Over 9,000 Attend Opening Performance of SPAC’s 5th Year

by Marilyn Nason, The Post-Star, June 15, 1970

Dionne Warwick Appears

The attendance of over 9,000 for the performance of Dionne Warwick to launch the fifth season of Saratoga Performing Arts Center Saturday night attests to the popularity of this dynamic female vocalist.

Last September, 4,500 braved 40-degree rainy temperatures to watch the equally-brave Miss Warwick, although visibly shaking with the cold, wow them with her great singing.

No Intermission

And Saturday night, she did it again. Because of the dampness of an early June night in the SPAC setting, this fine star agreed to do the entire show without an intermission. And for a singer who really works in delivering every song, this meant a lot.

As the first performance of the season, the usual sound problems cropped up repeatedly throughout the evening. One hopes this will be solved earlier another year, so the performer is not literally the guinea pig for adjusting and readjusting mikes and amplifiers, etc.

But, here again, Miss Warwick and her partners, the Constellations (three excellent young male singers) showed
their gracious “pro” talents, as they worked around the adjustments.

Miss Warwick sang just about all the hits for which she has become famous, ranging from “Walk On By” to “Alfie” and “Promises, Promises.” The audience was with her throughout the evening, recognizing every tune from almost the first note and applauding strongly for everyone.

She closed the show doing a medley of tunes with the Constellations, which she explained, dealt generally with “three healthy words:”; i. e. love, happiness and peace.

Full Performance

There were no encores, despite sustained applause from the audience, but Miss Warwick had given a full, excellent performance, so none could leave the amphitheatre disgruntled at the show.

For the fashion-minded, Miss Warwick (perhaps profiting from last September, when she wore a skimpy red gown in the cold night) chose a pantsuit of olive bonded knit, the pants and vest trimmed with rhinestones and fringe. Her long-sleeved blouse of orange-fuschia floral, was highlighted by a long front tab tie and the slits in the sides of the pants at the ankle showed a handsome pair of gold smooth leather boots with medium-heel.

Apparently, SPAC officials have decided to permit unlimited smoking in the theatre this year. Always in the past, ushers quickly cautioned those who “lit up” that there was no smoking in the amphitheatre, but Saturday people everywhere were smoking at will, often quite close to where ushers were stationed.