Mr. Las Vegas almost became Mr. No Show Thursday night after an airline snafu threatened “A Very Special Evening With Wayne Newton.” But the singer and his orchestra went on with the Orono performance, 40 minutes late, wearing outfits and playing instruments borrowed from local businesses.
“We left Vegas at 9 a.m. Wednesday and arrived here at 4 p.m. today,” said the strapping, 66-year-old entertainer. “If you ever plan to fly Continental, don’t. They lost all our luggage and instruments [in New York]. The people there are the rudest, most inept group I’ve ever dealt with.”
After more than 30,000 solo shows and 12 overseas USO tours, Newton seemed unfazed by the mix-up. He apologized for his tardiness and remarked on the newly renovated Collins Center for the Arts.
The older women in the audience, far from a sellout, swooned at key moments such as when the singer loosened his black tie and later crooned his signature song “Danke Schoen.” One woman walked to the stage and showed the star a photo of him snapped in Las Vegas.
“I’ll take it to your room,” Newton said with a wink.Sounding raspy at times, the result of a cold or too many nights on stage, he sang “Vive Las Vegas,” “Mack the Knife,” “Johnny B. Goode,” and the medleys “The Way You Look Tonight”-“Lady” and “Dixie”-“The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
The high point was when he played the banjo, two guitars, piano and fiddle. Rock bottom came with too many lame jokes, off-color and otherwise, which clashed with his love of God and country. The entertainer who invited every veteran in the house to stand and be recognized should know better. Before closing his 90-minute show (no encores, not even his 1972 hit “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast”), Newton showcased his two talented backup singers, Frances Lee and Darlene Garland. He also singled out orchestra leader Marc Atkinson, who tumbled off his borrowed drum stool and had to be helped back up.
This was a night to remember, in more ways than one. Danke schoen, ladies and gentlemen, for going on with the show.