SOLO TOUR MEDIA - PREVIEWS, REVIEWS & MORE

[Clayforlife]

That is very sad for the girl that missed the opportunity to meet OMC when she had come so close.  If I put myself in her shoes, I would have been heartbroken too.  Having said that, though, I think that there was obviously something going on.  They worked all day trying to iron things out.  It scares me to think that this could actually happen more often.  Clay is a superstar now and while I think I speak for most of the fans, we would never cause any harm to Clay.  Having said that, I know there are some crazy people out there who for whatever reason would cause harm to Clay.  Celebrities live a different lifestyle whether they want to or not - including Clay.  It might explain why he chooses to stay away from the chaos that goes along with stardom and hang out at home or in his hotel room, where there is nothing to fear.  I do feel bad for the people who lost out on the chance to meet Clay, but perhaps if Clay gets wind of the the letter the girl's father wrote, he will do something to make it up to those fans.

[ClaysMelody]

I totally agree with the fact that Clay would never,ever have cancelled
a meet and greet unless it was absolutely necessary.  It has never happened before even during the IT when he was having trouble with his voice and couldn't even talk during the meet and greet.  He could have
easily just let Kelly do it alone those nights.  But he didn't.
With everything that is going on in the world today people should understand the importance of security concerns.  I am sure that Clay probably did not even have part in the decission to cancell the meet and greet.  I can understand the little girl's disappointment, but parents - grow up!

Melody

[mrsaiken3504]

thanks for posting this- I feel really bad for the little girl and her mom- she was probably looking forward to it for a long time. We know Clay will fix it! He always does! Im just curious about what the "security" issues were.

[outthereforclay]

Clayforlife....your avatar mesmerizes me! I'm a "mouth" person and Clay's absolutely sends me to places I can't describe on this thread...

(post a lot, ok? : )

[claysjoy]

I am heartbroken! ( I've been so busy, that I've been out of the loop lately. ) I know how upset everyone was not getting to meet him after planning on it, but along with everyone else, GET OVER IT!  There are thousands of us who want to meet him and don't.  but to think someone did something to cause that much security problems, makes me sick at my stomach.  I know that celebs have stalkers and such, but how could anyone harm CLAY?  It just does not make sense to me.  All the boy does is try to bring happiness to so many, it's like threatening Santa Claus.  This world is really sicker than I thought.  Man, I feel sorry for the person who thinks they can get away with hurting him.  Is that the kind of talk that makes one sound crazy?  I just know as devoted as us fans are, if someone hurt him, they might meet a few of the more rabid fans.  POOR CLAY, he is just a sweet innocent guy, trying to be there for us, and he gets his life taken away, having to hide from the world.  I wonder if he has any regrets yet?

[Clayforlife]

Clayforlife....your avatar mesmerizes me! I'm a "mouth" person and Clay's absolutely sends me to places I can't describe on this thread...

(post a lot, ok?  )

OutthereforClay - as much as my avie mesmerizes you, yours mesmerizes me and for the very same reasons.  Glad you like!  I will try to post more, just for you!

[Shakin4Aiken]

Thanks for the articles Stellium! I met that lady in the wheelchair that was mentioned in the 1st article. She was so excited to get the chance to meet Clay. I wonder what was up with security because from where I was sitting Clay was barely off stage and I saw the buses leaving. I think Clay's safety is more important than a M&G even if people are disappointed. What about all of us who can only dream of what it would be like to meet him?

[stellium]

I was there,  too,  Shaiken,  with a good view from the Grandstand 4th row up.   As soon as his lift lowered him after "Solitaire", while we were still screaming and applauding, the Police and State Trooper lights began flashing and Clay's bus flew out of the field behind the stage.   It wasn't more than 30 seconds after he disappeared from the stage.

    I have talked to three other people there and we all agree there was a rather subdued vibe that night.   Clay was not the giggly,  silly guy he was in the Kelly-Clay concert in St. Louis.   And the audience had a more serious feel to it.   People loved him and gave him standing ovations and screamed and cried,  but they didn't stand the whole time or dance,  and the biggest applause where even the older people around me stood was for "You Were There".   A conservative audience,  a more mature Clay,  and a shockingly fast exit.  

        Everyone said there were more state troopers around than usual.   I counted several back by the bus that we could see the front of with our binoculars even though it was hidden behind a long trailer truck,  there were at one time 8 troopers on the track behind Standing Room Only,  and many more around the building.  

         But Clay would not have brought the little five year old girl up to sing with him if there was a danger on that stage.   I keep reading rumors from reliable sources that have been posted that say his bus had been broken into at MusicFest,  and his bass player fired before this show Friday, so it was something else,  but I don't know what.

[heater]

Thanks for the articles, stellieum.  I can understand why the girl and her mother were dissapointed, but I think that the only reason that Clay would ever cancel a M & G is if he didn't feel comfortable.  Something was obviously wrong that night and unfortunetely the M & G had to be cancelled.  Above all else Clay needs to be safe and if that means cancelling the M & G, then that was the right decision!

