On Wednesday night I was mad. Having spent $300 to see Cher in concert I was expecting brilliance. Classic songs, ABBA covers, outlandish costumes- I was expecting the works. Instead, what audiences were treated to was an hour and a half performance characterised by costume changes, mash ups and an odd story about the two nights it took the 72 year old to turn 40.
I was expecting to be dazzled, but instead I was left feeling robbed of hearing my favourite Cher song (Dark Lady) and a little confused as to why this tour is called Here We Go Again and only boasts three ABBA covers.
Now, I hope you can appreciate that this is a hard thing for me to think, let alone write. Last year I travelled to Vegas for the sole purpose of seeing Cher’s residence at Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. Having not been a big fan of the original Mamma Mia, I saw the sequel twice purely because of the Cher factor. I have listened to Cher since I was six years old and my mum played Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves in the car one afternoon.
Cher during the open number, Woman's World
Having grown up in the era of bigger and better concerts where singers break out into expertly choreographed numbers before attaching themselves to harnesses to soar across an entire arena, I have been spoilt. Experiencing these kinds of concerts from a young age warped my sense of what a concert is. But Cher, being the throwback that she is, was always going to take her concerts back in time, to a place where above everything else, the audience has come to hear the music.
Willing to admit that I lacked perspective, I was ready to embrace Cher’s third and final show in Melbourne on Saturday night with an open heart and mind.
The show begins with images projected onto the stage serving as a reminder of the many looks, achievements and songs Cher has provided us with over the last six decades. It serves as a reminder for where Cher and as an extension of Cher- her audience- have been and where they are going. At the moment when audiences are in awe of Cher’s career, Cher actually appears, descending from the ceiling in a fabulous costume and truly over the top wig belting out Woman’s World.
As the beat transitions into Strong Enough, sitting four rows from Cher, I can’t take my eyes off the 72-year-old icon. As she dances and sings masterful lyrics like ‘I’ve been losing sleep, you’ve been going cheap’ she is exuding pride and happiness. Literally. She cannot wipe the smile off of her face. How refreshing to see someone who has been through the professional and personal ringer over her long career still drawing so much joy from their craft.
Cher during Waterloo where she proudly wears a scarf from the ABBA museum
Two songs in and a 12-minute story later and she is off for her first costume change. During the first concert every time she went off the stage I was annoyed to say the least. At times it felt like she was off the stage more than she was actually on it. What I failed to realise was that it was all a metaphor for her career. She goes away, takes some time and then comes back again better than ever, with an even better outfit to boot.
After a belting rendition of All or Nothing, she is off again, and the audition is treated to a heart-warming video tribute to the Sonny and Cher days. We are back to where it all started. With the advancements in technology, Cher is able to display footage of Sonny singing The Beat Goes On and I Got You Babe in a way that for a second, when you are caught up in the emotion, you feel that they are there together.
After a crafty set change and an elaborate routine executed by the back-up dancers, Cher is back on stage dancing around like a gypsy and we all know what song is about to be performed. The chords of Dark Lady start to play and then what feels like seconds later it is over, presumably so Cher can duck backstage and change into the infamous Half Breed outfit.
Here we hit the point in the show where Cher performs one song, gets changed, comes back out and repeats the routine all over again. While you can justify this by enjoying all the glamorous costumes, it would be nice to see and hear a little more of Cher on stage. Yet, on the other hand it gives the audience time to reflect on the journey of Cher’s career, taking in the gravity of what she has achieved and the masterful way she has managed to re-invent herself at the turn of every decade.
72 years old and the Turn Back Time outfit still fits like a glove
Speaking of reinventing herself, did somebody say ABBA? What a masterstroke. Crafting an album of ABBA covers has seemingly solidified Cher as the ultimate, decade defying artist. And boy, she is enjoying it. Running out onto the stage while singing the opening lines of Waterloo, Cher is beaming with happiness. It is also the first time she really looks out at the audience and the look on her face says it all when she realises that an arena full of people are on their feet, singing along with her.
From Fernando to After All to Walking in Memphis and the Shoop Shoop Song, Cher more than proves that her voice is up to the task of doing her biggest and hardest tunes justice.
As Turn Back Time and then Believe came to an end, I realised how wrong I was to think that night one of the Here We Go Again concert wasn’t good enough. At 72 years old, to get up there and lend that incredibly unique voice to tracks from 1962 originals to 2018 remixes is a huge feat. In the modern day 2-hour concert, audiences are treated to a visual and sensory experience, but Cher- being Cher after all- was never going to conform. Cher doesn’t use over the top sets and dance numbers or aerobatic stunts, she uses her voice and that is more than enough.
She hasn’t forged one of the most successful careers of all time by conforming. She has remained timeless by using her best assets to constantly challenge and better herself. If she is going to do something, you bet she will do it Cher’s way. And if that means the Here We Go Again tour is a throwback to her career, the outfits she is synonymous with and the songs that have defined generations, I will happily follow.
Comments