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"Cher's Many Personas A Big Hit; Her Songs Stand Test Of Time, Too"
Michael Mehle, Denver Rocky Mountain News:
Cher has had more lives than a cat, each one more interesting and unpredictable than anything a tabby could dream up.
After turns as a variety show sidekick, solo artist, Oscar winner and infomercial peddler, the singer has returned with a surprising run up the charts as a dance-club diva. To the shock of many this summer, she's packing arenas across the country, including Denver's McNichols on Saturday night.
She didn't shirk her past; indeed, she celebrated every aspect of the Cher universe in a 90-minute concert packed with glitz, memories, wigs and wardrobe changes. Equal parts Las Vegas revue and Cirque du Soleil theater, the show bubbled with a campy spirit only Cher could pull off. She's the rare diva who can actually laugh at herself, but doesn't let her act become a complete joke.
She started the evening rising high above the stage on an elevated platform singing U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and wearing a tattered, medieval outfit and a long wig of red, disheveled hair. "As you can see, I'm more mature now," she quipped. "I'm dressing my age."
The costume changes came early and often. She sported a short bob wig and revealing leather suit for "We All Sleep Alone," a silver tinsel-like wig and mini-dress for "Take Me Home," and a red wig and lace top for "Strong Enough."
A video montage traced her musical career from the Sonny & Cher Show through the solo success, and clips of her movies (plus her walk down the Oscar aisle) played behind the stage during the ballad "After All."
A backdrop of bright, psychedelic balloons shaped like pillows floated toward the ceiling while Cher offered a medley of her '70's hits -- Half Breed, Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves and Dark Lady -- and a troupe of dancers darted, swirled and tumbled around her all evening.
She finished off with "If I Could Turn Back Time" and, for an encore, her comeback dance track, "Believe." Throughout the night, she showed that the phrase "over-the-top" doesn't fit in her lexicon.
Opening act Cyndi Lauper is making a habit of warming up for (and nearly blowing away) music's biggest divas. With blue hair that looked like cotton candy, she walked 30 rows into the crowd, climbed atop her bassist's back and kept old and new songs fresh and interesting.
"Reinvented Cher Delights Sold-Out McNichols Crowd"
G. Brown, Denver Post
In her 35-year career, Cher has been cast in many roles -- pop princess, variety show star, estimable actress, infomercial has-been -- and shown the showbiz exit ramp time after time. But once again, she's reinvented herself, this time with a neo-disco smash called, "Believer" -- it's her biggest hit, jumpstarting a stalled career and driving her to a new generation of club kids.
No wonder she's described herself as the "Lazarus of pop music." Now, the original one-name wonder is on her first high-profile tour in eight years, and she visited McNichols Arena on Saturday night.
She opened with U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," swaggering onto the stage wearing a garish "Braveheart"-meets-Bob-Mackie-outfit. "As you can see, I'm more mature now. . . I'm dressing down," she said sarcastically.
Cher didn't do more than three songs in the same getup. She slipped into everything from a pirate hat to a shimmery gown to cargo pants to flamenco dance duds. While the sold-out crowd waited between the costume changes, video clips were screened behind the stage of Cher cutting up with the late Sonny Bono and playing movie star.
At 53, she looked great, presumably a testament to the benefits of elective cosmetic surgery. She worked both ends of the stage, speaking to fans like one of the gals.
She rediscovered some of her hits from the '70's in a medley featuring "Half-Breed," "Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves," and "Dark Lady." She had her way with '80's songs -- "I Found Someone," "We All Sleep Alone," and "If I Could Turn Back Time." A cover of Marc Cohn's "Walking In Memphis" was accompanied by a music video in which she was dressed as Elvis. She sang "After All" (originally recorded as a duet with Peter Cetera of Chicago) with her musical director, Paul Mirkovich (personal note to the diva: intorduce the poor guy!).
And there was stuff from her new album -- "The Power," "All Or Nothing" and her latest single, "Strong Enough."
And, of course, "Believe." Cher showcased her new favorite song for her encore, adding the synthesized stutter to her voice in the chorus. But folks were too busy watching the six-member dance troupe, the bungee jumpers and the extravagant wigs to give a hoot whether her voice was going through effects.
For Cher, the beat still goes on.
Opening act Cyndi Lauper is also learning how to survive. She did the time warp ("Girls Just Want To Have Fun") in her 45-minute set, but her cover of the Trammps' 1978 dance classic "DIsco Inferno," nominated last year for a Grammy Award as best dance single, is now a hit on the dance music club play charts.
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