Cher Live (and in person)

This secton covers Cher concerts and in-store appearances. Read blog posts about concerts.

In-Store Appearances

Read my review of Cher's in-store appearance to promote her Believe album and The First Time autobiography.

Cher Tours

Cher has been touring with live shows on and off since the mid-1960s, culminating in her Farewell Tour from 2002 to 2005. She has also performed in Las Vegas, Monte Carlo and on fair and nightclub circuts as part of Sonny & Cher and in many one-off club dates in promotion for her single "Believe."

Costumery is an important aspect of Cher's live show and she has largely utilized Bob Mackie in designing various costumes and headresses for her live tours.

Cher at the Colosseum (2008-2012) - Las Vegas at Caesars Palace
(3 year run)

To date this show is a recreation of the Farewell Tour in set list (with the exception of "Love is a Battlefield" and "The Beat Goes On") which involves a good sampling of her hits. The difference is amped up visuals, mostly in costumes and sets. Sold out shows proves this formula is a crowd-pleaser. Read my review of (1) the show, (2) the tourbook and (3) gift store. Here are my pictures from Caesars.

Original setlist:

1. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
2. "Song for the Lonely"
3. Flying Death Mobile Monologue
4. Laverne Skit - "I've Gotta Be Me"
5. "All Or Nothing"
6. "I Found Someone"
7. "Love Is a Battlefield"
8. Video Interlude: "It's the Little Things"
9. "The Beat Goes On" (Duet with Sonny)
10. "All I Really Want to Do"
11. Grand Canyon Closet Monologue
12. Medley: "Half-Breed/Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves/Dark Lady"
13. Dance Interlude: "Burn Baby Burn/Y.M.C.A."
14. "Don't Leave Me This Way" (partial)
15. "Take Me Home"
16. "Love Hurts" (she didn't sing this in the show I attended in May 2008)
17. "The Way of Love"
18. Video Interlude: Cher Movie Monologues
19. "After All" (Duet with Paul Markovich)
20. "Walking In Memphis"
21. "The Shoop Shoop Song"
22. Video Interlude: "Ain't Nobody's Business"
23. "Strong Enough" (she didn't sing this in the show I attended in May 2008)
24. "If I Could Turn Back Time"
25. "Believe"

The Big Entrance

The Red Wig / Take Me Home Fit / The Hole Fit

 

The Farewell Tour (June 2002 - April 2005) - aka The Living Proof Tour, The Never Can Say Goodbye Tour
(International Tour)

Amazingly fun filled show that was a recreation of the Believe Tour setlist with amped up visuals (sound familiar?). Bold entrance from a chadalier. The set list never changed in four years, except to get smaller. I saw this show twice at the MGM in Vegas, five times in Los Angeles (twice at Staples, once in Anaheim, once in San Bernadino where I had all my Cher merchandise stolen by the people sitting behind me, and the final show at the Hollywood Bowl). Show was also remarkable for its many false alarms on absolutely final shows, which included false ends in Canada on Halloween, in Australia and New Year's shows in Las Vegas. Read my review of the show on Ape Culture. Awesome opening show by Cyndi Lauper. See tour dates. This concert is available on DVD.

Original setlist:

1. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
2. "Song for the Lonely" (only sang this in early shows)
3. "A Different Kind of Love Song" (only sang this in early shows)
4. Dancers Interlude: "Gayatri Mantra"
5. "All or Nothing"
6. "We All Sleep Alone" (only sang this in early shows)
7. "I Found Someone"
8. Dancers Interlude: "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" (I believe she only sang this in early shows)
9. "Sonny & Cher Video Montage" ("The Beat Goes On", "Baby Don't Go" and "I Got You Babe")
10. "All I Really Want to Do"
11. Medley: "Half-Breed/Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves/Dark Lady"
12. Video Interlude: The Cher Show
13. Dancers Interlude: "Take Me Home"
14. "Take Me Home"
15. "The Way of Love" (this was taken out in some shows I saw)
16. "Love Hurts" (I never saw this song performed in shows I saw)
17. "The Power" (I never saw this song performed in shows I saw)
18. Video Interlude: Movie Monologues
19. "After All" (feat Paul Mirkovich)
20. "Walking in Memphis"
21. "Just Like Jesse James" (this was taken out in some shows I saw)
22. "Heart of Stone" (only sang this in early shows)
23. "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)"
24. Video Interlude: Cher's quote attack
25. "Strong Enough"
26. "Save Up All Your Tears" (I never saw this song performed in shows I saw)
27. "If I Could Turn Back Time"
28. "Believe"

The Big Entrance / Take Me Home Fit / The Hole Fit

 

Do You Believe? Tour (1999)
(International Tour)

Cyndi Lauper opened many of these shows as well with an ecclectic show but nothing like the stadium rockfest she launched for Cher's Farewell Tour. The tour was remarkable in that Cher reintroduced her hits into her act, including songs like "All I Really Want to Do," the "Gypsys Tramps and Thieves/Half Breed/Dark Lady" medley. One of the last shows where she made her entrance down a grand staircase. I saw this show at Jones Beach and at Madison Square Guarden in New York City. Read my review on Ape Culture. See tour dates. This concert is available on DVD.

