Clay Aiken Thrills Crowd at Mesa Tried & True Concert

Clay & Co. open Tried & True show with 'Theme from Love Story.'

Powerful Vocals, Humor, Charm

There Is Nothing Like Clay 'Live'

In Thursday night's Tried & True Concert in Mesa, AZ, Clay Aiken proved once again he is a consummate performer, charming the audience with his powerful vocals and quick wit.

In the next to the last show of a two-month tour that has freely allowed video sharing of concerts on YouTube and other outlets, there were very few surprises for die-hard CA fans.

Recaps, however, read as if they are describing the tour opener. An underlying theme is that clack serves its purpose, but there is nothing like experiencing Clay Aiken in a "live" performance.

Copingincali: Clay Aiken was born to be on the stage! Clack is helpful to get a feel for a show and certainly to capture the tours he does. However, he has to be seen live. He is so much more than an album, a YouTube video or an interview.

Clay was really upset about the review that said he was pitchy. Call this man anything you want, but pitchy he is not. His voice was top notch and filled the venue.

It's hard to describe what it is like to see him sing live. The voice broke in a couple of songs, but the power with a capital "P" of his voice makes you forget that.

I got the whole package tonight, and I am spent. Waow!

Singer calls out Dallas reviewer over pitchy label.

'Pitchy' Review Becomes Shtick

A Dallas review labeling Clay's Tuesday Grand Prairie performance "pitchy" was discussed by the singer during Mesa concert banter and later on fan boards. For a replay, be sure to watch the above video by Scarlett.

skybar22: This was a great show! Clay, the consummate performer, gives his all. He has a gift I have seldom been privileged to see. His humor, charm, and wit were all on display.

His voice was beautiful, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching all the nuances of his facial expressions. The sensuality of this man's performance coupled with the glorious vocals took me somewhere I have never been before.

UM was divine. He carries the audience with him, and we all soared together.

The pitchy shtick was great. Never tell Mr. Aiken he is pitchy when it is so far from reality. Pitchy he is not. He may crack on a note once in a while, but he is so good and covers it up well. His minor imperfections are nothing compared to most performers.

Quiana is a classy gal. I thoroughly enjoyed her too. She is pure joy on that stage, a friend and a gift to Clay. They are so comfortable with one another.

The Klezmer shtick was hilarious with Clay doing the Yiddish accent and Quiana "oying" and "mazel toving." This Jewish gal loved it!

Clay is so gracious to all of the performers on stage with him. He gave each their props. I really loved watching Felix do his thing. They are all a talented bunch and Clay appreciates each one of them. It shows.

Throughout the Tried & True Tour, Clay & Co. have performed "Who's Sorry Now" in a wide array of audience-suggested genres. At the Mesa concert, the musicians performed the song in boogie woogie, Klezmer, Gregorian Chant, mariachi, lullaby, and beat box styles. The first two are shown in Scarlett's videos below.

'Who's Sorry Now' a la Klezmer genre.

Who's Sorry Now' in boogie woogie style.

NJU Fans Reconnect with Clay

According to Internet message board reports, a large contingent of Not.Just.Us fans was reunited with Clay at the Mesa Arts Center.

clayalwaysandforever: I talked to several NJU tonight and, though they have loved Clay since Idol, they have not seen him much since.

Needless to say, they were blown away tonight. Two of the older couples had seen PBS special and then and ad in the paper so they were very excited about seeing him again.

Two of the ushers a man and a woman were anxious to hear him as they had never heard him sing. One lady said she had a whole new respect for him.

I saw people asking the ushers if there was anything for sale after the concert, and they were disappointed there was not a merch table. I have a feeling a few CD's will be selling on Amazon.

"Unchained Melody" was unworldly. WOW! WOW! WOW!

Clay sings signature version of 'Unchained Melody.'

Kool Radio Applauds Clay & Co.

Kool Radio posted an excellent review and photo slide show -- Clay Aiken in Concert -- on the station's website. Below is the opening paragraph of a story fans won't want to miss:

Tonight’s show was just more than a concert; it was a performance like no other!

Combining soulful music and personal story telling, Clay Aiken displayed his matured voice and why he’s been successful so many years since he made his national debut on American Idol.

View concert videos by Scarlett at the Wowzers4Clay YouTube Channel, and download them at her Mesa link. In addition to these expandable photos by SmartyPantsSuz, you can view the complete set in her Mesa gallery.

