John Denver Elicits Ovations at Saratoga
by Craig Wilson, The Post-Star, July 2, 1973
John Denver didn’t give a concert Saturday night at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
He created a mood.
Using a full symphony orchestra and several coordinated movies and slides of idyllic mountain settings, Denver succeeded in giving birth to a “natural high” at the amphitheater.
One of the movies depicted a mountain hike and campfire as Denver sang his hit, “Colorado, Rocky Mountain High.” Two screens on each side of the main screen showed still shots of mountain views.
The crowd was large and friendly and easily forgave Denver when he forgot the words in the middle of “Country Road.”
His songs of nature and open-air freedom seemed to blend in perfectly with the thunder and lightning which frequented the arts center that evening.
Some bluegrass banjo playing by one of Denver’s backup men brought great response from the crowd as did the three or four other songs by Denver which were coordinated with movies.
Denver returned to the stage after an almost too-long standing ovation to sing “Sunshine,” a song the crowd had been requesting throughout the evening.
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