CINCINNATI, OHIO-TAFT THEATER 03/01/2011

[Marilyn]

claystouch

Wow. That was the most amazing concert I've ever been to...he just loved all the moaning and groaning coming from shari79 and I...but Shari definately didn't hold back her ...umm..sounds of appreciation...he was so tickled by her. He said " do you see the tape on the bottom of my shoes? I'm just normal." Shari told him he's absolutely gorgeous. Glad she said what we r all thinking. We had a blast flirting from the front row. I'm still floating!


shari79 is the person he was flirting with during Misty

[Marilyn]

artz11

Nuts4anerd and I had a few mishaps on the way to the concert tonight. We discovered that no matter how many times you cross the Ohio river you always end up in Ky. Covington Ky. became a favorite spot for us and some of you may want to know that it too, has a 5th street...but does not have a Taft Theatre. We came into town from Indianapolis and traveled through Ohio, Ky, and In. then again through Ohio, Ky and Indiana, before we finally parked right next to Clay's bus. Not really...there was a parking lot and a bus, but it was the wrong lot, wrong bus, right street, but 6 blocks away from Clay's real bus and the concert that we were getting very close to missing.

By the time we got there, used the facilities, and entered the auditorium , Clay was singing, " Macheath's that bums, back in town". We quietly took some seats in the back because our 3rd row seats were already taken and we didn't want to cause a stir. We did take an opportunity to move a bit closer while Quiana was singing her first song. It only took one song to completely forget all the troubles we had getting there. Clay's charm cannot be denied. He is so utterly connected to his audience ......so sweetly funny, and so darn cute that sometimes I forget that I'm also listening to an incredible voice. Two men in front of me pumped air after Clay gave his grungy twist to'Who's Sorry Now"and were the first two stand after UM. UM gave me goosebumps tonight and I heard it at the OMG concert. I think Clay is really enjoying his phone conversations and he knows how much we love it. Lucky cincy and caperkeeper. What a classy, concerned pro this guy is. He nimbly distracted us from a situation involving a sick fan by quietly talking with the group near her and than moving to the opposite side of the stage as he sang "The Real Me". I know there were tears in the house. His voice with this song melted together into the prayer it was meant to be. We were lucky tonight. He did say he was retiring this song after that performance....but I'm not sure, it really made this concert extra special.

Ft. Wayne tomorrow, I truely don't think we can get lost there .....

.....goodnight, all, we are so lucky to have this man in our lives

[Marilyn]

From GCA:

 (zara one @ Mar 1 2011, 11:46 PM)
Clay was awesome tonight. This was my 32nd concert and even though I really prefer my rock star Clay, he was a different and even better kind of rock star tonight and I think this may have been my favorite concert.

He looks absolutely gorgeous. His hair is the perfect color for him, sort of a dark strawberry blond, and it's beautiful. I like it spikey so it was all good for me.

I upgraded my tickets from the 6th row to the 2nd row at the last minute, on a whim, which I haven't done in years and it was worth every.single.cent. Plus my mom and my son were able to use my other tickets so that worked out well.

Charcoal grey sweater with the subtle striped pattern in it, white shirt with grey stripe, purple swirly pattern tie with a pink and blue stripe in it, jeans (yay!) and grey shoes. He was stunning.

The young girl that he was joking with was sitting directly in front of me so Clay was right there in front of us a lot and sang Misty and Moon River sitting on the edge of the stage close enough that he could have been on the other side of my living room. Worth.every.cent.

OH! And he informed us that he almost went to music school in Cincinnati. I gasped out loud! That's where I went to college!!!! (I'm assuming he meant CCM/University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. I was a theatre design major and people come here from all over for the musical theatre/voice programs). I have never heard him say that before!!! I was EEEEEing all over the place. I would have missed him by about 5 years but Clay was going to go to my school!! EEEEE!!!

The end of the show was a little disjointed as a lady down near the front had a medical emergency, from what I hear a tonic-clonic seizure, and there were ushers and paramedics coming and going. Clay killed some time by talking to the audience and he ended up doing the cellcert bit a song earlier than usual, and it was easy to see he was having a hard time keeping up a stream of banter with everything going on and then when he did The Real Me he moved to the opposite side of the stage from where the emergency was taking place, which put him directly in front of me. Oh my. I hope the lady who was sick is okay but oh my, was he lovely.

