THE "POP" STAR TO SEE IS AT THE "PEPSI"

[lorraine]

MARILYN  AS I READ SOME OF YOUR REVIEW I JUST GOT GOOSE BUMPS.  I SO WISHED IT WAS YOU HE PICKED BUT TO BE SO CLOSE MUST HAVE BEEN AMAZING.  HOPE TO HEAR MORE FROM YOU.

LORRAINE

[forever_clay]

sounds like another great concert!! i am really bummed about not being able to attend the cellcert...there is always the next one! its a good thing he has a few days off, for i will be out of town! anyway, congrats to all hitting new marks!!

[CT loves Clay]

Marilyn,

If you didn't have those new sneakers on, you would have been fine with the dance!  You danced great Saturday night.  Yes, everyone, with a bruised knee and all, Marilyn did rock on.  You are such a trooper.  Here you are again, the very next day in Albany.  This one sounded like he was joking even more.  You and I know that man deserve some serous rest after those three concerts!!!  I am the official massuese.  I bet he could use that right now.  Just let me know where he is.  I will arrange the rest. :   I am getting so bad.  Is there no cure!?!?!??!
Great recap.  Thank you.  Waiting to hear more and more.  I think he likes those dirty signs somewhat too!  He always comes up with a little kinkyness.  Remember when he said Friday night, "Quiana, are you wearing the red thong?"  She said, "No."  He said, "Oh, she is going to start wearing underwear next week!"  Funny!!!!!!!!!  Okay, is this guy kidding us or what?  I think so!!

LuvMYClay: It's so hard to come up with a name with only three words.  You will though.  I was asking a lot of people to help me too.  I don't know how many words are allowed.  It looks like everyone went with 3. How about, I love vanilla.  We call Clay that alot in different aspects of our writing.  I am sure you will want to come up with your own.  You can do it!!!!!!!!!!!!

[heater]

Marilyn it sounds like you had an awesome time!  I really wish he had picked you to dance with him...that would have rocked!  Thanks for letting us in on your great time!

[Marilyn]

PART 2
The little boy Jacob who sang just blew everyone away! Clay was jumping up and down and waving his arms about and jumping in circles, he was so excited!! It was really cute. Little Jacob had a bit of a hard time at the end, but its a very difficult song to sing. So then Clay takes him and shoos Jacob Lutrell away from his stool and puts Little Jacob on-told JL he had been replaced!!!
Then he said he might have to rethink this piece because the kid was showing him up and that couldnt happen!! It was so cute when Clay high fived Angela after Little Jacob sang.
Then Jacob wanted to have his picture taken so Clay leaned down and posed and posed--the Mom' camera didnt work!! So Clay still had the big smile and said through gritted teeth" Moms camera doesnt work--will someone else take the picture?? Again I thought it was funny since camera's werent allowed.
I talked on the cell phone to Lorraine a little bit before the concert. I didnt see the security guards coming down on that, but there were several people that they made pick up the equipment and go back out of the arena. I didnt see them come back.....but then I was a little DISTRACTED!!!

Clay was so hyped up last night-he said he was pumped up from singing and dancing. Kyrie was wonderful
When Clay sat down on the stool and started Sweet Baby James, I cannot describe how sweet his voice is on this-it made you feel warm all over and wish he was singing you to sleep (although sleep is NOT what I had in mind)
RUN TO ME- myabsolute favorite favorite song on the album. And he was so sexy with his hand movements caressing the microphone.............whenever you get that feeling................WHICH IS ALWAYS!! want to run to him with all my heart!!
Intermission passed by quickly-and then it was the drum beats and the guitar riffs-and here comes Angela starting "I Knew You were waiting" Glad I knew most of the words to this-sang at the top of my voice (poor people around me probably wish they had earplugs at that point!!)

STILL THE ONE!! love love love his version of this!! and tonight instead of bumpin..err dancing with Angela, Clay gave Quiana the clay treatment, kind of bending his knees real close and ....................no I am sorry I cannot go on................its too..............GAH!

