AIKEN NEWS NETWORK JULY 28

[HavinaClayAffair]

A couple of things..

First- That reviewer can kiss my....mothers uncle!! I have SOOO much more I would like to say! But I won't dignify the review with my TIME!

Second- Do you suppose those of us that have Fair Concert tickets will get the abbreviated version of the concert? It looks like this was the first fair he performed at. I had wondered if those shows would be different than full concert venue shows. I have been to several fair shows before and they were always around an hour..nothing spectacular. Either way, I am glad I am going but I will know what to expect..especially since I am taking my niece with me who really wants to see a full show!

Third- Getting through this MTV Hits show just to catch a glimpse of Clay backstage is about to kill me!!!!!!!! I took my lunch for this!! I was hoping it would be at least a 1 minute blip..all together..not spread out throughout the whole darn show!!:  Edited 10 minutes later!!! Yeah! Saw "The Way" video and an interview with him! Clay Fan up next to meet Clay!

Have a great one!

Lora-Awad

[cjrmax]

The set included a tribute to James Taylor with Aiken singing "Sweet Baby James."

The tribute took an odd turn when his backup singers took turns singing lead on Taylor's "How Sweet It Is," "Fire and Rain" and "Whenever I See Your Smiling Face."

During those three songs, Aiken sang backup harmony - surely not what the wet crowd paid $23 each to see.

Well gee.  I paid $25 and sat out in that deluge and was soaked to my bones and this set was my favorite part!!  It was also my favorite part in Greensboro.  I LOVED hearing his background singers get their moment in the spotlight and I LOVED all of them singing James Taylor!

I was disappointed that he cut out 6 songs.  I don't know if the weather had anything to do with it or the folks at the state fair just wanted it over at a particular time (in which case they could have started it at 8pm instead of 8:30pm!), but that was disappointing - especially since they cut "Still the One" which I LOVED!  It was weird his not having a catwalk, and he did seem somewhat inhibited in his movements by it.  And yes, he did almost  screw up the glory note on "Solitaire" when it appeared he missed a beat and had to figure out quickly how to still get it in.  But, there were A LOT of people there.  Yes, the grandstand was half empty, but those seats were REALLY far away from the stage.  But the seats on the ground - the ones in the rain - were just about full!   And the crowd, as water logged as we were, were enthusiastic. The venue security people kept trying to get people to sit down, and that was weird.  But the crowd was as loud as they could be through ponchos and wet hands and feet and clothes.  Maybe Toby Keith is sold out tonight, but I wonder how many of his fans - or anyone elses - would have sat through what we sat through to hear him!

[lorraine]

I WAS WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU CJRMAX.  THAT CRITIC PROBABLY NEVER EVEN ATTENDED THE CONCERT.  IT IS SO NICE TO GET A REAL REVIEW FROM SOMEONE WHO WAS THERE AND OF COURSE A DIE HARD CLAY FAN.  CLAY DID NOT EVEN HAVE TO PERFORM BUT HE CARES SO MUCH ABOUT HIS FANS THAT HE DID THIS THROUGH TERRIBLE WEATHER.  AND AS DEDICATED FANS YOU SAT THROUGH IT.  I WILL DO THE SAME AT THE MUSIKFEST IF NEED BE AND IT RAINS.

THANK YOU.

LORRAINE

[GWENN]

I POSTED MY REVIEW ON THE BLPT AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS CRITIC HAS NO IDEA WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT.  IT WAS POURING YET WE ALL WERE THERE ANYWAY.  HOW MANY FANS OF OTHER SINGERS WOULD HAVE DONE THAT.  AND I DO MEAN POURING.  THE SONGS CUT, EXCEPT FOR STO WERE ALL MOAM SONG.  I KIND OF LIKED THE FACT THAT, GIVEN THE ABBREVIATED CONCERT, HE DID NEW STUFF.  IT IS QUITE CLEAR THAT THIS CRITIC HAS NEVER BEEN TO A CLAY CONCERT.  HAS NO IDEA WHAT WE LIKE OR EXPECT.  WHAT CHRISTIE SAID WAS TRUE.  THE STAGE WAS SET UP FUNNY SO THAT IT WAS REALLY HARD FOR CLAY TO MOVE AROUND.  I USUALLY DON'T COMMENT ON THESE CRITIQUES, BUT I WAS THERE, AND I DON'T THINK HE PAID ONE BIT OF ATTENTION.  THE CONCERT I SAW WAS NOT WHAT HE SAW.

INTERESTING COMMENT THOUGH ABOUT THE FACT THAT STATE FAIRS USUALLY WANT HOUR LONG SHOWS.

GWENN

[mrs. c.]

I am also sad to see Ryan Seacrest "out"  he is a wonderful, informative host, and I'm sure better things will come his way!!  AC I agree, the timeslot and network was probably not in his favor!!

[ClayBuf]

Taking a different turn, here. Again. 8)

multiplatinum recording artist

:D

has become somewhat of an American Icon

:D

They see the good Christian example he puts forth, and they like it... they respect it.

As do I.