Thoughts and prayers are with Japan and all who have loved ones affected by today's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Final concert of the Tried & True Tour is slated for 8 pm PT Saturday at The Warfield in San Francisco, CA. Saturday's show will mark the one-year anniversary of the OMG Concert in Raleigh recorded for the singer's PBS Special, Clay Aiken: Tried & True ~ LIVE!

Have a wonderful weekend, Clay Nation! Catch you after San Francisco!

Caro

Carolina Combacks: I was on target to have this blog up at 11:30 a.m. in time to watch the Carolina Tar Heels in their noon ACC Tournament game. During a final edit, the entry disappeared into thin air, and I spent the afternoon "listening" to the game, recreating the blog, and teaching lessons.

Carolina was behind the whole way until the buzzer-beater winning basket. Thankfully, I taped the game and plan to watch the comeback. Let's go, Heels -- maybe with a little less stress!!! *g*

Clay Aiken & Co. Make Memories in Minneapolis

Clay Aiken opens concert with 'Love Story' theme.
View video by Scarlett full screen at YouTube.

Memorable Show in Minneapolis

Clack, Recaps Replay T&T Show

While I was cheering the Carolina Tar Heels to victory over arch rival Duke, Clay Aiken and the Tried & True musicians were presenting a memorable concert 1,199 miles away in the State Theatre in Minneapolis, MN.

Normally, I listen to the tour concerts via a message board cellcert; but there was no way to combine the two this weekend. I had faith there would be clack to tell Clay's concert story, so I waved Carolina blue pom-poms from my den and "helped" the Tar Heels win their final regular season game.

Fortunately, there is wonderful clack rewinding Saturday's show in the Midwest. Hope, who nightly uploads Scarlett's videos to YouTube, posted an excellent account of the performance.

Playlist Presents Complete Show

She has also arranged the Minneapolis videos in a playlist at her YouTube Channel. To view the entire concert start to finish, link to the Minneapolis set here.

The concert opener, "Theme from Love Story," combined with selected videos at the end provide a cliff-note version of the concert. Hope's recap will include an intermission of clickable Minneapolis photos by farouche and toni7babe.

As I expected, Clay knocked me back in my seat with his powerful vocals, touched my heart with his beautiful interpretive skills as a vocalist and artist, and made me laugh harder than I have in a long time.

I had viewed enough Clack to know that as soon as Clay hit the word “hello” in the song “Where Do I Begin,” that the spotlight would appear to highlight the solitary figure on the stage and signal the start of a wonderful evening with Clay Aiken. Still, knowing it and experiencing it are two completely different things.

From darkness to light, from quiet murmurings to thunderous applause, the moment was Clay’s and the moment was ours. It was a thing of sheer beauty.

And lest people think that I am just being "fangirly" in my poetic waxing, my husband, who is a big, burly, "macho" truck driver, had the exact same reaction.

Clay owned the stage and the audience. He was captivating, he was funny, he was beautiful, he was snarky. A highlight for me personally, was to see the concert from the vantage point of a 7th row seat.

It’s the closest I’ve physically gotten to "meeting" Clay, and it very much felt like I was at home in my living room spending a wonderful evening with an outrageously talented and comedic friend.

And as Clay himself once mentioned during a Q&A, Quiana Parler is/was his best kept secret. Like Clay, Quiana has terrific comedic timing. Quiana’s vocals on “A Foggy Day In London Town,” and “Cry Me A River” were saucy, sultry, and smooth.

All too soon the concert ended. After his drop-dead gorgeous performance of “Unchained Melody,” Clay talked for a bit about his career post-Idol; and about how much he appreciates his fans’ dedication.

He then performed a beautiful rendition of "In My Life," ended the song, flashed us one of his best Clay Aiken smiles, bowed and quietly left the stage, leaving those in the audience a lifetime memory.

The selected clips below highlight the Minneapolis Concert. View all of Scarlett's videos at the Wowzers4Clay Channel on YouTube and/or downloaded them from the Minneapolis doc.

Clay & Co. perform 'Suspicious Minds' in Minneapolis.

'Who's Sorry Now' in the yodeling/Alpine style.

Clay and Quiana blend on 'Crying' duet.

Clay's signature version of 'Unchained Melody.'

Singer closes with fan dedication, 'In My Life.'

Hope's Minneapolis story continues in the State Theatre parking lot and on the drive home. Many thnx to her for sharing her concert experience with Carolina readers.

I finally met Scarlett! We managed to get lost in the parking lot of all places, so we didn't get back home until close to 1 a.m. It was a quiet ride home.

When I asked my husband if he wanted to listen to the radio, he said, "You've got your iPod with 20-something performances of Clay's 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' on it, don't you?"

