Walmart Soundcheck Night - 1000 Different Clays on 1000 Different Televisions

Friday night around the country was Walmart Soundcheck night. The soundcheck was supposed to be played on all televisions, large, small, high definition or not, in the electronics department as well as on the monitors around the store. This was a satelite feed, so all Walmarts should have had this unless there was a problem.

A thread at The Clayboard called "Walmart Tonight" gave us a look at some of the people who were planning to attend as well as some of the stores who did and did not have the Soundcheck shown. Clay fans from Baltimore, South Jersey, and Warren, Ohio headed over to Walmart, some with plans to party with other fans. Claysangel1981 from Phila, OH figured that she'd be the only Clay fan there. WOWpoc at the Clayboard says:

I just heard from someone in Kentucky who is at her store - no Clay. Also another gal said none in her Wal-mart in New York and another in South Carolina - no Clay at their particular Wal-mart. The store claims it has no control over it. Apparently it is fed into their stores. Columbus has it and a Wal-mart in Michigan has it.

As for me, I headed over to one of the Walmarts in Sugar Land, TX to meet a friend who is as Clay crazy as I am. We were lucky enough to be greeted with big beautiful color pictures of Clay on almost every TV in the store! Now it is a totally awesome feeling to be surrounded by 20 or so videos of Clay in every size and color shade imaginable. It was like looking into a mirror which is looking into a mirror which is looking into a mirror....

My friend got there first and she found about 10 CD's there, so she fixed them so they were in the best places. Also, she said when she got there the sound was too low, so she turned the sound up on all the TV's. A little later, an employee came and turned them down. When the employee left, she turned them up again! How can you have a Clay concert with the sound turned down!! I stood there and took pictures and more pictures...I'm sure anyone who saw me thought I was out of my mind! But I didn't care! We stood there watching Clay for the whole time walking from TV to TV. I started to buy a TV to replace my dinosaur one that I have. They all looked so wonderful with Clay on them! But I didn't. Oh, we each bought another CD. We saw one person stop and watch the video, but that's all. From some of the comments on the Clayboard thread, very few people stopped to watch the video or buy CD's.

Clayshines gives a good report on the Clay Board thread:

My big night out! Here in Lewiston, ID Clay was on the tvs...big ones, small ones...he was on!!! I parked myself in an aisle and watched the whole thing! I did have them turn up the sound. There was only a couple of people who stopped and watched for a bit. But, many saw him as they passed the tvs! The sales people kept walking past me...heh...I wonder if I looked a little crazy or somthing! All I did was stand there and smile....honest!

They had been selling CDs. He had 4 slots in the endcap with several in each. And, he suddenly had a few appear in the front of the alphabetical area.. Their stock was much less than last time I checked, but still enough left to sell nicely.

Then I rewarded the time spent at Walmart by taking myself to Taco Time...

For me, and I'm sure others as well, it was a wonderful time, the best I had ever had in Walmart. For 40 minutes, Walmart looked better than it has ever looked before! But then again, what else can you expect from 1000 different Clays on 1000 different TV's!


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