[sarahdebarah1109]

Thanks for the articles.  Thats so awful that anyone might even think about hurting Clay or anyone for that matter.  I'm sure there was a serious reason that he left so quickly and all.  I'm glad he's safe and luckily he has people looking out for him all the time to keep him safe from those creepy people out there.

[ydebi]

So sad that something was wrong and caused a m&g be canceled.

[stellium]

The reporters at the paper have investigated this with Clay's management.  I"m posting now  their article in this morning's State Journal Register .   Everyone is claiming "miscommunication".

[Shakin4Aiken]

    I have talked to three other people there and we all agree there was a rather subdued vibe that night.   Clay was not the giggly,  silly guy he was in the Kelly-Clay concert in St. Louis.   And the audience had a more serious feel to it.   People loved him and gave him standing ovations and screamed and cried,  but they didn't stand the whole time or dance,  and the biggest applause where even the older people around me stood was for "You Were There".   A conservative audience,  a more mature Clay,  and a shockingly fast exit.

 
I do agree about him not being all giggly. I don't really recall one moment where he laughed a lot. He did make some jokes, but nothing like he usually does.

       
Everyone said there were more state troopers around than usual.   I counted several back by the bus that we could see the front of with our binoculars even though it was hidden behind a long trailer truck,  there were at one time 8 troopers on the track behind Standing Room Only,  and many more around the building.

 
You're right, there were many state troopers milling around. There was a bunch on the track. Something must of really been up.  

     
But Clay would not have brought the little five year old girl up to sing with him if there was a danger on that stage.   His bus had been broken into at MusicFest,  and his bass player fired before this show Friday, so it was something else,  but I don't know what.

His bus got broken into!? I did not hear about that. I'm glad he chose that little girl to come up on stage with him because she was just so adorable!

[stellium]

That wasn't very responsible of me to repeat that his bus got broken into a Musicfest just because I've read it by so many different people, but I have no official proof of that.   I'll go back and say rumors have been posted and not disputed.    Sometimes when these things are posted by people we have always found to be reliable and good sources of info in the past,  we tend to give them more weight,  as I did with that one.

       In the article in the paper today by Nick Rogers,  the Springfield media people say when they called Clay's management team all day on Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:40 p.m.,  things kept getting stranger,  something strange was what they felt from their contacts.    So we will probably never know the full story,  other than it was not Clay's fault.

That's all I need to know.

[stellium]

is a nice headline on page 2 this morning of the Springfield, IL. State Journal-Register, by our friend Nick Rogers
*************

CLAY AIKEN FANS GET SECOND CHANCE TO MEET POP STAR

For several Clay Aiken fans in Springfield, Monday was the night.
The 10 contest winners for an Aiken meet-and-greet at the Illinois State Fair Grandstand that never happened were to be driven to Rockford in a Harmony Limousine, fed Godfather's Pizza, given free tickets to Aiken's performance and allowed backstage access to the singer.

Dave Daniels, program director at WDBR-FM 103.7, said after a mix-up between Aiken's managagement and booking agent resulted in the state fair meet-and-greet being scrapped, plans were made to remedy the situation.

"We actually went through the record label, RCA, and they were very cool in moving very quickly for us," said Daniels, whose station was a partner in the original promotion with WRSP Channel 55.

The local fox affiliate has helped cover the expenses for the Rockford trip, Daniels said, and the winners were notified of the plan Friday.

Kathy T. and her 13-year old daughter Erin, were two of the disappointed fans who arrived to learn the meet-and-greet had been cancelled for "security reasons". Tebrugge said she feels the work done to send the winners to Rockford has made up for the problem.

"Erin has school at 7:10 a.m. (today) , so she'll go and she'll be tired, " Tebrugge said. "She's very excited, but she's just a little leery. She's not sure it's going to go off without a hitch."

Nick Rogers can be reached at nick.rogers@sj-r.com
*********

[stellium]

We first heard of this family when Ein's father wrote a Letter to the Editor during the concert that his daughter had just called him from the fair sobbing and broken hearted because she couldn't meet Clay after all.

His letter did not blame Clay at all,  it called for the radio/tv stations who sponsored the contest to make arrangements to allow the winners to meet Clay later,  and this is what they did,  with RCA's help.

[HavinaClayAffair]

As fans..we had hoped there was a remedy and there was. Great JOB!! Positive press to back it up! I hope all things went well!

Lora-Ohio

[mrs. c.]

I knew knowing Clay this would be made right!!!  He is so appreciative of his fans, and wouldn't let this slip!!  Clay I love you for that!!

[ChrisieD]

We were talking about this and we knew that Clay would make it all right somehow and of course he did. He would NEVER let his fans down.  Way to go Mr. Clay Aiken !!!

[bisi]

Hope someone told those rude policemen about this.  God Bless OMG -- did anyone doubt it would be fixed?