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The Cowsills were greeted at the Colonic Summer Theater in Latham last night with one of the most vociferous greetings I've heard from audiences all year.
They are, in case you don't know, a family rock singing group . . . mother, daughter and four sons who have become MGM recording stars. The father, a former Navy man, is the manager and according to all reports runs a taut ship.
WHAT The Cowsills have evolved is a pure, happy singing group who obviously love performing as much as they like each other.
They are dressed impeccably and their faces actually shine with wholesomeness which is a change from some of the rock groups I've been forced to listen to this year.
Their material runs from their own songs, through the best of their hit records and suddenly there's even an old Al Jolson number.
GREETED with piercing screams like those that used to greet Frank Sinatra, if you can remember that far back, the whole evening takes on the aspect of a family gathering with people sitting around in an oversized living room listening to the entertainment.
There is also an aspect of spontaneity, and if you know about these things, this means that rehearsals have been long and arduous.
The various members of the group switch instruments, take a crack at being vocal soloist from Mother right down to an 9-year old moppet named Suzie who has a voice that reaches the back seats.
THERE IS continuous byplay between the group that is infectious but not enough so that it gets cloying.
All in all it's a fine act . . . planned with taste and ability and it's little wonder that the group is so popular.
Last night the whole tent theater took on a psychedelic effect what with flash bulbs popping incessantly and the audience waving hello and receiving grins in return.
COME to think of it it's about the purest evening of entertainment that you could possibly see and nowadays that in itself is something of a phenomenon.
The next and last special at the Colonie is Gary Puckett and the Union Gap due in on next Monday.
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