AIKEN NEWS NETWORK MARCH 20

[Pamela]

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

[Pamela]

DON'T HAVE THE SINGLE YET?

An easy way to purchase! Visit iTunes and download the "album" containing both The Way and Solitaire for only $1.98. Please note: For download purchases to count toward the Billboard Hot-100 chart, you must purchase and download the FULL ALBUM containing both The Way and Solitaire. Individual purchases of The Way or Solitaire at online download sites will count only toward the Digital Downloads chart.

I TUNES

Thanks to the Clackhouse.

[Pamela]

100.3 WNIC in Detroit radio interview from March 12:

CLAY ON THE BREAKFAST CLUB (left click then left click the link - no need to download to hear the interview!)

[Pamela]

The radio interview with Chicago's KISS 103.5 was not aired on Friday as previously reported.   It will apparently will not be aired until 7am Monday morning.  This station streams live audio on the Net, so you can listen to the interview from anywhere!  Hit the link to find out how.

KISS 103.5

[Pamela]

ATTN NEW YORK FANS

Z100 in NY is repeating Clay's Reality Radio segment this weekend.

It will be on Saturday, March 20, at 4:00PM and Sunday, March 21, at noon.

Since this NY station isn't currently playing The Way, this may be the only way NY locals can hear Clay on the radio!

Z100 REALITY RADIO

[Pamela]

ATTN CLAYNADIANS!

The Way is on the YTV Hit List Countdown this week!
The program airs tomorrow, Sunday, March 21st on YTV.
Invisible is now at #11 and The Way is at #15.

You may vote once a day and you can vote for both Invisible as well as The Way.  (anyone can vote...!)

VOTE FOR CLAY ON YTV

[Pamela]

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

[cjrmax]

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.

They're just noticing he's sexy?? Well, Better late than never!

(again, let it be known that he now has rhythm).....

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.

They seem very observant in Texas!  Now that it is in print that he is sexy and has rhythm.... On his next guest AI appearance (which there will inevitably be), I think Clay should show another side to him from that suave ballad singer, the one he showed on Wednesday.  How about if he brings Angela along and does WDC???  Wouldn't that get everyone's attention!!!  :D  :  :D

[shaikeninseattle]

:  :  :  :  :  :oops: Yep!

[Pamela]

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Clay's Saturday Night Live appearance from February 21 will be repeated on Saturday, March 27.

11:30 pm EST on NBC!

[ChrisieD]

:  :  :  :
DID WE EVER DOUBTS THAT ??
HELLO - HE'S THE SEXIEST MAN ALIVE !!!

[Pamela]

Another Detroit radio interview!  Left click then scroll down for the link.

http://www.channel955.com/mojo_main.html

[Misha]

My day is complete.

It's official: Clay is sexy

*happy little cooing sighs*

[LiftClayUp]

Hey Gals & Guys - I just got home.  Note that I live in Dallas. The concert was Clay's in Kelly's home territory.  MR. WONDERFUL was just that, a sexy piece of work.  And now we have it in print from the two newspapers that have knocked him from the beginning.  If I knew how to get the reviews from the papers to him I would send them to him.  When it is print is has to be true(correct) and maybe he would then begin to believe.

Carol

[grammaof6]

He's gone, replaced by an ultra-confident, laid-back, rhythmically competent, bedroom-eyed hunk. It's official: Clay is sexy.

Sometimes the media can be soooooooo slooooooow!
What's amazing to me is that both reviews from Kelly's turf were mostly all about Clay and just a nod about the home town girl. That's kinda sad.

[CT loves Clay]

Finally, I don't have to feel guilty about saying the word "SEXY."  BECAUSE IT IS OFFICIAL!  SEXY, SEXY, SEXY.  That felt good.  Yes, that is the word to describe Clay.  WHOLESOME is another word too, but I prefer the "S" word.  I am quite sure he likes to hear that now too.
He has to know by now since every concert has brought all of us screaming maniacs, Claymaniacs that is, to our knees.  LOL  I must see him again.  I must!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Someone calm me down!!!!!!!!!!!

Linda in CT

[maddiegirl]

Alot of people thought that the crowd was going to be Kelly's in Texas - I just knew our Clay was still going to pull in the majority of the crowd - He is just irresitible!!!!!!

[houstonclayfan]

Alot of people thought that the crowd was going to be Kelly's in Texas - I just knew our Clay was still going to pull in the majority of the crowd - He is just irresitible!!!!!!

That and the fact that Texas is one of the biggest states and he only came to one small venue  :roll:

[rkramsey]

Thank you Pamela, for the great posting of the articles from Texas and also for the radio interviews.  I was more than pleased with everything here.  For once in my life, I have known something before the rest of America.  Clay is self-confident and very sexy.  Isn't it amazing to watch others discovering what we have known for quite some time???!!!

[Pamela]

Thank you Pamela, for the great posting of the articles from Texas and also for the radio interviews.  I was more than pleased with everything here.  For once in my life, I have known something before the rest of America.  Clay is self-confident and very sexy.  Isn't it amazing to watch others discovering what we have known for quite some time???!!!

No kidding Kay.  What took them so long?  :mrgreen:

PS-I love your sig line 'future mother in law of Kelly C' - Glen is a lucky guy to have you!