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Cher in the Midwest

June 8, 2014 / / 0 Comments

StlConcert Reviews

(Cher in St. Louis, left)

Lincoln, Nebraska

"Cher entertains with spectacular Lincoln show."

 Kansas City, Missouri

"Cher pulls out all the stops at Sprint Center concert…Cher opened the show standing atop a 20-foot pillar; she ended it riding an enclosed platform high over the arena floor, waving to fans regally, like the icon she is…At times this show felt like one long and lavish valediction [an act or expression of leave-taking]…prompted raucous ovations from a crowd that spanned three generations…For her finale, as she sang the inspirational ballad “I Hope You Find It,” Cher rode that platform to the back of the arena, as if in the midst of heavenly ascension. She would return to the stage to bow and wave and blow kisses to all corners of the arena. If that truly was her last farewell, it lifted her stature to greater heights.

St. Louis, Missouri

I grew up in St. Louis and so I'm always interested in how she plays there. My first Cher concert ever was in 1989 at the St. Louis Arena downtown (since demolished). What I liked about the latest review there was that the St. Louis Post-Dispatch linked to the review of the Farewell show review there in 2002. You can definitely read a change from that review to this show. Not that much has changed about the show. Something has changed about their attitudes about Cher.

The 2002 Farewell Review

"Cher came to Savvis Center on Monday night to a packed house, was style-heavy and substance-free, appropriate since that sums up most of Cher's music history. It also describes her last tour, the one for "Believe" a few years ago…What Cher offered during her quickly moving 100-minute concert was good, dumb fun."

Some back-handed compliments there all of which was toned down in this year's review:

"Cher razzles, dazzles…Over the course of 18 songs, the consummate entertainer delivered a fabulous time full of rock classics, dance favorites, ‘80s power ballads and obligatory new tunes, all having their own place in the show…The show was free of any thought-provoking subtext, but rather a celebration of all things Cher. She promised ridiculous outfits and fabulousness, and that's what she gave…The packed house ate up every morsel. “I haven’t gotten this reaction anywhere,” she said. “You all are on drugs.”…Cher, whose costume changes numbered about a dozen…the fact she can still pull it off is to her credit."

Milwaukee, Wisconcin

"Mick Jagger might still be rocking out in his senior years — but let's see him try to pull off a Rolling Stones show with exposed butt cheeks and a thong…And without those "stupid costumes" — which were unapologetically gaudy, and undeniably impressive — Cher wouldn't be so fabulous…Yes, the tour was dressed up to kill, an overstimulating spectacle that compensated for any of Cher's shortcomings. But it's a testament to the music that the show could span so seamlessly between '60s hits and 2013 material like "Woman's World." Cher's steady contralto never faltered, either, across an hour and 40 minutes…And during the night's quieter moments, Cher reminded us of why she is so captivating. There was a sweet and sentimental video duet with the late Sonny Bono for "I Got You Babe." A cover of Marc Cohn's "Walking in Memphis" was a warmhearted tribute of sorts to Elvis Presley (probably wise she didn't take on the King head-on). And one of the set list's least celebrated songs — "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me," from her more-or-less forgotten musical "Burlesque" — was a memorable display of an impressive vocal range delivered with patented diva drama…With Friday's concert, Cher became only the 10th act to headline the Bradley Center at least four times. The others: Billy Joel, Janet Jackson, Tim McGraw, Yanni, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Bon Jovi, Metallica and Bruce Springsteen, who has headlined the arena seven times, more than anyone else…Best merch item: A glittery Cher tumbler for $25."

"As timing would have it, Cher and Cyndi Lauper's Milwaukee concert happened the same day that Wisconsin's gay marriage ban was overturned. But while both pop stars are outspoken advocates for LGBT rights, neither spoke up about the ruling….Some artists nurse water during a show. Others beer. Cher's drink of choice: Dr Pepper. But she said she was trying to kick it, so Friday she was sipping Dr Pepper watered down with Perrier.

