By Pamela Grossman
You might think it would be fun to see Cyndi Lauper in concert. You might take a “Why not?” approach to the night, figuring she’d probably sound pretty good.
But you would be wrong. It is much more than entertaining to see Cyndi Lauper in concert, and she sounds a lot better than good. You might think a Cyndi Lauper concert would be enjoyable; but with her powerful voice, delightful storytelling, and warm, whirling energy, Ms. Lauper makes the experience amazing.
It’s been 30 years since Lauper’s debut album, “She’s So Unusual,” and she has been playing the entire record for a national tour that will soon go overseas. If you’re the slightest bit of a fan and have the chance to see her, on this tour or at any point, I advise you to jump at it.
I felt very fortunate to catch Lauper on her native turf of Queens, New York, at the comfortable and lovely Kupferberg Center for the Arts, on the campus of Queens College. Though she also played Manhattan (and will do so again on December 7th), seeing her where she grew up—in the borough that bred Cyndi and her thick-as-mud New York accent—seemed extra special. Weekend subway issues added chunks of time to the journey to and from the theater; but the trip was well worth it for the theater’s welcoming vibe and the off-the-main-path spirit of the night.
And indeed, Cyndi Lauper’s career has been built largely on decisions to veer away from the beaten track and toward her own heart. Regarding the making of “She’s So Unusual,” which includes a Prince cover and a ukulele solo, she told the adoring Queens crowd, “I stuck with what I knew was true, and I fought for it.” (Her fight paid off; the album became the first female debut to chart four top-five Billboard hits.) Even in recent years, Lauper has faced similar battles. “Kinky Boots,” for which she wrote the music and lyrics, eventually won a Tony for Best Musical but at first tested poorly in marketing polls. “Keep figuring out how to move ahead,” she advised the audience. “Don’t listen to bad stats!” (In between “Unusual” and “Boots,” at a time when she’d had recent huge successes and could have been spared record-label critiques, she was still scrutinized. She told a story from stage about label execs in the late 80s asking why she would not dress simply, in jeans and a t-shirt—”Why,” they wondered, “can’t you be more like Katrina and the Waves?”)
Given the anniversary nature of this tour, Lauper told stories of her beginnings—and these stories could encourage the weariest souls. “I hated school,” she said. “Trouble was my middle name.” She ducked in and out of several high schools, finally earning a GED, and then took art classes at Johnson State College in Vermont before launching a music career. (“What was I thinking, in Vermont?” she wondered aloud. “I’m allergic to the cold!”) Her good fortune of opening for the Kinks in concert as a new artist resulted in the not-so-good fortune of being loudly booed and also pelted with quarters and cigarettes by impatient Kinks fans. (“I wasn’t happy about it,” she admitted, “but I kept thinking—laundry! Should I pick up the quarters? I could wash all my comforters! I could get the big machine!”)
She also told of receiving helpful advice about iconic anthem “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”—”Sing it in your accent!” Her wry response: “What accent?” In all seriousness, at the root of Cyndi Lauper’s work and her artistic message is the command to keep your own identity and vision front and center.
Simply put, she reminded fans, “Authenticity is really the key.” And speaking of staying true to yourself, just try to listen to her belt out the power ballad “True Colors” live without getting tears in your eyes. I got more than teary; to my own surprise, I flat-out wept.
Some have commented that Lauper can display diva tendencies. Is she perfect at all times, onstage and off? Probably not; but then, who is? Photographers at the show were asked not to take pictures after the second song or “Cyndi Lauper will yell at you,” and I got the feeling this was not said in total jest. When a fan called out “I love you!” between songs, Lauper answered, “You couldn’t live with me. I’m a big pain!” I haven’t met her, but I’d be willing to believe that this bundle of creativity and dreams could have her not-so-easy moments. Again, though, who is without quirks? We all have our own; but not everyone counteracts them by contributing the great art and the powerful advocacy (especially for the LGBT community, through her True Colors Fund and internationally) that Cyndi Lauper does. She’s an icon, a powerhouse, and an inspiration.
The World According to Cyndi, as presented at the Queens show: Live your truest, most deeply felt life; don’t forget kindness (“Make sure to be good to each other,” she advised); and keep going in the face of criticism. “When I hear ‘No,'” she said, “I hear, ‘That’s just what you think.'”
You might think it would be a lark to go see Cyndi Lauper. But she has always been so much more than fun—and she will blow you away.