were there to see: Clay Aiken. Clarkson sang the first verse to Journey's "Open Arms" and as Aiken strolled out to duet with her, the screams were nearly deafening.

LIVE DAILY

Idols Clarkson and Aiken step into spotlight

by Nicki Escudero
April 08, 2004

Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken gave fans of "American Idol" a double dose of powerful vocals and a fun concert when they hit the Glendale Arena Friday as part of their "Independent" tour.

Aiken was clearly the favorite of the mostly teen girl crowd.

When he walked through the audience to the stage to open the show, Claymates all around swooned. Aiken performed many cuts from his CD "Measure of a Man," as well as some covers. Fans got a sneak peak at his duet from Kimberley Locke's new album, "One Love." Locke was the third-place contestant from the second season of "AI."

I loved Aiken's performance so much, I was planning on throwing my panties on stage, but some girl had the nerve to do it before me. Poor Aiken looked bewildered at the undergarments.

Next up was Clarkson. She cracked me up because, despite wearing slashed jeans and rocking out with a guitar on-stage, there is no way she will ever seem tough, especially since fake candles and flowing white sheets covered the stage.

Clarkson had an excellent set list, the majority of her songs coming from her "Thankful" album.

The show ended with a duet cover of the song "Open Arms" by both Aiken and Clarkson. I've seen Clarkson in concert before, so Aiken definitely touched my heart greatly, and I couldn't help shedding a few tears when he started singing.

Speaking of idols, the third season of American Idols is underway, and the "AI" judges, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell, all seem to agree the current third season is the best ever due to the talent of the Top 12.

This seems to be a marketing ploy, though, because all 12 of them combined cannot come close to the charm of Aiken, who along with season two winner Ruben Studdard and Locke, undoubtedly deserve all the success they has received.

Yes, "AI" season three is entertaining (thanks to hottie host Ryan Seacrest), but there is some spark lacking that was found in the second season. With only four guy contestants, I don't have much eye candy; Jon Peter Lewis is sort of cute, but the "sort of" turns into "not at all" when he starts dancing.

The singing of the contestants also isn't that phenomenal. John Stevens, Camille Velasco, Leah LaBelle...need I say more? I predict the winner of the third season of "AI" will be La Toya London, with Jasmine Trias coming in second.

They are both amazing singers and will be deserving of their titles, but in order to be long-lasting in the entertainment industry, their personalities need to be a little tweaked-more energy would be a huge improvement.

Voting on "AI" is done entirely by the audience, so I encourage you to vote. If you don't care about the show, at least do me a favor and vote for my personal favorite, Jennifer Hudson. She is funny, sassy and can really sing.

LUMBERJACK ONLINE

Attention all music critics and reviewers:  This is the Night is NOT on Clay's concert set list.  You need to adjust your antennae or something.  Please pay better attention!  Thank you! GAH!