RHODE TRIPPIN' TO THE RYAN BY THE KING OF THE ISLAND

[tiff]

Lost the connection during invisible.. got another call back from the buscert.. Jacob came out and shook Writer Ross' hand. said he saw her jumping up and down..

[BOZENA]

THANK YOU ALL FOR A FUN CELLCERT...

ALL YOU MUSIKFESTERS ...HAVE A FABULOUS TIME....

LEAVE A BIT OF HIM FOR US FOR CHARLOTTE AND RALEIGH

[BOZENA]

CLAY'S JULIE...
STILL NO WORD IF CLAY SHOWED UP AT THE BUSSES...
HOPE THEY CAN SEE BOTH SIDES OF HIS BUS
IN LAS VEGAS WE WERE ON ONE SIDE AND HE SNUCK IN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE...
SEE YOU LATER ON OCD...

[tiff]

Thanks to Pamela, Deanna (I can't get over the thread title! too cute!), and everyone here for making tonight another wonderful cellcert night! :D
Thanks to reporters and cellcerters at the Claybaord!

Mukifesters have a wonderful time! :D

[PHILLYLUVSCLAY]

THANK YOU TO PAMELA, DEANNA, AND TIFF FOR THE EXCELLENT JOB YOU ALWAYS DO HERE! :

[wisconsinmaniac]

Thanks for the concert, Tiff, Deanna and Pamela.

Great job.  

Enjoyed every second!!!

[Pamela]

Hi All of You!
I'm coming out of lurkdom to tell you how funny you guys are!!  I'm always on this site, but don't get a chance to participate in the cellcerts. It's great reading them later. Thanks to all of you!!
My name is also Deanna, so I,too, enjoy "Ros-Deanna"!
Maybe I will get to meet some of you at Musikfest. I have a feeling I'll be able to pick you out of the crowd (especially the piles on the front row!!)  I'll be with my 11 year old daughter, she's a real claymaniac (It's in the blood)  Thanks again to those of you that keep this site going!!

Well thank you back paclayfan!  Yes please look for us, I'd love to meet you.  I hope someone brings 'Hello! My Name Is...' because I'm not too smart lately.  In fact, I'm on my last brain cell right now so be gentle on Friday!  Come to the polka place too, we may be shaggin down to Roll Out the Barrel before the show!  

Bail money donations will be accepted at the door.   :

Thank you tiff (you really rock, you know it?) and everyone else too for the pictures, the love and the funny!  

The sweetest dreams to everyone...thank you...and goodnight!

[cjrmax]

Gosh, darn and tiddley winks!  Missed the cellcert!  Had to pick Misha up at the airport, then we went to Gwenn's where Susan had FINALLY made it and had dinner and well.........

Come to the polka place too, we may be shaggin down to Roll Out the Barrel before the show!

Pamela - its called FESTPLATZ!  Anyone coming to Musikfest come gather there pre-concert!  Should be a wild time!

Now I am going back to read the cellcert.

[tiff]

Pamela is sobbing....she kissed his hand

Both Pamela and I are shaking sharing our stories. She's helping me relive my KY experience. She said that Jacob came over to her at the buses and said I saw you dancing out there.
She said that Clay looked directly into her eyes. She told him it was a priviledge to meet him. And also told him Thank you so much...I love you. He said Thanks so much....she had his hand in both of hers and she brought it up to her mouth and kissed it. He stopped right in front of her, although he had about 4 security people around him and smiled at her. She said they really had a connection with their eyes. I know exactly what she means by that cause I felt the same way in Lexington...a memory I will hold dear forever.
He had on his burberry p.j. bottoms...no hat.
WR wanted me to give a shoutout to all her cellmates and to tell you she loves y'all....she knows how the river feels...and she shouted Thank you G*d several times. She had to let me go cause she was crying almost hysterically....I again totally understand her emotion

[lorraine]

Good morning everyone.  It is 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning and I just arrived home from Linda's house with about 4 hours of sleep.  I wanted to come on and tell everyone my wonderful experience from last night before I try to lay down for a little while.

To begin with as Linda and I drove down of course playing Clays cd we were even more excited than last Thursdays concert.  Is that possible.  Oh yes!  We followed this long country road to get to the Ryan Center and I made a comment to Linda on how was Clay even going to fill this place when this is all country people who probably didn't even know who Clay was.  Boy were we wrong.  When we arrived around 5:00 we had run into two Clay fans walking away from the center and told us they just waved to Clay getting off the bus and saw Raleigh and the rest of his people.  Linda and I said o.k. again a day late and a dollar short.  They were not opening the doors until 7:00 so we found this little area with some restaurants nothing fancy but when we walked in it was so exciting because we just mingled with everyone and we felt like this was Clay's World.

