Boston Concert Reviews

Boston Concert Reviews

The sheer Cher-ness of it all, plus songs

by Joan Anderman, Boston Globe Correspondent, 07/19/99

MANSFIELD - Cher's concert didn't begin with anything as pedestrian as a song. First came the splashy video montage - a quick-edit scroll through sundry images and eras including but not limited to big-hair rock videos, barely-there Oscar gowns, and recent soft-focus close-ups in which she appears to be approximately 35 years younger than her actual age. Having reminded the all-ages audience of 14,500 of her enduring and multifaceted fabulousness, Cher (clad in a bronzed Queen Amidala get-up, complete with headdress and desert boots) emerged on a mechanical platform and rose nearly to the rafters - a height so absurdly andappropriately over-the-top that one simply marveled at the Cher-ness of it all.

Cher is no mere singer, and this was no mere concert. For her first tour in nearly nine years, Cher's set was a sort of gothic-trash look with a floor-to-ceiling faux stone wall for a backdrop and a royal, gold-appointed footbridge. The songs, frankly, seemed a bit like accessories to the accessories: Cher's seven outrageous costumes ranged from a Bob Mackie-period gown to urban athletic gear to a vampy conquistador ensemble to head-to-toe silver-lame fringe. The songs also peppered lengthy segments by her six acrobatic dancers, classic footage from ''The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour'' and a salute to her feature films - without a doubt Cher's most compelling body of work.

But she managed to crank out 17 tunes, backed by a five-piece band, and - against all odds, as is her way - did herself proud. Cher is more stylist than singer; her voice was never particularly rich or powerful. But it remains full of personality, and mercifully in tune. Her current hit, the ubiquitous survivor's anthem ''Believe,'' was the only song that was augmented live, in order to reproduce the recorded track's computer-enhanced vocals. Unfortunately, it's been a 35-year downhill slide, repertoire-wise, since ''I Got You, Babe.'' After opening with a baffling disco rendition of U2's ''I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For,'' Cher covered much of that terrain during her 90-minute set.

A medley of ''Half-Breed,'' ''Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves,'' and ''Dark Lady'' represented a musical nadir, circa the early 1970s. But in retrospect that string of intense, personal story-songs was like Cher's coming out; topically, they prophesized her extraordinary resilience, and she performed them in concert with affection and conviction. The actual nadir was to come next decade. Cher briefly revisited her lite-metal, corporate-pop period with ''If I Could Turn Back Time'' and ''After All'' - connect-the-dots rockers with no redeeming qualities - but promptly snapped out it with a pair of energetic covers: Marc Cohn's ''Walkin' in Memphis'' (accompanied by a never-released video of Cher as Elvis) and the evergreen ''The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss),'' recorded for the film ''Mermaids.''

With the exception of ''Dov'e L'Amore,'' a lush Spanish ballad, the half-dozen songs Cher did from her latest CD, ''Believe,'' are all generic disco tunes. Yes, it's a ridiculous career move at this stage, but no more so than any other this pop icon has made in her career. And look where it's gotten her. Right back on top.

Following an unmemorable appearance by the female trio Wild Orchid, Cyndi Lauper performed a set of serious, quality pop-rock. Forget the screechy camp of ''Girls Just Want to Have Fun''; Lauper is a relevant artist who sings circles around most of her contemporaries and releases excellent, overlooked albums. Highlights were ''You Don't Know'' from 1997's ''Sisters of Avalon''
(during which she jumped from the stage and ran all the way up to the lawn to sing), a dulcimer and violin version of ''Time After Time,'' and the dreamy, delicate ''Hat Full of Stars'' - which she dedicated to John F. Kennedy Jr.

Boston Globe, 07/19/99, page C9. © Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.

Cher pulls out all the stops for soldout concert

By Steve White, Lowell Sun Correspondent

MANSFIELD-- Part concert, part "This Is Your Life," Cher's soldout blast at the Tweeter Center Saturday night was a rousing affair, and certainly much better than expected, especially coming off her tepid showing in these parts some eight years ago.

Backed by a terrific eight-piece band, two backup singers and nearly a dozen dancers, and fueled by her recent techno-pop mega-hit "Believe," Cher put on a hard-working 90 minutes that featured no less than a half-dozen costume changes, including an Indian outfit, pirate outfit, and three or four glittery numbers which revealed various parts of her anatomy (although discreetly).

The music covered just about every phase of her career, except for, of course, her days with Sonny, which were once again represented by some neat video clips projected on a large screen behind the stage.

But unlike past shows, she did give a nod-- albeit a brief one-- to some of her great '70s pop hits in a medley that included "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves," "Half-Breed" and "Dark Lady."

She also tossed in the bouncy "Shoop Shoop Song" from her film Mermaids (other film credits were also displayed on the video screen), and "The Way of Love."

Joking onstage and seemingly very loose (probably helped by two huge AC machines pumping cold air in her face), Cher also delved heavily into her new album, with a rousing version of Amy Grant's "The Power" and the crunching title track.

Opening act Cyndi Lauper was a hoot, as she heated the crowd up even more as they baked in the "Mansfield Microwave."

Her fashionable blue hair blowing in the hot breeze, Lauper probably set a Tweeter Center/Great Woods record by grabbing a cordless mike and making it all the way up to the lawn.

She was cooking throughout her 45-minute set with songs such as "Time After Time," "Money Changes Everything," and a heartfelt "Hat Full of Stars," which she dedicated to JFK Jr.

As in recent shows, she omitted her biggest hit "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," which was curious since she seemed to be having a ball on stage.

