SPAC Presentations Study in Contrasts

by Marilyn Nason, The Post-Star, July 22, 1969

Combined Concert

A study in contrasts aptly describes the combined concert of Buffy Sainte-Marie and the New York Rock and Roll Ensemble last night at Saratoga Performing Arts Center with less than 3,000 attending.

For those who really are turned on by overamplified, noisy, rather seedy-looking rock and roll musicians, then the NY R/R Ensemble “was their bag.” But their portion of the show—unfortunately or fortunately depending again on whether this group is “your bag” or not—lasted far too long.

The concert started late—just a few minutes before 9 p.m. and by the time they got done with a 15-minute encore and intermission, it was 10:30 before the tiny Miss Sainte-Marie came onstage backed by four musicians.

She is an excellent performer. A Cree Indian, the diminutive girl has straight black hair down below her mini-skirted hemline, a rugged yet attractive profile and an engaging smile and personality.

The guitar she played was almost too big for her, yet she handled it well, as she did her interesting, unusual voice, whose range and quality she manipulated like a veritable instrument. At times, the voice was husky, almost breathless, at other times, true and clear and, again, strong, vibrant and able to “sock it to ’em” even to the far reaches of the lawn area of SPAC.

She wore a hunter green skirt and vest-bra top with calf-high white boots. Unfortunately, as 11:30 approached, the damp, cool air began to take its toll on much of the audience, again too bad in light of the fine, total performance Miss Sainte-Marie was still giving. Another time at SPAC, she should certainly be given the courtesy of being brought onstage earlier and following or preceding a better group.

At the outset of the show, the rock-roll group invited those on the lawn to fill up the seats in the amphitheatre, a wise, if somewhat dangerous move, since there were about 200 people sitting in the 5,100-seat theatre at that point and 2,000 clustered on the lawn beyond.

The audience, largely young and clad almost to a man in “uniform” of faded jeans, shirt, sandals or bare feet and long hair, was an excellent, attentive, responsive, orderly group, who came to enjoy.

In an informal poll during intermission, I discovered the “draw” among these young people was amazingly equally divided. As many said they came for the Rock/Roll Ensemble as did for Miss Sainte-Marie, a paradox to be sure. But regardless of their reason for coming, they were an excellent group, took their invited seats in the amphitheatre quickly and quietly and really were there to be entertained.

Some consternation followed the conclusion of the Rock/Roll Ensemble’s lengthy performance, when they followed the pattern set by so many similar groups in the past: ie., kicking over amplifiers and equipment in a frenzied close. Only problem apparently resulting this time was that some of the equipment kicked over and marred was expensive amplification units belonging to SPAC itself.

Several members of the New York City Ballet Corps were noticed in the audience for the early part of the performance.

Tonight, the ballet opens its final week of performances for the 1969 season. Next special event at SPAC will be Peter, Paul and Mary making a return visit to the theatre on Monday evening. Unless they’ve drastically changed their format recently, no fear need be raised by SPAC management that additional equipment will be harmed by them. They are true performers, like Miss Sainte-Marie, thank heavens.