Also came across this paper's review of Closer To the Truth: "My Love" is a dizzying, heart-fluttering melodrama, "I Walk Alone" (co-written by P!nk) is an apt soundtrack for empowered speed-strutting (or jogging, or dancing), and, with her charged contralto, she dominates album-opener "Woman's World," co-written and produced by Paul Oakenfold." But while "Closer" can be campy fun, the truth is it picks up right where 1998's "Believe" left off, with minimal updates to bring her European dance club sound to the 21st century."

More D2K News

    

What We Can Learn From The Maya Rudolph Show

May 29, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Maya2A few Monday's ago, NBC aired The Maya Rudolph Show. I'm always interested in new attempts at prime-time variety shows. These days networks are so anxious about variety shows, they will only allow these one-off specials in order to test the waters. If ratings do well, they promise a series. So far, none have made it. 

Remember 2004's The Nick and Jessica Variety Hour? Then there was Rosie Live, The Osbournes Reloaded, recent specials by both Carrie Underwood and Lady Gaga.

Cher’s first show in her solo series was ostensibly a "special" too but it seemed understood by all that her show would make the schedule. In fact, Cher aired as regular programming starting the very next week.

I love variety shows and feel we've been enjoying many good ones over the years on late-night television (SNL, Mad TV and SCTV). Our last successful prime-time skit show was In Living Color.

So I watched The Maya Rudolph Show hoping for a breakthrough. Maya's is a very talented comedian and I thought maybe she might share Cher's vaudvillian abilities.

Unfortunately, all I ended up with was a list of reasons why Cher TV shows of the 1970s were so much better.

1. You need a self-deprecating and friendly host. Sonny filled this role on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and Cher filled it herself on her solo show. Maya's opening was too much Gen-X irony with a number called “My Show” where Maya sang about my-show-this and my-show-that. Aside from the now-clichéd status of such meta-ironic narcissism, it's just not very host-ly. You need to be more welcoming. You don’t have to go overboard, but some kind of gesture is required vis-à-vis tone. In a variety show, it really isn't all about you. And courteousness here isn't a virtue. It makes the show work.

Maya12. You need some extra-special bling. Maya's show reminded me of Cher's as she threw off one set of clothes for another in her opening number (a number that went on way too long). In fact, Maya changed outfits many times but, sad to say, they clothes did not meet variety show bling-bling standards and they didn't flatter her figure. The show needed a Bob Mackie, more fashion risk-taking, more outrageousness. The show Viva Variety understood more of what variety needs in the way of flair, even if it was just a spoof. (Finally, pieces of this show are starting to appear Vvon the YouseTubes.)

3. The host must exhibit a combination of conversational naturalness while simultaneously "owning it." For the most part, Maya's performance seemed too self-conscious. Hosts need to take charge and connect with the audience. They need the kind of common-ness that connects with middle-America but also the specialness that makes them a star.

3. The audience was too big and thus overpowering the stage with their cheers. It felt too SNL. In fact the skits seemed entirely SNL. The Garmin sketch was funny but I was reminded too much at all times of SNL, a show with a definitive tone. It is possible to come from SNL and break from its tone. The show Portlandia proves this is possible. But I am beginning to wonder if you sign on with SNL, are you indentured in servitude to Lorne Michaels for perpetuity?

4. The original music was mostly song jokes (again of SNL/Adam Sandler ilk). There were too stagey. They would have been helped by some dancing or animation or something. Joke songs make good records but bad TV.

5. Variety shows were awesome then and now because they brought together unlikely combinations of celebrities to see what would happen. Maya's show was populated primarily with guests who were too much like her. Where's the variety there? In Strong Enough, Josiah Howard talked about how challenging this was for the writers of Cher's show. They had to write skits that would work for diverse artists. It does sound hard. But that's why the payoff is so good.

It was charming when Maya oozed happiness at the end of her show, saying "Oh my God, this was fun!" But it wasn't as much fun for the audience. As a variety show host, you have to think beyond the my-show-ness. Secondly, good variety takes money. I wonder if any networks are willing to put bank behind that kind of risk anymore…for anything besides singing competitions. 

If a network could combine that kind of The Voice-song-excitement (real feel-goodness) with edgy Portlandia-like skits and truly a variety of music and performers, they would have a winning show.

