clay definitely wasn't joking when he said that all the mania was "frightening" during halfway home... he's really freakin out... but what a dear he is... anyway, look at this article, it's kinda nice... i'm happy with it... from http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/6/057557-3036-009.html American Idols' tour improves from 2002 If you're the type of person who's waiting for the "American Idol" craze to fade, this report will offer little hope. The second touring franchise of the Fox television series rolled through Indianapolis on Saturday, and there were notable improvements from the first edition's visit in November. By actually having top dogs Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken sing current hits and upcoming releases, the show boasted better preparation. Kelly Clarkson had a hit single last time around, but the final curtain fell without the song being sung. And while the 2002 show featured random Stevie Wonder selections in fits and spurts, the new production pays organized tribute to the Bee Gees. Of course, the biggest draw for the estimated audience of 9,500 at Conseco Fieldhouse was the chance to see Studdard and Aiken in the flesh. The concert's first half consisted of solo showcases for all nine Idols. For Studdard and Aiken, the tunes perfectly fit their personas. Studdard transformed the Carpenters' "Superstar" into a cascading volcano of soul, while Aiken nailed his easy-gliding ballad "This is the Night." The official competition went Studdard's way this spring, but Aiken is proving to be a bigger seller in record stores. His hot streak continued in Saturday's live setting, where he was quicker with a quip and stronger with a lyric. After an audience member tossed something past Aiken's face and into the carpet of dry ice that lined the stage, the singer responded with deadpan self-deprecation: "If those are somebody's panties, I'm out of here." Luckily, the item was a harmless knitted-doll likeness of Aiken himself. When the duo re-created the roles of Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney for "The Girl Is Mine," Aiken displayed twice the vocal range. Studdard failed to wow when attempting to generate excitement for his upcoming solo album. A sneak peek of "Live It Up" sounded like "Hip-Hop for Dummies" as written by Carson Daly. The song's best line -- "The party don't stop until we hit the IHOP" -- fell to a backup singer. For the rest of the "AI" players, this tour amounts to a public parade toward obscurity. oh dear, how i yearn to go for one of those concerts... i wanna hear them... posted by Yee 12:15 PM . . .
