AIKEN NEWS NETWORK MARCH 24

[Pamela]

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

Chicago concert-goers:  Did Kelly sing a duet with Quiana Parlor?

[Pamela]

Clay and MoaM are #20 on the HDD sales chart this week!

#20 CLAY AIKEN MEASURE OF A MAN RCA 40,169

Last weeks's sales estimates were around 20,000 so sales doubled this week.  Soundscan final numbers and Billboard ratings will be posted tomorrow.

CONGRATULATIONS CLAY!

[Sundancer]

Jae-Ha Kim is a grouch.  :P

[Pamela]

Jae-Ha Kim is a grouch.  :P

And a little delusional too....I'm pretty sure Kelly didn't sing with Quiana Parlor.  That would be Clay.  He's the tall one.

 :

[Pamela]

TRL kudos dial up celebs

Pitt, Nelly, OutKast to make appearances on kudocast

By ADDIE MORFOOT

Jack Black, Will Ferrell, Beyonce, Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan are
among the thesps and musicians nominated for the second annual MTV
Total Request Live Awards, airing April 13.

Kudocast will include both live and taped appearances by Brad Pitt,
Nelly, OutKast, Clay Aiken, Hilary Duff, Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys and 50
Cent.

Hosted by MTV veejays Quddus Phillippe, Damien Fahey, Vanessa Minnillo
and LaLa Vasquez, the TRL Awards will celebrate the most exciting
performers and memorable moments of 2003 from the cabler's "TRL," which allows viewers to call in and vote on their favorite musicvids.

And the nominees are . . .

Quit Your Day Job Award (Best Guest Host)
Kelly Clarkson
Raven Symone
Lindsay Lohan
Beyonce

Wet Your Pants Award (Funniest Guest)
Will Ferrell
Triumph the Insult Comic Dog
Jack Black
Jim Carrey

Most Abused Intern
Sharon the Intern Covered In Shaving Cream By Other Interns
Wack an Intern with Adam Sandler
Interns Pelted By Water Balloons at the MTV Beach House
Interns Forced to Get Damien McDonalds

We'll Teach You How To Stunt (Best Physical Stunt)
Brian Vickers & Damien Scooter Race
Oatmeal Tug Of War with Cast of The Rundown Vs. TRL VJ's
Swat Cast Target Practice
Scary Movie Cast Pumpkin Smashing Contest

TRL's First Lady Award
Britney Spears
Beyonce
Ashanti
Christina Aguilera

Best Male Artist Award
Eminem
50 Cent
Clay Aiken
Andre 3000

Roc The Mic Award (Best Performance)
OutKast Halloween Show
Blink 182 "Feeling This" Spankin' New Music Week
50 Cent "Stunt 101" Spankin' New Music Week
Britney Spears "Me Against The Music" Spankin' New Music Week

Shake Your Booty Award (Best Dance Move)
Beyonce- The Booty Shake
Missy Elliott- The Dutch
Kelis- The Milkshake
OutKast- "Hey Ya" Fingers

Gridlock Award (Star Who Drew The Biggest Crowd)
Clay Aiken
Britney Spears
Cast Of One Tree Hill
Justin Timberlake

Fake Id Award (Best Star Under 21)
Amanda Bynes
Hilary Duff
Lil' Bow Wow
Lindsay Lohan

Walk This Way Award (Best Entrance)
Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson at the Superbowl
Blink 182 Entering in a Convertible for Spankin' New Music Week
Tenacious D in Wheelchairs
Swat Cast in a Swat Mobile

Note:  You can vote for Kelly too!

VARIETY

[Pamela]

HE HAS COME FULL CIRCLE

by Anonymous Rabid Girlfan (2004/03/22)

[Editor's Note: Occasionally I like to publish articles that are submitted in this form. I would call this literary piece "poetic prose," and it is a tribute to Clay Aiken and his performance of Solitaire, on March 17th, and I think echoes the sentiment of many in his fan-base.]