Watch The Maya Rudolph Show on Hulu

  

Cher in Entertainment Weekly & Random Cher Thoughts

May 20, 2014 / / 0 Comments

PinkcherThe Bullseye page of the magazine Entertainment Weekly has always interested me as being the barometer of what people are talking about week to week in U.S. pop culture. You don’t typically see has-beens there unless they've done something worthy of the proverbial water cooler.

In the May 23 issue Cher is referenced twice in Bullseye, once for the news about being on the secret Wu-Tang Clan album. EW jokes she’ll go by “Sparkleface Killah.” And two for Liza Minnelli and Rosie O’Donnell appearing onstage at one of her NYC shows during Cyndi Lauper’s opening set. EW makes a Hot in Cleveland joke.

Last weekend I caught up on some Oprah’s Master Class shows. I don't know why I love these but I find them all pretty moving and/or informative.

SarandonSusan Sarandon: I always sensed tension between Cher and Susan Sarandon during Witches of Eastwick interviews back in the 1980s. At least they didn’t seem as friendly with each other afterwards as they were with other cast members. But watching Master Class, it would seem Cher actually has a lot in common with Susan Sarandon, who talked about the art of relationships in the rational way Cher does. She talked about the issues of aging in Hollywood and how she deals with it. She also makes a good case for celebrity political activism. She said something I've hear Cher say often, how it’s the things you don’t do that you regret and not the things you do. Interestingly, she now owns a ping pong franchise.

CrawfordCindy Crawford's episode also impressed me much more than I anticipated it would. She talked about leaving her cell phone out of situations of personal interaction because, she says, you can’t multitask presence. She also talked about being on a retreat and being asked to come up with her core passion. Interestingly, this is not necessarily a job description. She chose something open-ended like Communication. I thought about this and wondered if my core passion might be Organizing. I love to sort things. Is there a job description for that core passion?

The Vivian Vance Museum

VanceOkay, it wasn't a whole museum. But it was a room in a museum. Mr. Cher Scholar and I visited our local art & history museum. That's right. Albuquerque conflates the two so that the museum is neither fully a good art museum or history museum. Wandering around in there, we came up an entire exhibit devoted to Vivian Vance. Apparently Vivian got her start in Albuquerque (although she was born in Cherryvale, Kansas–Mr. Cher Scholar country). The museum was full of news clippings, awards and memorabilia from I Love Lucy days. The exhibit gave me plenty of ideas about the future Chersonian Institute: interpretative plaques, track lighting, security guards scolding patrons to not get too close. Pamphlets. Oohh…I love museum pamphlets!

Vivian's sister is selling scrapbooks and homemade memory books. Visitors could grab a postcard and mail in an order.

  

Florida Concert Reviews and New Dates Added

May 20, 2014 / / 0 Comments

ChandcostumeReviews

Jacksonville, Florida

"certainly more Broadway than it was rock concert…You just never knew what was coming next. She’d sing a song or two in some outrageous get-up, generally made up of flesh-colored material and a few strategically placed scraps."

Orlando, Florida

"featuring Cher in a groovy red mini-skirt. Sonny’s video cameo in “I Got You Babe” was less creepy than other such technologically generated collaborations. Maybe that’s because there’s plenty of heart in Cher’s spectacle, enough humor and shoot-from-the-hip candor to humanize the flashy excesses.

…a formidable catalog of hits"

SelfieNew Concert Dates

Last week tickets went on sale for some new East coast dates.

For more information, check out:

Cher also made a Today Show appearance, granting a rare tour-bus interview with Tamron Hall. They talked about Cher's shyness. Tamron talked Cher into doing a selfie, something she claimed she's never done. It's toots adorbes!

Watch the interview

     

NYC and East Coast Concert Reviews

May 13, 2014 / / 0 Comments

AngelsmakeCharlotte, North Carolina

“…Cher isn’t just any artist. At 67 (she’ll be 68 later this month), she’s the oldest female artist currently touring a full-scale arena show. But when she wore the floor-length Native American headdress and stick-straight black hair during ‘Half-Breed,’ it was as if time had stopped in 1973.