I told my son he could stay home from school tomorrow (bad mommy) if he was patient while we waited a few minutes to see Clay come out and get on the bus, and there were enough people that he ended up doing a traditional bus line for about a half a block or more. He had on a maroon UMass sweatshirt and the cut off green sweatpants/shorts, and those white and black sneakers he's been wearing a lot lately. He looked about 20 years old.

It was a rather poignant evening, IMO. On the good side, I loved the format of this show. I was thinking, this is really all he needs. He could do this stripped down format and include material from all his albums and it would be the concert of my dreams. And I love, love, love the fact that he seems to finally really sincerely appreciate us. It's so touching to hear him say that and to really sound like he means it. There is something special about this experience of being a Clay Aiken fan that I personally have never experienced with another artist. It's quite something.

On the downside, it was so empty. I don't know how he's even making any money on this tour. The balcony was completely empty except for some people in the front row. The center orchestra was full almost to the back, but the side sections weren't even half full. It was rather striking how empty it was. I've been to the Taft before for lots of things including Les Miserables a couple of times, RENT a couple of times and I actually saw my friend Alton there as Curtis in Dreamgirls in the 1989 tour, when my mom and I sat in the very last row of the upper balcony. To see it so empty was a bit heartbreaking.

But. I don't know how anybody but "us" would have known about this concert. There's been no promotion that I have been aware of at all other than the PBS special airing once in August, I think once in December and once last month. Nothing in the paper including this past weekend. My son and husband saw a commercial for it at 10:00 last night, the night before the show, on The Food Network. No one my mom or I or my husband know had any idea Clay had a concert here. In that sense, it's a good thing somebody other than board fans showed up.

[Marilyn]

[Tiffany]

Scarlett's clip of "The Real Me" from the Cincinnati concert has been uploaded to You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfAS6Ht-gjY

Link can travel.

That was beautiful. God I love him so. I noticed he was trying not to get distracted by what was happening with the girl that got sick and didn't want to stop the show. He really is a class act by doing that. Wow!

Thank goodness she was ok that she waited at the buses.

[Marilyn]

DolcePienza wrote:

Did he say why he was singing "The Real Me" at that concert? Was it instead of BSN?

He had said he originally planned for the easy, relaxed atmosphere of this tour so they could change songs in and out ....."but we don't" Although he had planned on singing it in NY and decided it was too high, he said he was having a bad day but when he saw how enthusiastic the Cincy crowd was he went backstage during Quiana's song and printed out the lyrics and decided to sing it tonight. It was gorgeous.

[Marilyn]

Pink Armchair
Sitting around our hotel suite this morning, Beagle3 reminded me of this -- one of the paramedics working on the woman in the audience last night was a woman, and during "In My Life," she was right in front of Clay. She says that once the sick woman was apparently okay, the girl paramedic just stayed crouched on the floor staring up at Clay as he sang. Obviously the goings-on were distracting for us, but perhaps Clay was a bit of distraction for her! Hope she enjoyed it.

Please God, let Clay sing "The Real Me" again during the tour...it was awful to be there and not really be able to focus on it (Lord knows how he did!). I also hope to hear BSN again, too.

On to Fort Wayne once we are properly caffeinated! Looking forward to seeing some of you there.

[Marilyn]

Ficus

I want to thank everyone for their lovely clack, especially Scarlett, who never misses a beat. As y'all know, we had "technical difficulties" during the show - at one point, I had four phones on my person, one at my crotch and one in the bra, and I ain't telling whose was where *g* if I did,I might neverbe allowed to borrow another phone again! At one point, the phones were on the stage (when the sound was a little faded) when poor Renee fainted. Poor Clay - he had no idea what was going on and he did pretty well. And GingerGirl was fantastic! She is the cool of calm! Between phone changing - thanks Scarlett, GingerGirl and Pink Armchair, texting for trouble shooting and having the emergency, I think I only saw about half the show. I have decided that I need to give up cellcerting - too many weird things happen around me. And no, it is not me, I swear *g*




GWENN wrote:

How incredibly professional Clay was. How did he keep his concentration with a woman seizing right in front of his eyes? Incredible.

He was perplexed, confused, and worried. We had some unspoken dialogue with our eyes (believe me, that is not the way I wanted to have a con.nec.tion) and he kept the show going and did a damn good job of it. Speaking with Renee afterwards, she was worried that she disrupted the show and from the clack, like Scarlett, Clay didn't miss a beat.

