Ok, the review...I'm cutting some out to condense it a little, so if something doesn't make sense...that's probably why.
My sister and I were disgruntled to discover when we walked in that our front row seats were actually second row, which was NOT as had been shown on the map. Still close enough though, and the side stairs were right next to me, so I sat on the end seat anyway. Because the stage door was on the left side, I decided the chances of him using the right stairs was slim, since he'd have to go through an exit that leads outside in order to get back onto the stage. I told my sister to say a little prayer to Gram for her to pull some strings just one more time so Clay would come down the right side.
The crowd last night was back to being the more "mature" CT crowd, not like MSG. There were still kids and some teens, but I think the majority was an older crowd. We had some major Claymates in our vicinity - all were friends from different boards who had met at the pre-party and talked loud enough for everyone to hear about the dozen concerts they had been to and where their seats were for each show. Now, my sister was next to me, so when the woman next to her started asking her how she's enjoyed the shows in the past, my sister was shellshocked. She's never experienced Clayfans before (besides me), so she had no idea how normal I was in comparison. She has a hard time talking about Clay without teasing me about him, so she could hardly get polite words out to the woman lol. I think she said something like, "oh no...not me, her, she's the one."
So on with the show!!
He came out, and I wanted to cry, because it just made me so happy. I love being there, in the middle of the adrenaline, right at the beginning part of the show when the electricity is SO HIGH. I get the same feeling for any show, be it Broadway or a movie or a concert, but with Clay, my heart beats just a bit faster. You understand.
He was wearing lovely gray pants and a light green and white checkered collared shirt underneath a greenish looking sweater. The sweater WAS green, but it was like a grayish green color. My cousin wasn't really liking it lol. It had one pink cuff, one yellow cuff, a yellow hem around the bottom, and one blue half one green half on the v-neck collar. He was stubbly (doesn't he know I LOVE that? Almost as much as GLASSES??), and I was shocked to see him look so much like a "guy". I mean, not that I don't love him always, but I've never seen him so close. On tv and from farther away, he's "prettier"....right on up close, he's very much a guy's guy, not as skinny, fuller face. Maybe it's the stubble. It works, Clay. It works. Oh, and his hair...it was shiny!! Not like...greasy shiny, more like catching the light shiny. I don't know why I noticed that, but I did. I did notice the eyelashes too (yes, I was definitely going head to toe for details) - he's so naturally light, it made me laugh that they almost disappear. Oh, and the best thing?? HE WAS WEARING SNEAKERS!! Nikes, I think...they had a green swoosh on them, or atleast it looked like a swoosh. And I'll tell you why they were the best thing later.
You don't need all the song details cause you already know that, but just the funny things. Like when he pulled up a stool and said, "I'm going to sing some classic songs that you and your family might listen to on the radio during the holidays, just sitting around...oh wait...they're my songs, so they don't get played on the radio." We laughed.
He did a little tap dance for half a second at the end of Winter Wonderland (I think). He was so cute too, because it was like he didn't realize he was on stage in public when he did it and then like...stopped real quick and "promised" us he wouldn't dance again because we wouldn't want to see him fall on his face because it would defeat the purpose of a classy show. Our little side group hooted and hollared a little to let him know if he fell off the stage, we'd gladly break his fall.
That's when he said, "oh you WANT me to fall on my face, huh? (more screams) AND SHE SAID YES!!"
A little old lady was eating nachos in the second row, and Clay spotted her. His observation? "You like your nachos, huh? Now, nachos....there's a real Christmasy food."
He asked if we were done Christmas shopping, and when no one responded, he said, "Well, I guess the malls are gonna be pretty full next weekend then". He told us his mom finishes in April, so by the time Christmas comes he's grown out of it or doesn't want it anymore. He also said that everyone on the tour has been getting some really wonderful gifts, lots of things, except for Amber and Ashlee. He told us to load her down with stuff so she'd stop nagging him about it.
