Olivia Wows Coliseum Crowd, May 18 1975 Wisconsin
By DONALD DAVIES Of The State Journal Staff
Olivia Newton-John, the hottest musical property on the American scene today, with the exception of electronic guitar stock, gave a good indication why in the Dane County Coliseum Sunday night.
The Welsh girl with Australian upbringing sang up a storm for the overflow crowd of 8,600 fans a couple hundred buying tickets for restricted-viewing seats almost behind the stage and did it after being treated in the afternoon for a bad throat.
It didn’t show during the concert.
She could have filled her half of the two-hour program with the more mellow ballads that pop/country fans all seemed to want to hear, such as “I Honestly Love You,” “Have You Never Been Mellow,” “If You Love Me Let Me Know,” “If Not for You” and “Let Me Be There.”
She did sing all of these.
But she also bounced into the evangelistic fervor of “The River’s Too Wide,” pounded tambourine and rough-voiced “Brotherly Love,” shouted through the jukebox lament, “Please, Mister, Please, Don’t Play B-17.” even did an English music hall rouser.
“You’re Driving Me Crazy,” and then belted the cornerib out of “Country Girl.”
She threw in “You Are My Sunshine” as part of the inevitable sing-along that seems to come with every ticket these days.
And, surprisingly, did one for the older troupers, a ballad from the 1940s or thereabouts, “Nevertheless I’m in Love With You”
Not really a surprise because the older generations were represented in the diverse audience, which while decidedly young had many pre-teens (all with cameras) and also some grandparents (some with cameras.)
Miss Newton hyphenated John, who won a Grammy Award this year for the best single and was Country Music’s Female Vocalist for 1974 among various awards and five gold records, has more than just her voice going for her (which, by the way, while not a distinctive talent, works well with just about all types of music.)
She’s a “lovely bird,” as they say in jolly old England (or Australia) a vivacious lady who parlays a wide-of-eye, tossled blonde hair, sparkling smile, freshly-scrubbed look into a bubbly and wholesome stage presence, appearing decidedly dainty in colorfully decorated denim jeans.
She’s a female John Denver, but dances better, and her country/pop arrangements are the best. It sort of makes you wonder if David Cassidy hasn’t come back under new management.
The group that backed her Sunday night was the six-member This Oneness from Minneapolis.
By Livvy was only a part of the reason for the evening’s fairly high entertainment level.
Olivia performs concert at Dane County Coliseum, WI, USA, May 18 1975. Now known as Veterans Memorial Coliseum.