Raleigh News & Observer Article (8/4)

Clay mania quiets down

By MATT EHLERS, Staff Writer

They once moved so quickly that thousands of fans would be disappointed.
But tickets to Clay Aiken's concert Friday at Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park in Cary have been on sale since the final week of April. Only a few of the 7,000 tickets were still available Wednesday morning.

Contrast this lack of ticket-buying hysteria with his appearances last year at the N.C. State Fair, when 6,000 tickets sold in less than 10 minutes. Organizers quickly added a second show and another 6,000 went almost as fast.

Is something happening to Clay Nation when a concert near his hometown doesn't sell out instantly?
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Dawn Graham of Fuquay-Varina, who laughingly describes herself as part of the "crazy Internet community" that follows Aiken, believes the slower-than-usual ticket sales can be blamed on a couple of factors.

One: Not all fans like to sit on the lawn. And two: There's a lack of familiarity with the Amphitheatre.

"Unless you live in Cary or go to see the N.C. Symphony, you really don't know it's there," said Graham, 36.

Aiken also hasn't been on the radio lately. His debut album, "Measure of a Man," was released almost two years ago. Internet fans might follow his every move, but regular folks could be wondering what he's been up to lately.

"As far as the mainstream, he's probably hurting a bit," said Kelly Marcks of Raleigh, who said she is not concerned about any dip in Aiken's mainstream popularity.

"It doesn't worry me a bit because the Internet fans are so strong," said Marcks, 32. She said the slower ticket sales meant fewer fans were shut out.

Amphitheatre publicist Teresa Franzen said fan Web sites had announced prematurely that the show was sold out. Not that it mattered in the end.

"No matter how you look at it," she said, "we're going to have 7,000 people."

The fanatical hubbub over Aiken may have died down a bit, but don't expect it to completely fade. Fans such as 20-year-old Laura McAllister of Wilson are already looking forward to Aiken's new album, which is expected in 2006.

McAllister spent part of an afternoon watching and rewatching a video clip on the Internet of his recent appearance on "Good Morning America," which included the new tune "Back for More."

"I'm addicted to the song already," she said.

Staff writer Matt Ehlers can be reached at 829-4889 or mehlers@newsobserver.