Petula Clark Socks It to 6,200 In Wide Range of Offerings at SPAC

by Marilyn Nason, The Post-Star, July 26, 1971

Petula Clark picked right up where she left off three years ago on the vast Saratoga Performing Arts Center stage last night “really socking it to them,” some 6,200 strong.

And it still remains unbelievable how such a trained girl can sing so powerfully, hold notes in a wide scale range for a long period of time, move from high tempo, exhausting songs to a beautiful, slow ballad and produce a pure, sweet voice for the latter and an Ethel Merman-type belting sound for the former and do both equally well.

She sang the full range of songs, all her greatest hits, one by Tony Hatch, and others by the Beatles, Bread and Rod McKuen and all were sensations, although she really brought down the house with her singing of a selection from the rock opera, “Jesus Christ, Superstar,” which just happens to be the presentation tonight at 8:3 at SPAC in full concert form.

Also exceptionally great were “Hey, Jude,” “Downtown,” and “Going Out of My Head,” with her singing at the piano for this number.

Unlike Other Stars

Unlike all too many other stars who come to SPAC in specials, Miss Clark comes on at the start of the show and sings, talks, clowns and really works up a storm for the whole program. She is to be commended for this, for she doesn’t fake it. Every song is given the full treatment and I go back to saying how so much sound comes out of such a petite body is a mystery of show business.

She admitted at the outset this was her first American concert stop this year, adding her delight it was at SPAC. “I love to work in this warm, intimate little room,” she quipped in what was typical English humor throughout the show.

Unlike Peggy Lee, who is a straight, stand-up singer never budging from the mike, Miss Clark is all over the stage, sometimes standing at the mike to free her hands for considerable arm gestures and usually grabbing at the side of her skirt, other times almost running across the stage or again moving right into the orchestra sections.

Program Altered

She and musical director-pianist Frank Owens, conferred briefly before each number. Miss Clark admitted that “we’ve changed the program and are experimenting so I’m lost.” No one in the audience seemed to mind for everything she sang was excellent. This girl possesses a phenomenal voice, is truly a hard worker and if last night is any example, this latest U. S. tour should be a smashing success.

She was backed by a 25-piece orchestra, largely composed the area’s own Johnny Costa’s orchestra with a handful of her own musicians.

One thing she has definitely taken to more generally in her singing since her last SPAC visit is an intriguing, vibrato echo effect with her voice which she repeatedly used.

For the fashion-minded, surprisingly enough, she wore two gowns almost exactly alike in styling. The first in mustard
hue, the second in purple mosaic, the gowns were full-skirted with deep decolletage necklines, spaghetti straps, empire waistlines and short fringed jackets with lattice open-work sleeves. In each half of the two-hour program she shed her jacket early in the segment.