…So how does an AARP-card-carrying diva rule an arena for almost two hours and 17 songs? She paces herself, and takes a couple inches off her stilettos.

….[She] soared through the crowd looking as if she’d stepped from a Raphaelite painting during the closer of ‘I Hope You Find It.’

…As much as Cher played the over-the-top Vegas diva, what fans really like about her is when she gets real. For all the plastic surgery, skin, men, and incredible acting credits, Cher came off as pretty normal.

Raleigh, North Carolina

“For ‘Half Breed,’ she donned a Native American headdress and little else. (The recent kerfuffle involving the Flaming Lips, the daughter of the governor of Oklahoma and a native American headdress was clearly not an issue.)

I hadn’t heard about this. Here is the story, the latest controversey involving American Indian appropriation. I still wonder how Cher gets away with this without similar critique.

…During a montage of Cher movie moments, a fan could be heard exclaiming appreciatively, ‘Silkwood—now that’s my shit!'”

New York City

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas at the show

The New York Daily News

“Rosie O’Donnell, Liza Minelli make guest appearance onstage during Cindy Lauper’s opening set ahead of Cher’s ‘Dressed to Kill’ performance in Brooklyn Friday.

…It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Cher!

…The unkillable star swooped into Barclays Center on Friday with all the oddity and wonder of a superhero, if not a UFO.

…After more than half a century of media exposure, it’s still hard to prepare for the sight of a 68-year-old woman teetering on a sky-high platform, while crowned with a multitiered headdress of feathers, looking like nothing so much as the Queen of the Peacock People.

…Needless to say, Cher gets the joke in all this better than anyone. But sometimes it seems like she gets it too well. The star can claim a seriously catchy, and impressively varied, trove of thrilling hits — from “The Beat Goes On” right through the new “Woman’s World.” And her vibrato-heavy, pansexual vocals have a timbre, and a style, like no other singer.

…Of course, much of the show’s joy, and even its poignancy, came from its mission to defy common notions of taste, age and even self-parody. The lazy would call it camp. But it’s beyond that. Ultimately, it can only be described as just so incredibly Cher.”

The Daily Mail Online

This article has really good pics and a trailer for the show. Another page on the show.

The New York Post

The Examiner

“Cher still rules.

…Unlike Lady Gaga, Cher isn’t giving away hundreds of tickets in order to make her shows look full. Unlike Madonna, she isn’t starting her shows two hours late.”

Atlanta, Georgia

“Some musical events are concerts. Some are shows.

…But Cher always crafts her live outings as something completely unique – spectacles that are embellished to the point of excess. A concert within a show within a Broadway production.

…Cher planted her empowerment flag and let it fly for the night.

…While chatter will inevitably focus on the glitziest showpieces – the ginormous golden horse that opened to reveal a blonde-wigged Cher for the dance floor popper ‘Take it Like a Man,’ the well-produced Cher-as-vampire video preceding ‘Dressed to Kill’ – some of the show’s most memorable moments came without the razzle dazzle.

…And while the glitzy neon-clad dancers that pumped up ‘Believe’ were fun to watch, it was far more meaningful observing Cher close out the night with the new ballad, ‘I Hope You Find It,’ as she flew over the crowd while belting the poignant song.”

 

Wu-Tang, Sheena Easton and Freeman & Murray

May 13, 2014 / / 0 Comments

WutangThe big news last week was that Cher is to be featured on the new Wu-Tang Clan album. Quite a few people sent me this news, even my Billboard-watching friend Christopher. This was a pretty big deal. Cher was credited in early press releases as Bonnie Jo Mason, a nod to her first pseudonym.

If you listen to the video, you can hear one of Cher's clips. Frustratingly, the album may never be released. One copy will be sold to the highest bidder and then the album may tour as part of museum exhibit. Is this a publicity stunt? Stay tuned.

Read about it here: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/cher-wu-tang-collaborate-for-two-songs-on-secret-album-20140507

SheenaToday my iPod shuffle served up this 80s-perfect and under-appreciated Sheena Easton tune "You Could Have Been With Me." Watch the video to remember what a great song this was.