"Yes," I replied.

"What do you say you plug it into the cassette do-higgy there and we listen to all 20 of them? I'd really like that."

"Sure," I said. And so we did.

The photo below links to Clay Aiken at State Theatre, a 15-picture City Pages slide show by Sandy Schwartz.

Sandy Schwartz photo links to Minneapolis Slide Show.

Minneapolis, MN, Set List

Where Do I Begin - Love Story Theme
Mack The Knife
There’s a Kind of Hush
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me
What Kind of Fool Am I

Jazzy Medley - The Way, This is the Night, Measure of a Man, On My Way Here, A Thousand Days, Invisible

Something About Us

Foggy Day In London Town (Quiana)

Auto Tune: Only Girl
Suspicious Minds
Build Me Up Buttercup
Moon River
It's Impossible

Who's Sorry Now (Genres: Bollywood, yodeling/Alpine, Christian rap, Hawaiian)
It's Only Make Believe
Can't Take My Eyes Off You
Cry Me A River (Quiana)
Crying (Clay and Quiana)

Unchained Melody
In My Life

The Tried & True Tour heads west for three final concerts in Texas, Arizona, and California:

3.08.11 Grand Prairie, TX Verizon Theatre At Grand Prairie, 7:30 pm
3.10.11 Mesa, AZ Mesa Arts Center, 8 pm
3.12.11 San Francisco, CA The Warfield, 8 pm

Have a wonderful week, Clay Nation!

Caro

Clay Aiken Rocks Out in Orlando Tried & True Concert

Clay Aiken rocks out on 'Who's Sorry Now?'
Orlando video by Scarlett can be viewed full screen at YouTube.

A Consummate Entertainer

Clay & Co. Present Superb Show

At the Orlando Tried & True Tour show Friday night, Clay Aiken once again proved he is the consummate performer.

The Hard Rock concert showcased many qualities that make the Carolina crooner an extraordinary entertainer in live performances. In addition to the magnificent vocals from the most tender phrasing to the powerfully compelling, there's hilarious shtick, some planned, some off the cuff; the ever-present quick wit; and Clay's uncanny ability to interact with audience members in any circumstance.

In addition to the rockin' "Who's Sorry Now?" and the "Solitaire" concert closer below, Scarlett has uploaded Bad Romance from the Orlando show to her YouTube channel.

Miami and Orlando audio and video files are available for download at Clack Unlimited. Note that CU requests donations from those who frequent the site.

Clay displays his incredible pipes in 'Solitaire.'
View Orlando concert video by Scarlett full screen at YouTube.

Selected fan recaps help tell the Orlando story, but Corabeth summed up the evening with a statement that is bound to become a message board thread title throughout Clay Cyberspace: Tonight I saw Clay Aiken ... the best that ever was. You can read her full account at The ConCLAYve.

Here are portions of recaps posted by four fans:

Corabeth: [Clay] talked to the audience a bit more and then came over by us and sat down on the stage. He sang WKOFAI and Misty right there. An older couple in the second row about 6 seats down from me were filming and he asked the man about it. The man said Misty was their song. It was so nice that it worked out that way.

Quiana did her second solo and then he came out to do Crying. He looked at her with such tenderness and at the end, he said how great she was and he didn’t know what he would do without her. They remind me of a doubles tennis team, always knowing where and what the other one is doing or going to do.

Vocally, he surpassed himself. It’s funny, but no matter how much clack you watch in between tours, it simply doesn’t compare to seeing him perform live and even then, it’s still almost shocking at how well he can sing. He hit some low notes tonight that vibrated within me.

caperkeeper: Of course rocker Clay brought down the house just as the softness and nuance of In My Life and the power and emotion of Solitaire did as well. This is part of what makes a Clay show so entertaining and bringing me back for more.

In Orlando, if you had been at the Miami show, you could tell the difference. It was tighter and flowed better. He tweaked the auto-tune business by using a real song to talk and with the added kick of Clay not knowing what song from show to show, it will be fun. Better than reading from the newspaper.

Loved Clay doing The Way and Invisible as big band. So funny and entertaining, and Clay performed them beautifully. Changing up the set list is fun as well. When he started "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do," I visibly sucked in a gulp of air and I am not sure when I released it.

roxylovesclay: He cracked me up when people were suggesting musical styles. Someone yelled "Reggae," and he was so quick and witty: "Oh, we did that last night. You shoulda been there!" Bwah! Just the expression on his face alone was priceless!