[heater]

Clay is just so awesome!  As if we all didn't know that already! LOL  I love that he asked if others could take pictures since Jacob's mom's camera wasn't working.  What a sweetie!   Kyrie and Still The One are two of my favorites that he does live.  He just has so much fun on those songs.  RTM has so many of us thinking the same thoughts you did!  GAH!!!!!  Thanks for the second part of your recap!

[Marilyn]

PART 3
Perfect Day-and as usual, it WAS perfect. And then.................I SURVIVED YOU!!-GRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOD LUCK ! GGGGRRRRRRI WISH YOU WELL!!  Many screams, many many screams, and then-new beginniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!! damn-it cut out-couldnt go on but it was STILL very long!! and he shook his head and laughed. Afterward, he brought Jacob down to the front of the stage and asked someone in the audience how many shows they had done-they said 57-so he said 56 me, Jacob 1!! Guess Jacob won last night!!. But poor Clay, you could hear his raspy talking voice. I just dont see how he puts all that effort into each song and it is always PERFECT!! He said Jacob only won because he (Clay) was sick!!
and then ....................ROSANNA!! and every note perfect again, just as if nothing had happened-the band was excellent!! MY son is a musician and he said that they were all really good!!

YOU WERE THERE!... what can I say, a HUSH fell over the crowd, very very few isolated screams-and CHILLS-what a perfect song to showcase Clays voice-starting off soft, the timbre of his voice reverberating as he built up to the powerful ending. Yes he did not hit the very high note, but if you were hearing the song for the first time you would never have noticed. And the change did not in any way detract from the beauty of his voice-I could listen to him over and over-he is just so wonderful.

THIS IS THE NIGHT-you could hear a little of the strain in his voice when he was singing this, the poor guy gives his all night after night after night-he wont settle for less than the best for his fans!!

and INVISIBLE-I wish that he had jumped, love to see him do that, but he must have been exhausted by this time- so he puts the mike out into the audience for us to sing--check out the video on Airplay Central, and if you slow it down, as he is turning back to the stage you see a bright blue spot in the audience that is just under his right arm holding out the microphone--thats my son Chris in his Bubel-Aiken foundation t shirt-didnt realize how bright it was-and the shadowy being next to him is MOI!! no way you could tell though-even Chris's face is blurry-but thats how close we were.

SOLITAIRE-DEAR GOD WHAT CAN I SAY? TIME AFTER TIME HE COMES THROUGH-HE DID DO THE LOWER REGISTER-BUT NO NOTE WAS MISSED, AND THE GLORY NOTE WENT ON AND ON-AND WHEN HE PUT HIS HAND OVER HIS HEART IT WAS ALL I COULD DO NOT TO PASS OUT!! AND HE NAILED THE LAST NOTES, TOO!! YOU COULD SEE AS HE STEPPED AWAY THAT HE KNEW HE NAILED IT.
And then- the salute, the little bow, and Clay slowly sinks into his little cocoon, which I hope will take care of him and nurture him, make him well so others can experience the JOY and the WONDER of having this man pour out his soul in his songs.  It is an experience that you want to relive over and over and over. and I cannot thank those people who risked it to get our videos, and share them with those fans who are unable to attend a concert.
Clay was not made to be sheltered or kept inside-his exuberance and sheer joy of entertaining needs to be spread, the warmth to infuse all our souls with gladness, happiness, and a oneness of being loved by CLAY.!!

[Marilyn]

And a little anticlimactic note-on our 200 mile trek home, a song came over the radio, and my son turned it up-it was the ORIGINAL "STILL THE ONE" and you know, while it was pretty good, it paled in comparison to the version sung by CLAY!

One more thing-at a rest stop not too far from Albany, I was washing my hands and the lady next to me was wearing her CLAY AIKEN 04 shirt-and I flashed her my t shirt that says CLAY ROCKS and we both laughed-but we couldnt stop enthusing about how wonderful it had been for us-turns out she is from Long Island too, only Nassau county-which is closer to the city. Didnt want to stop talking about him, but unfortunately we both had to head home.

SIGH-its over for a while-will have to live vicariously again through cell certs-but I so hope that all the people on this board at one time or another will attend a CLAYEXPERIENCE, A CLAYCOSMIC HAPPENING!!