I've always felt the intro was "I Got You Babe." What do you think?

 

 

 

FreemanlangstonThe book Strong Enough tipped me off to the existence of the Freeman and Murray (Freeman King/Murray Langston) comedy album, "featured on The Sonny & Cher Show. I scored a copy from overseas. It came yesterday and I was afraid I'd have to go out and re-buy a turntable to listen to it.

Fortunately today I found clips on the yousetubes:

 

The back cover contains quotes from many of the people who either worked for Sonny & Cher (David Brenner as their concert opening act) or who were guest stars or big stars of from that time: Sally Struthers, Rob Reiner, Redd Foxx, Mark Spitz, Tennessee Ernie Ford, David Brenner, Ted Zeigler, Harvey Korman, Jean Stapelton, and Don Adams.

I haven't listened to much from the links above, but from what I've seen on the cover and have heard so far, I like their casual yet full-throttle foray into racial comedy and stereotype-busting. Very progressive-sounding (then and now).

The liner notes are odd, using the convention of being personally written but there is no author identified. They describe King as an athletic drop-out from Plahatchie, Mississippi, and Langston as being from Montreal.

   

Cher in Elle Magazine

May 5, 2014 / / 1 Comment

ElleI went out last Monday and the Elle Magazine issue with Miley Cyrus was already on the shelves. I am terrible at breaking news.

Anyway, the piece is a disappointing single photo with only a quarter-page of text. But Elle does a lot with that little bit of text. First of all, Cher the only artist in the spread who didn't start a career decades ago, (unless you count Neneh Cherry from the 1980s). This is a list of young upstarts including Iggy Azalea, Ariana Grande, Jetta, Warpaint, Lilly Allen (a new Mr. Cher Scholar favorite), Banks, Kacey Musgraves, and Foxes.

It's also interesting that they focus on the idea of Cher not liking the words legend, icon and diva. They then go on to describe why she is a legend, icon and diva.

It is comforting to know Cher doesn’t go around her house declaring she’s a diva. But this is a good time to note the difference between Cher the person and Cher the product/media image. The person is one thing, a private person we may never know. But as a media product, as a brand…Cher is a legendary word. Even if she distances her self personally from the word (which sounds like a healthy move to me), I hope she can take pride in the company name.

   

I Walk Alone Remixes and Concert Reviews

May 5, 2014 / / 2 Comments

FaceTour Review

Philadelphia review with Philly with Patti LaBelle in attendance!

The reviewer comments on sitting next to Patti LaBelle and white-guy dancing observed at the show and the fact he thinks Cher needs to sing more. He says the show is worth seeing with tickets as low as $25 in some cities. "That's just over $2 per costume."

Another Philly review

"Cher. Just. Is. The singer/actress, now 67, has been her own singular brand of spectacle since Sonny & Cher of the '60s. Her long career has embraced, in turn, Phil-Spector-style pop, thumping '70s kitsch, disco, hair-rock, mod burlesque, and Auto-Tuned house music, yet seldom in a manner you've heard elsewhere. Her quirky take on those genres and musical mood-swings was on full-feathered display Monday at Wells Fargo Center — to the delight of a packed house, which was equally delighted by Cher's supporting act, the indestructible Cyndi Lauper…Actually, much of the show felt as if it was more a series of schmaltzy set-and-costume changes and Cher-chatter, with occasional songs thrown in. Luckily, her voice was delicious, filled with deep, long vowels, even when iced-over by Auto-Tune robotics during the techno-tronic 'Believe.'"

Columbus, Ohio, review

"Cher and Cyndi Lauper, two iconic singers, dazzled a packed Nationwide Arena audience last night in a concert that was impressive both musically and as a spectacle…[including] a mind-blowing, ground-touching Indian headdress of pink, blue and orange feathers for Half Breed."

Cleveland, Ohio, review

Reviewer comments on the danger of the pedestal entrance and Cher's comment about it: "What’s my safety compared to your happiness?” Reviewer concluded, "At 67, she’s still the diva to beat."