We drove back to the Ryan Center which is enormous.  This is a college community and people were just starting to arrive.  Our main purpose was to find where the buses were which we did.  We talked to a security guard near the buses and he told us that Clay was coming out to shake hands after the concert.  We were so excited.  As we were talking with this guy we turned around and there is Jacob walking towards us with the base guitar guy and I ran up and said can I take your picture.  Well he did one better.  He had the base guitar guy (I can't remember his name) take our picture with Jacob and Linda gave him a big kiss on the cheek.  What a nice guy.  So cute.  Much smaller and very thin than he appears on stage.  Jerome was auditioning for the singing up in the front and Linda and I knew forget that no way we can't even sing a note.

We entered the building and met the girl from Foxwoods that sang on stage with Clay that night.  She said he is even more gorgeous close up and so very very sweet.  Linda and I bought our thongs because this was going to get Clay's attention.  We entered inside but again disappointed that yes our seats were on the floor but way way back.  There were real young girls, young boys, woman from 18 - 80 and men of all ages.  The guard told us it was a sold out house and he said he held 8,000.  Incredible.  Everyone we talked to felt the same as we did.  All they kept saying we love Clay so much.  

Part 2 following



Lorraine

[lorraine]

Onto Cherie.  She in my opinion has a great voice and tried to get the audience motivated and did a pretty good job.  THEN IT WAS TIME FOR OUR CLAY.  Lights off and the stage lit and for those we have already been to his concert the way he enters the stage is incredible.  When that door opens on stage and we wait his appearance and I think he waits that little bit extra too, when he appeared the audience went NUTS.  I MEAN NUTS.  From the time he came on stage and sang The Streets With No Name until intermission the audience did not sit down once.  NOT ONCE.  When it came to the dance contest I decided there was no way he was going to see this little 5 foot person way back there so I took my thong and Linda followed behind me and I danced up the middle of the isle shaking that thong up in the air and made it all the way up to the stage but again too late.  Then the security sent us back to our seats.  I couldn't understand why people were looking at Linda and I dancing up the walk but then I realized there was nobody else except her in the aisle.  Maybe they thought we were part of his act.  HaHa  Well I lost again but not from trying trust me.  Maybe I made an X#@% of myself but didn't care.  Our purpose was to get close to Clay.

He was as you all know already amazing, incredible, terrific and looked as handsome and sexy as ever.  Voice on the money.  I still am in awe as to how he can day after day come out and sound even better than the night before.  I JUST LOVE THIS GUY.

During intermission, and you are going to think that Linda and I were crazy, but we decided we were going to miss the last part of the concert and we also knew we would see him again on Friday at the Musikfest.  We wanted to go back to the buses and be the first one at the fence to be guaranteed we would meet him.  It was so exciting and had an hour wait.   Jacob came again and shook our hands and remembered Linda for that big kiss she gave him on the cheek.  Again I say he is so nice and cute.  The crowd started to build in back of us and finally he came out and came up to the railing which only came up to our waist.  He started at one end and finally up to Linda and I and we both grabbed for him.  I grabbed his right arm and touched his bracelet and that hairy right wrist but that wasn't enough.  I grabbed his other hand and held on and did not want to let go.  But Jerome wisked him so fast but he was so close and his face is incredible.  He had a smile about a mile long.  It was much too fast but as I am writing this I am crying from such happiness that I was able to get this close to Clay.  No he didn't even know who Linda and I were but we didn't care.  We knew who he was and to touch his hand and feel that strong, hairy arm and hand has left me numb.  This may sound stupid but I am still crying.  How can his touch do this to me and leave me with tears of happiness is beyond words.  I felt like I touched God.    He was then almost lifted up by Jerome away from the crowd.  Next to Jerome, Clay looked small.  He had a gray T-shirt on and those baggy pajama pants he wears.  He got on the bus and the security was telling everyone to leave.  NO WAY NO HOW.  They moved us on the grass so the buses could get buy us.  Clay was up in front with Raleigh and Nick was there.  As the bus was taking this corner he was like one foot in front of Linda and I and I took his picture.  I sure hope it comes out.  He was just waving to all of us and I was so close I could read his lips "I Love You Too."  As the bus pulled in front of us the crowd and Linda and I followed the bus as far as we could and the bus beeped its horn to say goodbye.  I WANTED TO SAY NO CLAY PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME.

