Cyndi Lauper Brings Nightlife to Penn's Peak

Cyndi Lauper Brings Nightlife to Penn’s Peak

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By Brian Walmer, Independent Music Critic

Thursday night eighties icon, Cyndi Lauper brought her infectious pop rock hits to the small town of Jim Thorpe bringing all ages to their feet.

Dressed in all black, yellow curls with streaks of blue, Lauper, 56, looked more than ready to have fun with the audience when she took to the stage at Penn’s Peak. Guitar in hand as she took to the mic, Lauper asked the excited crowd it they were ready to rock before starting her set with a rollicking version of “When You Were Mine”. A infectious techno-dance driven version of “She Bop” was next which had Cyndi dancing on the first level railing much to the joy of fans. The theme song from the movie, “The Goonies” followed with just as much energy.

Lauper took the time welcome the audience before going into “All Through The Night”, and when an audience member shouted out “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” she set them in their place by saying “This is my show, we’re not starting this now, if you just came to hear that song leave now and come back at the end”, to which the audience cheered.

Lauper shared with the audience her love of Joni Mitchell and being invited to perform at a tribute for her idol a few years ago before she performed an amazing rendition of the Mitchell hit, “Carey”. Long time fans of the 80’s pop star were in heaven when she pulled out “Can’t Blame Me”, a song from the band Blue Angel that she started out in back in 1980. Another lesser known gem, “Hole In My Heart (All The Way To China)”, followed before she launched into “Change of Heart”.

Lauper danced on with her 1997 hit, “Ballad of Cleo & Joe” before playing the dulcimer during a audience sing-a-long of 1984’s “Time After Time”. “Into the Nightlife”, a hit off her Grammy nominated new album, “Bring Ya To The Brink” had Cyndi venturing out into the crowd pulling people up, dancing across chairs and working everyone up into a party mood. Lauper journied back to the stage for a passionate “I Drove All Night”.

Digging back into the Blue Angel catalog, the pop icon performed an emotional version of “Anna Blue” which led to a standing ovation. “Money Changes Everything”, a hit from her debut “She’s So Unusual” album, kept the audience on their feet as Cyndi left the stage.

The exuberant Lauper re-emerged and performed a fan request, “Who Let In The Rain”. A cover of The Dixie Cups, “Iko Iko”, was performed complete with washboard vest. After the song, Lauper asked a young man why his friend left to which he said “Security kicked her out for dancing”. This had her going since this was a rock show and she scolded security for chasing people and telling them they couldn’t get up and dance. To one security guard Lauper said “Did you take notice when you told those people to go sit down, I went out and got them back up again…and oh by the way, this says do not step, look, I’m stepping on it, what are you gonna do?” she said as she stood on a floor monitor. With that, the audience cheered and everyone started moving up, filling in the front of the stage.

Lauper invited up 3 young girls who had been dancing near the stage all night for her monster hit and trademark song, “Girls Just Want To Have Fun”. A moving version of “True Colors” closed out the evening with Cyndi addressing the crowd part way through to promote the message of peace and love for everyone. With that, Lauper finished the song and said her goodbye’s. A nice finish to an amazing hit packed evening from one of Pop’s leading ladies.

SETLIST

When You Were Mine

She Bop

Goonies “R” Good Enough

All Through The Night

Carey

Can’t Blame Me

Hole In My Heart (All The Way To China)

Change of Heart

Ballad of Cleo & Joe

Time After Time

Into The Nightlife

I Drove All Night

Anna Blue

Money Changes Everything

ENCORES:

Who Let In The Rain

Iko Iko

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

True Colors