'This is not a Tony Bennett concert' Rod Stewart with Cyndi Lauper ...
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Cyndi Lauper performs at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.
REVIEW: Dunedin was shown its true colours, from the technicolour of Cyndi Lauper to the sequins of Sir Rod Stewart.
An early highlight belonged to Lauper, who emerged from a door wearing a black and white suit, large red hat and enough energy to power the sun.
‘’You might think I’m just a big pain in the ass ... cos I’m a little extra.’’
And she gave the crowd extra during a foot-stomping 11-song set, urging the seated crowd to ‘’get the f*** up’’.
Soon everyone was on their feet and dancing in the aisles, but that proved a problem a few minutes into I Drove All Night, when she stopped the music to direct a question to ‘’Mr Green Security Man’’.
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Ryley Wilson/Supplied
Cyndi Lauper urged the crowd to get to their feet and dance.
Once she clarified that ‘’this is not a Tony Bennett concert’’, she gave the instruction for the dancing to continue, as long as people cleared the aisles and stayed away from barriers.
‘’This is a rock n roll show, okay.’’
Lauper, 69, who played her biggest hits, including Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and True Colours, said she was proud to be in New Zealand where people ‘’truly believe in equality for all, not just some’’.
The thousands under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Wednesday night were treated to a most Dunedin welcome to announce Sir Rod Stewart, the sound of bagpipes.
Ryley Wilson/Supplied
Sir Rod Stewart opens his act with a cover of Robert Palmer's Simply Irresistable
But what quickly followed set the template for the evening, with Stewart, 78, starting with a bold move as a headliner, launching into a cover of Robert Palmer’s Simply Irresistible, complete with female backing band from the famous 80s pop video.
‘’We are going to be here for nearly two hours, 23 songs you count them.’’
Three songs in and he soon found his voice on an early Faces track, Ooh La La, and then ripped into it some more with the blues and whisky soaked cover of Muddy Waters’ Rollin’ and Tumblin’.
The latter was ‘’a big influence on me and The Stones, everybody who came out of Britain”.
Stewart seemed genuinely appreciative of the reaction to that cover, ‘’normally that dies a slow death’’.
‘’Thank you for being cultured.’’
Ryley Wilson/Supplied
Sir Rod Stewart loved the crowd’s reaction to some of the older songs his band played.
But that love of culture took the crowd to some different places, whether it be on the extended ‘’Irish rebel music’’ version of Forever Young, or an alternative start to arguably his biggest song, at least according to Spotify, and the people sitting next to me: Maggie May.
Co-written by Stewart, that track got the audience to their feet and singing the lines, ‘’The morning sun when it's in your face really shows your age’’.
Luckily this concert was held under a full moon, and things were about to get reflective with Stewart paying homage to the late Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac, with the Etta James track I’d Rather Go Blind.
Several costume changes later included Stewart sporting a blue and gold number, a nod to the Ukrainian flag and not, as some might initially have thought, the province he was in.
He likened the Russian invasion to that of Adolf Hitler, ‘’Putin is no f***ing better’’, before dedicating Rhythm Of My Heart to the Ukrainian people.
That led to a sit down session with his band, which included three back-up singers, with an early highlight being I Don’t Want to Talk About it.
His love of costume changes, sparkly suit, check, leopard skin, check, was only matched by his love of covers, with his trio of singers performing The Pointer Sisters I’m so Excited and later the disco classic Lady Marmalade.
Another brief intermission had the Celtic-loving Stewart kicking balls into the crowd and encouraging his singers to join in: ‘’mind your knickers’’.
The dial on the sexual innuendo was turned up to ten when he launched into the disco romp of Do Ya Think I’m Sexy, before things quietened down with Sailing.
Both Lauper and Stewart will perform at:
Napier - Mission Estate Winery – April 8
Auckland – Spark Arena – April 9
