Recaps by Fans who Attended
The National Inclustion Project Gala
Held on 12/10/11
UPDATED- 12/12/11 @2:30AM EST
moonhead wrote:
There is not much I can say to add to what others have already said about the Gala weekend. It was amazing! All parts of it. So very professional and well thought out. I will be forever grateful that I was able to attend.The performance portion of the Gala seemed like a new beginning to me. It was wonderful to see the fans standing, clapping, singing and sharing in Clay's joy again. And he felt it too. His performance fed off the energy once again. As for Bring Back My Love to You...I thought it was fantastic. Clay sang it beautifully. The song builds very quickly (which is a very good thing for radio)...the payoff comes fast. The lyrics are interesting and the song has tension and drama. As for radio, who knows? But I am so happy that this song will soon be on my iPod. If I remember correctly, the lines of the chorus change a bit each time (maybe alternate). I'm pretty sure last night the chorus was something like...
Cause I'm gonna bring back my love to you
Gonna show you what love can do
Oh my darlin' (not sure if this line is in this version of the chorus)
If you just give me timeand it alternated with the snippet chorus which is...
Cause I'm gonna bring back my love to you
Gonna show you what love can do
Oh my darlin'
Say you'll be mineThe radio station snippet is the verse and chorus before the bridge...so we are hearing the build into the bridge. The thing about the song is that it has the sound of a hit. It's one of those songs that you hear and think "Gee I know that song, it's been a hit" when in fact it hasn't but sure sounds like it could be. I don't know how else to explain it, but that's the kind of vibe it gives off.
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claythleena wrote:
The gala was a very special night - one of the best Clay nights I've ever had. It was a huge feel-good experience. I loved the set list and could not believe Clay sang so many songs. This was the first time I've ever heard Clay sing all of "Invisible" live. What a thrill! At first, I was disappointed when Clay announced that Quiana would sing "My Grown Up Christmas List" because that's one of my favorite Christmas songs, but I must say she did a killer job on it. I wasn't sure what to think of the new song snippet - it sounded "old" to me, but upon hearing Clay sing the entire song live, I really liked it! The live auction was fun, and I loved hearing Clay read my number in the balcony during the dutch auction. DH and I also enjoyed the silent auction with several treasures to bring home.This trip was also special to me because my DH and son#1 were with me. We all were touched and inspired by the honorees and the gala in general. My DH volunteered that he was ready to come again next year! DS also. And here is another very important thing - marci (I hope I have the name right!) introduced Aspiegirl to me, whom I very much had wanted to meet, and was able to then introduce to my DS. The significance of this is that my 30 year old DS has autism and has met virtually no other adults with autism. This was such a treat for him! I noted that Aspiegirl does very well with eye-contact - something my DS does not do well. She shared her secret concerning eye contact with him. I love aspiegirl; she's such a sweetie! marci - you have NO IDEA what this meant to us! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I see that we need to find ways for DS to meet other adults with autism.
On a total other note: as long as one does not wear swimming attire, cutoff jeans, or a wedding gown to gala events, one will likely find others dressed similarly to herself. The dress varies widely! I was quite comfortable until waiting a very long time in the auction payment line when my feet started to really hurt. My shoes were comfy, but only for so long! Hopefully, they'll fix that one snafu for next year.
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ncwannabe wrote:
I'm absolutely exhausted, emotionally drained and physically ready to crash and burn. In other words, I had the time of my life!!!! Last night ranks right up there in the top 10 in the "quitepossiblythebestnightofmylife" category. If it were a CD, it would win the Grammy. If it were a movie, it blew the competition away for the Oscar. You get the picture!!!Everything has already been very expertly recapped with tons of details. Thanks to everyone who took the time to write. If I happen to think of any tidbits that haven't already been mentioned, I'll add them.
For now, I just wanted to talk about the single. The song in its entirety is gorgeous beyond words. Clay's voice simply wraps around the words and caresses them - at times so very tenderly, at times with a wistfulness that makes one's heart ache, at times with determination as it builds then ebbs and then builds yet again. It's sensual to the point of being palpable - like one can literally reach out and feel it on her fingertips.
