Carpenters Provide Refreshing Entertainment at Arts Center

by Marilyn Nason, The Post-Star, August 10, 1971

The Carpenters are proof positive that being wholesome and nice is no detriment to success in show business today.

Last night at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, they drew an amazing 18,000 of every age and were simply great. This brother-sister team, backed by four versatile musicians, sang all the songs they have become famous for, as well as several new ones. A particularly poignant new tune was “Bless the Beasts and the Children,” which, they explained, comes from a new Stanley Kramer film.

Karen Carpenter’s voice is pure, strong and full, emanating from a tiny gal who, of all things, also plays the drums. For the first part of the show she played and sang, then left the drums to another musician to stay at the mike for the rest of the excellent show.

Brother Richard at the electric chord organ is a handsome, nice young man with good voice and personality. For an hour, they played, sang, talked and were clean, refreshing and super talented, exactly as their records and TV shows have depicted them.

Welcome Sight

What a welcome sight they were on stage, with the sound not loud, over-amplified or distorted, yet strong and perfect for the SPAC stage and lawn.

For the fashion-minded, Karen wore a mocha crepe evening pant-dress with beige chiffon long-sleeved blouse. Richard was in white boots, pants and turtleneck shirt with blue jacket.

Opening the performance was Mac Davis, songwriter, singer, guitarist. Unlike the average ‘warm-up act,’ he was sensational. Alone on the stage, seated on a stool, he gave an hour’s worth of fabulous entertainment, getting such an ovation he even offered an encore, a real rarity at SPAC.

His songs included “In the Ghetto,” “Daddy’s Little Man” band “Home.” There is no question this man has a great future as a composer and performer.

SPAC management announced rock performer Leon Russell will appear Aug. 23 in concert.

Beyond Presstime

Since the Jack Benny-Henry Mancini Sunday night show ran well beyond press time, let me note that the second half found Benny, in tuxedo, prepared to give a violin concert. What a concert it turned out to be, as he played “The Bee” and “Flight of the Bumble Bee,” the latter with pianist Mancini offering a flute solo.

Benny and two violinists from the orchestra had a ball, with the comedian’s fabulous sense of deadpan timing coming to the fore. He told some hilarious tales of his 50-year friendship with fellow comedian George Burns and got a standing ovation at the end of the lengthy show.

Today at 2:30 p.m. the Philadelphia Orchestra will present a student matinee highlighted by the appearance of composer David Amram, who will discuss one of his latest works. The program, conducted William Smith, will include
works by Amram, Bach, Ravel, Wagner, Saint Saens, DeBussy and Dvorak.