UPDATED 10/12 CD RELEASE PARTIES PLANNED NATIONWIDE -

[Marilyn]

Pamela
Assistant Webmaster
RALEIGH CD RELEASE PARTY
« Reply #15 on: October 12, 2003, 03:09:23 PM »   

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Claymania meets midnight madness
Aiken fans from all over to celebrate CD release in 'Idol' star's hometown
By MATT EHLERS, Staff Writer

Come Tuesday, you'll be able to buy the CD at virtually every record store and Wal-Mart in America.
Where's the action?   
Can't wait to get your paws on Clay Aiken's "Measure of a Man?" Eager to show off your homemade T-shirt or scrapbook to other members of Clay Nation? Join the faithful at a Monday night party, or head to a record store for a midnight purchase.

But "Measure of a Man" (RCA) is Clay Aiken's major-label debut album, and for some, the corner store isn't good enough. So people are descending on Raleigh -- Clay's hometown -- from such places as Las Vegas and Iowa to buy a CD, swap stories and share in the vibe.

Retailers can officially begin selling "Measure of a Man" at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, and many of them are. They're throwing parties and celebrating the hair, the eyes, the voice -- everything that is Clay Aiken.
It's record-release hoopla unlike anything the Triangle has experienced -- even for such nationally known acts as Chapel Hill's Squirrel Nut Zippers and Ben Folds Five or former Raleigh resident Ryan Adams.

"The whole process has been extremely exciting," said Mike Robbins, general manager of Triangle Town Center. In his 25 years in the mall business, Robbins said his closest experience to the Clay furor was a 1981 Rick Springfield appearance at a Cleveland mall that drew 300 to 500 fans. Clay won't even be at Triangle Town Center -- though his mother, Faye Parker, will be -- but Robbins expects a crowd of 3,000 faraway out-of-towners and locals for the "Official Clay Aiken CD Release Party," which begins Monday at 5 p.m. with karaoke, "Clay-cuts" hair styling and more.

The Triangle's three Schoolkids Records outlets also will be open for midnight sales. Owner Michael Phillips said it's not uncommon for Schoolkids to stay open late for popular new releases. "Most of our business comes from college kids, and they tend to get up for this kind of thing," he said. But Aiken's music draws an eclectic crowd, from little girls to little old ladies, people who don't normally spend a lot of time in record stores.  "My 10-year-old daughter is doing backflips," Phillips said.

The excitement around Aiken, 24, is immense. After finishing second on the Fox network's "American Idol" talent show, he has gone from being a geeky college student to appearing on magazine covers and being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey and Diane Sawyer. The media attention has only fueled the hype.

Aiken's chances for a long-term career are debatable, but one thing is certain: His first record will be a huge hit.  "The guy has got a fantastic voice," Phillips said. "I think he's been overhyped, but the guy can definitely sing."

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[Marilyn]

Pamela
Assistant Webmaster
CD RELEASE PARTIES PLANNED NATIONWIDE - UPDATED 10/12
« Reply #16 on: October 13, 2003, 03:54:34 PM »   

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If you can't make it to a CD release party tonight, here's the next best thing...watch the webcam at Triangle Town Center in Raleigh, where Clay's hometown will be celebrating the release of his first CD!

TRIANGLE TOWN CENTER WEBCAM LINK

Enjoy!

[Marilyn]

cassms
Guest
  Atlanta CD Release Party
« Reply #17 on: October 13, 2003, 05:54:48 PM »   

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CD Release Party tonight at Media Play near Gwinnett Place Mall:

starts at 7 pm
Media Play
Venture Point
3850 Venture Dr.
Duluth, GA
770-476-1504
(off I-85 at Steve Reynolds Blvd., right near Costco)

Couldn't resist sharing this poem sent by the Georgia Clay Aiken fan club (through redhottopic site):

All the e-mails they did send
We have a party to attend
At Media Play at Venture Mall
You're guaranteed to have a ball
Clay's album we are going to buy
And overnight we're going to try
to make it platinum, so be there.
It's going to be a great affair.
We're going to play some crazy games
Like pin the tail on Simon's nose
And taking off all Clay's clothes.
His sporty shorts will have to stay
We'll save those for another day.
We're going to have a jersey tug
We're even going to cut a rug.
We're going to judge a knee-bend show,
We're going to have a panty throw.
We're going to watch all Clay's videos.
And backwards try to turn our toes.
We'll eat pizza, vanilla ice cream too,
And Krispy Kremes bought just for you.
We'll hear Clay break into song,
He'll be singing all night long.
And Clay may even place a call
To thank his fans one and all.
We're going to buy CDs galore
Until there's none left in the store.
If we do all this just right
He will go platinum overnight.
  author:  Eboya

Way to go, Eboya!!  Come have a blast with us!!

[Marilyn]

Pamela
Assistant Webmaster
CD RELEASE PARTIES PLANNED NATIONWIDE - UPDATED 10/12
« Reply #18 on: October 14, 2003, 12:19:12 PM »   

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Excellent poem cassms!  Thanks so much for sharing with us!

The CD party in Raleigh was a huge success!  There were approximately 1500 wristbands given out for CD purchases and as we got in line around 11:00 pm all the local news stations were there shooting.  We had two different radio stations with live feeds from the site and Clay even called in around 10:00 pm EST!  He had just finished shooting the Leno performance and was on his way to the instudio visit with JoJo at KIIS FM in LA!  (Invisible was #1 on G105 in Raleigh as well as on JoJo's Top 9@9 last night!)

The grand prize at the Raleigh party was the actual pair of red shoes Clay wore while performing Grease on American Idol.  A lucky person from Raleigh won the shoes; but there were people at the Raleigh party from about twenty different states!

Clay's mother was there all night and signed autographs for several hours.  At 12:15 EST we watched Clay's Leno performance on a huge screen that was set up at center court.  He was fabulous!  (But that's another thread...)

I met some of the nicest people and made some new friends; it was a wonderful experience I wouldn't have traded for the world.

[Marilyn]

Pamela
Assistant Webmaster
CD RELEASE PARTIES PLANNED NATIONWIDE - UPDATED 10/12
« Reply #19 on: October 14, 2003, 07:49:14 PM »   

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Fans Travel for Unofficial Clay Aiken Tour
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
 
RALEIGH, N.C.  — Two sisters from Ohio have spent a few days visiting Raleigh and touring certain hot spots. The draw wasn't the state Capitol or any museums, but rather, Clay Aiken (search) and the release of his first album.

"This is the perfect place to celebrate Clay's first CD," said Marty Scott as she sat in the center court of Triangle Town Center.

Scott and her sister, Brenda Wasson, traveled from Akron, Ohio, for the big event.

The pair showed up just after 3 p.m., even though Aiken's CD, "Measure of a Man," (search) didn't go on sale until 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, the CD's official release date.

Their tour of the area included visits to the YMCA where Aiken used to work, his high school and church. They wanted to be in his hometown to share in the area's appreciation of its biggest star.

"Where else could you go but Raleigh?" said Wasson, 42.

Aiken, 24, a Raleigh native and Leesville Road High School graduate, finished second in this year's "American Idol" (search) competition.

By 7:30 p.m., mall employees had handed out more than 1,000 colored wristbands, each of which entitled the wearer to purchase a CD from either Sam Goody's or Barnes and Noble.

Fans had the chance to have their hair styled like Aiken's, sing a little karaoke or get an autograph from Aiken's mom, Faye Parker. Hundreds waited in line for a black-and-white headshot of Aiken, with the words "Clay's mom, Faye," scrawled across it.
 

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