:)

with two high-powered music stars signing in the same week

:D

and thank you for the positive example you set for America's youth.

:

That's our Clay.......

~Buffi

[mrs. c.]

Mr. Cormier you are DEFINATELY NOT the Measure of a Man, and I can't say here what i would like to say, but BITE ME anyway!!!!

[cjrmax]

IT IS SO NICE TO GET A REAL REVIEW FROM SOMEONE WHO WAS THERE AND OF COURSE A DIE HARD CLAY FAN.

Lorraine, I think I, along with Gwenn and Micki and her niece Michelle, and everyone else who sat in the monsoon last night to hear Clay, definitely proved we are indeed die hard Clay fans!  I have driven in a bizzard for Clay, in torrential rain to Dover for the benefit and sat through a deluge, complete with winds, lightening and thunder just to hear Clay sing a shortened set.  And you know what?  I am now looking forward to Muskifest next week - a lot! I do so hope its not shortened to 50 minutes, though, as has been rumored!  I think it was longer than that last night (I think about 80 minutes) - and he cut 6 songs!!  : Of course, Musikfest is for wimps!  :  THE SEATS ARE COVERED!!!

The things I do for this man!  And while I would hesitate sitting in that kind of rain again for that long, I would probably end up doing it again!

[clay_fan_20]

GO HERE FOR A CLAYREPORT STORY CALLED--

Clay Mate Or Clay Fan
Who I Am I And Where
Do I Belong?

CLAYREPORT

i'm like that girl, if i were to see clay i would react the same way, but i do support him on polls and awards, that doesn't mean she is a bad fan, but i enjoy supporting him, i don't think that's going overboard at all, another thing is if you dedicate all your life and time tracking clay down and vote and support is all you do and you almost forget about your life that is just not healthy lol.

[shaikeninseattle]

MrsC wrote:

Mr. Cormier you are DEFINATELY NOT the Measure of a Man, and I can't say here what i would like to say, but BITE ME anyway!!!!

[/size]

 :  :  :  :  :  :  :  :  :  : Ditto!

[outthereforclay]

After reading that...uh...writer's review of Clay's concert in Delaware last night, I couldn't help but wonder if he was actually there! Then after hearing reports from some of our very own Claymaniacs, I KNEW the guy was either writing something to meet a deadline, or peeved because he had to go to a concert in the rain. Whatever! Then I thought of how little thought he seemed to have put in this...er...article. And I thought, well, HECK! Let's pretend ANOTHER person reviewed this same concert..someone with musical taste and appreciation of true talent!

Friends, I wasn't even THERE, yet I humbly submit this edited version of Mr. Cormier's take on Clay Aiken in Harrington, DE. The original, poorly structured writing framework remains; however, the bolded info is what a more informed reviewer might write in those instances where this bozo decided to excercise his right of free speech and bore us with expressing his opinion. Geez! :roll:

Clay Aiken: 15 minutes and counting  (Sorry, don't get this. :? )
Stands half empty at rainy, uninspired state fair show
By RYAN CORMIER
Staff reporter
07/28/2004

First there were the Deadheads.

Then came the Kiss Army, Parrot Heads and Phish Phans.

Now we have "Clay Mates," and they were swarming the Delaware State Fair on Tuesday night for Clay Aiken's concert.


Crossing all age, gender and any other demographic limitations,
the fans huddled under their ponchos as a steady rain fell throughout the night.

Aiken opened the show with a cover of U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name", again putting his unique stamp on other songwriters' hits. Aiken has the pipes and the soul to make any song his own, yet as he did for Neil Sedaka's "Solitaire", also manages to remain true to the original artist and make his version a tribute to the author.

With Aiken covering your hit, you needn't worry about your songwriting talent being wasted. He'll breathe a new life into the song with his own soulful, soaring voice.

Aiken, dressed in an untucked blue button-down shirt, a yellow tie and khakis, had the fans cheering at one point in the song, but it was at the line "I want to take shelter from the pouring rain," an irony surely the sharp, witty Aiken appreciated.

The concert actually was without a number of songs from his multi-platinum album, MOAM, yet Aiken and his accomplished band rocked in those tunes he did include in this shortened set.

American Idol 2 ended in quite the controversy when Aiken barely lost the title to Ruben Studdard, the final difference in votes being less than 1%. Since that time, Aiken has proven that he has the goods and has grown to be the most popular and successful talent from that show.

Unlike Justin Guarini, whose career has turned into a punch line following his second-place finish at the first "American Idol," Aiken has capitalized on his obvious talent and business smarts to give us hope that he will be with us for a long time.

Even though the 25-year-old has been lambasted by music critics (one called him a "Southern-fried theater nerd"), his first album, "Measure of a Man," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts when it was released in October and has sold 3 million copies. Obviously, individual critics' opinions are not swaying the masses as his fans continue to buy his records, sell out his concerts, give to his charities and support him unfailingly.

His first single off the album, "This Is the Night," was the best-selling single of 2003 and his second single, "Solitaire," opened at No. 1, turning his reality television experience into a bona fide pop chart juggernaut.

