THE BIG EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

[CT loves Clay]

I could just read those reviews over and over!  I guess you girls will have the "naughty" reputations now!  

I just adore that man Clay Aiken just like all of you do and probably every other person on this site!  What's not to love????

I am glad you all had a good time.  Any one that only gets two hours of sleep and stands out in the cold, deserves it.  Yes, I would have done it, but I am really glad I went to the family baby shower.  I did the right thing and so did you girls.  The cellcet made my whole weekend.  Thanks, again, Lorraine for including me in your fantastic night!

Love,
Linda

[wisconsinmaniac]

This was a great concert and it was so evident on the cellcert thread !

In particular, it seemed so special to Clay.  

It was great getting the reaction directly from Linda.   If she couldn't be with those at the concert, we are so glad she was with us at the cellcert.  Tiff, as usual, brought us updates throughout the night.  

So happy that our Claymaniacs Lorraine, Sasha, Tammy, Angela, Marilyn, and Wil555 (and anyone else)  were there in person!  

Your reviews were awesome.  ~~~ I hate it when I have to stop to dab my eyes with a Kleenex when I'm trying to read (must be allergies)!  ~~ Each of you brought your experience to us through your words.   You also did a beautiful job of relaying Clay's message to his fans!

Wow!   We all sure picked a great guy to love !

Barbara

[CLAY'SJULIE]

CELLCERT IS OVER,BUT I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT I MY HEART IS OVERFLOWING WITH  HAPPINESS FOR ALL OF YOU WHO WERE THERE. YOU SO MUCH DESERVED THIS. I FELT LIKE I WAS WITH YOU FROM YOUR REVIEWS, AND I WAS WITH YOU IN SPIRIT.
              I LOVE YOU ALL, AND I LOVE CLAY AIKEN EVEN MORE THAN YESTERDAY AND LESS THAN TOMORROW.

[wil555]

Lorraine/cellcertists - I'm glad you could share such a FANTASTIC evening with all of your Claymaniac friends! That was very sweet of you and very convinient, since it was SO amazing! I bet I saw you...

[Ilovetowrite]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO thank you so very much I read every word and it was almost like being there. Thanks I am so glad yall had fun.      

[Marilyn]

THE REST OF THE STORY:
I won’t bore you with the details of our long 16 hour wait to be CLAYED-  (is it too naughty to call this FORE-CLAY on this thread?)  followed by one hour of the most wonderful, ecstatic, fantastic feelings for the absolute, undeniable, certifiable BEST hot looking, emotional, gq quality singer, dancer, emcee, comedian, wonderful wonderful guy the world has ever seen. Do you think I like him a bit?

A couple of highlights-after we folded up our chairs and blankets and shuffled closer together to wait an hour to be let into the venue, a group of us started singing INVISIBLE- I think all 3000 people in the CLAYFAN PEN joined in- it was the most beautiful thing to hear aside from the real man singing it. The love was so thick you could cut it with a knife. It was fantastic- one of Clays security men was standing right there, and he was talking on his little phone or walkie talkie, and I saw him walk closer and kind of hold it out. I would like to think that Clay was on the other end listening to us (a girl can dream, cant she)

I said before that they were letting us in 20 at a time- well I think we were at the end of the second lot of 20- because here comes 2nd row- I could absolutely not believe it-we were off to the left of the stage-but could hear everything because I was right in front of the speakers- the loudest screams could NOT drown out Clay- AWESOME!

When he came out of that mother ship and we saw how he looked-it just absolutely took your breath away- the blue-gray turtleneck, the gray slacks, burgundy corduroy coat (which at first I thought was a bathrobe before the lights shone on him) What a fantastically gorgeous hunk of man- words cannot describe the feelings when he comes over to your side of the stage and looks right into your eyes (yes he did, honest!) I love when he sings WTSHHN-
And may I say he wore the coat because it was FREEZING-once the sun went down we all turned into ice cubes.
Poor Quiana wore a sleeveless top throughout the concert- at one point Jacob was rubbing her arms to warm her up (or was it to warm himself up).
Perfect Day was just that- positively PERFECT- clear tones, soaring notes- we were all jumping up and down just like Clay when he did BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM gonna be a perfect day!!

Well, we tried our best on the dancing, shaking everything we had (and believe me I have a lot to shake) but I think Clay spotted this girl because she was swinging the lei around her head- he signaled to Nick who went flying over and shone his little penlight at her- I think Jerome brought her up to the stage. She grabbed Clay and hugged him- she was just all over him -and he kept asking if she was a prank from the crew. While they were line dancing, I was watching Clay (why would I not be, you say?) He danced PERFECTLY- didn’t miss a step. Then when he asked the crowd- how is she doing? Amanda the dancer came over and hugged him again and gave him a HUGE kiss on the cheek. Then she put the silk lei around his neck and he said-Jacob I just got Lei’d- (NOW WHY COULDN’T IT HAVE BEEN ME?)

I will carry you- Mr sexy pants leaning against the set, it just made your heart do flip flops-(not the shoes) and every note just thrilled you-I just love this song!

[Marilyn]

PART 3
Kyrie and “I knew you were waiting” were great, both of them pure and clear.

When they sang Still the One- Clay approached Quiana and gently put his hand on the side of her face and he held it there for a few beats, then he did the same to Angela, just a small caress, but it turned my heart to BUTTER! And it melted. I think he was sort of saying a public goodbye. When Danny went out onto the tiny catwalk to play his solo, they dropped the entire bucket of ping pong balls onto him. ( I think it was originally MEANT for him, not Clay) and when Clay sang SCRATCH MY ITCH- he was right in front of me- I would have accommodated his wish immediately if I could leap tall barriers in a single bound!!

