Cher plans 'visually unbelievable' Las Vegas gig

[EXPAT]

http://i.usatoday.net/life/_photos/2008/02/07/cherx-large.jpg

 

By Edna Gundersen, USA TODAY

 

Cher beat the odds at every turn in her 44-year career, so it's no surprise she's betting on an artistic rebirth in Las Vegas.

The indestructible diva, who retired from touring in 2005, will star in a song-and-dance spectacle starting May 6 at the 4,100-seat Colosseum in Caesars Palace. She'll perform four shows weekly for one month, then return mid-August through early October, leapfrogging stints with Bette Midler. Her pact with promoter AEG Live extends three years.

 

Cher, 61, promises a "visually unbelievable" hit parade that entails elaborate choreography, complex staging, eye-popping costumes, 14 dancers and four aerialists.

 

"Creatively, we're doing something that's never been done with sets," she says. "Getting the whole thing in book form, in pictures, has taken months. Our set moves down from the ceiling, in from the sides, up from the floor. We have screens in the foreground, the center and the back. We can change a city into a forest in two seconds. You'll see a different stage for every song."

 

The music will access all chapters of Cher's career, from her Sonny & Cher start to her recent dance-pop phase, and she's plotting updates of both old and new hits.

 

Cher's extravagant 2002-05 Farewell Tour rang up $192.5 million from 273 shows, the ninth-highest-grossing tour in history, according to Billboard Boxscore.

 

"Cher definitely achieved elite status as a live performer on her Farewell Tour, which was a remarkable endurance test and a hugely popular draw," says Billboard touring editor Ray Waddell. "With her elaborate costumes, long list of hits and over-the-top presentation, I can't think of another artist more suited to Vegas. A Cher concert is just a really good time."

 

Cher insists her Vegas splash won't recycle Farewell's motifs: "I'd like to be challenged."

 

She hasn't seen Colosseum concerts by previous residents Celine Dion or Elton John, nor the venue itself ("I saw a picture of it"). She's furiously working out to gear up for rehearsals, and she likes the idea of bouncing between her home in Malibu and a steady gig in Vegas.

 

But don't look for her at the craps tables: "Let me have a pair of shoes for my money."

[JT Brooklyn]

Let me First say..I have been a BIG Cher Fan for Year's.I even have the "You Have Mail Babe" email announcement! Now that's as GAY as your gonna get!

 

BUT the last few times I have seen her on camera..She definitely is getting the Joan River's Look!

 

The Vegas Gig sounds like alot of Flash and No substance. BUT I'm sure she will be very successful just showing up! IMHO of course!

[Guest zipperzone]

>Cher's extravagant 2002-05 Farewell Tour rang up $192.5

>million from 273 shows, the ninth-highest-grossing tour in

>history, according to Billboard Boxscore.

 

It would be interesting to know how much of the 192.5 she took home. After everybody got their cut and production expenses were paid, not to mention the venue rentals - maybe not all that much.

[seaboy4hire]

>>Cher's extravagant 2002-05 Farewell Tour rang up $192.5

>>million from 273 shows, the ninth-highest-grossing tour

>in

>>history, according to Billboard Boxscore.

>

>It would be interesting to know how much of the 192.5 she took

>home. After everybody got their cut and production expenses

>were paid, not to mention the venue rentals - maybe not all

>that much.

 

Touring is a HUGE money maker for acts today. With the dwindling record sales acts today have no choice but to tour if they want to continue putting caviar on the table. I have people finding the details on the Cher topic but my guess is that after everything was said and done she probably kept at least 75% of what she made on tour. I'll have to hunt for it or ask around but I have figures some where around here on what Madonna brought home from some of her London concert dates after expenses as an example on how important it is to tour these days.

 

Hugs,

Greg

seaboy4hire@yahoo.com

http://seaboy4hire.tripod.com http://www.daddysreviews.com/newest.php?who=greg_seattle

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/6707/lebec084a9ad147f620acd5ps8.jpg

Chicago Jan 30th, Feb 1, 2, and 4th

[JT Brooklyn]

It's not all about the Money for these 2. I'm sure they haven't had to worry about Profits for YEAR'S! I doubt either one really needs another 30 MIL House!

 

They are at the point where they want to see how long they can keep an "Active" Career going! My #2 Fav Tina Turner Finally said time to just enjoy life and Moved into Private Life.

 

It is Comical and a little Sad though... how some "Bitch and Moan" about Papparazzi BUT just can't Live a Life without them! ;-)

[EXPAT]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNTZELJjyuc

 

Here is her interview on GMA and Nightline.

[Okliehomo]

I am sorry to say because I was/am a big fan since "The Sonny and Cher Show" But these days, Cher is visually unbelievable...

 

Okie

[Luv2play]

As some wag put it when hearing Cher was replacing Celine in Vegas "Out with the old and in with the older". :7

[Luv2play]

Touring may be a huge money maker but in Cher's case $192.5million for 273 shows breaks down to just over $700,000 per show. Given the large overhead of renting venues and her not inconsiderable retinue of dancers, set designers etc who all have to be housed and transported and fed etc I can't see Cher walking away with all that much after taxes. Obviously enough to pay for her cosmetic fixes but...

 

Vegas, on the other hand, may be more lucrative for her if she gets the kind of contract Celine had since the venue is provided, there are no travel expenses, hotels etc for all those people in her retinue and all she has to do is pull in the crowds. That of course will be the test. She'll probably do well since people who go to Vegas want to be entertained and she's one great entertainer.

[JT Brooklyn]

Is it just me..or does Vegas seem like the last Hoorah for Older Entertainer's, other than the Fact that Old Entertainer's have Old Fan's with ALOT of Old Money! HaHa

 

Of course not Wayne Newton or Johnny Mathis.. who have been Lucky enuff to Grow Old from the start there!

 

Speaking of BAD-BAD Cosmetic SURGERY...Wayne Newton has alot in common with Michael Jackson! ;-)

[Guest josephga]

they said on entertainment tonight thats she's getting 60 million for 3 years

[Guest zipperzone]

>Touring may be a huge money maker but in Cher's case

>$192.5million for 273 shows breaks down to just over $700,000

>per show. Given the large overhead of renting venues and her

>not inconsiderable retinue of dancers, set designers etc who

>all have to be housed and transported and fed etc I can't see

>Cher walking away with all that much after taxes.

 

That was my point too. It is interesting to see the per event figure after doing the math (something I never thought to do).

 

But I guess they don't do it for the money, it's the recognition and being able to convince themselves that they are still relevent that really matters.