Mee4clay: As for the other person taping from the beginning, I talked to her and she is not on the boards. She is "new to all this", that's what she told me. I got her email address and will contact her soon.

The slide show below features Orlando photos by dc4clay, gerwhisp, irishbookgal, and claytonsmyccf. To view photos full screen, click on "View All Images" tab.

Tried & True Set List – Orlando

Overture
Theme from Love Story
There’s a Kind of Hush
Moon River
Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You
Something about Us

Medley
The Way
Don’t Stop Believin’
Vogue (Quiana)
I Want It That Way (Clay and Quiana)
The Right Stuff
The Glory of Love
Love the Way You Lie (Quiana)
Baby One More Time (Clay and Quiana)
Footloose (Quiana)
Invisible

Cry Me a River (Quiana)
Bad Romance
Suspicious Minds
Buttercup
Breaking Up is Hard to Do
What Kind of Fool Am I
Misty

Who’s Sorry Now? (Clay and Quiana)
Mack the Knife
It’s Only Make Believe
A Foggy Day in London Town (Quiana)
Crying (Clay and Quiana)
Unchained Melody
In My Life
Solitaire

The final Florida concert takes place at Sarasota's Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall at 8 pm tonight. The bus then heads to Houston, TX; Atlanta, GA; Knoxville, TN; and points north. The complete Tried and True Tour schedule is printed in the 2/10 Carolina entry and in Scarlett's sidebar calendar.

Below is a clickable of dc4clay's opening photo in the slide show:

Have an awesome weekend, Clay Nation! See you after Sarasota!



Signature by Linda/ABM

Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard Chart Fun-Fllled Finale

Timeless Tour montage by mrbaconclayaiken17
Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard & Co. dazzle coast to coast.
View montage full screen at YouTube or
download with this Sendspace file.

Gags, Surprises Add to Fun

Timeless Finale To Rock Biloxi

In a show already hailed as an entertaining trip through four decades of pop music embellished by powerful vocals, swinging arrangements, witty commentary, and close friendships, the Clay Aiken-Ruben Studdard Timeless Tour finale at Beau Rivage in Biloxi, MS, tonight promises to be off the charts.

To the delight of most audiences, final tour concerts are traditionally filled with loads of fun and unexpected gags by the performers on stage. Curtain time for Saturday's surprise package is 8 pm CDT.

Backup Musicians Captivate Fans

Partners in crime of the Timeless Tour headliners have been Quiana Parler and Casey Thompson, backup singers, and a sizzling band that has rocked both coasts -- Ben Cohn, keyboards/musical director; Eric Dubose, lead guitar; Alvin Garrett, bass; John Jackson, keyboards; and Felix Pollard, drums.

The opening montage by mrbaconclayaikenclayaiken17 provides fans a reminiscent review of the entertaining show performed in 17 cities coast to coast this summer.

Video clips and still photos are set to the song "Partners in Crime," written and performed by Jim Brickman, piano, and Dave Koz, sax.

Photo links to Timeless Tour Slide Show at Clay Aiken Kids.
Graphics by Fountaindawg

Currently, at the Clay Aiken Kids site, a 2010 Timess Tour Slide Show allows fans to relive concerts from Asheville, NC, through Lancaster, PA, with more to come as recaps/clack are posted. Research, copy, and set-ups are by momo.

In addition to concert collages by Fountaindawg, each page contains information exclusive to that show which can be magnified and downloaded. See 2010 Timeless Tour with Ruben Studdard at CAK for another view and a set list with links to all song lyrics.

Wire Image members can view/download full size pictures shot by a professional photographer at Friday's concert at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, IN. Non-members can view thumbnail versions at the above link.

Front Stage Requests Tour Reviews

In the music and entertainment business, reviews are done by someone who is either not a fan of the artist, or had not even attended the concert, and based a review upon hear say.

Amen to that! Want to add your 2 cents to the Timeless Tour reviews? Front Stage is asking fans who attended a Timeless Tour show to write a brief recap on their website.

The first was a paragraph by an Asheville concert goer. I wasn't able to attend a show, but I hope to read many fan reviews at this site.

One of my favorite graphs from an earlier review is printed below:

As the pair’s powerful vocals filled the theatre for one last time that night, Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard proved good music is not the only thing that is timeless. Talent is too. - Ann Marie Coar

Have a wonderful weekend, Clay Nation. See you after the show!

Caro

Thank you for your blog comments and props for the contributing artists. To leave a remark, scroll to the bottom of that section, click on the "Post a Comment" link, and write in the box provided. Many thnx for stopping by today! - Caro