By: William Bates
At age 67 Cher is still commanding the stage. Not like a cover arts, but as a seasoned performer. I flash back to sitting with my grandmother watching the Sonny and Cher Show some Saturdays. I never would have imagined that I would be attending a Cher concert. Some of the skits that Cher executed then were fantastic and to me she was a theatrical feast. Her voice was distinctive – perhaps not the best then or now but stage performances are also about captivating the audience, something Cher is mastered.
I didn’t know many of her songs. But the audience felt electrified and followed every word. The show cover 36 years of performing.
The stage was only partially lighted, and when she appeared it impressive to see that she still had her fabulous body after being an icon of American popular music for more than 40 years.
This tour, supports of her 26th album, “Closer to the Truth”. The slide show/montage takes you on a journey of some of her standout photos, albums and videos when suddenly the music changes and arriving atop the stage, strapped into an elevated pedestal in her gypsy style costume the fans cheer wildly.
She covered hits in five separate decades, Cher sang most of them, though the songs seemed to be secondary to the myriad costume changes and gracious between-song conversations.
Was she dazzling in ’70s disco to mainstream pop.
The crowd – an interesting mix of age groups, unified in what sure appeared to be an all-consuming love for Cher – was on its feet from the get-go. while she ventured back to her life with Sonny Bono. A “duet” on “I Got You Babe,” with the late Sonny singing to Cher while towering above her on a massive video screen.
“Half Breed,” a Native American-themed introductory bit offered a visceral thrill, one that everyone around me appeared to be willing to indulge in.
So this would surely to be the only time I would see Cher live. She made a place for herself in American music and she is well loved by her fans.
