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ANAHEIM, Calif. - Disneyland's Easter week entertainment policy turned to contemporary music groups to lure patrons and compete against teen-oriented shows running at the Anaheim Convention Center and at the Hollywood Bowl, home of the Teen Age Fair.
Bob Jani, Disneyland's entertainment director, slotted a groups of chart-riding pop groups around the huge park to perform in locations housing the most popular attractions.
Consequently, the Baja Marimba Band, and the Cowsills worked on an excellent stage in the Tomorrowland area, with the Lovin' Spoonful alternating with the Mustangs, one of the park's house bands, on the Tomorrowland Terrace, located on the other side of a huge missile ride.
Adjacent to the Small World ride, where the park has opened a new live talent facility, the Five Americans from Dallas held the spotlight.
Some 20,000 filled the park on the opening night, Monday (8), with park officials estimating close to 250,000 visiting the facility during the Easter vacation period.
The park's entertainment is geared to a teen and above audience - there are four times as many persons over 12 years old visiting the park evenings than there are children.
Since pop groups work three shows a night, their sets are relatively short. The driving rhythms of the Five Americans propelled a good number of young dancers while the Lovin' Spoonful's musicianship drew a much larger audience to hear their blending of a pop and country sound. The Lovin' Spoonful's following clapped in rhythm and mouthed the words to many of their record hits while dancing.
The Cowsills family and the Baja Marimba's ensemble playing, worked in the largest audience area - 1,400 seats before the Tomorrowland Stage, whose loudspeaker system was by far the best of all the outdoor locations.
Julius Wecheter and his eight Baja associates blended a happy brand of Dixieland - based on a frontline of trumpet, trombone, flute and marimbas - with their own commercial version of Latin music. They drew considerable laughs from youngsters and their parents with their sight gags and buffoonery.
The Cowsills' instrumental unit of five sons dipped deep into hard driving contemporary music, with a good contrast offered when Mrs. Barbara Cowsill and her daughter Susan, joined the family on "In Need of a Friend" and "We Can Fly."
Disneyland's own house groups, Bill Elliott's 10-piece dance band, the Clara Ward Gospel Singers, and two Dixieland bands: the Levee Loungers and Young Men From New Orleans, provided the attraction for adults.
According to talent booker Jani, this summer will mark Disneyland's heaviest investment in popular music acts.
- ELIOT TIEGEL
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