Let me just make a note here- he mentioned that last night would be the last time the crew would be together-I am not sure if he meant all the musicians and singers as well, hopefully they will be in Charlotte and Raleigh also. But I think this may be why he considers it the last concert.  

Many pranks were played last night- from the Vaseline on Clays mike, (he couldn’t lift his index finger off it) to the red bra on the drummers cymbals, and his Clay tour t shirt, toilet paper thrown across the stage, silly string aimed at the drummer from an unknown source backstage, the rat on stage that scared Quiana and she wouldn’t go to that side of the stage, Shavon holding up a sign that said HI!- Angela and Quiana on either side of Jacob pulling him this way and that like he was on a string- The crew member coming out dressed in tight little shorts, goggles, and a Clay shirt ( and may I say this man had MANY MANY MANY tattoos!- some were all down one leg! All the while Clay was trying to sing Invisible to us.
The crew also added a couple of songs to the set list on the floor at front stage for Clay. They added “Sunshine on my shoulder” and “ Get by with a little help from my friends” And teacher Clay told them friends was spelled F R I E N D S not F R E I N D S. It was so cute!

When they sang “You’ve got a friend” Angel, Quiana, and Jacob put false teeth into their mouths to make Clay laugh and lose the contest. He just reached into their mouths and took out the teeth and threw them all on stage while continuing to hold his note.  Then on MOAM- a young girl was playing sax instead of Jacob-Clay didn’t even turn around, but introduced her as “A complete stranger”

“You Were There” what can I say that hasn’t been said- such pure notes, such intensity of feeling, such range of voice- it just gives you chills- the hush of the crowd taking it all in-filling you with feelings that are indescribable.

This is the Night was absolutely PERFECT- intensity of feelings again- everyone cheered so loud when his baby picture came up- it was fantastic.

And then, yes, when he told us how grateful he was to us, the tears were there- he got a little husky- but oh my lord to hear all of those people singing “INVISIBLE” made you feel like bursting with pride- the love we have for this man is indescribable and unmatchable- no one else in the world could possibly understand the intensity of feeling between Clay and his fans- I defy any other pop star to generate such fierce loyalty and protective feelings from their adoring fans! I feel that we are as unique as Clay in our own way

and lastly- SOLITAIRE- there are no words-he sang it a little differently- a little lower in some parts- just watch air play centrals video and you will see what I mean!- and the very last glory note he held longer than he has ever done it before! He went down the stairs to the lift, bowed, bowed again, saluted, went to the lift, bowed again, and even when they turned the lights off he was still waving to us in the dark!! Don’t go Clay, we need MORE MORE MORE!!

I always feel bereft when the presence of Clay leaves the stage and the night becomes colder and darker ( and it sure was cold!)

Jerome had come to the fence between us and the stage, and I asked him if he knew that Clays Christmas CD was number one on Amazon (a person had held up a sign when we were waiting on line) - and he got a surprised look on his face until he said “oh its presale right?” and said he was going to let Clay know- from a CLAYMANIACS mouth to CLAYS ears! How fitting

On a lighter note, we were close to the side of the stage where there was a walkway to the back. We saw three humongous men struggling with each other. They were trying to bodily carry another man out. I got a little scared- but it turned out the other bodyguard and two others were trying to lift JEROME up off the ground -they fell down a couple of times -gonna be some bruises there!! Anyway, they finally took this huge cake and dumped it on JEROMES neck. See even he wasn’t immune to practical jokes!

We waited at the buses but Clay never came out- The crews bus was in front and Jacob poked his head out a window, then a pizza box, then an empty box of cereal that he wanted a refill on. Then he stuck his leg out the window! Also he and Shavon (sp?) threw out a few t shirts that everyone in the crew and band had signed. Jacob sure wanted some attention!!
Clays bus was behind the crew bus, and as they both pulled out Lorraine and I realized we were on the wrong side of the buses!- so we dejectedly slunk off to the car and drove home, with visions of sugarclayplums dancing in our heads.

THE END!

[lorraine]

MARILYN,

THANK YOU FOR FILLING IN MORE DETAIL AS TO OUR BIG E ADVENTURE.  I WOULD DO IT AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT.  HE JUST HAS LEFT ME IN SUCH A DAZE AND I NEVER WANT TO COME OUT OF IT.


LORRAINE

[LiftClayUp]

Thank you for sharing this special concert with us.  I have had to wipe the tears from my face several times while reading your reviews.  To be able to be amongst so many with such a great love for our guy really made this special.

Lorraine - thank you for cellcerting Linda.  I actually felt the love from this cellcert. with Linda's reportng.

Carol

[wil555]

It was the Big E all over again...thanks for letting me experience it again! :D

[Marilyn]

Greg- its too bad we didnt meet you there-it would have been fun!!

[wil555]

Yeah...if I'd known you were going, I woulda met you somewhere! Oh well...there's always next time.

[Pamela]

When he came out of that mother ship and we saw how he looked-it just absolutely took your breath away- the blue-gray turtleneck, the gray slacks, burgundy corduroy coat (which at first I thought was a bathrobe before the lights shone on him)

Well, we know he loves his jammies, so why not?  
Marilyn, that was a great review.  Thank you muchly for writing about your experience, the BIG E, the final concert (except for NCx3!) and adding all the personal touches such as the security guy holding the phone for someone to hear everyone singing before the show.

Glorious, wonderful, good times.