The word ‘legend’ gets thrown around a lot these days, especially in relation to musical artists. Whereas once you had to have a career that spanned decades in order to earn the label, it’s now liberally applied to anyone who had a successful run of hits. One artist though that truly deserves the label is Cyndi Lauper, the boundary-breaking American-Italian artist who forged her own path, helping other female artists rise to success. Blasting onto the scene in 1983, Lauper was a colourful cartoon-like character with a ton of personality, a killer voice and a catalogue of hits in waiting. Over 40 years on, Lauper is still able to command large audiences across the globe and last night she brought her ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour’ to The O2 in London.
I admit, going into last night’s show I was worried that Lauper wouldn’t live up to my expectations. Having never seen her live before my expectations were high and seeing her struggle with sound issues during her Glastonbury set had me a little nervous. Following a video montage covering her career, Lauper arrived on stage wearing one of her signature colourful wigs and she launched into ‘She Bop’ from 1983 debut album “She’s So Unusual”. Immediately, any reservations I had disappeared as Lauper’s voice was in fine form. Her signature vibrato and unique intonation rang clear through The O2 and she’s still a formidable vocalist all these years later. Following the opening song, Lauper launched into the first of several moments during the night where she told stories from her career and her trademark sense of humour shined brightly.
As is to be expected from a farewell tour, the set list was packed with the hits and songs that Lauper knew the audience would want to hear. “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough” was an early crowd favourite as Lauper danced around the stage and sang her heart out, but the first real highlight for me was ‘I Drove All Night’. With a car projection covering the front of her white dress, Lauper powered through the song with a passion and energy that you wish today’s crop of popstars could muster. For ‘Iko Iko’, Lauper crawled up from under the stage following a costume change to join her band and play an instrument that was fashioned into a vest that she wore over her outfit.
Prior to an emotive performance of her classic song ‘Sally’s Pigeons’, Lauper chatted away to the audience and there appeared to be a malfunction with the arrival of her next costume. It soon transpired that Lauper had accidentally skipped a song in the set list, which would have been a cover of Wanda Jackson’s ‘Funnel of Love’. Lauper turned it into a recurring joke throughout the night and honestly, I’m not sure that song was missed by the audience.
“I’m Gonna Be Strong”, a song recorded originally by Frankie Laine and later covered by Gene Pitney, was a surprise inclusion in the set. Lauper had been performing it on the North American dates of the tour but had replaced it with ‘Fearless’ during her recent UK shows. I’m glad she included the song last night as it was the highlight of the night for me. Lauper showcased just how incredibly powerful her vocals are, and she hit every one of those challenging notes during the song’s climax.
The backend of the set was loaded with Lauper’s biggest hits. ‘Time After Time’ received a rapturous reception from the audience and a lively extended version of ‘Money Changes Everything’ set things up nicely for the encore. Returning to the stage after a brief break, Lauper launched into ‘Shine’ and made her way from the main stage to a smaller stage in the middle of the arena floor. For ‘True Colors’, she held onto a rainbow scarf that she moved through the air, assisted by fans around the stage, to create a stunning moment. The final song of the night was ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’, which saw Boy George join Lauper on stage. Unfortunately, Boy George’s vocals weren’t very good and I’d have much preferred to hear Lauper sing it on her own. Still, the classic saw the night out on a high.
Cyndi Lauper is a reminder of a time when artists were actually artists. There was no trickery on display, she didn’t mime to pre-recorded live vocals and her vocals sounded clear and unfiltered. At a time when many artists are using auto-tune and pitch correction on stage, or just flat-out miming, she’s a rare example of what true artistry is. With costume changes aplenty, fantastic wigs and plenty of humour, she’s a true showwoman. I hope this isn’t the last time we see Lauper on stage here in the UK but if it is, she’s ended her international touring on a high that’s honoured her legacy and allowed her to go out while she’s still very much on top.
Set list: 1. She Bop 2. The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough 3. When You Were Mine (Prince cover) 4. I Drove All Night 5. Who Let in the Rain 6. Iko Iko (Sugar Boy and His Cane Cutters cover) 7. Sally’s Pigeons 8. I’m Gonna Be Strong (Frankie Laine cover) 9. Sisters of Avalon 10. Change of Heart 11. Time After Time 12. Money Changes Everything (The Brains cover) 13. Shine 14. True Colors 15. Girls Just Want To Have Fun (feat. Boy George) Venue: The O2, London Performance date: 11th February 2025
