Flat Clay made a surprise appearance on August 3, 2007. He was the center of attention as he stood straight in the window of a hotel room, looking down at the audience, the orchestra and……..Clay Aiken.
The Pala Casino Resort and Spa was the backdrop for this interesting meeting of Clays. Just north-east of San Diego, Pala is one of the largest casinos and resort hotels in all of Southern California.
Clay was in the middle of his summer tour, nicknamed the “Soft Rock and A Hard Place” and was at Pala for the second of a four concert series in Southern California.
The setting for the concert at Pala was outside. The 2000 plus audience was in folding chairs and was surrounded on two sides by the large hotel. The rooms looked right out onto the concert area.
At one time in the concert, Clay joked that there were people “stealing” his concert by watching from their rooms. Angela and Quiana were looking up too and noticed Flat Clay. Real Clay was amused and joked about the cardboard cut-out that was keeping watch in a window on one of the top floors. Someone in the audience told Clay that Flat Clay went everywhere with her. Clay asked how he fit in the car and laughed when he found out he was folded in half and shoved in the trunk.
The next song on the playlist was “When I See You Smile” and Clay had fun singing it to Flat Clay…….it was almost a Love serenade. The audience was laughing and so was Clay!!
The Pala concert was wonderful. The setting was beautiful and the performance was incredible. Clay and his back-up singers were outstanding and the orchestra provided a professional backing for Clay. The audience was loud, supportive and gave more than one standing ovation to the performers. But when Clay sang “Lover All Alone”, you could have heard a pin drop in the audience. The cellist that night was particularly good and the entire song was amazing. The fans in attendance felt it was one of the best concerts of the summer.
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Did you attend a concert on the “Soft Rock and A Hard Place Tour?”
I wasn’t there but did see the Clack… one word…hilarious.
One of my favorite Clay moments over the years. Makes me smile. 🙂
Oh I sure WAS there that night! It was hilarious! That was my summer of excitement because I went to 8 shows on that tour! From TX to CA and ending in FL!!! Those were some fun days! Thanks for reminding us once again how much fun it was going to a Clay Aiken show!!
Wish I'd been there, Clay is hilarious, just love him! He's quite the entertainer.
We saw the SRHP tour in Philly and loved it. It was well worth the drive!!! Lover All Alone was a show stopper!!
I love how Clay talks with the audience, like family, He is so personable! His "Lover All Alone" feels biographical, especially towards the end. Clay is #1 in my book!
I so wished I'd been there to witness it all in person… But thank God for clack, I watch it over and over and over… Clay is truly the total entertainer!!! 🙂
Thanks Martha and Deona!!!
I was there that night, too. An awesome evening for sure…Thanks for posting!!
Sorry to say… I didn't get to see that tour but thank GOD for Clack. The ONLY tours I've been able to see him on was the AI 2 Tour & Jukebox here in Toledo. But will agree… he can/will be a silly goose quite often. The BEST part of when I saw him on Jukebox was when he was doing one of the banters about the different decades, he got all tongue tied & started laughing plus saying, "Good Lord!" First to admit, Clay is ONE of my many guilty pleasures!!!! Keep the posts coming!!
This concert Clay toured for was very special to me, I was blessed with my 1st meet and greet at the Greek theatre in LA California I went with my oldest daughter who was a senior in h.s we traveled from Sacramento via Amtrak and the bus..Was a long tiring ride as there was no way to sleep. LA was busy and the hotel smelled like dirt, but my daughter and I were so beat we didn't care. My meet and greet was later the next day. That day was a day there will etched in my mind forever..got to meet Clay and spend time with my daughter and meeting friends.
I've seen the clack of Clay singing to flat Clay but I don't think that I've ever seen a shot of the seating for Pala before. Looks like a really fun set-up!
I was at Pala and it was my favorite of the four in a row in Southern CA in 2007. It was like a big private party, with very funny banter, terrific singing, and a great audience, including those who had not paid but could not resist watching from their hotel windows. Since I had not been able to attend the 2006 Christmas concerts in the heartland, it was a time of absolute delight for me, and a special time of bonding with my daughter, who attended Pala and San Diego with me while we visited Sea World, The Wild Animal Park and the zoo each day before returning to L..A. so i could go to the Greek with a friend. That night Clay did a bus line and it was a thrill to touch his hand as he went by, thanking each person. He literally had to walk several blocks, so many fans were in line. And that was after putting on a fantastic show that must have required lots of energy. Fantasy Springs was cool, too, but Pala was definitely the highlight! Makes me smile to think about that wonderful summer! Thanks for bringing it alive again!