Monday, December 10, 2001
His show was divided into six segments, each highlighting an aspect of his career.
By JOHN PATRICK GATTA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- If anything, the Tony Orlando concert Sunday evening at Stambaugh Auditorium proved that you can't count out sentimentality.
A (very) near capacity crowd was on hand for a performer who admitted early on that he hasn't had a No. 1 single since 1977.
And it was the affection for his material of old coupled with Orlando's winning smile, twinkle in his eye, enthusiasm for his work and showmanship that, ultimately, rewarded the audience for its interest.
The overall effect was Las Vegas by way of Branson, Mo., Orlando's home for the past nine years and an unlikely place for a series of entertainment theaters.
He immediately ingratiated himself with the older-skewing crowd by making light of his added girth. "I'm 57 years old, and if you don't have one of these by my age, then you're not an American," he said in reference to his large stomach.
Segments: The 90-minute show was split into six segments that accentuated various aspects of his 40-year career.
Orlando immediately highlighted his hits such as "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree," "Candida," "Knock Three Times" and "He Don't Love You." At that point, one couldn't be faulted for wondering where he could go next. Even megaselling acts spread out their most popular songs throughout their set or save the big numbers for the very end in order to keep concertgoers from making an early exit to the parking lot.
Orlando then focused on his early doo-wop days singing on the roof of his building in New York and then a couple numbers -- "Spanish Harlem" and "Stand By Me" -- from the hit Broadway musical "Smokey Joe's Caf & eacute;," which he starred in two years ago. The show highlighted the catalog of songwriters Leiber and Stoller.
Next, it was time for Orlando to step away from the spotlight, slightly, and let it rest on his five-piece band, which included his youngest brother David. Keyboardist-guitarist Cary Cole sang lead vocals on four numbers including Willie Nelson's "Always on My Mind" and Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love."
Orlando then used his acting and improvisational skills when he brought Carl Davis of Hermitage onstage to sing "Roll Out the Barrel." Davis proved to be a good sport and an amiable foil for the singer's directions.
Christmas songs: Later, Orlando talked to a man in the audience who looked just like Santa Claus. As it turned out, he was the "real" Santa. The sketch made for a nice segue toward holiday-themed material.
With the Stambaugh balcony and stage decorated with evergreens and lights, it was only a matter of time before we heard "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," "White Christmas" and other familiar fare.
For someone who was selling T-shirts emblazoned with an American flag and "Salute to Veterans" on it, it came as no surprise that Orlando concluded with patriotic material.
He first presented a song he wrote Sept. 12 called "American High Rise." The native New Yorker, who grew up 40 blocks north of where the Twin Towers stood, vowed that the purchase of the song from his Web site (www.tonyorlando.com) would go to victims' families.
He ended the night with Neil Diamond's "America," a song about immigrants coming to this land and the excitement of carving out one's niche despite obstacles. With a multitude of ups-and-downs and changes in his own life, Orlando, the son of Greek and Puerto Rican parents, is well aware of the song's outlook.
He acts as if he regrets nothing, and the happiness he displayed during his performance couldn't help but be infectious and overwhelming.