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				Boston Concert Reviews

	The sheer Cher-ness of it all, plus songs by Joan Anderman, Boston Globe Correspondent, 07/19/99 MANSFIELD - Cher's concert didn't begin with anything as pedestrian as a song. First came the splashy video montage - a quick-edit scroll through sundry images and eras including but not limited to big-hair rock videos, barely-there Oscar gowns, and recent soft-focus close-ups in which she appears to be approximately 35 years younger than her actual age. Having reminded the all-ages audience of 14,500 of her enduring and multifaceted fabulousness, Cher (clad in a bronzed Queen Amidala get-up, complete with headdress and desert boots) emerged on a mechanical platform and rose nearly to the rafters - a height so absurdly andappropriately over-the-top that one simply marveled at the Cher-ness of it all. Cher is no mere singer, and this was no mere concert. For her first tour in nearly nine years, Cher's set was a sort of gothic-trash look with a floor-to-ceiling faux stone wall for a backdrop and a royal, gold-appointed footbridge. The songs, frankly, seemed a bit like accessories to the accessories: Cher's seven outrageous costumes ranged from a Bob Mackie-period gown to urban athletic gear to a vampy conquistador ensemble to head-to-toe silver-lame fringe. The songs also peppered lengthy segments by her six acrobatic dancers, classic footage from ''The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour'' and a salute to her feature films - without a doubt Cher's most compelling body of work. But she managed to crank out 17 tunes, backed by a five-piece band, and - against all odds, as is her way - did herself proud. Cher is more stylist than singer; her voice was never particularly rich or powerful. But it remains full of personality, and mercifully in tune. Her current hit, the ubiquitous survivor's anthem ''Believe,'' was the only song that was augmented live, in order to reproduce the recorded track's computer-enhanced vocals. Unfortunately, it's been a 35-year downhill slide, repertoire-wise, since ''I Got You, Babe.'' After opening with a baffling disco rendition of U2's ''I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For,'' Cher covered much of that terrain during her 90-minute set. A medley of ''Half-Breed,'' ''Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves,'' and ''Dark Lady'' represented a musical nadir, circa the early 1970s. But in retrospect that string of intense, personal story-songs was like Cher's coming out; topically, they prophesized her extraordinary resilience, and she performed them in concert with affection and conviction. The actual nadir was to come next decade. Cher briefly revisited her lite-metal, corporate-pop period with ''If I Could Turn Back Time'' and ''After All'' - connect-the-dots rockers with no redeeming qualities - but promptly snapped out it with a pair of energetic covers: Marc Cohn's ''Walkin' in Memphis'' (accompanied by a never-released video of Cher as Elvis) and the evergreen ''The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss),'' recorded for the film ''Mermaids.'' With the exception of ''Dov'e L'Amore,'' a lush Spanish ballad, the half-dozen songs Cher did from her latest CD, ''Believe,'' are all generic disco tunes. Yes, it's a ridiculous career move at this stage, but no more so than any other this pop icon has made in her career. And look where it's gotten her. Right back on top. Following an unmemorable appearance by the female trio Wild Orchid, Cyndi Lauper performed a set of serious, quality pop-rock. Forget the screechy camp of ''Girls Just Want to Have Fun''; Lauper is a relevant artist who sings circles around most of her contemporaries and releases excellent, overlooked albums. Highlights were ''You Don't Know'' from 1997's ''Sisters of Avalon'' (during which she jumped from the stage and ran all the way up to the lawn to sing), a dulcimer and violin version of ''Time After Time,'' and the dreamy, delicate ''Hat Full of Stars'' - which she dedicated to John F. Kennedy Jr. Boston Globe, 07/19/99, page C9. © Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company. Cher pulls out all the stops for soldout concert By Steve White, Lowell Sun Correspondent MANSFIELD-- Part concert, part "This Is Your Life," Cher's soldout blast at the Tweeter Center Saturday night was a rousing affair, and certainly much better than expected, especially coming off her tepid showing in these parts some eight years ago. Backed by a terrific eight-piece band, two backup singers and nearly a dozen dancers, and fueled by her recent techno-pop mega-hit "Believe," Cher put on a hard-working 90 minutes that featured no less than a half-dozen costume changes, including an Indian outfit, pirate outfit, and three or four glittery numbers which revealed various parts of her anatomy (although discreetly). The music covered just about every phase of her career, except for, of course, her days with Sonny, which were once again represented by some neat video clips projected on a large screen behind the stage. But unlike past shows, she did give a nod-- albeit a brief one-- to some of her great '70s pop hits in a medley that included "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves," "Half-Breed" and "Dark Lady." She also tossed in the bouncy "Shoop Shoop Song" from her film Mermaids (other film credits were also displayed on the video screen), and "The Way of Love." Joking onstage and seemingly very loose (probably helped by two huge AC machines pumping cold air in her face), Cher also delved heavily into her new album, with a rousing version of Amy Grant's "The Power" and the crunching title track. Opening act Cyndi Lauper was a hoot, as she heated the crowd up even more as they baked in the "Mansfield Microwave." Her fashionable blue hair blowing in the hot breeze, Lauper probably set a Tweeter Center/Great Woods record by grabbing a cordless mike and making it all the way up to the lawn. She was cooking throughout her 45-minute set with songs such as "Time After Time," "Money Changes Everything," and a heartfelt "Hat Full of Stars," which she dedicated to JFK Jr. As in recent shows, she omitted her biggest hit "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," which was curious since she seemed to be having a ball on stage.