I am sorry that we could not give you details about the last half of the concert but it was so worth getting close to Clay and holding his hand and seeing that beautiful face just inches away.  He has the face that just seems to glow and it is so milky white.  He looked tired but what can we expect.  

Please if you have not seen Clay yet do anything in your power or even beyond your power to see him in concert.  

I leave you now with the words from one of his songs:

LOOK WHAT LOVE HAS DONE TO ME!!!!!!

I never want to wash my hand.  I came away from this concert with the loss of my heart which is on its way to N.H. and that is fine with me.  Clay hold onto to my heart and keep me close forever.

I can go on and on and probably will come back with more details.  I cannot stop crying but tears of happiness are a good thing.

Hugs
Lorraine

[Prissy]

Lorraine,

I am so thrilled for you and Linda!  You got to touch Clay!! :  I was tearing up as I read your review.  I know how important this was to you.  I don't think I could be more excited!  

Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

Prissy

[cjrmax]

I never want to wash my hand.

Lorraine, just lick you hand!  That's what I did after I shook his hand in Greensboro.  That way you can always have Clay germs!!  :

God that is sooooooooooo fangirly, but I did it!!!  :

[ChrisieD]

Hey lorraine, I am finally going to see Clay for the first time in Hamburg and I will be driving about 4 hours to get there and I can't even express how excited I am about this. Reading your review brought me to tears and I can only hope I have the experience of a lifetime that you did. How incredibly lucky you are. After Hamburg on Thurs. I will be driving back home to just turn around on the Sat. to drive to Clio another 4-5 hours to see him again. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see him again b/c we have no idea if he will be coming to Canada or not. I am soo determind to get his attention somehow just to look into his eyes-without being too crazy LOL !!! And to get the chance to touch him---If I did--I would be licking me hand like cjrmax did to have his germs with me at all times.  : I have never felt this way about anyone famous and I can't describe my feelings towards him either. He makes me happy and too see him--AAHHH I can't wait. I am soo happy for you and your experience. I know that it will be something that we will all cherish for a lifetime---Lick that hand of yours now !!!!!

[houstonclayfan]

This is the story from the girl that sang with Clay.  It is a simply beautiful story.  (Thank you Claymaniac 2000 for finding it at RHT)

So Clay starts singing Kyrie and I start looking around for Jerome. My friend got my husband on her cell phone (dont know if he heard anything or not though) and I had Doc on my phone. I spotted Jerome and made my way out of my row to him. He walked me over to the front corner of the floor and told me to wait there (which btw Maryann, was where the handicapped people were, right in the front off to the side with a GREAT view. Thank you Clay) I took the opportunity to pop a few Cinnamon tic tacs while I listened to Clay sing WYSYLM. I watched as Jerome stood at the front of the stage with his wife. It was so sweet. He is this big bear of a man holding his wife and swaying to the music. I swear it was so sweet to watch. So the song ends and I get my cue to go with Jerome backstage. I met up with Rachel, the sound gal, who handed me the mic and told me what to do (hold it really close to your mouth, etc.) Then the lights went down on the stage as it was set for the James Taylor set. Now I don't want to come off sounding too cocky here, but somewhere in this thick head of mine, I sensed something was odd. I mean, he had the stool in the middle of the stage and all. What the heck was this man going to do to me? Rachel had to push me onto the stage, as I was thinking this isn't the right time is it? I mean look at the stage? And Clay is talking. It would be rude of me just to walk out there while he was talking wouldn't it? Yes, all this was going through my head, believe it or not. So I walked out there and he asked me something and I said something back and my voice was so loud I jumped. I guess I didn't need to hold the mic quite that close, lmao. Anyway, he was telling the story about last night and the video of them backstage. He asked me my name, then saw my name tag (I went to a meeting earlier in the day and had forgotten to take it off. How convenient). So he proceeded to tell the story about the video. He talked to the audience, but he also looked me square in the eyes as if he was talking to a friend. I was a puddle, believe me. He asked where I was from and what do I do. I told him Massachusetts and I'm a stay at home mom. He was impressed by that, I think. I really couldn't hear hear talk, which he noticed then took my arm and moved me over a bit to a less deadened spot of the stage. He was talking about the story and was trying to remember where they were last night as I quietly said Portland. Of course, it wasn't quiet as I said it into the Mic. No one else saw the look I'm sure, but I did. Heck, I was right there. He had a snarky look just for me, like he was saying with his eyes, "oh sure YOU know. You try being in a different town everynight and remember where you have been" kind of look. It was hilarious and it was just for me. *sigh* So he asked me what I wanted to sing. I said Without You, well not without you though. He just went with it. The music started and for some reason, It felt with the lights the way they were and the stage set the way it was, he was going to do the whole song. So I stood there like a dummy waiting for him to start the song. He looked at me and said "was". I looked at him like, "what?" It took a minute for it to register in my mind that he was giving me that first word of the verse I was going to sing. He got a little snarky and I have no idea what he said for sure as once again, I really couldn't hear him talk. I figured it out, but it seemed like it took forever. I swear the words just flowed out of my mouth. Singing with him on that stage was the most fulfilling experience I have had since I became a mother. The audience was very, and I mean VERY receptive to me. Talk about feeding off the energy! I felt like I belonged up there and Clay was the most gracious host. When he joined me in the verse, we locked eyes and didn't stop after that. I did a couple of runs and such and he pointed back to Quiana as if to say, can you believe this gal? I just smiled and kept singing. He gave me the sign right as we were ending to let me know that we were ending and to, um end it, so I did. I could tell he was impressed, but I couldn't hear a word of what he said after the song was over. The audience went nuts and I was flabbergasted. He handed me a shirt and gave me a big hug. He then whispered in my ear, "Get off the stage the same way you came on". It wasn't said mean or anything, btw. It's just the way it came out. I took the opportunity in the hug to take a deep breath in as I knew everyone would be asking "what did he smell like". I really didn't smell anything.