Original setlist

1. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
2. "All or Nothing"
3. "The Power"
4. Dancers Interlude
5. "We All Sleep Alone"
6. "I Found Someone"
7. Video Interlude: "Sonny & Cher" Montage
8. "The Way of Love"
9. Medley: "Half Breed / Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves / Dark Lady"
10. Dancers Interlude: "Take Me Home" Intro
11. "Take Me Home"
12. Video Interlude: Cher's Movie Monologue
13. "After All"
14. "Walking in Memphis" (only sang this in early shows)
15. "Just Like Jesse James"
16. "Heart of Stone" (only sang this in early shows)
17. "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)"
18. Dancers Interlude: Flamenco Dance, Pt. 1
19. "Dov'é L'Amore"
20. Video Interlude: "Strong Enough" Intro
21. "Strong Enough"
22. "If I Could Turn Back Time"
23. "Believe"
    

The Red Wig / The Hole Fit (variation) / Take Me Home Fit

Love Hurts Tour (1991-1992)
(Limited International Tour)

I haven't seen this tour. It's tour dates didn't come through my town which at the time was St. Louis, Missouri. Read my review on I Found Some Blog.

Original setlist (Germany 1992 show):

1. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
2. "Bye Bye Baby"
3. "We All Sleep Alone"
4. "I Found Someone"
5. "Love and Understanding"
6. "Save Up All Your Tears"
7. "After All"
8. "Many Rivers to Cross"
9. "Fire"
10. "Just Like Jesse James"
11. "Love is a Battlefield"
12. "If I Could Turn Back Time"
13. "Love Hurts"
14. "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)"
15. "The Fire Down Below"
    

The Red Wig / The Hole Fit

 

Heart of Stone Tour (1989-1991)
(International Tour)

The first Cher concert I ever saw - in St. Louis, Missouri, at the late Checkerdome in June of 1990. Two of my friends criticized the show for being only one hour and mostly costume changes. I took copious notes but never did a review. This show was typical at the time of having no Cher hits and mostly covers in the set list. Darelene Love and sang backup on the tour. See the tour dates. This concert is available on DVD from some small outlets. It aired on TV as Extravaganza: Live at the Mirage.

Original setlist:

1. "I'm No Angel" - Gregg Allman song
2. "Hold On" - Eddie Money song
3. "We All Sleep Alone"
4. "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)"
5. "I Found Someone"
6. "Perfection" - with giant big combs and hair dryers being carried around
7. "Tougher Than The Rest" - Bruce Springsteen song (in amazing dress and wig and set was an elevated pool hall)
8. "After All"
9. "If I Could Turn Back Time"
10. "Many Rivers to Cross" - Jimmy Cliff song
11. "Fire Down Below" - Bob Seger song
12. "Takin' It To The Streets" - Doobie Bros. song

Black Rose Tour (1980)

Black Rose did open for Hall & Oates for some dates but fans are unsure. Some believe this was the partial set list (as posted on the Cher.com message board):

1. "Never Should've Started"
2. "Julie"
3. "You Know It"
4. "Ain't Got No Money"
5. Band introductions
6. "Dirty Old Man" (sometimes)

Black Rose Hole Fit to right

 

Cher at Caesars (1979- ?)
Run at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas

This show showed audiences this first icicle-fit and the first hole-fit. The rare TV special Live in Monte Carlo was a good representation of this show in 1979. Later in 1983, after the Black Rose Tour, another TV special derivative of this show was recorded, Celebration at Caesars.

Original Take Me Home Fit / Original Hole Fit

 

The Two the Hardway Tour (1977-1978)

This is the European tour Cher did with Gregg Allman to support their 1977 duet album. See tour dates. Allegedly, they also broke up in the middle of this tour...for good.

 

 

 

 

Alleged set list:

1. "Sweet Feelin'"
2. "Move Me" (with Cher)
3. "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (with Cher)
4. "This Be a Lesson to Ya"
5. "Love the One You're With" (with Cher)
6. "Love Me" (with Cher)
7. "Half-Breed (Acustic Version)" Cher solo (with Greg at the guitar) - Uh, I would have killed to have seen that.

Various Sonny & Cher Tours (1965-1977)

1965, 1972 and 1977 Tourbooks

1970s: Sonny and Cher performed in Las Vegas and on the night-club and state fair circuits. See their two live albums, Sonny & Cher Live (1971) recorded in Century City in The Westside Room of The Century Plaza Hotel and Sonny & Cher Live Vol. 2 (1973) recorded at the Sahara in Las Vegas.

According to Wikipedia there was an All I Ever Need Is You Tour (1971-1972)

1960s: Sonny & Cher performed at sold-out venues such as the Hollywood Bowl.

According to Wikipedia there was a Wondrous World Tour (1966-1967)

On Cher.com someone posted a possible set list from 1968:

1. "The Beat Goes On"
2. "Just You"
3. "Sing cest La Vie"
4. "Laugh at me"—Sonny solo
5. "A Beautiful Story"
6. "You'd Better Sit Down Kids"—Cher solo
7. "It's the Little Things"
8. "Little Man"
9. "All I Really Wanna Do"—Cher solo
10. "Baby, Don't Go"
11. "Needles and Pins"
12. "Alfie"—Cher solo
13. "I Got You Babe
    "