It's filled with longing and vulnerability, and yet is somehow simultaneously commanding and assured. And all of these things can be portrayed via the subtlest of nuances in Clay's voice. This song was meant for Clay - it IS Clay. Pure and simple. It just is.
Oh, and btw, the man has swagger. In spades. And so he should. He's earned it.
***jasr9203 wrote
Okay time for a more, ahem, serious recap. It is hard to put into words what a marvelous experience the whole gala was. The honorees were inspiring and just such perfect examples of the Inclusion Project 's message and mission. And when Jonathan came out to speak and be honored, how heartwarming and inspiring to see this young man now working as a camp counselor at the Finley Y. I am nothing short of impressed to see how far the Inclusion Project has come in these eight years and how many plans there are for the future. And I can't imagine how personally gratifying it is for Clay to see his project take off and blossom the way that it has. i am sure its accomplishments have far exceeded what he could have ever imagined. And that warms my heart, to see someone have a vision, a dream, and have it realized. I am proud to see what my dollars are doing at the Inclusion Project.As for the entertainment portion, well lets just see I believe his joy and passion for performing have been rekindled. He was having lots of fun up there and performed the earlier songs with an energy that I haven't seen in quite a while. Invisible was just plain awesome and lots of fun to hear and see. Shirt tugs just for us- felt like a warm hug from an old friend. I Survived You- sang like someone who has conquered his demons and moved on. Sung with authority, not anger like a lot of his other performances. The Christmas songs were vintage Christmas Clay. Opening with All Is Well was hard on my nerves, lol, as he did bobble a note or two earlier in the song but then found his stride. As he sang more his voice got better. It was extremely dry in there which didn't help. Watching him watch quiana was fun. He is so in tune with the music, even when he isn't singing. Unchained Melody, well , it was Unchained Melody and he nailed the note and then some. Don"t Save it All, I have missed this live so much. And he did everything in the song the fans love, the low baby thats a fact, holding that high note on love towards the end, and when he sang it for the final time after Hallelujah, dropping the mike for the last few words. The new song- I was expecting a certain kind of song based on the snippet. Radio snippet is the middle and not real reflective of the rest of the song. It has a more modern sound than I was expecting. Kind of in the vein of Bruno Mars latest song, IMO. He loves singing it , you can tell, and I must confess after he did the line about laying down like lovers do, I kind of went into the Aiken fog LOL. This song is radio worthy and I pray it gets the chance it so richly deserves. I fully expected that to be the end but to my surprise along came Hallelujah. Holy crap. I have always wanted to hear what he could do with this song, and boy he didn't disappoint. His versatility as a singer really came through, I am constantly amazed by how he uses that voice to convey meaning and emotion.
Bottom line for me is that last night, Clay Aiken came and he conquered. The energetic passionate performer who, I feel has been a bit downtrodden lately, has returned with a vengeance. The diversity of material that he performed just speaks to his level of talent, and how much he still wants to please us. There was something there for everyone. Such a beautiful experience from start to finish. So glad I was able to be a part of it all.
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Corabeth wrote:
We were in row J. Jerome came out and flattered us all on purpose because he had to tell us no audio, video and turn your cell phone off. Singled out Scarlett. I bet those two exchange Christmas cards *g*Lynda Loveland was the emcee again. The program started with Clay singing AIW. When I heard the notes, I Whispered to Invis " this is ambitious". It's such a hard song to sing at any time never mind first. He was kind of rough on a few notes but hit all the big ones. We Think he was stretching his vocal chords early.
[snip] The format worked well, in part because it was well laid out and also the smaller venue helped. All the honorees were great. The Walgrreens video moved me. Chris Burke has incredible enthusiasm and clearly loves Clay. He enjoyed the concert part. Jonathan,a former National Inclusion Project recipient and a boy who has benefited from the program is now a counselor. His mother did his speech and she was emotional. Emotional mothers always make me get a lump in my throat. Kevin Michael Connolly, the man born with no legs was an incredible speaker. I could have listened to him for another half hour.
The woman who organized and was responsible or for them being at Dragon Con was recognized for her efforts, raising over forty thousand. She was sitting with Faye. Jerry Aiken was kind enough to recognize my company's grant and asked me to stand. I did my best Kate Middleton wave. Other groups who have done great things with the capital campaign also were recognized as was a fan and supporter who won the BAF founders award. She passed away unexpectedly this year. Diane was touched by her and it showed. I thought Clay singing "As Long As We're Here" was appropriate at that point.