Cleveland.com also did a profile of Cher

The article is reverent and has a very funny description of Cher in a headdress backstage. Also Cher gives more information about the genesis of Laverne, including influences from All in the Family's Edith Bunker. Most interesting are Cher's comments about not being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as she's basically making these comments in the Hall of Fames backyard.

Two things are interesting to me about this scandal: one, that Cher continues to champion Sonny as being snubbed along side her (when you could argue that her recording career has surpassed  not only many of the current inductees but their career as a duo in sales–as the Cleveland.com article mentions–and breaking Billboard records, not to mention setting trends)…but that she feels so strongly that Sonny should be a part of it; and two, that people are really, really behind her. Many interviewers ask her about this. Not just the Cleveland site alone, but David Letterman and others. It's starting to look like a glaring error on the Hall of Fame's part. She has a lot of support from interesting corners.  

Cher I Walk Alone Because I love this CD single cover so much, I figured out a way to make a physical version of it for my shelf. If you buy this CD through iTunes, you can use the File/Print feature to print out your own CD cover. This includes the front picture and a track listing for the backside. You need your own plastic CD cover case but you can get a package of these at Best Buy or Target or other fine stores.

Incredibly, I've never worked-out to a Cher song. Not in aerobics or at the gym. I know! It's bizarre. I got on the treadmill yesterday to the first remix on the CD and it was a wonderful thing. Cher's voice somehow gets you to walk really assertively.

  

Chaz & Georgia Holt on RuPaul’s Drag Race

April 29, 2014 / / 0 Comments

DragraceRuPaul’s Drag Race was on a few Monday’s ago and I just watched it. The challenge was for the drag queens to pretend to interview Chaz Bono and Georgia Holt. Chaz seemed very bemused-to-annoyed during all but two of the interviews. Georgia tried to appear upbeat but most of them were pretty bad. One queen kept saying “that’s amazing” and “that’s so cool” inappropriately when Georgia talked about starving during the depression. One asked only yes or no questions, one ignored Georgia entirely (even when Chaz tried to steer the interview towards her), and one queen kept calling Chaz Chad (this one got the boot). One queen made the faux pas of doing a Cher impersonation. Chaz commented that unless it’s a Chad Michaels performance, why bother? It must be very uncomfortable for Cher’s family to endure Cher impersonations. For whom does an impersonation impress? Cher is really un-imitable. As The Beat Goes On tele-drama proved, it's damn near impossible to cast a faux Cher. I sometimes feel tributes are closer to the mark. The Neil Diamond-tribute SuperDiamond was almost better than the real thing. Tributes seem to get closer to the tone of the person somehow and put less emphasis on exterior mannerisms.

ChazgeoOne queen asked Georgia about her almost-abortion of Cher. Gerogia claimed she was simply stunned by the question but the look on her face was sheer shock and dismay. The abortion-questioning queen apologized to Georgia later and Georgia was gracious with her forgiveness. In the Untucked aftershow (which I am thankful my DirectTV DVR is automatically taping), the queen expressed dismay that they would both tell Cher he was an asshole.

Apparently the queens suffered from nervousness but these were mostly weird interviews. Of note, Chaz talked about his feelings of identity at age 13 and Georgia said she saves everything.

Dragrace2Paul Abdul was also a judge on the show and the Lip Synch for Your Life was done to her "Vibeology."

Chaz was a diplomatic and nice judge, commenting on nerves, and those who appeared uncomfortable as interviewers. He was always nice about it. 

All the queens defend Cher in Untucked show.

 

The aussie Courtney Act conducted the best interview and won Aussiethe challenge (and some wigs). She was very like-able and flirted with Chaz. Her wing costume was also amazing. Bende la Crème was also very good.

Courtney Act (Shane Jenek) and Adore Delano (Danny Noriega) are two Drag contestants who have previously competed on American Idol. Shane tried out as a man and did not make the tryouts. He came back the next day as Courtney Act and made it. Watch him perform on Australian Idol Season 1. Danny Noriega competed as himself. Watch his performance on season 7.

Danny Noriega/Adore Delano & Shane Jenek/Courtney Act

Danny  Adore Courtney

   

 

 

 

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