Roberta Flack, Crickets Give Concert at Saratoga
by Craig Wilson, The Post-Star, September 2, 1972
Lying on a blanket, gazing up at a star-filled sky and listening to Roberta Flack sing is about as close to heaven as a fan of hers can get.
Persistent crickets joined in as Miss Flack’s voice projected over the crowd and grounds of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Thursday night.
Dressed in a red, white and blue Afro gown, the black songstress gave a two-hour concert that seemed like 15 minutes. Pounding away at her piano, she “got into her songs,” throwing her head back and forth in movement with the rhythm.
The good-sized crowd, as mixed as her repertoire, included everyone from matronly ladies in long dresses to dungareed barefoot youth.
“Sunday and Sister Jones,” a southern folk song; “Frankie and Johnnie” and the popular “Somewhere” from West Side Story were just a few selections from her menagerie of soul, folk and popular songs.
Halfway through the show, Miss Flack introduced her talented back-up ensemble of six men. Ralph MacDonald, composer of “Trade Winds” and “Where is the Love,” which Miss Flack sings with Donny Hathaway, was among the musicians. Neither songs were performed however and were missed.
Miss Flack ended her concert with “But Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” and although many in the crowd yelled out “yes,” disappointment was evident since her million-selling song, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” was not included in the show.
The disappointment was short-lived however as she returned in her encore to sing the hit. Probably tired of the song, Miss Flack didn’t seem to put her all into her famous hit, but the crowd wandered back to their cars very content, having enjoyed the first time ever they saw her face at SPAC.
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