My Hammerstein experience:
The man is freaking phenomenal.!! His speaking voice was so hoarse and kept breaking. He made a few puberty jokes, but then just said that it just had to be put up with because there was nothing he could do.
With regard to the ticket fiasco- I guess I lucked out, because my seat originally was on the right side, but I ended up just right of center stage ( and Clay was right in front of me LOTS of times) in the second row. I hated that there was such a gap between the stage and first row, but my view was superb. Even the two ladies in front of me that danced practically the whole time did not obstruct my view. However, in the row behind me and a couple of seats over, this woman kept screaming I love you Clay REALLY loud. I wish SHE had got laryngitis!! Bigapple4Clay was sitting three seats down from me and a lot of people around me were getting video. The lady next to me, very nice sweet lady, had taken a picture of Jerome with folks, and one of Devin who had a big smile on his face. This was outside the venue.
She did NOT have a flash, she was taking video, but the dang security guy kept coming over to her and telling her no flash allowed. There were MANY MANY video or picture takers, but he kept coming up to her and telling her to stop. What a disruption he was. There were no announcements whatsoever about no video or flash.
CLAY- what can I say that can best describe what he does for me? INDESCRIBABLE joy, happiness, and dancermoms THRUM. His eyes sparkled, he was revved up to go, and it was WONDERFUL. They still delivered the script like it was fresh, but added bits and pieces here and there.
My absolute favorite medley was the 80’s, the same as Tom Deckman’s. Clay absolutely KILLS on these songs. (Although the very very top favorite is always More Than A Feeling. I want to hear this whole song coming out of those golden lungs.
When they did “September” Clay started it a second time. He was barely winded. He actually wanted to do it a third time, but Ruben wouldn’t and Clay called him a wimp!!
There was more improvisation on the revival-Clay danced spastically while Ruben sang Amazing Grace, and then Clay looked up down and all around to see who Ruben was talking to- his “boss”. Clay bent WAY over backward- and now I hear Tom Deckman was in the audience, I wonder if he did it because of Tom? When Clay shakes all over, it is so funny, even his cheeks shake. On his FACE, folks!! After he was healed, he gave Ruben this huge hug and held on to him.
Ruben was funny when he asked the audience if they wanted to be healed from lackarhythmitis. When different folks responded with different dollar amounts, he sounded like an auctioneer “Selling the cure”. When the first large amount was called out, Clay got this astounded look on his face and came forward. It looked like he was asking the folks to give the money to him!
The Footloose segment is just the very best. The audience went wild, and they did it again. This is the most joyful lively segment of the show, and I just love it.
Although Clays speaking voice was hoarse, he did not miss one single note while singing- how does he do it??
I was sitting next to a man and his wife, and the guy was really responding to the show. When Clay stood in front of us, this man kept pointing his finger at him, like “You da man”.
And TOML was done as an encore. I like this way much better, because we got to scream our lungs out for them to come back and sing some more.
This show has been fantastic. I sincerely hope that Saturday night will NOT be the last time it is heard. Vegas-TV special- ANYTHING. I hope TV bigwigs or Decca took note over how fantastic a show this is.
And a DVD highlighting the best of the shows would be great- each show has had a little bit more or a little bit different, and it would be a sin not to be able to keep it for posterity.
For me, that was the last concert. I could watch it umpteen times and never be tired of it. The energy in that show was just fantastic.
Thanks SO Much to all the clack takers that have captured these golden moments to share with us and with those who were unable to see it live.
Another excellent notch in the career of Clay Aiken.
