Yuku free message boards

Just back! What a glorious concert. He looked gorgeous -short jacket, light hair, lots of bangs and very thin. Angela and Quiana looked fabulous too in their black dresses. He is in great voice - everything perfect and heartfelt. Angela and Quiana sang beautifully as well. The orchestra and the accoustics are so good in that theater. It wasn't full but there were no empty seats til way in the back. Mixed audience of men and women and some very young fans -6-10 yrs old. Lots of fans. No problems with cameras - not many flashes. A great audience - you could hear a pin drop when he was singing. There will be clack! Spotted some of the very best photographers up front. Weather has turned bad - icy and cold and some snow.
feetofclay

I must say this is probably my favorite Christmas concert. Clay was vocally perfect.....Clay is a master of taking a song you have heard thousands of times and has the ability to make it new and truly his own.
The jazz medley was fun, OHN gave me chills and DSIAFCD and AIW are what sets Clay apart from all others in the music industry, there is no one and I mean no one that could do these songs like Clay. To hear AIW in person is breathtaking. His voice is Amazing!!!
The stories were good, in fact, my husband said he enjoyed them and one especially touched him.
Angela and Quiana were wonderful and you can see the love and respect they have for each other.
Jesse is extremely talented!
This is a concert not to be missed! Now I hope the weather is better for my last concert, I'm going to try and savor every precious minute of the show. Clay said this is a "classy" show and he's right, it is!!
clayzycarol

*********************************************************************************************
Sunday December 16.....7:30pm EST.........Tullio Arena, Erie Civic Center Complex, Erie PA 16501

Address: 809 French Street
Box Office: 814-452-4857
Web Site: www.erieevents.com
Capacity: approx. 5500 (1/2 house)

Tix Info:
$57.75, $47.50, $37.25

Fan Reviews:

I arrived at the arena at 4:45 as instructed…..well, it was a complex and the email said to go to the Warner Theatre box office - but no one else was there, so I headed over to the arena. There were 2 other ladies there - I asked if they were readers - they said yes. So we all decided to stay there. We saw Jesse come in and Mary wandered through the area. The 3 of us just got to talking to each other and about our individual stories. Jamie came out to get us about ½ hour later. She is an absolute doll…very petite and pretty. I just love her accent. She asked if we had seen a 4th reader - we hadn't. We told her that the email said to meet at the Warner and maybe the 4th person was there. She wrote down our names and said she'd be right back

Jamie led us past the dressing rooms and crew area to backstage. We got up on stage and she showed us how to adjust the mic and arranged our stories in the book in the order we would be reading. My story was first. Jesse was there and played a bit in the background - he needed to see how long our stories were. I got up to the mic and read mine. I looked all over the arena - at the lighting booth and box seats to see if I could see Clay. I didn't see him anywhere, so I was calm. Clay had edited my story a bit to make it shorter - I stumbled over a few words, but I felt okay with it. Then the next gal got up to the mic to rehearse her story. I was talking with the 3rd reader - she said I did good and I said that I wasn't nervous because Clay wasn't there - she said "yes he is - he's over at the far end of the stage!" I looked, but I couldn't find him, I didn't want to be too obvious.

After the 3 of us were done, Jamie led us back to the box office and told us what time and where to meet her for the concert. I went back to my hotel and tried not to get nervous.

I changed into my "black" clothes and we left for the arena at about 7pm. We got situated in our seats and I found some of my local friends who I didn't think were going to make it to the show - because they weren't leaving Buffalo until the late afternoon….and I was looking for my friend Jenny from Singapore, but she was nowhere to be found.

I went to my designated spot to meet up with Jamie - still no 2nd reader for that portion of the show. While I was waiting, Jenny came in - so I got to hug her before going to the stage area. Jamie came to get me about 20 minutes later - just after Clay took to the stage. She led me backstage and I watched the beginning of the show from there. I had missed the announcement that Angela was not there due to a death in the family.

It was really cool to watch the show from there. I could see Clay in profile from my vantage point. And I wish I had my camera with me. I was behind the backdrop that had the lighting on it and you could see Clay's silhouette on it….it would have been a great picture!

