27/06/2011 | Cyndi Lauper – Colston Hall, Bristol

Touring with her album Memphis Blues, Cyndi bursts into Colston Hall filled with energy. After offering spirits to the stage (and similarly splashing a fair bit of liquid on her band) she begins by running along the stage and belting out Just Your Fool. It soon becomes clear that whilst the genre might have shifted, her attitude and charisma is very much in tact. Thrashing her arms, Cyndi is backed by a talented band but it’s her who conducts the show and as she hits every note in Shattered Dreams it becomes apparent that tonight is going to pack a punch.

She might be presenting another album of covers, but just as with At Last she delivers them with her own unique twist, the blues becoming upbeat and uplifting. There are some who seem relieved when the opening beats of She Bop chime out, but this too is doused with the flavour of blues, a distinctive take on an early classic. At this point Cyndi descends on the audience, spotting an empty seat amid the rows and climbing on it to complete the song, removing the divide between artist and crowd.

Cyndi talks between songs, giving insight into her world and as she does so, the evening begins to get an intimate vibe despite the size of the venue. ‘Lady that was not a good picture’ she says and laughs as a camera snaps her from the front row, before continuing with a stunning rendition of Albert King’s Don’t Bother Me. The beginning of the set is filled with Memphis Blues tracks, Don’t Cry No More, Crossroads and Early In The Morning all making an appearance, but the second half of the set is very much dedicated to the older songs.

Whether it’s the dulcimer driven All Through The Night or the up tempo The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough the audience soon find their feet, dancing their way through the end of the show. Pre Time After Time Cyndi questions if the crowd are going to sing along but as she opens it with a verse from Sisters Of Avalon song Fearless there are a few perplexed faces amid the more ardent fans, nevertheless this soon vanishes as the distinctive beats of the cherished song ring out.

Whilst the blues songs go down a storm, it’s the more trademark classics Girls Just Want To Have Fun (during which Cyndi splits the crowd to create her backing vocals) and the timeless anthem True Colors which seem to satisfy the crowd most, many trying to defeat the ever present security who seemed intent on preventing from people dancing in the aisles. Packing every ounce of the show with passion, Cyndi belts out the notes and barely misses a beat, whilst her band have a similar vitality ensuring the tempo drives its way through the set.