CLAY ANNOUNCES TRIPLE PLATINUM IN WASHINGTON DC 3/5

[Pamela]

Pamela,   there was a meet and greet in Washington D.C.?  How did you know about it?  Did you know ahead of time or did you just show up?  Did you need tickets?

I just read about it after the fact.  I've heard people say they got meet and greet passes through radio stations, but I've also heard people say they just went to the arena early in the afternoon before the show and just hung out.  Good luck!

[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)

[mdapurple]

According to WASH FM, a D.C. radio station, they arranged the meet and greet in D.C., for some of their listeners.  They had given away lots of tickets to the show; don't know if the meet and greet was limited to those folks or not.  

At the concert I think Clay said his single would be out about March 16 and Kim's CD would probably be out in April.  I've been walking around with an enormous grin on my face and my Clay pin on my chest ever since Friday night!   :D

[quynn]

Wow Lori!  You are so lucky.  First of all to get 5th row seats and then to find out they were really 1st row seats?......UNBELIEVEABLE.  You must be floating off the ground.  Thanks for sharing your front row experience with us.  Feels like I was up there too!

And one of the bonuses of the whole evening was getting to meet you and your wonderfully funny husband.  It felt like we've been friends forever.  My daughter thoroughly enjoyed it too and can't wait to visit you in DC again.  And now I can say a "Sailor" bought me dinner!   :D

Clay just keeps getting better and better!

[Clay_Xtreme]

:  I AM GOING TO THE CONCERT IN SPOKANE, WASHINGTON ON APRIL  IT WILL BE AWSOME!! IF U ARE ALSO GOING TO THAT CONCERT SEND ME A MESSAGE!!!!!!

I LOVE YOU CLAY!!!!!!!!1  :mrgreen:


~ Clay_Xtreme ~