Columnist Spencer Patterson: Clarkson, Aiken fans voice disapproval

Spencer Patterson

Friday, April 2, 2004 | 8:33 a.m.

Spencer Patterson covers music for the Sun. His music notes column appears Fridays. Reach him at spencer@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-2309.

They shrieked. They shouted. Some even wailed.

Then, two days after Saturday's Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken concert, my review of the show ran, and fans of the "American Idol" duo really got emotional.

In the last week I've probably received more reader response to that piece than for the rest of my 2004 reviews combined.

The bulk of the feedback arrived via e-mail, much of it from parts unknown. Amazingly, many of the naysayers conceded that they were not at the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday.

How can a person dispute criticism of a show he or she didn't even attend?

Still, these out-of-towners tried their darnedest to convince me I couldn't have seen or heard what I wrote that I saw and heard.

Several took offense at my charge that Aiken's vocals lacked emotion.

"He is one of the most emotional singers to be found anywhere, and I think people like you don't even know the difference between singing and screaming!" one reader submitted excitedly.

The implication there seems to be that I sit around listening to Korn all day. Forget that along with my review of Clay and Kelly, my recent work includes positive reviews of Lucinda Williams and Erykah Badu, among other noted non-screamers.

Another reader reasoned that because Aiken is popular, he must be good.

"You would have to have been under a rock this last year not to know the magnitude of his fan base, sales, awards," she wrote.

Call it "American Idol" reasoning. Life as a giant reader's choice poll. Interesting, but also responsible for the success of Britney Spears, "Titanic" and the Olive Garden.

One reader wrote in to say that while she agreed with some of what I wrote, she wanted it on the record that Aiken has outdrawn Clarkson thus far, at least according to her unnamed sources.

"Clay fans seem to be making up 80 to 90 percent of this tour at every venue; the difference has been so major that most Clay fans are cheering loudly for Kelly too now so that her feelings don't get too hurt," she e-mailed.

I have to say, I saw almost as many homemade signs in the crowd for Kelly as for Clay. And that seems like an awful lot of trouble to go through just to make sure someone you dislike doesn't feel too badly.

By far my favorite reader response was the one titled, "Kelly Clarkson and your Ignorence."

It's so hard to take someone seriously when they accuse you of ignorance, and misspell the very word.

Nevertheless I soldiered on. The e-mail's author said she had a background in choral studies, a claim I have no cause to doubt. She then went to great lengths explaining why Clarkson is technically vocally superior to Christina Aguilera.

"Christina Aguilera has a huge talent but it is nowhere near as rich and well rounded as Kelly Clarkson's," she wrote. "I heard Miss Clarkson sing and sustain F sharp above high C and even G sharp above high C with amazing power for an entire summer performing every other day."

Not having had the benefit of a summer with the "American Idol" winner, I based my review on the show I actually saw. And while Clarkson might very well possess a greater vocal range than Aguilera in technical terms, she didn't prove it onstage Saturday night.

Ironically, I actually thought my three-star rating was gentle, possibly a bit generous. Keep in mind that it's a better grade than either Sting or Liz Phair earned, and those are two artists I actually listen to in my free time.

I guess it goes to show that along with their RCA record contracts, the two Idols already have a legion of hardcore fans, standing at the ready to defend their honor. And cry at their shows.

Music notes

All that jazz: Clark County has unveiled the acts for this summer's annual "Jazz in the Park" concert series at the Government Center Amphitheater.

Guitarist Pat Martino kicks things off May 8. Local trumpeter Bob Gurciullo and His Las Vegas Lab Band play May 22. Vocalist Marlena Shaw performs June 5. And Panamanian pianist Danilo Perez closes out the set June 19.

"Jazz in the Park" shows begin at 8 p.m. and are free to the public.

Nobody's perfect: Fans who turned out for Monday night's A Perfect Circle show at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel received some surprising news.

Earlier in the day the band canceled its concert because of what it described as an unspecified illness to frontman Maynard James Keenan. (Since then, A Perfect Circle has called off six other West Coast tour stops.)

Three of the missed shows have been rescheduled, but there is no word yet on whether the group will make up its Vegas appearance, or whether opening act The Mars Volta would remain on the bill.

Concert calendar: Highlighting a relatively quiet concert weekend in Southern Nevada: Ziggy Marley with Beth Hart tonight at the House of Blues, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels with DJ Hurricane at Bikinis Beach and Dance Club at The Rio and the "Aussie Invasion Tour" featuring the Vines, Jet, the Living End and Neon.

On sale

Reunited with Sammy Hagar, Van Halen plays the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Aug. 7. Tickets are $65, $85 and $125 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Mandalay Bay box office, at TicketMaster outlets, by phone at 474-4000 or at www.ticketmaster.com.

Jewel returns to town for a June 13 concert at The Joint with opening acts Anne Heaton and Ryan Cabrera. Tickets are $53.50 and $78.50 and go on sale at noon Saturday at the Hard Rock box office and through TicketMaster.

Morrissey performs at The Joint on April 17. Tickets are $55 and go on sale at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Hard Rock box office and through TicketMaster.

H.I.M. (His Infernal Majesty) stops at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay on May 9 with support acts Eighteen Visions and Kill Hannah. Tickets are $15 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the House of Blues box office and through TicketMaster.