POP WEEKEND : Only the Hits: Roy Orbison at Disneyland

Roy Orbison was smooth, smooth, smooth Saturday at Disneyland’s Videopolis stage as he moved through a 30-minute set including many of his greatest hits: “Crying,” “Oh, Pretty Woman,” “Only the Lonely” and “Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream).”

Orbison was dressed in his signature black, his voice was a high, pure, lovelorn/love-struck cry amid the flashing lights and smoke that make Videopolis an attraction unto itself.

As good as Orbison was, though, fans would probably be better served by attending his upcoming Celebrity Theatre show or seeking out many of the other performers scheduled for Disney’s “Blast From the Past” at venues dedicated to music. Abbreviated sets and constantly shifting crowds do little to create an optimum performing situation. The only people likely to come away thoroughly pleased are the casual concert-goers looking to spend an evening with their families.

On that count, “Blast From the Past” works. Kids run from ride to ride as their parents try to pack in around the Rainbow dinner stage, where the Coasters (with group founder Charlie Brown) played three 20-minute sets that included “Yakety Yak” and “Charlie Brown.” For all the energy, though, the show seemed to be so much shucking and jiving for the yuppie set.

Because Disney goes for mass appeal, the edges of performances tend to get smoothed out. The sound is never too loud, and the mixes range from fair to good, depending on the stage. It’s easy to forget that this music was once the soundtrack of teen rebellion and parental nightmares.

In Orbison’s case, there was room for a few solid solos. However, the instrumental/background vocal number that opened his show could easily have been eliminated in favor of another Orbison classic.

Still, by the time Orbison began singing “Running Scared,” accompanied only by his guitar, he had the crowd screaming. As the band joined in, Orbison smiled, knowing he had triumphed. Once again, casual fans as well as the faithful had been touched. Even Disneyland couldn’t completely circumvent a great artist’s talent to make people feel their songs’ emotions.

Disneyland’s “Blast From the Past” concert series will continue with these shows: the Four Tops, March 26-28 at Videopolis; Gary U.S. Bonds, March 26-28 at the Tomorrowland Terrace; Little Anthony, March 29-31 at the Tomorrowland Terrace; Frankie Avalon, April 1-3 at Videopolis; the Ventures, April 1-3 at the Tomorrowland Terrace. Acts playing at Videopolis perform three shows each night, at 6, 7:15 and 9. Those playing at the Tomorrowland Terrace perform four shows a night, at 7:30, 8:30, 9:30 and 10:30.

The Chuck Berry performances announced for March 29-31 have been canceled.