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 Posted
on Thu, Nov. 07, 2002
Mellow-yellow evening of Sixties sing-along
By Bethany Klein
For The Inquirer
It
is a rare and special treat when a musical idol plays to a small,
devoted audience in an intimate venue.
Fans
attending the first of Donovan's two sold-out nights at the Tin
Angel on Tuesday savored every moment of the occasion.
The
folk-pop troubadour's lengthy set included nearly all the Greatest
Hits, among them "Colours," "Sunshine Superman"
and "Jennifer Juniper." But the Scottish-born Donovan
made room for some less-exposed songs, such as "The Enchanted
Gypsy" and "Isle of Islay" from A Gift From
a Flower to a Garden (1967), plus a pair of new numbers.
The
56-year-old's interest in children's music was obvious in the
form, if not the subjects, of the lively, interactive performance.
He was a storyteller, weaving tales of the Beatles and the Maharishi,
good-looking "birds" and pot raids, throughout the set.
His account of writing a couple of lines for a Beatles tune even
afforded the opportunity to play "Yellow Submarine."
Early
on, the amusing performer engaged the crowd to sing along, and
he didn't have to ask twice. While it was unfortunate that some
were forced to endure simultaneous performances of vocally challenged
neighbors, the gloriously silly sound of those who accepted Donovan's
command to "be the orchestra" during the instrumental
break of "Mellow Yellow" was worth some minor irritation.
Donovan's
folkier offerings were a better match for the guy-with-guitar
treatment than his rock-leaning songs, though both sides found
fresh potency in the performance. You could say that the "Season
of the Witch" passed through Old City this week, casting
a spell that ticket-holders were happy to be under, clear through
the fourth and final encore.
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