Well that was it. I spent the rest of the night just living in that moment on stage with Clay. And as I sit here writing that, it still has yet to sink in that it really happened. It was very intense and wonderful and surreal and so many things at one time.

To answer a question many MANY people asked me tonight, do I sing professionally? The answer is no. I have, however, sung all my life. About 10 years ago, I met a man out at a club I used to go to. He was a good singer and a really sweet guy. Very funny and I loved to harmonize with him. He could really hold his own and we sounded good together. He passed away at the age of 28, not more then about 2 years after I met and fell in love with him. I have not been able to go on stage and sing a duet with anyone since then. Tonight was something truely special to me. My life is so much different then it was 10 years ago, but for that one shining moment, I was back with a man I loved singing my heart out and loving every second of it. It will probably never happen again in my lifetime, but I have tonight and that's more then I could have ever hoped for.

[lorraine]

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.  I AM STILL IN A DAZE.  ALRIGHT I DID SMELL MY HAND LAST NIGHT RIGHT AFTER HE TOUCHED IT.  O.K. I WILL LICK IT TOO.  MAYBE I SHOULD JUST START WEARING A GLOVE ON IT FOR LIFE.

LINDA WILL TRY TO POST SOMETHING A LITTLE LATER.  I THINK I COVERED EVERYTHING BUT JUST IN CASE SHE MAY REMEMBER WHERE I FORGOT.  


LORRAINE

[CT loves Clay]

Hi everyone,

I think Lorraine covered just about everything.  It was a night that will be remembered for the rest of my life, or as long as I can remember. :

We ate with Clay fans, sat with Clay fans and were just in Clayland!!
To turn around no matter where you are and be able to start a conversation about Clay and have someone respond and relate was the best!  That is all we wanted to talk about and listen to.  Everyone we met was just as crazy about him as we were.  One girl was meeting a little boy from the Make a Wish Foundation, so I thought we might see her on stage, but that didn't happen.  But then, we missed about 45 minutes of it.

The audience was tremendous, 5-6,000.  Everyone was really hyped.  Clay was beautiful.  He seemed really strong, not fighting a cold or anything.  We saw a few people that we met last February.  It was like a reunion.  I met alot of people who lived only 20 minutes from me in CT and Lorraine actually met someone who lived in the same town.  I thought we were the only two huge Clay fans, but I'm glad we aren't.  The more the merrier.  Now, I can really say. "CT LOVES CLAY."  Anyway, we just danced, sang, yelled and screamed the whole time we were there.  The man just drives me crazy.  As we all know!  The scene where Lorraine and I are dancing in the aisle and thinking there was a large group of fans doing the same thing was hysterical!  Well, the security guard didn't think so and neither did we at the time.  But, at 1 a.m. this morning, we just started laughing hysterically for one hour straight.  You just have to visualize Lorraine dancing up the aisle with the thong twirling in her hand and me following right behind her dancing all the way.  Like we were really going to get picked or something.  Oblivious to anyone or anything around us.  No one was behind us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  OMG! I will never forget it.  What a pair.  Our reputation is going to precede us pretty soon.  Well, we didn't want to sit in our seats, we were too far back.