Jamie didn't have the book with her because they had just recruited someone from the audience to read story #2 - and she was reading it over to familiarize herself with it. Jamie asked me if I wanted some water. I said yes and she quickly disappeared to get some for all of us. I knew what song I was going on after, and when Clay started to sing it and Jamie wasn't back yet, I got a little nervous. But she came back in plenty of time. There was one part of my story that I had wished Clay would have edited out - so I was focusing on how I was going to say it while reading….and praying once again that I not make a complete fool out of myself.

Okay - it was time to walk up the stairs to the stage and go out to read my story. Clay finished singing, the crowd cheered, the lights went out and Jamie opened the curtain for me. I made it to the mic without tripping and the spotlight was on me. Jesse started to play. I was just a bit nervous when I started the first sentence, and then I just got engrossed in the reading and didn't notice anything else. I made sure I didn't rush my reading - I looked up at the audience often and tried to make sure I added the proper inflection in my voice in several areas of the story. I felt very comfortable. I finished the story and the crowd started to applaud. I turned to walk off stage and looked up at Clay - he was smiling. I done good!

Back down the stage stairs I went, and around the arena to my seat. This was the first time that I noticed that Angie wasn't there, so I asked my friend about it. It was also the first time I got to see Clay from the front in all his gloriously looking self!!! WOW - he was stunning on Sunday night!!!

We were to meet Jamie again after the show for our time with Clay. Because of the late start and the bad weather, they decided to eliminate the intermission. She took us backstage pretty quickly after the show ended….we went to the crew room and Jamie knocked, when we started to enter behind her, Jerome stopped her and indicated that the meeting was not going to be in there - to go to dressing room #1 down the hall. So Jamie led us that way….and it was a bathroom!!! We said, we're not taking a picture with Clay in a bathroom! Jamie agreed and went back to the crew room……she must have convinced Jerome that it should be there, because off we went down the hall again and into the crew room.

When we entered the room, Clay was there, along with Quiana and Mary. He had the copies of our stories in his hands and was ready for us!! Since he had seen us all on stage, he didn't need to ask us our name, he came up to me first and said "Hi Cathie - thanks for being a part of the show tonight." and shook my hand. Soft, warm hands, oh my. He continued on to each of the other readers, asking the substitute reader her name and thanking her for "saving their butts". If she hadn't agreed to read, Jamie was going to have to do it - and Jamie REALLY didn't want to do it! Clay then asked us where we were from and how the traveling was to get there. All during this time, I just focused on Clay face - he looks directly into your eyes whenever he speaks to you…..oh my! He gave each of us our printed stories with a note and autograph from him.

Of course - I had to be a snot and ask…"Since you edited the stories anyway, couldn't you have taken the 'puke' part out of mine?" Clay said to me "You didn't have to say puke!" to which I replied "yes I did, look, here it is in the story." He came over to me and looked at it and said with a snark "Well, you wrote it - it's your story! If you didn't want to read puke, you shouldn't have written it!" We laughed. He wandered over and spoke to each of the readers and then said it was time for the "cast" pictures. I think it is so cool that he considered us part of the cast….that really made it special.

Clay said that we would take the pictures in the order that we read, "So, Cathie - you are first, come on over here." Well, he certainly didn't have to call me twice!!! I stood in the middle, between Clay & Quiana. I remember other fans saying that they don't even remember taking pictures with Clay, so I wanted to make sure I captured it all in my brain. I consciously thought about it. Clay put his arm around me (so did Q) and I hugged him around the waist. (Did I mention how absolutely gorgeous he looked on Sunday???) I have to say that with all that concentrating on that hug, I do not remember Jamie actually taking the picture - I probably look like a dork….but I have that hug engrained in my memory!!

After the pictures were done, Clay wished us a Merry Christmas and he left. They were in a hurry to get on the bus and head to Cleveland. The weather conditions were pretty bad and they had a long treacherous ride ahead of them.

