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An almost ‘Idol’ invades columbiatunes.com

By OTIS R. TAYLOR JR.
Staff Writer

<snip>

Clay Aiken is on columbiatunes.com?
No way.
It is true. Don’t be afraid, though, because you might be a Claymate in the making.
They are everywhere and they might take your body next.

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Claymating a critic

Written by By Otis R. Taylor Jr.,
columbiatunes.com
Wednesday, 11 January 2006

What is scary to you?
I went to Clay Aiken’s "Joyful Noise 2005 Tour" Dec. 20. To be honest, I thought it was going to be a scary scene with a lot screaming Claymates. Instead, the audience was sedate and Aiken’s rendition of Christmas tunes was pleasant.

My review, which was favorable, got me more e-mails and calls than anything else I’ve written for The State. The reach of Aiken’s fans who responded, some from as far away as Canada, was more than scary.

So in honor of Friday the 13th, I thought I’d print some of the comments. Nothing is scarier than a pack of Claymates. But you can’t deny that Aiken evokes something deep within the hearts of fans. In a music industry based on superficiality, the devotion of Aiken’s fans is something I admire.

"It was fun and festive and heartwarming and melancholy and romantic all rolled into one. And the voice — well, in my view, there is hardly a better one anywhere!! He sounds like Christmas was intended to sound like!! I am so glad to read a review from someone who understands what Clay is trying to get across in his show and who loves his voice as well. "

— Jan Dixon, Sugar Land, TX


"O Holy Night doesn't get any better than this either, but it was Celebrate Me Home that impressed us. Hope he puts that and the incredible Emmanuel on an album some day. Throw in Good News for measure, as he sings it with such feeling."

— Debbie

"I just had to write to you to let you know that I could not disagree more with Mr. Taylor’s review of Clay Aiken’s performance.

We took a poll of our group, which consisted of two 30-somethings and two 50-somethings, before we decided to depart and rated what we had seen thus far a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10.

I believe it rated a 5 only because we were trying to show our Christmas spirit and be generous. Clay sounded ‘nasal’ and the back up singers must have been having an off night. We could not take the thought of sitting through the second half awaiting the temperamental encore.

I appreciate the fact that Clay wanted to use local performers, however when you attend and pay the ticket price for a show at the Township Theater you expect something a little better than what you would expect from the Town Theater."

— Jill Menhart, Lexington

"It's a treat to read a fair review of the show. So many reviewers approach Clay's show with pre-conceived ideas and write reviews that suggest their minds were closed to what Clay was trying to do. You went with an open mind and clearly "got it."

You are being read all over the world this morning ( thanks to the Internet) and I hope your editor gets to see your mail, or at least some of it. We love to read reviewers who "get it," and we love to send them positive feedback."

— LizinToronto

"Thanks for the great review of the Clay Aiken "Joyful Noise 2" Christmas Tour. You did a great job writing the article and I was overjoyed to read it today! You seem to be one of very few reporters/writers who are able to spot Clay Aiken as a diamond in the rough. After reading many message boards today, I can guarantee that you have made many "Claymates" proud!!!"

— Kim, Indiana

"Thank you very much for your positive review of Clay"s Joyful Noise Tour 2005. It is refreshing to find a music critic who is not jaded by the commercialization of Christmas and what it is supposed to stand for. It's obvious to me that you can still appreciate real heartfelt sentiment when you see and hear it.

The little boy, Louis DeFelice, who stepped into the role of Tommy is a real trouper, in spite of his tender years, and pulled it off quite professionally. He definitely deserves Kudos!"

— Rita D. Hovermale

"It looked like you really watched the show and it is genuinely reflected in your details, and opinion.

We at the Clay Nation sometimes get the impression that other critics or reviewers don't stay during the whole show, and some even do not come in person but have the audacity to write reports and express opinions so far off the wall we think we actually seen a show different than the one they reviewed or criticized."

— Flery Langholz, St. Louis

"I would like to thank you for your very nice review of Clay’s Christmas concert. It’s nice to hear a fair and impartial review of this truly remarkable singer. It sounds, though, as if you may have left before he sang "Don’t Save It All For Christmas Day". He does "let loose" on that song. Maybe you can download it from one of the websites and see what you missed."

— Yvonne Kersich

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