Cher Returns to the Concert Stage Live in Las Vegas May 20, 2008

As the heat descended on the Nevada desert on the evening of May 20, 2008, 110 degrees to be exact, there was anticipation in the air that could have been cut with a knife. Something wondrous was about to happen at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The original DIVA, Cher, was about to take the stage on her 62nd birthday. (Ssh, it was supposed to be a secret) Obviously the over 4000 strong that attended the show on this night knew all too well of the occasion. Okay, so much for the dramatic pop and circumstance. But then again after all, this is about Cher. Where there's glitz, glamour, drama, and an all around good time, on this night Cher stood court among the faithful. Jeez, I love this stuff. Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. But hey, I flew almost 3000 miles to be in Vegas so cut me a little slack. Like many of the fans in attendance I have seen Cher multiple times live, including 7 or 8 on the 'Farewell Tour' alone. So what was going to be so different and fabulous about Vegas? If you ever been to Vegas you already know the answer. The tag line 'What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,' speaks volumes to those who love to indulge in Sin City. But that's a whole other article. Vegas has always been the headline capital of the world when it comes to entertainment. Going back to the 'Rat Pack,' glory days, Vegas was the place to play. Caesars Palace has an incredible triple threat - Cher, Elton John and Bette Midler - rotating throughout the year. Cher has signed for three years. Now if that's not a Diva fest I don't know what it. Caesars itself as a resort casino is an amazing place to behold. The roman décor, marble floors, cathedral ceilings, the entire setting is quite breathtaking at first sight. The venue for the shows The Colosseum is another incredible work of art. The acoustics couldn't be more perfect and from what I could see there isn't a bad seat in the house. On a personal note, if you really want to have a great time take someone who has never seen Cher or been to Vegas before. It's almost like watching a child opening presents on Christmas morning or taking them to Disney for the first time. There is that sense of wonder and astonishment that all they see before them is real and can be experienced and touched. The neon that lights up the Vegas strip sky is truly a wonder. Just the sight from the airplane window sends a shock of excitement down the spine. And once you're actually standing there on Vegas Boulevard, well forget it, it's all over. Vegas has all the bells and whistles it promises and now with Cher in town there's no stopping the city that runs full tilt boogie 24/7.
Promising this show would be the ultimate Cher experience is a tall statement to live up to. So, did she? She certainly did. As soon as the lights dimmed and the speakers began to boom, the screen behind the stage began to flash photos and videos of the Diva, some older than many of those in attendance. Less we forget Cher has been in showbiz for five decades now. There is a lot of ground to cover. Once the montage was over the familiar opening bars of U2's song (now Cher's signature tune) "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," filled the auditorium with a resounding boom. Her entrance upon the stage what nothing more than brilliant. Okay, maybe brilliant is a little much but it was pretty damn cool. Drifting down from the ceiling above the audience in what appeared to be a gold cage the Diva dressed in a Bob Mackie knock out white and silver draped cape and head piece landed safely to wild applause and adulation. As song ended and Cher began to go into her monologue she was surprisingly stopped in her tracks by a rousing and very out of tune audience participation sing along of 'Happy Birthday.' And yes, I was just as out of tune as the rest. Obviously stunned and quite touched she began to laugh and made a quick comment about 'how she got there.' 'The last thing I remember is being sixteen years old and seeing this ugly guy coming towards me. The next thing I'm wondering how I got here and turning (whispering in the mic) 62." See, it was a secret after all.
The show for the most part was exactly as promised. 90 minutes, 17 costume changes (thanks to Bob Mackie) hits from every era, dancers, acrobatics, movie clips, TV clips, and a very touching Sonny and Cher duet thanks to modern technology. She didn't miss a beat. There was one very brief down side for me personally. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Laverne from the Launderette. She was one of my favorite characters from 'The Cher Show,' in the 1970's. This time around, Laverne singing via video "I Gotta Be Me," went on a little too long. Sure it was cute and funny but I could have picked a better choice of song for this segment sung by Cher and not Laverne. Sorry girl, just giving you the heads up. Thankfully it was right at the beginning of the show. The remainder of the show seemed to glide without a hitch. Obviously Cher wanted to change up the song list this time around with some rather, let's say, different choices. Pat Benatar's "Love Is A Battlefield," was interesting. The costuming reminded me of a Mad Max type apocalyptical groove. Of course the disco medley is always fun. "Don't Leave Me This Way," "Take Me Home," and a very amusing version of "Y.M.C.A." (I'm not going to play spoiler in case you plan on seeing the show) was hysterical and very imaginative. The Sonny and Cher montages and songs were among the biggest crowd pleasures. After all, any of us over 40 remember watching the 'Sonny and Cher Show' every week on TV. We grew up with them. They were part of the family. And Cher certainly brought that thought full circle by playing footage of the pair possibly never seen before by any audience. There was of course the anthem "I Got You Babe," "The Beat Goes On," and "Sonny." It was a great and touching tribute to the man Cher still credits her career to. The hits just kept coming. From the 60's - "All I Really Want To Do." From the 70's - "Half Breed," "Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves," "Dark Lady," and "The Way Of Love." From The 80's - "I Found Someone," "After All," "Walking In Memphis," "If I Could Turn Back Time," (sailor hats included thanks to the audience) and "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)". The 90's - "Strong Enough," and "Believe." Admittedly there were songs from the 'Farewell,' and the 'Believe,' tour I would have loved to have heard live again. I do have my favorites like everyone else but Cher didn't ask me to work on the song list with her so, there you have it. The monologues between the sets were very funny and very Cher. Fans know her sense of humor. The dancers and Cirque Du Solei acrobatics were incredible to watch and didn't take anything away from the rest of the show. After all, 17 costume changes do take a little time. In all, it was a great way to spend a hot summer night and definitely worth the 5 hour flight to Vegas.