David Cassidy on the Web
Cassidy charms Utah crowd after tedious opening banter
September 3, 2004
Deseret News (Salt Lake City)
By Sharon Haddock
DAVID CASSIDY, SCERA Shell, Wednesday.
OREM -- David Cassidy still has it; the moves, the voice, the charm.
When he sings and plays he's very entertaining.
But when he's just jawing the entertainment value drops way down.
Admittedly, Wednesday apparently was a very bad day for this veteran performer. He told the audience seated on the lawn at the SCERA Shell for the final concert of the 20th season he was not only devastated by the news of a dear friend's demise but worried about his family escaping the wrath of the latest Florida-bound hurricane.
He gave the Utah audience, liberally seasoned with die-hard female fans, credit for his being able to perform at all.
"I'm so blessed," he kept saying. "I love you all."
It's too bad he had a rough day, but there's a reason for a cardinal rule against opening up too much to an audience. Those who've paid for a show want a show, and they expect a professional to carry on, heartless as it sounds.
It's very hard to share the headliner's pain and later to wait for a very long, early intermission to be over.
Not to say Cassidy didn't do his job.
Dressed in a working white shirt and skin-tight black pants and boots and carrying a little Elvis attitude, he worked hard. He sang well.
He charmed his way through it.
His signature songs and the early Partridge family numbers were hugely popular. Old ladies all over the audience were on their feet and swaying to the beat.
"I Think I Love You" as the finale was a knock-out piece, much preferred over a bluesy version Cassidy sang earlier in the show.
"I Woke Up In Love This Morning", "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" and "Cherish" sent the ladies over the edge.
"Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone," done in the dark with spooky overtones, provided a nice change of pace as did the John Lennon impression.
Cassidy obviously knows why he's loved, and he catered to those who have watched his career unfold from the time he was Keith Partridge.
He's careful to keep pretty much to a slate of favorites, and he spends plenty of time acknowledging his fans.
He kissed the girls, admired the child, rapped about his early shows and joked about the fans who brought record albums for him to sign.
That's nice, but play already.