 "You guys are better than I am for sitting out here," he said at one point. "So I'll stop talking." Aiken cut his usual banter with his audience short, no doubt in consideration of the fans braving the weather for him. More than once he made reference to his appreciation of them for enduring the elements.

The staging for this venue was necessarily different and that difference did inhibit Aiken's stage presence somewhat by keeping his usual energetic and infectious dancing and gesturing to a minimum. Containing that energy that all his previous full concert sets displayed was probably just as hard for Clay as it was for his fans missing it!

A favorite part of the concert was an acoustical tribute to one of Aiken's favorite musicians, James Taylor. After paying respects to Taylor's "Sweet Baby James" in a moving solo, Aiken turned the spotlight on his talented backup singers as he became the harmonizer to their leads. It was an unusual move for a "star", yet Aiken's fans would say that it was "just like Clay" to want to share the stage with his friends and colleagues.

Opening the show was a video showing the production of Disney's (the show's sponsor) Proud of Your Boy, a song sung by Aiken to be included in a rerelease of the company's "Aladdin."

Although attendance was below the 7,700 capacity, the ground seats were full of die hard and enthusiastic fans, who although drenched throughout the concert, never wavered in their support.

Tonight's Toby Keith show and Saturday's performance by Rascal Flatts are sold out.

Reach Ryan Cormier at 324-2863 or rcormier@delawareonline.com\
No thanks....I..uh...have to clip my toenails. :roll:

[mrs. c.]

Brilliant outthere!!! love it!! :

[GWENN]

BRAVO, AMY.  YOU SAID IT JUST RIGHT. ARE YOU SURE YOU WEREN'T THERE?

GWENN

[Jan]

Mr. Coumier,or whatever his name his, was probably mad because he got wet. So he was grumpy and wet and no doubt did not like this assignment. Also, it sounded like the venue was almost empty. No doubt because those that were not diehard Clay fans did not want to get their feet wet.
I wonder if the venue would have been full for any other artist while it poured rain.

So disheartened over the demise of Seacrests Show. It was probably in competition with all of the soaps on at around the same time.

I would sit in the rain anyday to hear Clay Aiken sing.

Jan

[cjrmax]

Yup Amy!  THAT was the concert I saw!!!  :D

[lovinclay]

AMY, YOU WERE SITTING NEXT TO ME, WERE YOU NOT?  BRAVO!!!!

[ACcountryFan]

Aiken's concert, mostly made up of preteens, teens and their parents, the fans huddled under their ponchos as a steady rain fell throughout the night

================
hmmmm, i suppose you'd say the same thing about a George Strait appearamce?? He has a mostly female audience
================

For the rest of the soggy evening, Aiken sang nearly every song off his debut album and sprinkled in a few other covers. But since all of his own songs were written by other people, the whole concert was basically a five-piece cover band fronted by Clay Aiken[/u].

====================
Ahhhh, here we go again. What is the problem??? A singer doesn't have to write songs!! It's critics like this that make me wish i could reach out and slap someone!!  
=====================

His stage presence consisted of synchronized stepping with his three backup singers, clapping his hands over his head, leaning on a railing and sitting on a stool

==================
there's not a whole lot he could do with pouring rain you stupid jerk.  ==================

During those three songs, Aiken sang backup harmony - surely not what the wet crowd paid $23 each to see

=================
Obviously this critic doesn't know what a cell-cert is or else he'd know most of those people there already know what to expect. It's fun seeing a critic spout off their opinion when they've obviously not in the loop!
==================

The attendance was well below the 7,700 capacity for a concert at the state fair, with the grandstand half-empty.

===================
maybe, just maybe, there were some who knew the weather conditions and weren't gonna risk it and the fact that the Toby Keith show is sold-out is...this may sound strange but Toby's been out a lot longer than Clay! Toby's been out since 1994 and Clay? A year...and the real reason you brought up Toby Keith is because he writes most of his songs...

example: George Strait has never written any of his 67 Top-10 hits because he admits he can't write songs and so he makes songs he didn't write feel like his own through his performance of them. Gee, a career like Strait's which has been going strong since 1981 and he's never written any of his songs...he must be doing something right: pleasing his fans. Wake up, Ryan. A good singer is a a good singer. some make their livings singing and some make their livings writing songs. You ever heard of Harlan Howard? Rafe van Hoy? Johnny Mercer? Irving Berlin? Diane Warren? Hank Cochran? Bobby Braddock? Curley Putnam? Stephen Sondheim? Probably not...because those people were songwriter's and not singers...

So, get out of that silly mentality that singers have to write their own songs or have to struggle for 80 years before they have success.

[tessie]

Negative attention is better than no attention at all.  How best to fill your in basket and have e-mails reaching to the ceiling?  Have an uninformed critic write a review of Clay Aiken.  Perhaps he feels better than he would sitting alone by his computer!

[GWENN]

BY THE WAY, THE VENUE WAS NOT ALMOST EMPTY.  IT WAS ALMOST FULL---EVEN IN THE RAIN.

GWENN

[shaikeninseattle]

Oh, let's give the jerk a break. He had the flu and so he puked out a review!  :evil: