David Cassidy on the Web
Cassidy turns back the clock for thrilling Musikfest set at Zoellner Arts Center
August 12, 2006
By John J. Moser Of The Morning Call
www.mcall.com
On Friday, Cassidy made a whole room of admittedly mostly older females at Lehigh University's Zoellner Arts Center happy by playing a Las Vegas performer.
Cassidy's 80-minute show in Musikfest's Performing Arts Series had all the hallmarks of the strip: shortened versions of 18 songs that ranged from Deep Purple's "Hush" to two Beatles songs, included a few of his solo hits and nine Partridge Family tunes (starting with the second song); and had plenty of between-song patter, crowd handshaking and some self-effacing humor.
That's really not a criticism; in fact, if there's a dignified way to age a teen idol's show, Cassidy found it: good-naturedly acknowledging his past rather than clinging to it. He even funked and jazzed up "The Partridge Family" theme song "C'mon Get Happy."
With his famous shag hairstyle now cut short and neat, wearing a white shirt and shiny black pants and still teen-ager thin, Cassidy was very much an entertainer -- joking with audience members and singing theatrically.
Backed by a four-piece band, he sometimes played lead guitar (as on opener "Hush"), but also did a six-song acoustic set including The Rascals' "How Can I Be Sure," The Beatles' "You Got to Hide Your Love Away" and his 1991 comeback hit "Lyin' to Myself."
He sang well, sounding just like he did on The Partridge Family on "I Woke Up in Love This Morning" and "I Can Feel Your Heartbeat," and hit the high note on his signature "I Think I Love You."
And many in the audience acted as if they were watching a teeny bopper. "You're hot!" someone yelled, and the crowd cheered.
Cassidy's between-song talks often sounded contrived, such as when, before The Beatles' "No Reply," he said of John Lennon, "I miss the man who wrote this and I got to know. I miss his spirit. I miss his friendship." Or when he said of "I Think I Love You," "I will sing this song as long as there is breath in my body." Or when he called Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" "One of my favorite songs of all time ... [it's] on my platinum album of about three years ago."
But his dedication of the encore, Johnnie Ray's "Cry," to his late father, actor Jack Cassidy, sounded sincere. And one couldn't help but think that Cassidy, who at 56 is older than his father was when he died, may be carrying his mantle now that he has left his teen idol stage behind.
