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Gays out in force for Cher
Diva’s ‘farewell farewell’ show jells after opening night kinks worked out
(Washington Blade photo by Brian Walmer)
By BRIAN WALMER
Special to the Blade
Friday night gay and pop culture icon Cher brought her current “Dressed to Kill Tour” to the Verizon Center for an evening filled with hits, new songs and lots of glam.
The tour was announced shortly after the release of her first album in 10 years, “Closer to the Truth,” and fans were beyond thrilled. In 2005, Cher ended her nearly three-year “Farewell Tour” at the Hollywood Bowl and said that was it as far as touring was concerned.
In 2008, the diva did an elaborate three-year run at the Coliseum in Vegas and while she loved the show, she had said in a few interviews she wasn’t crazy over the crowds and missed going out playing for her fans.
Nearly three years later here we are and Cher is out on the road again gaining rave reviews since the start of the tour in Phoenix two weeks ago. After some opening night mishaps (ill-fitting costumes, flubbed lyrics and missed cues) it seems the tour is now off and running like a well-oiled machine.
“I’m on my way out there. You better be good too or as my mother would say, ‘Cher don’t make me get off this couch,’ ” came Cher’s voice unexpectedly before the start of the show turning the packed arena into a frenzy. Young, old, gay, straight, black, white, everyone turned out for Cher’s (this time she supposedly means it) final tour. Fans dressed in tour shirts sporting the legend’s face, others opted for home-made shirts that showcased song titles and the tour logo. Surprisingly, I didn’t see one Cher look a-like roaming the arena.
Starting the show with a montage of clips, the white curtain dropped and there she stood atop a giant pedestal dressed in a massive feather headpiece and looking every bit like an Egyptian goddess belting out “Woman’s World.” Disappearing briefly, she remerged (sans headpiece) performing “Strong Enough” from 1998’s “Believe” before chatting with the crowd.
“My life’s goal is to make you happy,” she said. “Who cares if I stand on top of a 20-foot high pillar, standing on a space the size of a desert spoon singing out my lungs before plunging into the ground; these are my thoughts,” she told the audience before sipping Dr. Pepper and going on a rant about her love of Dr. Pepper and how the only thing they’ve given her is a cooler and a six-pack.
During her opening monologue which she said wasn’t as scripted as her previous tours, she went off on a variety of topics. “Gaga doesn’t do that,” she said. “I’d rather stand and talk than have some chick vomit on me. Call me old fashioned. I’m just that funny kind of gal.”
Story topics ranged from her aunt who was the first woman in Little Rock to have shock treatment, her near arrest in Nashville and when she got toilet paper stuck to her fingernail on the opening night of the tour. Despite all the talking and fun you could tell she was having with the audience, she closed her monologue with the news that this is her “Farewell Farewell Tour” — but not without giving a few winks.
After a brief video interlude that turned the Verizon Center into a stormy red inferno Cher emerged from the floor of the stage riding a chandelier belting out “Dressed To Kill” in a sheer body suit with a flowing black train.
(Blade photo by Brian Walmer)
Next up was Cher from the Sonny & Cher days. After a video montage played clips of the famous couple to the tunes of “Little Man” and “All I Ever Need Is You,” the set turned to black and white and dancers emerged to the opening of the “The Beat Goes On” before being joined onstage by Cher dressed in a sparkly red mini skirt and black-and-white feather boa. After finishing the tune, the icon that’s been a staple of pop culture since the ’60s told the crowd since this is her last time out, she was going to do something she never thought she’d be able to do.
“It took me forever to be able do this and frankly I didn’t think I would be able to do this” she told the crowd before doing a video duet of “I Got You Babe” with her late partner and husband. Despite lots of ups and downs in their relationship, they were arguably America’s favorite entertaining duo and seeing her perform again with him was touching.
(Blade photo by Brian Walmer)
Next up was a group of circus-attired dancers and a gypsy garbed-Cher to sing a medley of ’70s hits like “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves,” “Dark Lady” and “Half-Breed,” which she sang while wearing an elaborate feathered headdress.
After a montage of acting clips, she came back out to sing “Welcome to Burlesque” as Tess, her character from “Burlesque,” the 2010 bomb she made with Christina Aguilera. She said “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me,” which she sang next, was one of the hardest she ever tackled.
“We call this song ‘the beast’ because sometimes I made it through and sometimes I don’t … and I’m very brave. The few times I made it through, it was quite wonderful” It was probably just suspense-building banter as she sang it powerfully and near flawlessly.
