One of the reasons Aiken says he continues to do an annual holiday tour is to celebrate those who support him -- "(The tour) has become our own Christmas tradition."
As I read this article in the South Bend Tribune on Sunday, it made me stop and reflect on this section specifically. It's true that it has become a tradition for Clay Aiken to do a Christmas Tour. This year is officially the 4th year in a row Clay has done a Holiday Tour for his fans, but for me it is actually 5 years running that I've seen Clay in concert in the four week span between Thanksgiving and Christmas. In December 2003, I attended my first Clay Aiken concert. It was Santa Slam 2K3, a concert at the Pepsi Coliseum in Indy sponsored by a local Top 40 radio station. A number of artists performed that night: Josh Kelley, OAR, All American Rejects, Black Eyed Peas, and ending the night was Clay. He only sang 3 songs (none of which were holiday songs), but it felt so awesome and unreal that I was seeing him for the first time live in person, not just on TV.
2004 was a memorable Christmas season as well, when I drove to Chicago for the first time ever and saw Clay at the beautiful Chicago Theatre with my concert buddy Amanda. I also met who is now one of my closest friends, Mindy, at that concert, and realized that there were Claymates besides me who weren't over the age of 50, lol. Hearing Clay's powerful voice belt out classic Christmas songs was so beautiful, especially the final glory note in "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day". A local children's choir sang with Clay as well, which was sooooo cute!
2005 was another trip back to the Chicago Theatre for "Joyful Noise Tour 2005". It was another fun couple of days in Chicago with Amanda and Mindy, and the concert was different, more of a musical than a concert. It was a play written by Clay (no pun intended, lol) that centered around a lonely woman who had lost hope in Christmas because her husband had died and her children were grown up and gone. She finds hope again through the help of a neighbor boy who helps her realize the true meaning of Christmas again. Christmas carols were intertwined through the play and it was really different but really good.
Last year, Clay came to Indiana for the first time for a holiday concert, and Amanda and I once again made the road trip, this time to Merrillville. Mindy joined us again as well, and we enjoyed a longer haired Clay sing beautiful Christmas songs and hymns and hit the glory note in "All Is Well" for the first time!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVZb1opZMQY
So as Clay kicks off his 2007 "Christmas In The Heartland Tour" right now in Wichita, Kansas, I look forward to another Christmas concert with Clay on Wednesday in South Bend. It will be memorable for me as I will be enjoying it from the front row, and I'm sure there will be other parts of the concert that will be unique, as each Clay concert is. But while this christmas tradition continues, another comes to an end this year. This will be the first year I don't wake up Christmas Day in my parents' house. Now that I'm living with my aunt, I will wake up to my 6 yr old cousin screaming as she opens her many presents from Santa. It will be weird to not spend it with my mom, dad and younger sister, but yet it will still be with family, which is the best way to spend the holidays.
All Is Well!
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