Cher can certainly teach acts half her age a thing or two about entertainment. This two-hour show flies past because it is so damn enjoyable.
For starters Cher has an incredible history. She is one of the few artists over the past 50 years who has been capable of reinventing herself, be it from the swinging 60s Sonny and Cher era, the Vegas years of the 70s, the Hollywood 80s or her disco 90s. Cher has adapted like very few artists of her era have ever adapted. This show is a historic, at some times biographical, look back at her entire career.
One comment from one of the videos during costume changes (and yes there are heaps, I stopped counting at eight) was about how she was told at 40 that she was “too old” and had “lost her looks”. Today she is proudly a Troye Sivan and a half older than 40 and proving Hollywood wrong.
This is a 72-year woman. She is incredible.
The show opens with her recent ‘Woman’s World’ (2013) then sticks to the 90s before going back to where it all began, with her former husband Sonny Bono.
Cher frames the story early in the show. While the fans saw glamour in the day, she encountered a lot of heartache, hard work and at times, came away with nothing from the experience.
While Sonny and Cher’s TV show made Cher a household name in the USA, the rollercoaster ride came with his downward slide. By the mid 70s, Sonny and Cher were considered has-beens and she had to fight to survive.
By setting up the story at the start of the show gave context to the setlist later. Like her real life roller coaster ride, her musical career also had its up and downs.
The video interludes sequenced the story. Every era had its own fashion and at one point, that fashion overlapped with the ABBA story. Cher has paid tribute to ABBA on her new album ‘Dancing Queen’ and showcased her esteem with three ABBA songs.
With the Sonny and Cher era towards the start and her new versions of ABBA classics in the second half we literally witnessed a 51-year musical journey. In fact she went back even further showing us an 11-year old Cher and talking about her first Elvis concert represented with a video presentation of ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ and her performance of Marc Cohn’s ‘Walking In Memphis’.
The guitar-focused ‘I Found Someone’ and ‘If You Could Turn Back Time’ finished off the set and her late 80s rock phase before ‘Believe’ farewelled fans as an encore.
Cher’s voice was amazing. The production merged all of the latest video technologies with a greatest hits to die for.
At 72, Cher puts younger acts to shame.
Cher is touring Australia for Live Nation. The next shows are 5 and 6 October in Melbourne.
Cher setlist Melbourne October 4 2018
Woman’s World (from Closer to the Truth, 2013)
Strong Enough (from Believe, 1998)
Gayatri Mantra From Living Proof: The Farewell Tour, 2002)
All or Nothing (from Believe, 1998)
Little Man (from Sonny & Cher’s In Case You’re In Love, 1967)
The Beat Goes On (from Sonny & Cher’s In Case You’re In Love, 1967)
I Got You Babe (from Sonny & Cher’s Look at Us, 1965)
Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves (from Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves, 1971)
Dark Lady (from Dark Lady, 1974)
Half-Breed (from Half Breed, 1973)
You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me (from Burlesque: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, 2010)
Welcome to Burlesque (from Burlesque: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, 2010)
Lie to Me (from Closer to the Truth, 2013)
Waterloo (from Dancing Queen, 2018)
SOS (from Dancing Queen, 2018)
Fernando (from Dancing Queen, 2018)
After All (from Heart of Stone, 1989)
Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis Presley song)
Walking in Memphis (from It’s a Man’s World, 1995)
The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss) (from Mermaids, 1990)
I Found Someone (from Cher, 1987)
If I Could Turn Back Time (from Heart of Stone, 1989)
Encore:
Believe (from Believe, 1998)
Cher Australian dates
October 5 and 6, Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena
October 9, Adelaide, Entertainment Centre
October 12, Perth, Perth Arena
October 16, Wollongong, Entertainment Centre
October 18 and 20, Sydney, Qudos
October 21, Sydney, ICC Sydney Theatre
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