Lawrence Welk Show Enjoyed by 7,000 at SPAC

by Marilyn Nason, The Post-Star, August 12, 1970

Performance of the Lawrence Welk Show last night at Saratoga Performing Arts Center for nearly 7,000 has to be termed one of the biggest sleepers of all the five-year history of the great amphitheatre—and what a show it turned out to be.

If anyone needs convincing of the impact and selling power of TV for entertainers, last night’s turnout is ample proof, for the stars of the famed Saturday night mainstay were warmly welcomed by a knowing crowd. A 96-year-old grandmother was even greeted in the audience like a family reunion.

As if the program weren’t enough with the Welk family the show also became a sustained tribute to Orie Amodeo of Mechanicville, who conducted the orchestra in probably the most informal fashion any conductor at SPAC ever assumed. He would start the orchestra in a number, then move to the edge of the stage to talk with friends in the audience or walk into the audience or offstage or even chat with some of the playing musicians. At times, he very definitely seemed uncertain of where they were in the show, but it didn’t matter a bit to the audience, a fair share of whom were definitely of the older school.

The familiar names of the TV show were there—Bobby Burgess and Cissy King, as fine a dancing team as has ever appeared on the SPAC stage, excluding the New York City Ballet, of course; Sandi and Salli, a singing duo of considerable personality; singers Bob Lido, Dick Dale and Jim Roberts; Arthur Duncan, dancer; Jack Imel, in a marimba comedy number that has to be one of the longest soloes ever.

The group sang danced, clowned, and made everyone feel the only thing missing from a typical Saturday night at the TV was time out for commercials to get the beer and pretzels.

The program certainly had another “first” in the length of the first portion, running two hours, but nary a soul left the
audience.

Several empty seats were noted when the second half started, but those remaining saw even more of the same wholesome entertainment which has made Welk a household word for 15 years. The show ended at 11:30 on stage but continued backstage for some time with a reception for Amodeo, his wife, daughter, two sons and mother given by many of his friends from Mechanieville who had purchased a block of tickets for the show.

On stage, he was honored with plaques from the Mechanicville mayor and the head of the Senior Citizens attesting to
his “Local Boy Makes Good” popularity.

His 8-year. old daughter, Jean, just about stole the show, when she came on stage to hear her father play the flute, one of the best segments of the entire show, then moved back to sit in the bandstand and later conducted the orchestra complete with baton.

The songs were all standard, and group singing and clapping encouraged.

Closing numbers were appropriate too, “Good Night, Good Night.”

There is little question Welk’s group will be asked back another year, with or without Amodeo. To say that SPAC’s backstage is open to all types of entertainment, as it must be, means the delightful, wholesome fare offered in ample measure last night deserves equal place with symphony, ballet and “The Doors.” The large crowd was especially surprising since the famed Fasig Tipton yearling sale opened last night, always a crowd pleaser.

Tonight SPAC’s stage is dark with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, returning tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. with the second all Beethoven program.