There is a tradition in many Native American tribes and also many
African villages called "man-making." The boy, inexperienced, with only
rudimentary knowledge and basic weapons, is cast out into the wilderness
alone. He must prove himself, and hunt for food to feed the people. He
must demonstrate that he can uphold his responsibilities to the tribe. He
cannot come back without bringing down an animal, or his honor is
vanquished.

The ancient Celts and Druids had a similar trial by fire, called The
Running of the Stags. The man ordained to be the leader would disguise
himself in the hide of a deer and attach antlers to his head to blend in
with the herd. He would then run with the herd to see if he could pass
undetected. His objective was to bring down the alpha stag; the only
outcomes were to kill or to be killed.

This night was Clay's man-making. This night was Clay's running with
the herd.

Clay strode onto the stage like with the confidence of a seasoned veteran, yet he seemed a tad nervous as he took his place at the microphone. And then he began to sing.

The crowd, on its feet even before he sang, cheering for him to do well
and uphold his honor, gave him the measure of calm he needed to pull it
off. He opened his mouth and let that haunting beauty escape. The crowd
cheered at the first line, a line so well remembered, so often re-watched, so often re-played, and it gave him another boost. The notes tumbled forth like waves striking the beach, swelling gradually and cresting on the shore, then receding calmly. The lower register notes caressed like velvet on unclothed flesh; the higher notes hung in the air like ice crystals.

If you watch the chorus closely, you can see the knowledge in his eyes.
He knows he has accomplished what he has set out to do. He knows he has brought the food to the tribe. That would be us. He knows he has brought down the alpha stag. That would be the judges, the Anomaly, and the specter of losing the love. He knows he has captured that love for all
time.

He reaches the plaintive quiet section, and you can see the emerging
actor in him. He has ceased to try to feel the emotion. He is living the
lyrics. And then he reaches the glory note.

The camera motions were so very appropriate. They mimicked the way my head was spinning. The anguish on his face, the wail in his voice, the
pain in his eyes, it all seemed to stab me in the breastbone. I felt what he was feeling. I was in his world. It all came down to him, me, and his story.

He took it easier on the glory section, because he knew he didn't have
to go all out. He knew he had won. He vanquished the alpha stag. He
brought down the game. He was striding home, now, proud. He was walking taller, so to speak, from pride and from the knowledge that he was now a man in every way he could be a man.

He came to the finish, and he couldn't hold back the pride any longer.
To me it seemed like the new man reaching the village and fiercely
holding out his game to his father. It was like the new man was on the same level with his father now, and his father acknowledged the fact. Clay smiled and showed his pride, his relief at having achieved what he set out to do, and the knowledge that he could bear the weight of the burden of being a star. He reveled in the tumult from the audience, he drank in the love like he was breathing fresh mountain air, and he truly admitted to himself, I think, that there is no going back home. He belongs
on that stage, and he is admitting it fully.

The boy of last year, not yet fully developed, not yet completely capable, has come full circle. He has returned to his village, the millions of viewers that include us, who watched him grow to manhood throughout his time in the village. He has returned to his village, the place where his stardom was born, and he has returned a success in every possible way. The boy has become a man.

I sit writing this, and I'm still in tears. Yes, Clay made me cry again. I don't cry very often for a performance. I tend to save that for especially heart-tugging movies. Clay tugged the right strings tonight. He showed his pain, his vulnerability, his loneliness, and the floodgates opened. I feel like I made the journey with him, and that makes all the difference.

BEAVERS ON IDOL

[GWENN]

PAMELA--

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS AMAZING ARTICLE.  JUST BEAUTIFUL.  

GWENN

[Claymate16]

Where do we vote for the TRL awards?

[Pamela]

Where do we vote for the TRL awards?

TRL Awards - http://www.mtv.com/onair/trl/awards/2004/nominees/

(please vote in every category for your vote to count!)

The permanent link is in the first post in the Polling Place thread as well as the first post of the TRL Warrior thread.

Thanks for voting!

[Jeannette]

Thank you for that beautiful article--I just adored it.