The auction was shorter. He said he couldn't fit in the Durham Bulls shirt but he did, even over his shirt and vest. But I think he is trim skinny now not just too skinny. When he had the big poster from TnT, it was five feet tall. He held it in front of him and made it look like he, how shall I put this, was poking it from the other side...if you get my drift. Then he covered himself and Kristy with it and out his leg up like he was going to hump her. He was feisty for sure.
The Dutch auction seemed successful. The new auctioneer did not seem to be able to see the audience well.
After the auction, we heard the first few notes of Invisible and couldn't believe it. He came out in the 2004 blue shirt which still fit except for some tightness in the shoulders.the crowd was up and dancing and singing. We got shirt tugs and leg kicks. He was in his elemtent.
When he said he was doing something else from that album, we guessed MOAM the song but when I heard the First few notes of ISY, I punched Invis in the arm. He nailed it. I think Q did "I Can't Make You Love Me" after that. Then he said the next song was what he and Jaymes had wanted for a single and I knew it was going to be "Where I Draw The Line". That was the RCA guy's choice too. We then got UM and a few Christmas songs and ending with DSIAFCD. Again, he was in his element.
He left the stage but we weren't going anywhere. He sang [his new single] BBML. [Bring Back My Love] I thought a few times that I liked the way the songwriter turned a phrase. The lyric that goes something like "lay with me like lovers do" is repeated a few times. The bridge has a driving drum but we were talking later that we hope the studio version sounds like that because I feel like I heard more strings in the snippet. I really, really hope that Renshae negotiated singing appearances for his TCA promo because that song needs to be seen live. The only part that I still don't like is that my darlin part because after hearing the whole song, the words and the music at that point don't seem to fit but it could be that his accent also has an impact there. I am not sure if radio will play it but it's strong enough to try, I think. As I told Invis tonight, nothing makes me happier than being wrong about something when the reality is so good.
They did Halleleuia and as much as I love Q's voice, I would have preferred a solo. He did a reprise of the end of DSIAFCD and I could t wait to turn my phone back on and call Topcat.
He was in excellent spirits and clearly loved performing tonight. We were on cloud 999 walking out of there.
Oh when he was auctioning the baseball jersey, he said if he could fit in it, the bid had to be $30,000 and he would wear nothing but the shirt If he got $50,000.
He also said sh*t twice tonight.
I could feel his excitement all the way in row J.
A comment from another fan: OK, when we are talking about "nothing but the shirt" what are we talking about not wearing here? And if he really meant nothing, why couldn't the fans all get together and raise the money? Where were the dirty minds? It is an embarrassment of fail.***
Deemer wrote: Auction 2 durum bulls jersey Aiken 1 on back says it is last or one of last things left- kristy says 10k start since last clay says he came down in *Heli* copter in it. Says he can't put it on it would look like a sausage casing. Someone bids 500 he says are you on crack?okay the bidding starts in earnest and Clay briefly does a hula with it. He then starts to try it on says if he can button it you have to pay 30,000! He is shocked he can! It isn't even tight. He says for 50 he'll put it on with nothing else. It goes for 30 thousand. I think he's relieved not 50!***
Auction 3 dinner w clay Aiken & friends 10 people asks how much it went for before --- 26 thousand someone starts with 5k. Clay is flirting; he is fanning himself when it gets to 45K he says this has got to be a nice dinner! When it is 57 to 58K he says he'll do both for 57 he the. Tells his mom that from now on it is at least 20 thousand to go to dinner with him.Auction 4 2 tickets to an event all he can say about is that it is in NY. And it is 9 yr to the day from the last day he sang on idol. It got to 22K but there was someone at 21 and another at 20. He said the 22 would get them but he would work hard to get a pair for 21 and work hard to get a pair for 20. But no guarantee
Then he brought out his own check for 2500 and said who else will send 10 kids to camp. Is 250 per kid. Got all who would say 10, 9 ,.... To 1 kid. Called out the bidders numbers as Kristy wrote down
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after auction Linda [who is at least 6 feet tall] is on and she says she thinks Clay is off doing something with his hair. Probably making it higher so he will look taller than her (he wants to be taller than her she jokes). Clay now comes in with blue shirt and tie and does invisible with shirt tugs as I described earlier.Then I survived you
Then a song he did every night on jukebox tour sung now by Quiana-- turn down the lights...(is that the name ?)Then the song he and Jaymes wanted to be the single from "On My Way Here"
Where I draw the lineSays Ben picked set list. He is the devil picked all the songs with high notes.
