Superstar Olivia wows 14,271 fans (Olivia at the Allentown Fair)
This was one of the newspaper clippings used in the opening sequence of Olivia’s Physical concert shows and the associated videogram.
By Dan Pearson Of The Morning Call
Australian Olivia Newton-John, considered the best female country music vocalist in the nation, opened the musical shows of the 1975 Allentown Fair last night by packing a total of 14,271 patrons into the track and grandstand seats and receiving standing ovations from her adoring fans.
Backed by a six-piece combo called the Dreamlovers, some of whose members doubled as chorus, the blonde blue-eyed singer captivated the audience with renditions of recordings that have placed her at, or near, the top of many rating charts: “I Honestly Love You,” “Please Mister, Please?”, “Let Me Be There” and “Follow Me.”
Recalling her appearance at the fair last season, Olivia said she “almost drowned to death” during a thundershower that drenched the stage. She expressed appreciation for dry weather last night, but complained of the heat “that keeps making the strings (on the guitars) go out of tune.”
Fair officials said the box office gross of $82,330 for the two shows was the highest ever recorded for a one-night stand. Fans who wanted to hear Olivia had to be there last night. By tonight she will be in Denver.
There were 6,638 people at the 6 p.m. show and 7,633 at the 9:30 p.m. performance.
Olivia has improved her style considerably over the last year, and her new albums and many television appearances have all helped to make her a superstar.
Because she has a soft dulcet style of singing ballads, some critics doubt that she has a voice as strong as that of another Australian warbler, Helen Reddy. But in “Honey Pie,” composed by the Beatles, Olivia shows that she can really belt a number. She also shows a comic ability as she burlesques the song played in a lаррег period tempo.
Attired in a bright red jersey and Ught blue-jeans with Lil’ Abner-type patches, the performer is stunningly attractive. And her ample charm compensates for all of her little jokes that fall flat.