CAPITOL 4th REWIND - Montage by Yollie950 replays a medley of Clay Aiken's 2004 PBS performance, including the Star-Spangled Banner, Measure of a Man, and God Bless the USA. The video can also be viewed at YouTube.
Concert Replays Honor July 4
As Canada and the USA celebrate national birthdays this weekend, Clay Aiken fans may also include a rewind to Independence Days past when the singer performed for Capitol 4th (2004) and launched a 20-city Summer Symphony Tour at Freedom Fest in Frisco, TX (2007).
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
In Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, the United States of America On was born as the Second Continental Congress adopted the final draft of the Declaration of Independence.
President John Adams said the Fourth of July should be celebrated with, among other events, "pomp, parade, games, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other.
Taking President Adams at his word, link to Fireworks Pop by clicking on the photo below where you can create your own "illuminations" in the sky above Lady Liberty with your mouse.
Click on this show to create your own fireworks!
For CA fans, Independence Day will forevermore be associated with the 2007 Freedom Fest in Frisco, TX, opening performance of the summer tour also known as Soft Rock Hard Place. The festivities included food, fun, fireworks and a "hawt" Clay Aiken Concert.
Anniversaries of events from Clay's singing career are marked in various fashions. In 2008, xxx4clay reminisced about July 4, 2007, and then posed the question to her online friends: Where were you a year ago today?
A host of memories were shared not only by those who endured every degree of the humid, 90-plus temps in the Frisco soccer stadium, but also those who listened via cellstream in air-conditioned comfort. Beginning with xxx4clay, here are a some of the Independence Day 2007 recollections:
Prior to this concert, we knew very little about what Clay would sing although the speculators amongst us had run amok with their possible scenarios.
That afternoon someone had listened to the rehearsal and some of that info had drifted back to us but still, the lack of knowledge just added to the excitement.
Finally, finally, finally, Clay entered the stage singing “Here You Come Again.” There really are no words to describe what I felt at that moment.
It was beyond exciting. Beyond mesmerizing. And he was soooo close. That crowd let loose with a collective squeal that I can still hear to this day.
All those heat related miseries just disappeared when Clay showed his face and I never gave it another minute's thought until the concert was over.
There’s just something about the first concert of the tour and not knowing everything that’s gonna happen that makes it very, very special.
FREEDOM FEST - Graphic by Amazing_CA, photos by Farouche.
These responses represent a cross-section of the many who gathered in Texas or listened from afar on Independence Day 2007:IRISHBOOKGAL: Right here with my headphones on listening to a beautiful voice that gives me goose bumps.
SMARTYPANTSSUZ: Glued to my computer drinking in every morsel I could through the cellstream and recaps. What a night!
JCLAY: Basking in the afterglow of my very first Meet & Greet. It was the first of the "sit down with all of you and talk for 1/2 hour" variety.
WINDSTAR2: I was also in Frisco right in the middle of the screaming teenagers. What a great night that was to be with fellow Clay friends, to see Clay again live in concert and in TEXAS!
ANAMERIAIKENINTX: I'd bet anything the Frisco temperature was pushing 100 before the humidity was factored in! The weather was terrible. I forgot all about it, too, while Clay was with us.
PLAYBILLER: Deep in the heart of Texas!
PHOTO INTERLUDE: From seasons past, the fandom's visual artists have created clickable patriotic graphics for this weekend's fireworks. Included are designs by A Beautiful Mind, photo by Invisible926, 1; Ashes, 2; Amazing_CA, photos by Farouche, 3; CLAYPERFECT, 4; Fountaindawg, 5; and fivegoldens, 6.
Caro
Posts
12 comments:
Hi, Caro! Oh, those were fun days.... the eveninog of July 4th always finds me running across an open field in Texas (yes, where the weather is usually in the 90s or higher). One year, I was trying to get to the radio in my car to tune in to the Capitol 4th celebration and along the way, 5 people couldn't tell me anything about how to get the PBS feed (this was Austin City Limits, people) and another year i was racing across a soccer field with a group of middle school girls. We were all trying to get to the choice spots in front of the stage at Frisco and had to race to them the instant they opened the gates. Our efforts were quickly rewarded, though, as soon as we heard the opening notes of HYCA... Happy 4th of July, everyone!!! :)
Thank you so much for posting this! I haven't seen this yet and it has me in tears. My children and I are celebrating alone this year since my husband is in Afghanistan and all 3 of the songs on this were spot on as for the way we feel. My kiddos go around singing Measure of a Man all the time b/c they say it is "daddy's song". Just thought I'd say thanks and have an awesome 4th! :)
Raye
Thank you so much Carol!! I've always been playing this Clay's 4th of July. I love to hear Clay sing these songs over and over again. I don't know for what reason, but I never get tired of them. Maybe because Clay sung these songs perfectly well.
Thanks, Caro, for reminding me of one of my favorite Clack videos. Frisco! I was so proud of him when he sang at the Capital 4th also!
Oh my goodness Caro, it seems just like yesterday that Clay sang on the Capital steps.....The montage by Yollie950 is AWESOME, I could listen to it over and over, in fact I think I will.
Again, I just love seeing "Ashes" graphics, it makes me feel like she is still with us, how I wish she was....although she will always be in our hearts.
Thank You again for a great blog and you have a great July 4th
Big Hugs,
Marlyne
Thanks so much, Caro.
I wasn't in Texas for the first SRHP concert, but did see it in NH and loved it!! It was so hot that night and there were skunks and huge bugs and Clay had us laughing one minute and in the next we'd be tearing up from the sheer beauty of his voice.
Also remember the Capitol Fourth appearance. Didn't see it until a few weeks later--couldn't get it on tv and my parents taped it for me and brought it when they came for a visit. Just watching it again now makes me wish he were singing live for us again tomorrow on the 4th.
No one can sing the National Anthem like Clay Aiken.
Thank you so much for putting this wonderful blog together to commemorate the 4th; and, Clay's role in making memories of a special, commemorative day.
Beautifully done; love Yollie's montage, the graphics and the story.
Hope everyone has a terrific 4th of July.
Happy Independence Day Caro to you and all of your readers.
I had fun with that Fourth of July Display. I so remember when he had his first appearance of the Soft Rock Hard Place Tour in Frisco. That was a fun tour. I went to the Orlando show.
Hope you and yours have a great 4th of July too.
Thank you for a great blog! I was at the Frisco concert and it was fantastic!! Ahh, the memories :) Happy 4th of July to all.
Happy 4th all!!! I wasn't at Frisco, but I got a personal cellcert of both the rehearsal and the concert - GOOD TIMES I TELL YA!!!
Gorgeous graphics by A Beautiful Mind, Ashes, Amazing_CA, CLAYPERFECT and Fountaindawg. and the video by yollie950 is amazing.
Thanks caro!
Happy 4th of July Caro!!!
Clay looked so young when he did the Capitol 4th! His voice is so soothing for the soul!
Very nice photo interlude!
Sandy
Post a Comment