Now UM --his TNT version!!![Then his favorite but after practicing the though it was off and realizes it was Jacobs arrangement ( instead of "All Is Well" version) -- Emmanuel
After Quiana sings grown up Christmas list. Clay sits on stool be side and is clearly enjoying this.
Then don't save it all for Christmas day he makes some comments about after watching him this year you may change your opinion of him he says you will see the Kid gloves come off. So we think this is the end after don't save it all and cheer to get an encore. Oh the encore is the new single. Bring back my love--- just fabulous Then a song he has wanted to sing. It is with Quiana and she just learn it. They have it written on papers on the floor Halleluiah. Sings different words than Lwe DeWyze's version so I'm a bit lost for that song. ... Then a reprise of don't save it all with the big note again. Awesome.Okay end of my version of war and peace. Some jokes i did not catch Maybe others remember
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Brightstar wrote:Haven't read back, other than to answer the above question I saw.
Tonight.
Wow.
Before I went, I knew the gala would be great. Shortly into the night's program, I knew it was going to be wonderful. About halfway through, I knew it would be amazing and unforgettable. I mentally dubbed it the OMG Gala.
At the end, I felt like it was all an incredible dream. The best dream ever. I'm floating on a cloud of elation and joy, and I don't ever want to get down.Wow.
Some of my favorite parts:
The honorees were real highlights. Great and extremely inspirational.
We got classic auction Clay, so funny and entertaining.
Quiana was fantastic. Especially loved "My Grown Up Christmas List".
Clay was gorgeous. He owned the stage. And he owned the audience. I think he knew he had this wonderful gift he would be presenting to us gradually through the evening, and he was enjoying every moment of it, knowing the next part would top the last, over and over and over.
Invisible. I love, love when Clay sings this song. I was squealing with delight when he came out in the blue shirt and the first notes of the song were played. It was like we were transported back in time, with the younger Clay's spirit and energy and enthusiasm--and moves---in current Clay's mature body and solid self confidence and self knowledge.
It was hot.
He had all the old moves--the shirt tug, the kicks, the backward skips. He played us like a violin, we gave him all we had, and I think he loved it as much as we did.
He wasn't the only one transported back in time--I became my old squealing fangirly self from years back. Screamed myself hoarse. Apologies to all around me. :)
As Long as We're Here--one of my favorites on "On My Way Here". And what a treat to get to hear "Where I Draw The Line"!!
"O' Holy Night" had me on my knees, and Emmanuel had me on my feet. A thousand different standing O's.
Loved when he said ISY was his favorite from MOAM, and he sang the shit out of it. Back in time again, with the hot, hot, new-old Clay. And this Clay confidently sings the "damn", not because Clive wanted it but because it was right for the song and him-in this moment.
Hallelujah--I've hoped and prayed that I would get him to sing this song. Such a dream come true. Soft, nuanced, yet powerful, and very, very sensual. If I'm asleep, please don't let me wake up! I simply can't express how much I loved it.
And then the new song. Romantic, also very sensual. Beautifully sung and incredibly good. To me it had retro vibes but still fit in today's world. Sung live, this song is a killer. Trust me on that.
And these are just a few highlights. It was a long program, full, rich, and jam packed with so many great moments. Treasures.
Life is so damned good with Clay Aiken in it.
eta:
We were sitting far to the right but close to the stage. We could see Clay on the side, off stage, taking pictures or video of Quiana while she sang one of the songs. So cute!***
canuck2010 wrote:
I'm finally hitting the sack and I'll likely just post some tidbits as I remember them.The new song- wonderful lower register and soaring. Quickly builds up -great bridge. Could be a super hit if given half a chance, I hope he gets a chance to sell it live in promo appearances. It rocks.