Two male dancers performed acrobatic stunts before Cher entered the stage in a giant Trojan horse dressed in gold armor belting out fan favorite “Take It Like a Man” from her new album.
Steering the show in a stripped-down direction, Cher entered the stage in simple black slacks and an off-the-shoulder black top performing “Walking In Memphis” after a video played showing her love of Elvis and seeing him with her mom as a kid. In between sips of Dr. Pepper she told the crowd she had foot surgery and called herself a “crazy bitch” at the thought of launching a tour.
Since this is the “Farewell Farewell Tour,” she did “Just Like Jesse James,” a song she has admitted she doesn’t like and reiterated that sentiment again before performing it for the D.C. crowd. Moving onto a song she does like, she performed her favorite, “Heart of Stone.”
Long time background vocalist for Cher, Stacy Campbell, performed “Bang Bang” with new Cher recruit, Nikki Tillman against a video backdrop of past performances of the song.
To the opening of the ’80s hit “I Found Someone,” Cher entered center stage looking just as she did then — big hair, leather jacket, knee high boots and sheer peek-a-boo body suit. Removing the jacket, Cher belted out one of her signature hits, “If I Could Turn Back Time” prancing across the stage bringing the crowd to its feet.
“Believe” was presented as a crowd singalong. She sang the monster hit while wearing a revealing glittery outfit with a red heart on the chest.
(Blade photo by Brian Walmer)
“I Hope You Find It” was the encore, sung with Cher standing on a small platform that flew above the crowd letting fans everywhere get an up close view of the icon before she landed back onstage and called it a night nearly two hours after the show started.
Throughout the show, Cher’s voice was top notch and you could tell 99.9 percent of it was live. It seemed she enjoyed shaking up her set list a bit and added some songs that were a bit more challenging than before. Though its early in the tour, not once did she seem like she was going through the motions. Instead of just talking during the opening monologue and the sit down portion of her show like previous tours, she chatted and joked with the crowd between numbers and made the arena tour feel a bit more intimate and less staged.
The interludes between numbers worked well to blend the songs and visuals so you felt like you weren’t waiting long between costume changes. Speaking of costume changes, while Bob Mackie opted out of doing the new tour, some of his outfits were there, rehashed from previous tours along with new outfits from Hugh Durant. You really couldn’t tell whose outfits were whose and Cher did a great job blending all the elements together so everything ran like a big Broadway show.
If this is truly Cher’s last tour, it’s one hell of a last hurrah. It’s obvious this was a labor of love and I don’t think I ever saw Cher have this much fun on stage. A lot of time was spent making this production one that would be entertaining and also one that pushed Cher to the limits.
Pat Benatar opened with her husband, Neil Giraldo (the Blade interviewed him here). They’re celebrating their 35th anniversary together.
Cher apparently is a fan of Benatar’s and performed the rocker’s “Love Is a Battlefield” during her 1992 “Love Hurts Tour” and the first leg of her 2008 Vegas show. For Benatar/Giraldo’s hour-long set, they focused solely on hits and turned the Verizon Center into one big karaoke parlor. Pat’s voice is still as strong today as it was then and that sexy, husky growl is still there as she belted out hits such as “Love is a Battlefield,” “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” and “Heartbreaker.” I’ve seen Pat three times before this show and while I loved each time, I really enjoyed the extra production that went into opening for Cher. The band sounded fuller, backing vocals were added and Pat’s voice was front and center instead of blending into the mix. If you’re reading this Pat, a new album would be fantastic! The musical duo performs with Cher until April 14. Cyndi Lauper takes over thereafter.
SET LIST:
Pat Benatar:
Shadows of the Night
All Fired Up
Invincible
We Live For Love
Promises In The Dark
We Belong
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Love Is a Battlefield
ENCORE:
Let’s Stay Together
Heartbreaker/Ring of Fire
Cher:
Woman’s World
Strong Enough
Dressed to Kill
The Beat Goes On
I Got You Babe
Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves
Dark Lady
Half-Breed
Welcome to Burlesque
You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me
Take It Like a Man
Walking in Memphis
Just Like Jesse James
Heart of Stone
Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) (performed by background vocalists)
I Found Someone
If I Could Turn Back Time
Believe
I Hope You Find It
a&e features
Rainbows in Revolt on a mission to make LGBTQ artists’ voices heard
Rainbows in Revolt on a mission to make LGBTQ artists’ voices heard
Last month’s Pride celebration in D.C. was so fun. Walking around my first Capital Pride with a $15 lemonade I was loving the madness and the color. Artists and small businesses battling banks you’ve never heard of collecting your personal information so you can spin a wheel to snag free merch. Great music blaring, people actually smiling and enjoying themselves, the “Great” American State Fair could never!
