Article 1974-08-03 Wollman Skating Rink Theater (The), New York City, NY

SPRINGSTEEN SINGS WITH ANN MURRAY

Saturday's Schaefer Music Festival concert in Central Park suffered a severe case of audience division. Could Ann Murray, a mild‐mannered. Canadian folk‐oriented singer, overcome the heavier, even greasier sounds of Bruce Springsteen, a singer Whose star, in terms of audience appeal, appears to be in the ascendant? Perhaps it was a mistake to put Mr. Springsteen, who has been reviewed previously and is heavily into refashioning traditional rock 'n' roll into his own image, against Miss Murray, the headliner.

When Mr. Springsteen completed his performance, more than one‐third of the audience, the hard‐core Springsteen crowd, departed. Even during his performance, confrontations — his and hers — broke out among the assembled.

Actually, Miss Murray came on a little stronger. She is a singer who wears her Maple Leaf more in evidence than, say, Joni Mitchell, and appears to be trying for a little less folk and a little more soul in her act. She essayed some old rock 'n' roll and some, Carol King material, as well as her own considerable lineage of hits.

Miss Murray is thoroughly professional, carrying with her an elegant string section and a couple of women singers, the more properly to duplicate her recorded sounds.

Brewer and Shipley opened the program.

By Ian Dove via The New York Times.
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