2004-12-19
11:00 p.m.

Atlanta Clay

In this fandom, "Atlanta Clay" means this:

Two years ago around this time of year, we were going about our lives, preparing for winter, thinking about Thanksgiving, getting some early Christmas shopping done. All completely unaware of a geeky kid with bad hair and a shell necklace--and a voice that wouldn't, couldn't, shouldn't be denied--standing in line with thousands in Atlanta waiting for that one small chance, a few minutes to prove to a couple of judges that he was something special.

This was Atlanta Clay 2002, and, strange as it seems now, we didn't even know he was there.

One year ago, on a cold December weekend, Clay returned to Atlanta. He was now a multiplatinum recording artist. A media phenomenon. A pop singer who had surpassed all expectations for a runner-up of a talent show.

As he toured the country doing jingle balls and frosty shows, we marveled that he was no longer part of the Idol carnival and was appearing on the ticket with "real" pop stars.

We travelled to these radio concerts and stood through some awful performances for the luxury of hearing him sing 3 or 4 songs. Three whole songs! By himself! Not just a couple of solos during an Idol concert, or one song at Miss America, but three whole songs! And when he mentioned onstage that night in Atlanta that a year before he'd been sleeping on the sidewalk waiting to audition in that same city, we hugged ourselves (and each other) in joy at how far he'd come. We didn't know when or if we would get to see him again, but we cherished that moment.

As his set drew the largest cheers of the night, we were proud of our boy.

But when it came down to it, Atlanta Clay 2003 was still a boy, a boy fighting off illness in the icy rain of that December night in Georgia, a boy in jeans on an empty stage in a run-down theatre singing a few songs to a backing track at a Frosty the Showman concert for a local radio station.

(Robin, get your hand off there!)

This December, Clay returned to Atlanta once again. And the empty stage was now magically filled with an orchestra, two choirs, a grand piano, and his faithful backup singers. Instead of standing packed on the sticky floor of an old theatre, we were dressed in our finest and filling Symphony Hall.

This was his third successful solo tour of the year. We now knew what to expect of him in live performances, and yet, as always--ever since that first OMG!OMG!OMG!--we were awed and surprised by him.

Atlanta Clay 2004 was an accomplished and proven performer who impressed us with his musical sophistication and winning showmanship. Atlanta Clay 2004 was a stunningly beautiful, vocally amazing, emotionally touching man who was everything we knew he'd become and more than we dreamt he could be.

We can't even imagine what Atlanta Clay 2005 will be.

But we can't wait to find out.

--by Katynka

--Atlanta Clay 2003 photos by our brude Tony; Atlanta Clay 2004 photos by the ClackHouse's Invisible926.