Cocert Review
Schuylkill County Fair, Summit Station PA.
August 6, 2016
If you attended the Schuylkill County Fair in rural Pennsylvania on August 6, you were literally transported back in time to the 1970’s. For a $5 entrance fee, fair-goers enjoyed a day of carnival rides, arcade games, farm animals, pony rides, cotton candy and funnel cake. This was the last day of the Fair, and the Fair organizers had scheduled a concert by the world’s most iconic teen idol of the 70’s, David Cassidy, to close out the Fair with a bang that evening!
As dusk arrived, the lawn seats in front of the stage started filling up with fans young and old anxiously waiting David’s concert to begin. Shortly before 9:00 PM, the flashing blue lights of police cars could be seen making their way through the fairgrounds toward the stage area. Had David arrived? Yes! A loud cheer went up from the crowd after briefly sighting David as he made his way to his dressing trailer to get ready for the show and, as we found out later, for a brief meet and greet with one lucky fan.
Soon David’s band members were on stage making their final sound checks and preparations. It wouldn’t be long before the concert began. And then it happened – the band began playing, David was introduced, and there he was bounding onto the stage singing a rocking rendition of “Come On Get Happy!” And was everyone HAPPY, rushing the stage to get close to David as he sang and flashed that brilliant trademark smile.
Now I have been to a few of David’s shows, all in venues much larger than a rural county fair, so I was not going to be surprised if he toned down his usual enthusiasm and energy. That was certainly not the case. David and his band knocked the socks off this small crowd! Taking everyone on a musical journey through his life, he played Partridge Family hits as well as covers of songs that had a profound influence on him throughout the years, including a song his father taught him has a young child – “Day and Night.” He also paid tribute to musicians B.B. King and Davy Jones, and got the crowd to their feet with an exciting rendition of the Monkey’s “I’m a Believer.” No one wanted the night to end but end it must, and David and the band closed the show with his iconic hit “I Think I Love You.” As David left the stage, you could hear the crowd cheering for more, and David popped back on stage for one last wave goodbye! It was the perfect end to a perfect night travelling back in time with our iconic idol.
My favorite decade has always been the 70’s – for me it was a time of innocence and naivety. It was also a decade filled with amazing music. If you should find yourself longing to experience those happy days again and hear incredible music, go see a David Cassidy show. He and his band will magically transport you back to that special time in your life. I, for one, hope he never tires of performing!
Denise Radinovic