Okay, I will end by saying.  The man is fantastic.  I love him more than ever.  He gave 150% as always.  He and Valerie, the lady he chose to sing, were doing a duet like they were made for each other.  He have this lade two of the biggest hugs I have ever seen.  He just looks at everyone with such emotion.  What a thrill for her.  I was really happy.  They really have an audition outside the concert, so it's nothing put on.

About the 45 missing minutes of the concert!  Yes, Lorraine and I really had a hugh decision about meeting Clay outside the fence.  What should we do?  We didn't want to leave the concert and we did not want to miss the biggest opportunity of a lifetime!  Soooooooo,
as you already read, we went for the fence.  Eventually, it was like 8 rows deep of people.  I never had so many pocketboks rubbining my backend in my life!  I thought I would get bruised, but I guess I had a lot of padding. :   We talked with Jacob, got a picture and a kiss and saved the rest of our heart for Clay!!!  Just for the minute I held his arm will last a lifetime.  A hug would have probably killed me or make me go weak in the knees anyway.  

I am exhausted and still have a big Clayover.  I am sure there is much more to tell, but I am working on four hours sleep after going to work this morning too.  Many reports have come over to you, so I am sure you got all the goodies by now.  Enjoy!

Hugs to all,
Linda

[claymagic]

I was at the concert last night and I had the pleasure of talking with Valerie (the woman who sang fabulously with Clay) afterward while we were waiting by the buses. What a nice woman! I thought I would share some back story that she told me. She had attended the concert at Foxwoods and auditioned for Jerome at that time, but Jerome had already selected someone to sing. Valerie told Jerome that she would be at the Rhode Island concert so they made arrangements for Valerie to contact him when she arrived. Anyway, Valerie had a pretty good idea that she would be singing last night and has been sweating it out since last Thursday. She was very excited that it went so well. We all gave her another round of applause outside. Too bad she wasn't able to hear Clay and Angela say that they thought she was the best singer so far. I hope someone has video for her.

One other thing she said... that he has the most beautiful BLUE eyes! Hmmm.

[claymagic]

Pamela wrote:

I wonder if she bites the hand that feeds her and pees in the floor like my little monster.

Yes, Pamela, what the cellcert didn't say was that Clay had the paper towels out after Raleigh left the stage!  :P

[claymagic]

Hi, everyone! I don't post very often, mostly because I've never been much of a writer and I'm not very good at infusing passion or snarkiness into my words. But after attending the concert last night and having the best seats I'll probably ever have (6th row through ticketmaster) and then reading the cellcert today, I just have the urge to add my own comments and observations, no matter how boring they may be.

Everybody knows Clay looked and sounded fantastic. He always does! So I'll just add comments about other stuff. First of all, there was absolutely no security at the door when I entered. Nobody's bags were checked at all. I'm hoping for some great video. I read that the cellphone police were out, but I didn't notice that. In fact, I thought it was quite the opposite. I saw a woman in the front row that had 2 cellphones pinned to her shirt! When Valerie was on stage with Clay pointing out her friends, they all had their cellphones up. Clay made his snarky comment about being on the phone while he was doing a show... noone ran over and took their phones away! Even Jay the bass player had his cellphone on stage with him - Clay had a field day with that!

The Clay thong banter is quite amusing. Clay said he is going to ask Angela about the thong every night until she wears one! And about Angela... there was definitely some inside joke going on with them last night! He could barely get through the start of You've Got a Friend where the two of them sing together. He was laughing so hard he couldn't sing. Later on he tried to explain it away by saying he was laughing about showing the backstage video again. Seemed like much more than that to me!  :  If there is video of nothing else from Rhode Island, I hope YGAF is captured. I have to agree that the hold the longest note seemed to go on forever! Clay and Angela won, of course. I love how she can stay right with him... and then how they high five at the end.

OK, since I'm still a newbie, I'm going to break this up into another post. Of course, you all know the scroll bar is your friend.