Review: Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Tour, wrapping up Saturday at the Greek Theatre, features some standout artists.
By CHRIS NIXON
Special to the Register
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Gone are the shocks of red and blue hair. Gone are the goofy videos with Captain Lou Albano. Gone are the squeaky voice and quirky persona. Who knew 20 years ago when Cyndi Lauper was a marginal and slightly annoying pop star that she'd grow into an activist in her middle age?
Since its release in 1986, Lauper's ballad "True Colors" has been embraced as an anthem by the gay community and she's become a bit of an icon in the process. Now the 54-year-old mom from Queens, New York is working to raise public awareness about the issues facing gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. She's even built a 15-city tour around it. It's called the True Colors Tour 2007. One dollar of every ticket sold will benefit the work of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest organization working for GLBT equality.
"I'm not a politician, I'm a working mom," said the emotional Lauper Wednesday at San Diego State University's Open Air Theatre during a stop on the tour, which concludes Saturday at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. "I wanted to empower everyone and bring everyone together."
An ensemble cast of musicians gathered for the True Colors Tour, spanning a wide range of styles and age groups. From Deborah Harry to the Dresden Dolls, from The Cliks to Lauper, the show felt uneven and slapdash despite great performances by host Margaret Cho, the Dresden Dolls and the much-beloved Erasure. Neither Harry nor Lauper have scored hit songs in over a decade. And their presence in the lineup next to ultra-hip artists at the top their game like the Dresden Dolls and Cho underscored the outdated sound of the elder ladies' sets.
The evening in San Diego began with the master of ceremonies Cho berating celebrities in hilarious fashion (Paris Hilton took a beating), before The Cliks took the stage. The Canadian quartet ripped through a five-song set of guitar rock tunes from their 2007 major-label debut "Snakehouse," giving the night an auspicious beginning.
Adorned in a flowery dress and stripped leg stockings, Cho entertained again between sets (as she did all night). The comedian kept the show moving with her raunchy take on the pope, politics, "the gayest summer ever" and her own bisexuality. She's quick and bright and funny, and she helped save the show by providing continuity in an uneven lineup.
In their too brief 30-minute set, the Dresden Dolls were a revelation. The Boston-based duo (Amanda Palmer on vocals and piano, Brian Viglione on drums and guitar) skipped onto the stage hand-in-hand before launching into a five-song set including the single "Coin Operated Boy" and a cover of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs." The duo's self-described as "Brechtian punk cabaret" with Palmer's throaty vocals and Viglione's animated drumming, made for great theater.
Deborah Harry – former lead singer of Blondie – looked a bit awkward onstage, using her 11-song, 45-minute set to showcase songs from her new album "Necessary Evil," due out in August. The Dresden Dolls were a tough act to follow, and her pop-rock tunes sounded dated in contrast.
After a 20-minute intermission, the show restarted with a bang as Erasure took the stage. The diverse crowd of a few thousand immediately erupted, standing and dancing for the entire 45-minute set. During her introduction of keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell, Cho dubbed Erasure's music as "the soundtrack of our lives." The audience concurred, singing along with hits like "Sometimes" and "Chains of Love." Erasure was the true headliner to the True Colors stop in San Diego.
Lauper's hour-long set was a bit anti-climatic after the rapture of Erasure. Glitches marred the 14-song set: the singer complained of sound problems, she bumped into her guitarist, hitting her head and nearly knocking him over, cues for beginnings and endings of songs were missed. Lauper also over sang at times, instead of trusting her very good (but dusty) songs. The highlights included Lauper playing "Time After Time" on the dulcimer and a rousing encore of "True Colors" with the entire cast of characters from the evening.
Despite the patchy night of music and the hefty price tag (tickets ranged from $40-$125), the crowd left happy and united. And more importantly, a worthy issue earned recognition and donations. While she may not be as musically relevant as she was during the '80s, Lauper proved she can still make a difference in people's lives.
Contact the writer: Chris Nixon is a San Diego-based music writer.