I talked to Diane Bubel, Aron, Jerry Aiken and Sean and told them all to tell Clay that it was the best ever and he had to do it again next year. Diane said, when I said he was on fire up on that stage' that he had been 'on fire' all weekend -so much so that she thought he was going to explode.
Aron was thrilled with everything. Jerry Aiken told us that Clay added two songs to the playlist , he thought because of the generosity of the fans, he was blown away and was so happy.
Sean said they were all excited because of the fun of playing the old songs and they were really having fun.
Clay is so obviously excited about TCA. He teased us all night long. It was a hoot.
I'm throwing my high heels away.
More when I think of something.
I don't think I mentioned that he was f---g gorgeous last night.
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AnAmeraikenInTX wrote:One thing I'm not sure I saw in recaps above, and I definitely could have missed it, is that Clay seemed to really be enjoying doing those earlier career songs as much as we enjoyed him doing them. He rocked right along!
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happyclayday wrote:
The most awesome night of my entire life! I don't know what else to add that hasn't already been said. He was gorgeous, funny, sexy...what a man!
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CravingClay wrote:
It was BEYOND AWESOME!!!!Clay was really "on". He was happy, snarky, gorgeous, and confident.
Loved the old songs, the Christmas songs, Hallelujah.
Quiana was wonderful (although I love Clay singing "My Grown Up Christmas List" and "I Can't Make You Love Me" even if he thinks she does them better).
The new song is just fantastic. I loved everything about it and I immediately wanted to hear it again. The lyrics that were repeated several times were something like "laying down like lovers do." And the beginning lyrics as much as I can remember were: "When I was young, I saw the future in your eyes." Something like that.
"National Inclusion Project" made a lot of money. Clay and Dianne seemed really excited about the 2 new board members, Dr. Sapperstein and the other gentlemen (can't remember name) who was there. My daughter particularly enjoyed the live auction, something she had never experienced before.
So many standing ovations, lots of screaming (like the old days), singing along with Invisible.
Great fun! Thank you to our angel for making it possible!!!
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artquest wrote:
Cute story from Aron. He met his wife while working at the YMCA camp. They both knew Clay and asked him to sing at their wedding.this
Was pre-Idol, Aron said, and you know what Clay looked like. He showed up at the church, and Aron's family whowere extremely knowledgeable about music took one look at Clay and thought, no way. And then he sang, and that was that***
Another little bit from the concert: Clay really loves listening to Quiana sing. When she was performing, he was sitting in the dark behind Ben's piano, completely in the moment with her. His shoulders moved when she did something he especially liked, or his very expressive hands made gestures that seem tied to the notes or the lyrics. I was mesmerized.
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cindilu2 wrote:
[snip] It was one of the best nights of my fandom. Maybe even the best. Oh my f--ing god doesn't really do it justice.Did anybody mention Clay's Ripacrite reference? That boy might forgive, but he never forgets. Just in case it hasn't been reported... I can't remember verbatim now but when he talked through most of his and Diane's opening remarks, he said something like 'I'm stealing all the lines just like K R', and of course it got a gasp/laugh from the audience, and then Diane moved to put her hand over his mouth. : It was hilarious.
And Invisible - IMO, that is the first time since the AI2 tour he sang it like that, with the high 'smartest man's - - it was so awesome. They even finished with the electronica 'Wait, I already am.' And what a joy it was to see the fans on their feet, both spontaneously and in ovation. I hope he felt the waves of love and appreciation in that room. I know I sure as hell did.
I was unspoiled for the new song, and I have to say, I have no idea what will or won't happen as far as radio goes, but the song is gorgeous and he sings the shiznit out of it. Loved every second of it. That, combined with the glorious Hallelujah right after, and then a reprise of the last chorus of "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day", with the HIGH 'Find a way' (my favorite version). Well I truly felt when I left that theatre that I could die a happy woman. My boyfriend gives goooood concert.
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goldarngirl wrote:
I did not see any professional cameras, other than a photographer....I will say that all of the clackgatherers that I saw during intermission and after had been nashing their teeth that they were unable to capture this night for you. I said next to canfly172 and every once in a while we would look at one another in resignation and sorrow that this was something that was gone forever. I am hoping this is a one of due to TCA and not the forecoming norm.-The above was glaned from message boards
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