Thanks to Pink Armchair and Sunnydays for the fabulous post show commentary. As always, they were witty and charming!

[Marilyn]

zaraone

Clay was perfectly beautiful and wonderful last night. There really are not descriptive enough words to describe how delightful he was. Sitting on the stage singing two songs he was so close it was like he was sitting across my living room.

If anyone heard someone audibly gasp when he said he almost went to school for music in Cincinnati (CCM-University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music), that was me, lol. I've never heard him say that before. That's where I went to college!! I would've missed him by about 5 years but that is so awesome, lol.

He looked about 20 years old out at the bus. My 12-year-old son who looks 15 was with us and I swear they didn't look that far apart in age, lol.

He was such a rock star, in a whole other rock star kind of way. Awesome.

[Marilyn]

shines

Had a wonderful time at the Cincinnati show last night, my first of a two-fer. Wow—his voice is the best I've ever heard it and these songs showcase it so well!

What a fantastic surprise to get to hear The Real Me! I was situated directly between the commotion and where Clay sang from the side of the stage, one row back. Even though I had no idea what was going on with Renee at the time, and I knew there was nothing I could do, I still felt so guilty watching him. It was hard to enjoy the performance when you knew someone from this fandom was suffering in some way. I hope that she is OK.

I got an extra-long hand-hold from Clay at the bus line—EEEEEEEEeeeee! When we were told to get in a single-file line, I walked down to what I thought would be the end of the line. We're all looking toward the door of the building when I hear Jerome yell out behind me, "OK guys!" I turn toward his voice and Clay is RIGHT THERE in front of me! He grabbed my hand and held it for a couple of seconds while he walked around me to get to the rest of the line! It was like we were doing an allemande left in square dancing! He has warm hands....*sigh*

Random Thoughts:
• Usually, I don't like the song Crying at all, but the duet with Quiana is gorgeous! I love how he concentrates to try to blend with her voice (and they blend together so well). The result is amazing!
• I miss having Angela. Maybe it was just this concert, and I haven't seen a lot of banter clack, but I felt like it wasn't as spontaneous and funny as when the three of them get on a roll.
• Aside from his rooster hair, I think he looks fantastic! Love the color of his hair, and the scruff. And, he is deceptively slim! I always read how people say that he's so thin, but he always seemed a bit heavier on video. Nope! He's very fit and trim!
• Thank you, fanclub pre-sale, for finally having AWESOME seats available! I loved seeing him so close...Row A, center!
• Thank you, Scarlett (and all the clack-gatherers), for capturing all of this awesomeness!
• It was great to see (for a moment) some of my Clay friends! Waves to Snix, Hensey, Pink, and Beagle3! Wish I could have talked to you longer!
• I haven't been on this board much lately, and in the meantime have been on my facebook a lot. Does anyone else read this board and wish that some of the posts had a "like" button. I drive myself crazy wanting to "like" things...!

Can't wait to see him again tonight in my own city! There's just something about him being in the same town...maybe that it will only take 20 minutes to get home, as opposed to 4 hours! Heh.

ETA: Found out from a local radio personality that he was interviewed for the noon TV news in FW. Not sure what station and I have no way to cap, but I'll try to watch it...

ETA2: Not on noon news. She might have said that the interview was at noon, so maybe it will be shown at the 5/6pm news. I'll try to find out what channel.

[Marilyn]

IANARAN

Hi everyone!
I'm actually not entirely sure where to post this, so if it's in the wrong place, feel free to move it. I got back from Cincinnati and Fort Wayne very late Thursday and am still playing catch up. And sleeping. It's amazing how exhausted you can get when you've driven close to 20 hours in 3 days. Ha. I still have to go through my photos, and I'm no good at recaps, but I could try because both Cincinnati and Fort Wayne were off the wall (let's just say, in Fort Wayne, I saw Clay 4 separate times in the same day!!!). And after what an AMAZING time I had in Pittsburgh and Cleveland, it was hard to beat, but it blew that out of the water. I met so many wonderful people on this trip, Cincy in well, Cincy (duh!) with her son and daughter-in-law, I think, and I was sitting next to ClayIzzaQT's friend who had the wonderful camera in the 2nd pit row, just a few seats down from Shari and ClaysTouch. What an amazing section we were in!

