By RON PERCIVAL

(Herald Staff Writer)

Every time Herman smiled the house came down.

Down the aisles, that is. They came in droves, popping flash bulbs, waving their arms and squealing with excitement.

Herman’s Hermits at the Stampede Corral Thursday was an illustration in how to stage a successful Calgary teen concert.

After two performances more than 7,000 persons had left the premises happy, and no one had been trampled — the sole credit for which must go to members of the city police force who rode herd on the audiences during both sessions.

Herman, whose real name is Peter Noone, is a true showman. The remaining Hermits are neither here nor there when it comes to style on the stage.

The 19-year-old singer kept his fans at the edge of their seats with his unique, child-like mannerisms. He did little dances, pointed at his head or put his finger in his mouth.

He pushed the hair from his eyes, waved his arms or stuck his tongue from the side of his mouth.

And with every little action came a chorus of screams and squeals that would put Godzilla, the city-crushing dragon, to shame.

Sporting a silver sequin jacket, pink tie and blue printed slacks, he entered the afternoon performance a mere 15 minutes behind schedule. But no one worried about a little tardiness.

The first six rows on the floor were largely occupied by girls in their early teens.

Herman strode directly to the microphone, said “Good evening,” and began the countdown for the first selection, With A Little Help From My Friends — a John Lennon – Paul McCartney product.

Soon all aisles were occupied by the girls. And they continued moving down towards the stage until the end of the program.

The first house was only about half-full, and the police officers guarding the performers were able to keep the crowds back with little difficulty.

Things really started to shape up for the traditional riot during the evening concert, when 5,000 fans filled the Corral to the roof.

Suddenly, about 200 made a rush up the centre aisle, but were promptly driven back.

As the music swelled into songs like Happy Together, so did the screams swell. As the screams swelled, so did the number of teenagers who just couldn’t bring themselves to take the music sitting down.

In the afternoon one young girl broke the police blockade to throw Herman a rose, another threw him a crumpled piece of paper, and still a third tossed a cowboy hat upon the stage.

The evening gifts were a little less imaginative. They included a stuffed poodle and a small ball of tin foil.

Flash bulbs were popping at the rate of about five per minute but through it all floated the polished and precise sounds of the Hermits. All were capable musicians, and the varied selection of songs offered a very entertaining program.

It ranged from the big Chuck Berry beat of My Reservations Are Confirmed to the softer lyrics of There’s A Kind of Hush. It included the big hits of other artists, like Frankie Lane’s Jezabelle and The Supreme’s Tell Him. And it featured the Hermits’ big hits I’m Henry The VIII I Am, Dandy, and No Milk Today.

The control Herman held over the audience was well illustrated during the song Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter. He asked the audience to clap out rhythm. They did, and he sang without the band.

He asked the audience to sing. They did, and he stood on the stage and directed them.

Following the final number, Henry The VIII, the Hermits dropped their instruments and ran for their dressing room. Screams and squeals of protest filled the air. Everyone tried to reach the stage.

For obvious reasons, the Hermits took no encore.

Prior to the Hermits’ appearances, a Calgary recording group named the 49th Parallel occupied the limelight.

The Parallel is like a diamond in the rough. It needs polish. But it is, without a doubt, one of the best groups in Western Canada.

Led by vocalist Denny Abbot, the Parallel has a song-bag as current as today and a stage presence as striking as any Calgary has yet seen.

It is the first Alberta group to issue a recording with big possibilities. The song, Laborer, written by Mr. Abbot, is on the charts in such centres as Los Angeles and Toronto.

The Parallel’s renditions of Groovin’, Happy Jack, Let’s Live For Today, and I’m A Man would make them a stand-out group anywhere.

The only possible criticism of their Thursday performance would be the excessive volume of their instruments and their continuous apology for filling in time until the Hermits’ appearance.

They didn’t need to apologize for anything.