Fantastic show! I just got back to the hotel. Clay came out with Mack the Knife wearing his sharkskin suit--and it seemed a little baggy. Sure enough, he said that when he filmed the PBS special the suit had fit him and then opened it and wrapped one side over the other to show how skinny he was, saying "That anorexia's not bad" (paraphrasing of course as my brain is addled). I was front center right behind Scarlett as I was # 30 in line and made a beeline for the center as soon as I got through the door. Clay was in fine form. I'm sure the videos will be up soon. Let's see. Total Rooster Hair. He said he had done his own hair. This I believe. (LOL). Lavendar tie. White shirt. Striped socks. He took a phone from someone and talked to the woman (Deb) on the phone and found out she lived in Ohio and ragged on her for not coming to the show--snapped the phone shut and then started singing "Who's sorry now?" OMG, the look on his face was priceless (although he sort of whispered to the woman holding the phone later, asking if she'd gotten Deb back--she had.) Let's see, oh yes, he asked (probably not in order here) if anyone had NOT been to one of his shows and this older lady (using the term somewhat loosely) said she was at her first show, but I think she said she listened/watched?? him 4 hours a day on her computer. This should have given him a clue to run. Anyhow, he asked her to come up to the stage, and he came down (LOVELY VIEW) to meet her, and she looked like this sweet little old lady, but OMG, she started grabbing at him and hugging him (she may have even kissed him) and was rubbing her hand up and down his back. Holy crap! THE LOOK ON CLAY'S FACE!!!! I almost had a convulsion from laughing--if you hear a hyena laugh on Scarlett's video--that's probably me. Once he got away from her, he said he'd never been molested on stage before and told the woman she needed to stay off the computer. Then, he said, "Where was Jerome? We're going to have a staff meeting later." Jerome was standing over on the side laughing like the rest of us. I mean, was he going to haul a little old lady off Clay!!!?? Clay said the reason he'd asked about first-timers was because he needed new people to join "the cult." He made a few references to some (maybe all) of us being crazy. LOL. He couldn't remember the order of the songs and borrowed the program outline from one of the band. He said he had some of the lyrics written on the floor and he screwed up one song and sang about how he didn't know the lyrics. He was really funny, have I mentioned that? I noticed some of the band was pretty sober in the beginning, but they were cracking up later, especially the woman. There was a mini-orchestra (violin, viola, cello, horns) as well as two guitarists and Ben and Sean.Quiana wasn't there--only Casey--so maybe something came up and there was a switch or Quiana didn't go. Oh, yes, Clay was joking at one point and said he wasn't getting paid for the show. He invited one of the younger gals up in front to dance to Eso Beso while he sang. That was pretty funny too. LOTS of fun stuff going on. UM ended the show and if that were the only song he'd sung, it would have been worth the $250.
Another recap from ncwannabe at CV:QUOTE An abbreviated recap cause it's late and I gotta get up at o'dark o'clock tomorrow to fly to Raleigh. He came. He sang. He conquered. The end.Just kidding!!!! The music started, the curtain came up and out he stode from our left, walking the special way he does with his bendy knees. He looked adorable and so damn irrestible with his hair sticking up and his shiney suit and his gorgeous smile. I immediately grabbed the leg of the woman behind me involuntarily (good thing for me it was mercedes and I don't think she minded! He proceeded to belt out Mack the Knife and we were off to the races! It was the same program from the OMG concert, right down to the same order in which he sang them there, which sort of made up for me missing that show. It was a mulligan for me. And, speaking of mulligans, we had a do over on Suspicious Minds. He came in singing the second line, couldn't get his mic in the stand and just looked at Ben and said let's start over. We didn't mind - he was amongst friends. It was very, very intimate, which made it feel very cozy and very much at home. We remarked that when he walked out, we felt like we were home. We know him so well - his speaking voice and it's myriad of inflections, accents and tones. His mannerisms, his faces, his eye f*cks, his goofy antics and his expressive hands on the microphone. Oh, and the sparkling eyes, the charisma and the sexiness that just oozes out of him. He's so familiar - yet still so much a mystery. He's a fascinating enigma. Some brief notes: I'll Take Romance is a goner. Last time for it. His favorite (other than UM) is What Kind of Fool Am I. The