concert turnout a definite tribute to Olivia's talent and popularity
Ordinarily I agree with 80 per cent of Joe Sornberger’s opinions, but obviously last week some gastronomic disturbance must have colored his comments on Olivia Newton-John’s concert (Olivia deserved bigger crowd, JOURNAL, Aug. 20).
Firstly, far from being “boring” and “too long,” her opening number held 13,000-plus people literally spellbound (as the extended applause from the audience not someone of the professional critic genre testified). And two 10-minute ovations from an admittedly more sophisticated Edmonton audience than pre-Coliscium days should count for something.
As for her concert deserving a greater turnout: granted, this is true. But it ought to be pointed out that her crowd was a good 1,000 more than either of the two “sellout” Beach Boys concert crowds and the “sellout” Chicago crowd. Considering the fact that the concert was hardly advertised until the last two days, the turnout was a definite tribute to Olivia’s talent and popularity.
Carmen Meckle, Edmonton