"A Fun "Fest" of Clay's Music"

      
                                                   
      The day was hot, but pleasanter than previous.  My husband, Larry,
son Nick and I arrived at about 7 pm to join the crowds for the Clay
Aiken concert at the Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA..  It was hours early,
but we passed by a long line of fans who were waiting for field seats. 
They were cute, especially the ones wearing fedoras.  All kinds of tee
shirts were worn.  It was a Clay fashion show.  I loved the home made
ones.
      We stood in line and met some women who had traveled from Maine,
Connecticut, and Massachusetts together to attend as many concerts as
they could make.  I asked them if we could swap pins.  They wanted the
large one (Clayadelphians) that I had but I wouldn't part with it.
     Later we ran into the Lecherous Broads, who were charming.  No luck
in swapping pins, but I gave one of my Clicking and Clacking pins from
Georgia to aLB.   We passed by the entrance to the buses, a tiny
opening in the fence, well guarded.   I guess this was the M&G area.
      Then people started to fill up the seats.  I had joined Musikfest
($65 membership and the opportunity to buy tickets early) months ago
and got VIP seats, about a half mile away from the stage (darn).  It
seemed every seat was filled.  This was an
outdoor venue and the annual had many well known singers on other
nights.
      Fans posted text messages on three large boards, but as it was still
day light, they were hard to read.  I paid $20 for the program and
wished they had the songs listed and the places Clay played so fans who
went to more than one could mark them off. The pictures showed a more
mature Clay who doesn't mind showing his ears more than usual, all
professional shots , plus an Andy Warhol view of Raleigh, his pet dog.
      Finally, at 8:30 someone turned on the jukebox and it kept on
skipping.  Fonzi (Clay reborn) came out in a black leather jacket and
thumped the darn thing.  The crowd went wild.  They began the 50s
segment including “Johnny Be Good”.   When Clay wiggled, he generated
more heat than the sun (whew).  Especially when he jumped on the piano
and sang an Elvis medley including “Don’t be Cruel.” Some of the crowd
left their seats to dance on the grass.  Who could keep still?  At one
point, he said he was going to ruin Elvis music and he sat down at the
piano and accompanied himself  on “Love Me Tender”  He ended the Elvis
medley with “Suspicious Minds.”
      The camera showed some women, in their golden years, with the
word, “Clay”, painted on their faces.  It makes you feel so good that
he reaches all ages, including multigenerational families.  The sun set
and the moon showed in a silver sliver.
      Cool breezes came and the shows went into the 1960s, 70s,  80s,
and 90s.  All went quiet when Clay sang “Solitaire”, “Mandy”. “I Can’t
Make You Love Me,” and other heartstoppers.
      The crowd also appreciated Quiana's singing "I will always love
you."  Give up, Whitney.  You have been replaced.
       Jacob was great.  He rocked with “I Heard It On the Grapevine”
and “Rock With You” and mellowed many songs by playing the sax.  Those
hip hop pants he wore will probably go into some hall of fame, but
which one?
       Clay narrated a bit about each decade, but claimed he didn’t know
much about the 70s and what happened then.  I think he got a kick out
of fans yelling, “You were born!”
      Onto Clay's songs from MOAM, then two new songs, “$1,000 Days,” a
gentle ballad. and “Back for More” which he must release as a single
soon.  It is so awesome.  If DJs don't play it on the radio, the radio,
the radio, they are stupid.
       He ended with "Invisible" what seems to be his anthem, regardless
of the critics calling it a “stalker’s” song.  Everyone stood and sang
at the top of their lungs, but no one can outdo Clay.  The people left,
but unless my eyes were deceiving me, they were walking two feet off
the ground.

                                                           By: RomyS