The Monument Stage was on Pennsylvania Avenue, directly in front of the National Gallery of Art and I can’t think of a better venue to see live music. How does someone get on the lineup for Pride? How do we accelerate the visibility of the most talented voices in our community to perform in places like this?
There is certainly not a talent gap, but there is a visibility gap. Chappell Roan went from playing for two people in a parking lot to owning the main stage at Coachella in one year. Whether it is shadowbanning or bias in AI, algorithms have been shown to suppress queer artists. In a digital age, how can queer people break through and show the world how talented they are?
Allison and Matt of Rainbows in Revolt are on a mission to make openly LGBTQ+ artists’ voices heard. Their goal is to find “musicians whose queerness is central to their identity as an artist,” and accelerate them to a place where they can actually reach fans.
The only time queer events seem to be in the spotlight is June, but this should be year round, according to Allison and Matt. Rainbows in Revolt wants to act as a “nucleus” for different sub-communities, finding common ground in the universal language of music.
Matt and Allison founded Rainbows as a way to make cheaper, higher quality merchandise for queer artists. While Rainbows has already pledged 20% of their profits to the LGBTQ+ community, with 10% to Whitman-Walker Health and 10% to LGBTQ+ organizations in need, this is just the beginning of the work that they do.
Rainbows “does the dirty work” that artists normally struggle to do on their own with limited resources. Interviews, artist profiles, social promotion, playlist discovery, radio outreach, and merch-funded support. This work is normally expensive, time consuming, and requires lots of different skills. Musicians don’t want to be editing clips to post online. Standup comedians don’t want to make graphics for their tour dates. They want to write more. They want to focus on their craft.
In addition to helping artists find their audience, Rainbows has built other digital tools to help queer people connect, including an interactive Safe Space Map for most major cities. It is hard to know which places are truly safe and supportive just from a simple Google search. Attitudes and actions change, and there should be a simple way for queer people to find other places that align with them. The Safe Spaces Maps are all up to date, and are tagged and filterable. Instead of relying on forums and word of mouth, Rainbows has created a centralized way to find authentic community quickly.
I had a chance to talk with Allison and Matt at Pride where Lily Erin, one of their signature artists, was performing on the Monument stage. Lily Erin is a folk singer who is familiar and forging her own path. Her bittersweet sound echoes through Acadia, and her garb mirrors the New England athletes I grew up with. Gorp Core meets streetwear. A graphic tee, hiking shorts, and creamsicle Jordans.
Her debut single, “Bus Stop,” tells a sad story about unconditional love, and the conditions that still seem to come with it. Graduating into lockdown, Erin needed a new way to connect with herself and others. Lily made “Bus Stop” without an intention to share it, but doing so was a liberation. People have been responding to her honesty around queer-ness, family, and the “ghosts which haunt us” even in the daytime.
Rainbows in Revolt has helped Lily Erin go from bars and backyards to The Monument Stage at Pride. This is a meteoric rise, and a testament to both Erin’s talent and the work of Rainbows to promote her. “A little encouragement goes a long way with early artists,” and by “planting a seed” Rainbows is already seeing their artist garden grow. Community is power, and Erin is a perfect example of how effective simple modern techniques of promotion can be.
A next step for Rainbows is putting on shows themselves. On Oct. 3, Rainbows in Revolt will host an Evening with Ray Boltz at the National City Christian Church. Boltz grew up in the Catholic Church and for many years was the soundtrack to many services, youth camps, and church groups. He was celebrated by millions until he came out in 2008. Allison remembers her community “never playing his music again.”
Rainbows in Revolt is helping him to return to the church, and proving that identity does not need to be exclusive. We live in a complicated world with complicated lines being drawn. Boltz proves that these lines don’t exist, and will be breaking down barriers to bring together communities. To Allison, “a trans woman standing next to a straight white man in church is a powerful teacher.”
The Safe Space maps bridge all types of spaces, and one of the unlikely ones is, perhaps, churches. Matt said that “BYU has only nine safe spaces around their campus and seven of them are churches.” Not all churches are anti-gay, and many times they are the only place for people to find community.
