Olivia Newton-John still strong at 60

By Mike BRADSTONE

Olivia Newton John certainly lived up to expectations by giving the near full house at the Musaeous College auditorium a night to remember in Sri Lanka singing songs that still linger in our ears.

Olivia Newton-John	Lanerolle Brothers

There were the not so famous and famous songs that she sang non-stop for ninety minutes with not a single boring moment. Setting the tone for the evening's performance with their excellent harmonies were The De Lanerolle Brothers of Sri Lanka origin giving the show the beginning anyone would dream of, singing four songs, certainly in the same league of the main act Olivia Newton-John. They surely did belong to the stage and owned it singing Amarillo, Spanish Eyes, Love me with all of your heart (which was my favourite) and another song.

Olivia Newton John was breathtaking and only had to carry from where the De Lanerolle Brothers left as she took us through a musical journey never to be forgotten. It was however evident that she was tired after stellar performances in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore not forgetting the night before in Sri Lanka as well! Newton-John brought out the magic by singing songs from her old and new albums opening with "Pearls on a chain".

At 60 she still looks good and sings so freely not to mention the lovely seven- piece group that gives her the will to do what she wants to modulating so well to her subtle changes. Cancer she said brought out the will to continue singing and what she knows best so she stormed us all with a dedication song "You never give up". It was so pleasing on the ear and eye watching and listening to the introductions she made to the songs some with a joke or two and what got the crowd going was when she sang a few songs from "Country music and Grease".

Songs such as "Let me be there, If you love me let me know, Country roads, a little more love, Jolene and physical were some of the songs that the audience loved.

The icing on the cake was when she got into her leather jacket to sing from Grease bringing in "The one that I want and ended with Summer Nights.

An encore was always coming and she obliged singing I "Honestly Love You" a fitting end to what was a fabulous concert. It was no surprise when the audience gave her a standing ovation at the very end.

One thought, that the concert could have begun a tad earlier though as the majority of the audience was seated from 7p.m. and we had Olivia enter only at 8.30p.m. but yet, she made up for all of that.

Newton-John certainly has not lost the charisma and voice and could easily go on for many more years. I would sum up the evening up by saying "Elegant, classy, graceful, entertaining and well-choreographed".