Newton-John Comes on strong
Singer Olivia Newton-John is often accused of having a very unsubstantial voice and only one asset beauty. It is easy to form this opinion from listening to her records but it is not possible to cling to it after seeing her in concert.
Miss Newton-John’s show at the Greek Theater Thursday night, the opening of an engagement that ends Sunday, was surprisingly good. It is certainly one of the best middle-of-the-road concerts I’ve seen this year. Her detractors would expect that, without the benefit of record studio wizardry, her vocal deficiencies would he painfully exposed. But none of the anticipated flaws were in evidence Thursday night.
On records Miss Newton-John’s voice is tiny, frail and shaky and often seems on the verge of cracking. These problems are probably due to poor production and choice of material. On Thursday night, however, her voice had surprising strength. Her vibrato was dedicate and caressing and never faltered. The whispery quality of her voice, often appalling on records, was rather appealing in concert, undoubtedly because it was used sparingly and appropriately. She was supported by three female singers who expertly embellished her vocals.
Miss Newton-John’s repertoire featured all her hits. material from her albums hits by other artists, several standards and a few country tunes. Her best song was “As time goes By.” the magnificently melancholic theme from the film “Casablanca.” Not only does she deserve praise for her wistful rendition of this song but also for her taste in adding it to her repertoire.
The great Greek Theater orchestra, augmented by Miss Newton-John’s exemplary rhythm section, provided top- notch but subdued support. Few of the songs required booming orchestration so the musicians rarely had an opportunity to stretch out. One of these welcome occasions was on Gary Wright’s “Love 1s Alive.” This number would seem to be too thunderous and vocally demanding for Miss Newton-,John but, with the help of the orchestra, she gave it the robust interpretation it requires.
The crowd in the sold-out amphitheater was amazingly reserved throughout most, of the show and resisted her attempts to involve them. Possibly they were put off by her effervescence and clowning between numbers, which seemed a hit awkward and unsuitable for her at times. However, Miss Newton-John managed to win them over near the end of the show.
The evening opened with England Dan and John Ford Coley, who have become prominent recently because of the hit single I’ll Really Love to See You Tonight.” England Dan is the brother of,Jim Seals of Seals and Crofts, which might. explain why their material and style are similar to those of Sea1s and Crofts. Dan and Coley’s ballads were unremarkable hut their uptempo material, primarily because of the work of their sterling backup band, was praiseworthy.