He talked about white Christmases and asked if we get them...he told us most of his Christmases were pretty warm in North Carolina (he's a big fat liar then, because I KNOW I read him talking about his mom making him shovel show on Christmas morning), and he just sort of chattered. And I love to hear him speak and tell stories, so that was all fine by me. I also love how he says "white". It's like...(h)wh-ite. I can't explain it.
There was a girl sitting directly in front of my mom, sister and cousin in the second row of dead center. She was the one trying to get Clay the little stuffed reindeer, and when she finally did, he sang a little directly to her. My mom said I should've been THERE for it. I told her I was just fine where I was, becaaaaaaause...
I think I got a smile. I know a lot of people do, and I suppose everyone thinks they do, but I will forever believe I actually did. During WAYDNYE, while he walks back and forth so slow, I swear, I SWEAR, I did. That's all the proof I've got though - and me swearing really doesn't get me too far.
Remember that little prayer my sister and I sent to Gram before the show? Well, she heard it, but we apparently weren't specific enough. It's like that three wishes deal - you have to really think it out before you make them, because you might think you're wishing for one thing, but you forget that it's not necessarily what you're gonna get.
Well, my heart was beating real quick for the entire song of WAYDNYE. He slows it up a bit from what's on the cd, so I was literally holding my breath. I was so sure he'd be going to the left side. Positive. Until I saw Nick, lurking near the stairs. He looked dapper too, if I might say so. Dark blue shirt and a tie...I just wanted to squeeze his cheeks!! But anyways, I thought...why is he over here? I didn't even see Jermone lurking in the back aisle.
He came down, step by step. Step. By. Step. Even now, I'm not breathing as I recount this to you, because it was so slow, and so close, and so...amazing. He's amazing. He is. And I don't say that in the Claymate way, I just say that as in...I wish I could've bottled that moment and just lived it for the rest of my life.
Now, I was on the end, but when he came down the stairs, I wasn't in his view. He walked down the side and stopped at an older woman in the side section, but wow...he kneeled down and took her hand and was no more than five feet from me, if that. If we had reached out arms, we would've held hands. So. Close. I almost bit right through my lip because I was so nervous and trying to look so cool. Not cool enough, I suppose.
But anyways, I took it all in at that point. The sideburns. The stubble. The hands. His SHOES. I watched his little (HA!) foot tap with the music as he sang to this woman, who, for whatever reason, made him let go of her hand and then rubbed his cheeks. I will never forget the look on his face, even though he didn't waver in his singing - it was that look that someone uses when their auntie pinches their cheeks even though they're 26 years old!! You smile, cause it's ridiculous, but you don't get mad...it was cute. The second person he sang to seemed to not really care...she watched him, but it was quick, and I don't think he gave her a kiss. He did give the third person a kiss, but by then, my brain and heart were fried, and he could've danced around in a chimp suit and I wouldn't have noticed. He was so close to me. And I might never get that close again. I think I smelled him. I think. I mean, everyone says he smells clean and fresh, and I thought I got a whiff, but like...I could've been imagining it.
During intermission, I switched seats with my other sister so that I could be in the center, a good move on my part. He came out wearing his black long jacket, and black shirt and pants with this brilliant purple tie. It was BRILLIANT. He looked AMAZING. He sounded INCREDIBLE. I felt like I was watching this very special performance or something...absolutely terrific. I watched his palms as he sang Oh Holy Night - I wish I could've held that boy's hand. Just...incredible.
After the readings and all, when he came out in his silver tie, I again could've died right there and been happy. See, I'm not one of those fans who wants everyone to think he's one of the best looking guys in the world. I can totally respect people who think he's funny looking...cause he sorta is. But I find him attractive. I do, I admit it freely, but when someone tells me he's dorky looking, I agree. Whereas, if someone tells me they don't find Jude Law attractive, I do have to question their eyesight.