[ANGELA]

Marilyn,
Wow! Your review blew me away--OMC is fantastic!

Thank you for sharing your night with us on 4 different post.

Take Care,

Angela

[wisconsinmaniac]

Marilyn  -

I just came back to this thread and was lucky enough to see your concert review.   I found Part 1  - - - - and started reading.

Your description of the concert was awesome.   Through your words, I could see and hear Clay.   Wow - very powerful.    Your details about how he looked and how he sounded during specific parts of each song were done so very well.

So glad you finished your review so we could enjoy the entire concert experience through your words.  

P.S.   I also loved hearing your description of being able to see his eyes and the veins in his hands, etc.   Wow - you really were up close.  Great memories !!!

[Marilyn]

Thanks, Wisconsinmaniac, and yet, I still think it is difficult to describe what Clay has, what he makes you feel-words are so inadequate.

[wisconsinmaniac]

Marilyn -

I so totally agree about words not adequate to describe how Clay truly
has become "part of my life".  He is a gift.

Even the most eloquent writers on this website never feel they have described the impact of Clay adequately.

I'm simply going to continue to enjoy the experience!  

Barbara

[outthereforclay]

Clay was not made to be sheltered or kept inside-his exuberance and sheer joy of entertaining needs to be spread, the warmth to infuse all our souls with gladness, happiness

I believe this, Marilyn...and I hope Clay does, too, so that he'll continue...well...just continue.

[Spikee]

Marilyn - I just read your review of your concert experience.  WOW! (I can't wait for my turn in Clio, MI.)  I can just picture every song, every feeling.  So glad you had such a good time.   :)

[Pamela]

Marilyn Bravo!  Thanks for sharing your FUN with us!  Great review.

Here's one from a guy at the Clackhouse.

You know, you think you can back away from the fandom, that your passion for following his career is waning, that you'll just buy his CDs and leave it at that. And then you go to see him live for the first time in seven months, and you realize again why you're a fan. The voice, the performance, the interaction, the goofiness, the just plain ole being Clay, singing his heart out...it sucks you right back in.

Or maybe it's just me, still being high from the concert *g*

I had not downloaded any audio or video prior to tonight (kicks dial-up), so I was going in cold. My impressions:

-Cherie...excuse me for a second...DAYUM, she looked fine in those leather pants *ahem* I'll compose myself LOL. Seriously, she looked great and sounded wonderful, and I am totally glad I picked up her CD on Friday.

-Clay, hmm, what to say? Everything just seems to run together...nothing like hearing all the screams as he appears to start WTSHNN! Hair looked Statue of Liberty-esque in the front to me, maybe it's just me.
-Shine-great, came right to the front of the catwalk (which I was 5 rows back from).
-WYSLYM was good, as were IWCY and Kyrie. The kid, Jacob, who sang TITN started out really, really good. I think he got a little nervous into it, but he sounded great. I got to tell him how great a job he did in the bathroom after the show.
-The James Taylor medley sounded really fantastic. Clay has been so blessed to have the talents that he has in Quiana, Jacob, and Angela backing him up, and I think it's great that he allows them each a turn in the spotlight here.
-MOAM and RTM, spot on as always. "I die inside without you" gets me every time.
-Clay and Angela's duet on IKYWW was awesome.
-PD and ISY, back to back my two favorites from the CD, he killed on. I loved the gasps when he growled and grabbed on "I wish you well.", gave me goosebumps.
-STO and Rosanna, I think really show what he can do with more upbeat, happy material. Great job (I know, I'm starting to get redundant here, but it was all great. So sue me *g*)
-YWT, I know is not some people's cup of tea, but as a Christian, I found it extremely powerful. I was glad to hear the respect the Pepsi Arena crowd gave Clay by not constantly shrieking and shouting, but just relaxing and letting the voice & the message wash across them.
-TITN, Invisible, Solitaire to close, perhaps the three songs identified most as Clay's at this point in his career. Great way to close, sounded fantastic.

I'll stop rambling now and let y'all get to reading other's recaps or watching videos. WHAT A NIGHT!!!