A message, an emotion, a gift
by calliek

For most of us, I can say it’s easy to get caught up in the many visual prisms of beauty that are Clay Aiken. Last night in Atlanta, seeing and hearing him from the Loge was all about even more than the voice. It was about the spirit that lives and breathes and fires through the man—a spirit that evokes, enchants, intrigues, titillates, torments, enraptures, implores, creates, defines, revokes, dispels, alters, seeks, challenges...and quests. Yes, it is that last one that I set apart. The spirit of the man is on a quest. But not to discover who he is or where he is going musically. I believe he very much knows this. For me, it did not take the excellent N&O article today to confirm this. I look at him and I see a man who may not have the world by its neck—yet—but he is a man who has his own life by the shoulders, solidly and squarely. His quest is more driven by the emotional peaks and valleys in the creative no-man’s-land, the place where only the fiercest performing warriors dare to navigate. There is no ceiling or floor there, only a vast uncharted territory of terrifying and exhilarating crosswinds. And Clay is a daredevil who takes no prisoners. He may have had a basketful of childhood phobias, but in this element and in this life he is utterly fearless. He is flying like a man possessed. 

Clay was sailing through those crosswinds last night. With the casualness of a comfortable lover, he tucked into the fold and rolled with the sudden spark of a desire that ignites like fire on a pure gust of air. He soared with Olympic propulsion and vaulted higher, longer, tighter, stronger. One peak or pinnacle seemed impossible, another was incomprehensible, the next was stupefying…and it went on and on and on. He is loving this canyon of the unknown and unclaimed. He’s tasted it. He wants it. Last night, he owned it. 
And he’s looking inward and upward. Oh, we are in for a ride. There are no sleigh bells on this sled. The rocket fuel of the gods are streaming through this one. But it’s the breath of those beautiful Muses that invigorates our gladiator. He hears and sees and feels the call of the wild in the crosswinds. And he doesn’t want to tame it. He wants to make it his ravenous call. And it rang through the rafters last night. This was my one and only JNT05 show and I was smitten from the first curtain unveiling. William Joseph was stunningly brilliant. The audience was comprised by the most diverse demographic yet. Mostly adult, mostly couples, many men. Many non-Internet or less intense of the fandom, much shock and awe. Respect and reverence from the venue staff who were intent on making sure Clay’s wishes were honored. 

My impression of this show, simplified, is that it was meant to be a little gem that showcased a few facets of the essence of Christmas through Clay’s eyes along with the dazzling dynamic of his incredible voice. It certainly accomplishes that and then some. It’s not meant to be a major Broadway-esque production. The staging, the acting, the dancing were meant to be loving homespun flourishes, like icing on a sumptuous gourmet cake. The story is meant to tell us to look again at something we’ve lived with all our lives…to see it from the soul and realize that we all have a second chance to live beyond our sadnesses, beyond our disappointments, beyond our losses, beyond our betrayals. It is a story that tells us love really does survive and resurrect and reshape into a new tomorrow of promise. We don’t have to die with the yesterday that stole our hopes and dreams, our faith and belief. It’s a tiny message and it’s a powerful emotion. It’s a beautiful, beautiful gift. 

So Clay…a message, an emotion, a gift.