We got hugs from Quiana and before I left, I went over and hugged Jamie and thanked her for everything. I just love her, she is a sweetheart.

Clay had put his long jacket back on. His hair is a beautiful strawberry blond and it was very fluffy on Sunday….bangs softly falling across his forehead, glasses on, stage makeup with stubble showing through. Major Thud!!! He is tall, but I didn't seem small next to him, even though I am only 5'3". He makes you feel totally at ease, just like everyone had said. You'd swear you have known him for years.
WNYClayFan

****************************************************************************************
Monday December 17....7:30pm EST....State Theatre @ Playhouse Square, Cleveland OH 44115

Address: 1519 Euclid Avenue
Box Office: 1-800-766-6048 or 216-241-6000
Web Site: www.playhousesquare.org
Capacity: 3194

Tix Info: uses Tickets.com

Fan Reviews:

Clay had the shorter jacket, as was reported, and glasses. His hair was more blond looking than strawberry, and from where I sat, looked similar in color to the Just by Chance Clayton. His glasses are barely noticable from the audience. I loved the way he had his hair tonight- it was parted on the left side and had kind of a lift in the bangs to keep them off the forehead a bit. He looked VERY trim.
Clay's voice was wonderful, as usual! I have not watched any clack this time around, so was surprised at the way he changed his delivery of MGUCL. Even though he was singing, he separated the phrases out and made it sound as if he were really telling us a story. I liked the way he did this, as he was also acting as if he was just talking to a friend. Later, he sang with the longer, more drawn out phrases. Just beautiful.
scruffy13

The crowd was very receptive and that seemed to please Clay. His performance was excellent (of course) and he looked very handsome. Quiana's voice was flawless and she looked beautiful. Jessie's magical hands definitely adds that special touch and we must not forget Sean's contributions to this "wonderful family". Thoughts and prayers to Angela and her family. Unfortunately she could not be there due to a loss in her family. Clay said hopefully she will join them soon.
Angel53

Clay started his speech about not saving it all for Christmas but asked Quiana to do it since he does it every night but she didn't but in all the details and told Clay maybe you better do it. Of course that brought laugher from the crowd. He also made her hold the last note of dsiafcd, which was also funny! All Is Well was fabulous and the crowd was on there feet from the ending of dsiafcd showing Clay the Ohio love. It was a wonderful way to share a holiday memory with my family!! I had to leave for a few minutes, the grandsons just got here. I also want to say that from the clack that I have seen, I think WTOW last night was one of the best! And my family also thought Clay got a little choked up at the end when he was talking about Angela not being there and how much they missed her!
Sugarpie311

The lighting was odd that night, I felt like i was back in the 60's..lol. I saw Jerome out in the audience during intermission, apparently his daughter and his grandchildren came to the show. I didn't know Jerome had granchildren! My friend, Jen, was sitting 1 row behind them, and he was seeing if he could get everybody wristbands to go back stage. His grandson didn't want to go backstage...lol. The only downfall of the concert was when Jerome was trying to talk to his family, and people just kept on coming up to him and giving him stuff.
claysangel1981

When Clay came out on stage to me he was breathtaking. I LOVED HIS HAIR!! I do believe that this is his natural color. I really think it is reddish-blonde. Maybe because of being in Spamalot he is letting it go natural.
When the reader who read about losing a little boy to cancer in 1988 was telling her story my dearest SIL shed a few tears as she lost her daughter a year ago to brain cancer.I reached over quietly and took her hand and held it, and she got a grip. She and my neighbor loved the concert, thought everyone did a fine job and I have now got 2 new Clay buddies as they both expressed to me they want to go next time as well as neighbor's hubby.
LOTS of men there last night. You are bringing them into the fold gradually, Clay.
tntses

Now, the only problem with being spoiler-free is that I haven't immersed myself completely in what songs he sang, and being in the obligatory Clay fog, I don't really remember them now. I do know that he sang MCWL, my favorite from the CD and the previous tours, and a song which still makes me cry everytime. I do remember loving the new songs particularly WTOW, and I do remember feeling my breath sucked out when the last light hits from AIW.
Madame President