My Hair's Been Every One of These Colors
filed on Monday, September 13, 2004 at 3:03:06 PM CST

Okay, so I'm a bit behind on my weblog here.  *grin*  I spent a couple of months packing, cleaning, moving, unpacking, tossing stuff into storage, stuffing things into the trash, and now finally, am getting fully settled into the new digs.  This process was not without its headaches, but at least, it also was filled with some fun.

The highlight of that fun, of course, was finally getting to see Cyndi Lauper in concert.  It's been about 20 years in the works, me actually getting around to seeing her, but it was well worth the wait.  The only thing I regret is not having seen her prior.  You see, Cyndi Lauper's She's So Unusual was the first LP I ever owned (that it was my only LP ever owned is probably a pointless tidbit of information I feel compelled to share anyway).  When I got my first tape deck, it was the first tape I purchased, and when I moved to CD, it was my first disc.  If we move to another music format in twenty years, it'll be the first on my list (as I shed my tears of pain, moving away from a gigantic CD collection).

Cyndi is an absolutely fabulous entertainer.  Whether you like her music or not, you'd be hard pressed not to get a chuckle or feel your eyes well up as she shares bits and pieces of her life with you.  Some performers talk during their shows, and you stand there thinking, "Shut up and sing."  Cyndi was a blast!  Parts of the show, she'd start talking, going on about a recent trip or something that happened in her life, and then she'd look back at her band and say, "Yeah, I know, I'm out there.  Give me a minute and I'll bring it back in."

It wasn't all laughter.  She also told us about her friend, Gregory, who had died of AIDS.  How he had asked her to write a song for him.  The song that she wrote was so filled with anger and sorrow that she doesn't sing it.  Instead, she sings a different song for him.  One that she dedicates to him, one that, at the time, she didn't realize how powerful and meaningful it was, but how perfect it was to remember him with.  True Colors is sung in memory of him.  She sat, telling this tale, and told us of her reasons for being a part of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).  She says that when she was younger, her mother told her older sister that she had to play with Cyndi.  Throughout the years of their lives, Cyndi always looked up to her older sister.  When Cyndi's sister came out, Cyndi thought, "Oh no you don't.  You're not getting out of playing with me that easily."

She also said that at one show, someone came up to her and handed her one of the Freedom Flags (you know, those cute, rainbow colored flags flown to let people know that they're gay friendly and/or gay).  She says that man that handed it to her claimed to have designed it.  At the time, she didn't know anything about the flag, and her first thought as she looked at it was, "Hey... my hair's been every one of these colors!"

Okay, so I have to admit, it was pretty cool standing in the audience, realizing it was packed with people, and a lot of them were gay.  And it was okay.  This isn't to say that I spend a lot of time focussing on whether or not someone else is okay with who I am, because if someone can determine based on my sexuality alone whether or not they like me, well... fuck 'em (pardon the pun).  Still, there was just this... energy I guess I'd call it... this feeling of being part of something really special.

And it all centered around Cyndi and her great performance.  She even sang She Bop in a sort of French cafe style (because she felt she was a little more mature and little more sophisticated... and it was absolutely hysterical).

I don't know... it was just an absolutely enjoyable experience, and when she comes back around (or even to a neighboring state), I'm off to see her again.  By far, this was the best concert I've ever been to, and I can't wait to see her again!  Now, I don't expect everyone else to think she's the best, because I'm obviously a bit biased... but I do think many would have an enjoyable time.

I've also made another important decision... If I'm seeing someone I really enjoy, and really want to see, I'm spending the extra money on better seats.  I had third row outside the pit to see her, and it was sixty very well spent dollars.  Between that and being in the pit for Linkin Park (yes, I know... interesting musical taste, eh?), I've decided it's just worth the extra money sometimes.