But Clay. In that silver tie, all in black. It was allllllll good.
So, anyhoo, he talked about going home for Christmas, and my sister tried to take a picture. A single picture. I wasn't even with them at that point (because I had traded seats), but she tried to. It was at a weird angle. I had taped up my camera and set it up to not use a flash. She reports that as soon as she took the picture, Jerome was right there, looking for the culprit. So I have one single picture, and it's not even a good one.
Oh, just as a side note, Jacob, Quiana, and Angela were great last night too. I think, overall, everyone sounded better than in NYC (not really sure why), and I think I love Jacob's solo.
So then they're all sitting around talking about the New Year's Resolutions. Clay brought out this singing Santa hat that danced and made Jacob wear it. He thought he was pretty darn funny, let me tell you. Then he's like, "ok, we need to shut that thing up now." I love it. Typical, "ok, it WAS funny, now it's just annoying."
People are reporting that he was super ticked off about the flashes that started up about this time, but I didn't think that was the case. Clay was talking about resolutions and said something like, " and everyone here seems to have made a resolution to not use flashes until the last two songs...if you're sitting next to one of those people, knock 'em out." He wasn't mad. I hardly noticed flashes throughout the performance, although there may have been one RIGHT BEFORE he said that. Then when he started the song, other flashes went off, and he did say, "See?" right in the middle of the verse, but I don't think he was mad. He wasn't showing a temper. He may have been annoyed, but I didn't think anything of it, and I was close enough to have known. He did pull out his earpiece, but I don't recall it being anything to do with flashes...I don't remember a "pained" look on his face. And I think I would, because he did it in one of my favorite lines of the entire album ("and how could you wait another minute? a hug is warmer when you're in it...oh baby, that's a fact"). And, predictably, the face he made was abosolutely swoon worthy. If that's what he looks like mad, well then, you can rest assured that some day, when we're married with lots of nerdy little babies, I'll do my best to make him mad every day of our lives.
Good News sounded better in CT than in NYC. I don't know if it's the acoustics or what, but it was....terrific. My mom would've preferred him to do DSIAFCD as the encore because it's so peppy, but that's my mom for ya. I hated that it was over. I still hate that it's over. I hate even more that who knows when he'll be back. I mean, in theory, he might NEVER be back. I told my mom that and my eyes welled up.
But anyways, I hope you all enjoy your shows, those of you who still get to see him. My only regret (as it always is) is that he's gone now, and, for me, that feeling is even worse than Disney withdrawal (which I suffer a pretty serious case from upon return from vacation).
I'll post my ONE single picture when I get it on a hosted site. Sorry this is so long!!
I work with a guy that went to hs with Clay and he's always making sexual preference remarks. It drives me bonkers. I finally told him one day that unless he wants to be banned from my cube to leave the subject of Clay alone. I think he got the message 
). That could've been just because of where I was though - you gotta figure the Claymates were in full force buying the close seats from scalpers and whatnot.
that's what hooked me...i was reading this beautiful story she had written and i fell in love with the character she had "created". i then went and purchased his cd, MOAM. i've been hooked ever since! my husband tolerates it...as long as it's not in his face constantly, then he's alright with it. i was reading his book over the weekend...i'm at the part about his YMCA/Bubel/Aiken Foundation experiences. he's just such an amazing person...with such a beautiful soul. i am proud to be one of his fans...i wouldn't call myself a "claymate" per se...i adore him, but i wouldn't sell my first born to see his concert from the front row. some of those women are downright scary. my husband would have it out with me if i trudged around the US, tracking his concerts...buying EVERYTHING that had his face on it...i don't think i'd still be married if i did that. lol...clay's a wonderful person with an amazing talent. i feel for the people who just don't see it...it's plain as day when you look at the man.
) and you share the Clay love, I won't order the glasses for you just yet.
Is that southern twang I hear? Cause I could listen to it alllll day.