Rainbows in Revolt is just getting started bridging gaps and building community.
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Summer in the City: Free exhibits, movies, more fill D.C.’s calendar
America 250 celebrations continue
From late-night museum visits and outdoor jazz concerts to free movie screenings and America250 exhibitions, Washington’s summer calendar is packed with events that don’t charge admission. Here’s a look at some of the free activities happening across the District through September and beyond.
Museum exhibitions
The Renwick Gallery is presenting State Fairs: Growing American Craft, an exhibition that looks at unique and unconventional crafts from the 19th century to the present. It will run until Sept. 7, and admission is free.
The Arts and Industries Building, located next to the Smithsonian Castle, is presenting the exhibition Voices and Votes: Exploring Democracy Across America. The exhibition features the development of American independence and what that has meant over time, beginning with the Revolutionary War. Admission to the museum is free, and the exhibition runs until Sept. 7.
The National Gallery of Art presents Dear America, an exhibit featuring more than 100 pieces of work, including letters, photographs, and drawings that depict American landscapes and depictions of freedom. The exhibition will run until Sept. 20.
The National Museum of Women in the Arts is exhibiting Burnished: Pueblo Pottery until Sept. 27. The exhibit features pottery from the Southwest, and while most of the pottery belongs to women artists, a few also reflect those who have advocated for women.
Extending past this summer, the exhibition ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa will be at the National Museum of the American Latino until July 2028. The exhibition shows how Afro-Cuban music has become a staple in the U.S. Admission is free.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library will feature the exhibition District Vibes / American Pride: How DC Changed American Culture, which will highlight all of the ways D.C. has impacted American life. The exhibit will run until Sept. 27.
At the Folger Shakespeare Library, the exhibit Imagining Shakespeare: Mythmaking and Storytelling in the Regency Era will be on view through Aug. 2. All the portraits on display come from the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in London.
The United States Botanic Garden will be open until 8 p.m. on Aug. 20 and Sept. 17, as part of America’s State Flowers: An America250 Celebration. The evenings will include live music, mocktails, ice cream, and snacks.
The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden will have extended hours, staying open until 8 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday until Sept. 3.
Live performances
On Aug. 7, the postgame Nationals concert series will continue with Jordan Davis performing. To see the concert, guests just need to buy tickets to the Nationals game.
Jazz in the Garden will run each Friday until Aug. 14. The event has free admission, but those interested have to enter a lottery due to the high demand for the event.
From May to October, Capital Harvest Market occurs every Wednesday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The market features fresh foods, crafts, and recipes for unique dishes. A full list of vendors is available on Capital Harvest’s website.
Live! Concert Series on the Plaza will feature live performances at Woodrow Wilson Plaza until Sept. 25. The performances run Monday to Friday from 12-1 p.m. Admission is free to the performances.
DowntownDC Live! at Anthem Row is running until July 30, with free performances every Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The final performance will feature HUE and a vintage flea market hosted by Get Flee Marketplace.
Located in Adams Morgan, AdMo Vibe will present live performances every Thursday at 6 p.m. in Kalorama Park. Guests are encouraged to check out Adams Morgan before and after shows, and it is an event for all ages.
Other events
Union Market is hosting drive-in movies on Aug. 8, featuring “Monsters, Inc.”, and Sept. 12, featuring “Wicked.” On Aug. 8, the parking lot will open at 7:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 8:25 p.m. On Sept. 12, the parking lot will open at 6:35 p.m., and the movie will start at 7:30 p.m.
Sunset Cinema at the Wharf will also be available one day a month. On Aug. 12, “10 Things I Hate About You” will premiere, and on Aug. 26, “Project Hail Mary.” No tickets are necessary.
The Library of Congress will also show movies. On Aug. 6, guests are invited to watch “Apollo 13.” The movie will be shown at 8 p.m., with additional live performances beginning at 7 p.m.
For fans of Asian media, the Okaton convention will be at Walter E. Washington Convention Center from July 31-Aug. 2. Festivities will include cosplay contests, skits, live music, and panel discussions.
Washington Spirit’s season also begins in August. The Spirit is Washington’s National Women’s League, with matchups occurring between the San Diego Wave, the North Carolina Courage, the Orlando Pride, and the Bay FC.
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Summer in D.C. brings sports, Restaurant Week, festivals, and more
Summer in D.C. just hits different. Congress is out, school is out, the sun is out, thighs are out. With the skies clearing from Canadian smoke, here are a few ways to stay entertained.