And of course in Fort Wayne, it was SO nice to meet cablegirl and Micky7149/Michelle, we shared a room and good times together! Just between cablegirl's and my PBS M&G and Michelle's cellcerting, we never got around to getting a photo together, which was sad. And of course it was great to finally meet pebblesinmichigan, whom I sold a ticket to, and were also co-conspirators to a little covert paparazzi-ing after the show. Haha. Did any of those turn out? And so many others, finally met Toni7babe, and saw Scarlett and canuck at the M&G. I thought coming from Toronto was far until I heard she flew in from Vancouver! LauraQ, who was able to explain the incident in Cincy to me, since I was at the other end of the pit row and had no idea what was going on, and Misty, who showed me her amazing photos, and all the others that had a drink and rowdy times together after the show.  Oh, and of course cindilu and luckiest, who were sitting next to me, and who are crazy, but in such a good way, for driving to Fort Wayne and back to London that same night!

I did finish with my video snippets from Cincy though, so I posted them on youtube. I took them with my little camera with barely any zoom, and they were only good because he was THIS CLOSE to me thanks to Shari. We were in the seriously rowdy section in the 2nd pit row. Haha. Most of them are very short, I like to think of them as basically long photos. I know Scarlett and goldarngirl and other great clackers have already posted up better videos and of course there's the cellphone video, but I think these are still pretty good so I thought I'd share. I don't know if they're actually worth uploading, here they're fun to watch either way.

Here goes:
Cincinnati Swing Medley The Way snippet
I think this was the first time he walked over to our side of the stage, and I was like, OMG, he's SO CLOSE. And you can already hear Shari going "Oh ma gaad" Haha.

Cincinnati Swing Medley Invisible Tug snippet
I thought this was a lovely view of the tug, and the reaction around me was hilarious. And yes, some of that screaming was me. 

Cincinnati "Build Me Up Buttercup" partial
In this one you can see him walk over to sing to Shari, and then roll his eyes and smile. Adorkable.

Cincinnati Misty Partial 1
Now this is the insane part where he sat down right in front of me. I'm sorry if I didn't get a lot of videos but I was kinda freaking out, hence the shaky camera. Clay was maybe 5 feet in front of me and I had a crystal clear view of him up close and personal sitting, since the first row ended right in front of me to the right, and Clay was sitting to the left. It was HD like you wouldn't believe, hahaha. It was like a personal concert for our little section, earth shatteringly amazing.

Cincinnati Misty Partial 2
Here you get a good view of him sitting. And then the "dear god" at about 0:17, and then we all started giggling and couldn't stop, and the lady next to Shari actually snorted at about 0:24, and then we all just lost it and I had to stop the camera because I couldn't hold it up anymore, I was doubled up laughing. Yes, this is the effect Clay has on us mere mortals.

Cincinnati "Who's Sorry Now" DooWop & Grunge
Here's the view of "Who's Sorry Now" from our side of the stage. The DooWop is pretty much full on. Quiana is so funny. For the grunge, you can see how much fun Felix was having behind Clay.

Cincinnati pre-"The Real Me" cellphone banter
This was Clay talking to Pam on Cincy's cellphone. I believe Cincy was doing the CV cellcert? I just met her before the concert because I actually sold her a ticket before she upgraded to 2nd row pit like me and we had a rather trying Paypal/USPS adventure trying to get the ticket TO her. Nothing like yelling at Paypal together to form a bond, really.

Cincinnati pre-"The Real Me" typing banter
Here's Clay up close again. I love how he mimicks the typing.

Cincinnati "The Real Me" partial 1
Oh yeah, we were definitely going nuts when we found out he was going to do The Real Me, especially when he said he wanted to do it because he just loved us so much! And then about 30 seconds in he walks right over in front of me again! I had to zoom out because he was so close I was afraid I was filming right up his nose. Haha.

Cincinnati "The Real Me" partial 2
And speaking of up his nose... but what a purty nose, and everything else he has.

Cincinnati "In My Life" (Yeah, for this I got the whole thing)
I got the whole "In My Life" because it is one of my favourite songs ever. You can hear Ethel right near the beginning.

I don't think I'll be posting any for Fort Wayne because I was literally in the camera section that Clay commented on during the show, where he counted all the cameras. There was cablegirl right next to me, LauraQ right in front of me, and Scarlett just a few seats down, and cindilu on the other side, and shortyjill with a great camera in the first row just behind us. But that being said, I'm definitely going to be able to download great clack from practically my own perspective! 

Enjoy! Let me know what you guys think.
Lilian