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2005-12-23 - 8:49 a.m.
Trouble
Two weeks ago I went to see Ray LaMontagne in concert at The Tabernacle. Ray quickly became my favorite new artist of 2005 after I heard his album Trouble. If anyone needs a last minute Christmas gift, I definitely recommend it.
Ray has this rich quality to his music that at first made me think it was an old recoring of some artist long gone. I don't know how to describe his music, maybe bluesy folk, but I do know one thing, it feeds my soul.
Y'all know that I'm a crazy-ass Clay Aiken fan, but with Clay it's not about the music. It's his voice, his personality, his looks...heh. But the music, honestly, is like cotton candy. Now, I LOVE cotton candy, almost as much as Brett Parker, it's sweet and fun and gives you a rush, but it doesn't sustain you. Maybe that's why I've seen Clay 23 times in the past two and a half years. Ha!
I noticed at the 9 concerts I attended this summer (other than the 8 Clay concerts) that I'm actually spiritually moved at the shows. Especially at Tori Amos, Gipsy Kings, of course Ray LaMontagne, but even Weezer. They completely filled me with emotion, joy, pain, acceptance. I could have lived for days on the music alone.
At his show, Ray LaMontagne comes out with an acoustic guitar and a microphone. And that's it. It's pure raw talent. He says nearly a word, whispering "thank you" after each song and quietly telling us he loves us and hopes to see us soon at the end of the show. You really can't get more opposite from a Clay Aiken concert.
I told my sister after seeing Ray that sometimes for a second I wish that Clay would be an artist who writes and performs his own music, like the others I mentioned above, but then I realize that it would change him. And God strike me down if I wished for anything that might make Clay lose any of his dorkiness. Even if some of his song choices make me want to stick needles in my eyes, that cheesy man-boy chose them and it is what makes me love him.
News flash: Clay Aiken is NOT cool.
I'm hoping that his new album this Spring will have more substance than his debut album "Measure of a Man," but if it doesn't, I'm still going to be here. And in Michigan. And in Tennessee. And in California. And wherever I decide to follow him. Clay's music may be nothing more than cotton candy, but he is a meal alone. A huge piece of meat, some veggies that help you grow and see things more clearly, a large portion of corn, and a bit of fruit.
And just to prove it to me even further, I woke up this morning with an email informing me that I must see this from Clay's Joyful Noise Tour in Raleigh last night. (Thanks Kelly).
Star of Bethlehem. It's fan video of Clay singing a special bluegrass Christmas song for his grandfather who has Alzheimer's who was sitting in the audience. (Btw, I would totally be down for a Clay Aiken bluegrass album). You can hear "Papa" sing and exclaim "That's my boy!"
And that my friends has sent me into the biggest pile of mush, tears streaming down my face, and pouring a second helping of that tasty Clay Aiken Cult kool-aid into my cup. It's the man who feeds my soul. The fact that he has the voice of an angel is gravy.
God Bless you Clay Aiken. God Bless us all.
Merry Christmas and good eatin'!
Last night I...finished Christmas shopping!