Dining
Summer restaurant week: The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is once again hosting Summer Restaurant Week, Aug. 18-24. This weeklong dining experience showcases the dynamic dining scene of the DMV, including 2026 RAMMY Award-winning favorites (the annual D.C. food awards show that took place June 29). Participating restaurants will offer three-course brunch and lunch selections for $25 or $35 per person, and three-course dinners for $40, $55 and $65 per person.
New Restaurants: A handful of new spots have opened, so the summer is a great time to check them out:
- Oribu: A new Mediterranean-Japanese restaurant in the Grand Hyatt hotel, which just underwent a remodeling effort. The sleek restaurant brings upscale charm, with dishes like Wagyu beef tartare with potato pavé and caviar.
- The Oak Room: A snazzy old-school American grill has just opened in Georgetown, alongside its sister upstairs supper club (Bernadette’s) restaurant, in the old El Centro space.
- Uchi: This showy Japanese sushi-forward chain has landed in Dupont with a chef’s tasting menu of favorites like fatty tuna.
- Kathmandu: Recalling the capital of Nepal, this warm, buzzy subterranean restaurant right in the heart of U Street brings spice, flair, and rare ingredients to its dishes (see: buffalo burgers) and drinks.
Sports
- Washington Spirit Pride Night OUT: On Sunday, Aug. 23, head to Audi Field for a massive, high-energy game following the exciting month of World Cup. The designated Pride Night OUT game promises boisterous crowds plus pre- and post-game community engagements.
- Washington Tennis Open – Now called the Mubadala DC Open, this annual tournament is only combined mens’ and womens’ 500-level tennis tournament in the world. The open is one of D.C.’s longest-standing sports traditions, and will take place at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center July 25-Aug. 2. Naomi Osaka, Venus Williams, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and others are expected to play.
Festivals
- Afro Plus Fest: This huge, three-day Afro-Caribbean Hip-Hop Festival brings together headliners Davido, Alkaline, and Wizkid, plus Tems and Ayra Starr. The event moves from RFK to the Northwest Stadium Complex for three days, Sept. 4-6.
- Capital Fringe Festival: Running from July 11-21, this massive celebration features dozens of live theater, comedy, dance, and boundary-pushing nighttime performances across multiple DC neighborhoods.
- The National Book Festival returns, with headliners like Cynthia Erivo, and Martin Scorsese. The one-day festival, Saturday, Aug. 22, brings together bookworms and word nerds under the theme “America 250: It’s Your Story.” There are talks, workshops, musical sessions and more.
- All Things Go: A three-day festival Sept. 25-27 at Merriweather Post Pavilion featuring Mitski, Hayley Williams, Brandi Carlile, MUNA, Zara Larsson, Ethel Cain, and many, many more artists. There are single-day and three-day tickets. Featuring and highlighting female artists, the festival has turned into a must-see for many LGBTQ audience members.
- Fuchsia Fest: The inaugural Fuchsia Fest is a new multi-day celebration created to celebrate LGBTQ community and expression, bringing together a mix of community gatherings, entertainment, and nightlife. The event takes place Sept. 18-20 and is hosted by Capital Pride.
Art and Music
- United We Dance: A high-energy rave with house, techno, bass, and festival music, on Aug. 1 at the 9:30 Club.
- The Fray. On Aug. 14, this American rock band famous for How To Save A Life is at Merriweather Post Pavilion.
- Kesha: Kesha’s high-energy The Freedom Tour comes to the D.C. area on Aug. 14 at Jiffy Lube Live.
- ALOK: On Sept. 3 at Lincoln Theater, ALOK (they/them) performs. The poet, comedian, and actor is putting on a new comedy show.
- 2charm, the emerging Australian electronic club-pop duo popular with the queer community, which blends hyperpop and dance music, comes to the Atlantis.
- Sapphic Dance Party: a vibrant, inclusive nightlife and social event designed specifically for queer women, lesbians, bisexuals, trans individuals, and nonbinary folks, at Atlantis on Aug. 21.
- Jazz in the Garden: The most quintessential of D.C. activities returns Friday evenings through Aug. 14. This season’s theme, “American Sounds,” is a nod to the nation’s 250th anniversary. Tunes themes range from Appalachian and Americana to Creole jazz, Hill Country blues, contemporary jazz, and more. Tickets are available through a lottery system a week before each event.
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