concert newbie woman looked so innocent - older, white haired, walked with a cane. Whoa - talk about a shocker there! Poor Clay was truly a bit flustered I believe, but he used it to his advantage. Although he admonished us for not warning him and chastized Jerome for his lack of protection! The Aiken Random Lyric Generator was out in full force it seems - I noticed several occasions when he was making it up as he went along! But he covers it well (most of the time) and often the only thing giving him away is the twinkle in his eye and smile playing at the corner of his lips. Let's see ... what else? Casey sounded great on Crying with Clay (plus we had a conversation about size 2 and spanks!) Clay wondered how in the hell he lost Idol (this after killing on Breaking Up is Hard to Do). He had on new striped socks (kind of a wine, gray, black thin stripped). Oh, and the guy is very proud of his svelte new physique - showing us not once, but twice, how big his suit jacket is on him now. He was cracking up Ben and the boys in the band on a regular basis. He into'd In My Life by saying it wasn't on the cd, but that he must have done it well enough since the PBS folks left it in the special. He again mentioned his many great teachers, but noted he failed chemistry and didn't invite that teacher to the concert in March. When he hung up on Deb on the phone, it segued brilliantly into the start of Who's Sorry Now, complete with his entire arsenol of looks, faces, body language and michievious grins. All too soon it came to an end. Before singing the last song, he warned us that was itl He would't be coming back out. He had to get away from us crazy people. We could clap all we wanted, but too bad, he was done. Plus, he said that way we could go home because she (pointing to Scarlett) would have clack up we could watch on YouTube within the hour! Gotta love the guy - he really does know us pretty well!!!It was a great time, and I'm ready for day two of my 3-fer tomorrow!! So shave my head and stand me on the corner passing out flowers cause if this is a cult, I don't ever wanna get out.
Clay Aiken – Tried and True Live – RevisitedBy musicfan123 Thursday, October 14th, 2010 I am sitting in my hotel after attending a wonderful concert by Clay Aiken. The Tried and True Revisited Concert was all a fan could want. I am so glad I was able to attendThe playlist of the concert was almost identical to the March, Raleigh concert. Clay did choose to end the program with Unchained Melody and it was a wonderful way to end the program. There were ten musicians on stage that joined Clay and Casey Thompson as they sang. CLay said that they had rehearsed together this afternoon.Clay looked wonderful in his OMG suit and lavender tie. He joked that he did his own hair…(I bet we all knew that)The theatre is rather small and was set up with tables for all the audience. According to one of the security men outside, the theatre seats 650 in this set-up.Highlights of the evening………hearing the opening notes of Mack The Knife and knowing we were in for a real treat.the duet of Crying with Casey Thompsonthe wonderful In My Life..Clay sang it beautifully and the cellist was wonderfulUnchained Melody.…One of the best times I have heard Clay sing it.As can be expected at a Clay Aiken concert, the audience was a huge part of the show. Clay acknowledged all the fans and teased many of the members of the audience. He talked to a fan on the phone and as a joke, hung up on her….then sang “Who’s Sorry Now?” Clay acknowledged some teachers in the audience before he sang the touching In My Life. A member of the audience helped out on one song with a dance and another smothered Clay with hugs, kisses and HANDS!!Clay Aiken fans are the very best. Before the concert,my friend and I arrived at the theatre at about 3:30pm. We were numbers 55 and 56. I checked with many of the fans ahead of me in line to find out a few facts. #1 in line arrived with her friends at 7am in the morning. Three ladies from Texas arrived at about 10:30. They were prepared with some folding chairs. There was a group from Toronto that were having a great time and it was fun to share a moment with the fans from Washington State. There were so many fun people and it is always nice to say hello to each of them. Everyone took care of each other and friendships were made.We did make a point of asking if anyone needed the numbers to text in a vote at the Pepsi Refresh. Almost everyone had already gotten their votes in before they got in line.I hope that each of you will have the experience to see and hear Clay in an intimate setting of like this theatre. Up close and personal concerts are really wonderful.I must get to bed so I will stop for now. I have to get up to catch a 7am plane to Raleigh!!I will try and post pictures tomorrow…….It will be sometime in the afternoon
