{"id":80584,"date":"2018-08-04T12:19:26","date_gmt":"2018-08-04T16:19:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=80584"},"modified":"2018-08-04T12:19:26","modified_gmt":"2018-08-04T16:19:26","slug":"cyndi-lauper-and-rod-stewart-a-perfect-rock-combination-story-photographs-by-diane-fleischman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=80584","title":{"rendered":"CYNDI LAUPER AND ROD STEWART:  A PERFECT ROCK COMBINATION |    Story &#038; Photographs by Diane Fleischman"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.df-foto.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Story &amp; Photographs by Diane Fleischman<\/b><\/a><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Cambria;\">The stage was set at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pplcenter.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The PPL Center<\/a> for two powerhouse legends Friday Night, opener, Cyndi Lauper, and Sir Rod Stewart.\u00a0 Both performers have played the Lehigh Valley in the last couple of years, and the arena was packed to welcome their return.<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Cambria;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"su_carousel_69ffd701176ad\" class=\"su-carousel su-carousel-centered su-carousel-pages-yes su-carousel-responsive-yes su-lightbox-gallery\" style=\"width:100%\" data-autoplay=\"3000\" data-speed=\"600\" data-mousewheel=\"true\" data-items=\"2\" data-scroll=\"1\"><div class=\"su-carousel-slides\"><div class=\"su-carousel-slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3458r.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-0\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3458r-182x200.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_3458r\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-carousel-slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3491r.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-1\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3491r-182x200.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_3491r\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-carousel-slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3514r.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-2\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3514r-182x200.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_3514r\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-carousel-slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3527r.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-3\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3527r-182x200.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_3527r\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-carousel-slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3553r.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-4\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3553r-182x200.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_3553r\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-carousel-slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3861r.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-5\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3861r-182x200.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_3861r\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-carousel-slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3897r.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-6\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3897r-182x200.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_3897r\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-carousel-slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3917r.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-7\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3917r-182x200.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_3917r\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-carousel-slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3973r.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-8\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3973r-182x200.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_3973r\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"su-carousel-slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3947r.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-9\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSC_3947r-182x200.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_3947r\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/div><div class=\"su-carousel-nav\"><div class=\"su-carousel-direction\"><span class=\"su-carousel-prev\"><\/span><span class=\"su-carousel-next\"><\/span><\/div><div class=\"su-carousel-pagination\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Cambria;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lauper began her set shadowed, elevated above the stage as the band kicked in with \u201cI Drove All Night,\u201d she walked down the ladder steps and covered the stage and crooned the Roy Orbison song.\u00a0 Her hair color may have changed, now white with soft pink highlights, since her last performance in Bethlehem, but her catalog of hits brought the audience to their feet and cheered for more.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Cambria;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Cambria;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">She followed with \u201cShe Bop,\u201d which included her recorder solo, then \u201cAll Through The Night.\u201d\u00a0 With her unmistakable thick New York accent, there was plenty of banter thrown in between the songs, as one would expect.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Other iconic hits performed were:\u00a0 \u201cMoney Changes Everything,\u201d and the classic ballad, \u201cTime After Time,\u201d while her break-out song, \u201cGirls Just Want To Have Fun\u201d was revamped with a noticeably softer tone.\u00a0 Lauper closed her set with \u201cTrue Colors,\u201d which she explained the song was inspired by her son.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Cambria;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Cambria;\">After a brief intermission, the crowd was ready for Sir Rod Stewart.\u00a0 The stage filled with his full band donned in black and white hounds-tooth jackets, and six female back up singers\/dancers who were also incredible string musicians (violin, mandolin, and harp).\u00a0 Sir Stewart entered, stage left, his forever-spiked hair, and his hands held high in the air as he warmly greeted the Allentown fans.\u00a0 He opened with his 1984 hit, \u201cInfatuation,\u201d which set the tone as Sir Stewart dipped his microphone stand back and forth.\u00a0 Next up were \u201cSome Guys Have All The Luck,\u201d and \u201cYou Wear it Well.\u201d <\/span><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Cambria;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Cambria;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Now this production was not in any way familiar to the Rod Stewart concerts back in the 70\u2019s and 80\u2019s. This was a Vegas-styled show, where at 72 years old, Sir Stewart\u2019s jumps and box kicking days are gone, as one would expect.\u00a0 Sir Stewart is still full of energy, and oddly broke into inverted leg exercises as he laid on the stage during \u201cDowntown Train.\u201d\u00a0 His vocals remain strong and powerful full of that raspy sound that we love.\u00a0 The show also highlighted an extra long sax solo, and one of the backup singers took the lead in a Tina Turner song, which allowed Sir Stewart a few costume changes.<\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Cambria;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Cambria;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Sir Stewart didn\u2019t hold back playing the hits, \u201cTonight\u2019s The Night,\u201d \u201cYoung Hearts,\u201d \u201cForever Young,\u201d and \u201cRhythm of My Heart.\u201d\u00a0 Next up was \u201cMaggie May\u201d, the first Rod Stewart song this reporter heard on an AM radio back in 1971.\u00a0 While some artists may play a song differently over the years, it did the song justice to hear it in its original form.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Cambria;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Cambria;\">Sir Stewart returned to the stage in a silver glitter jacket and black pants and joined the ladies with their string instruments and two guitarists on acoustic, seated, as they performed \u201cThe First Cut is The Deepest,\u201d followed by \u201cYou\u2019re In My Heart.\u201d\u00a0 He introduced a song he\u2019s never performed before, \u201cGrace,\u201d a moving ballad about the 1916 Easter rising in Ireland.\u00a0 Sir Stewart carried on the tradition as kicked roughly a dozen soccer balls out into the audience during \u201cHot Legs,\u201d and the balloons dropped from the ceiling as the show closed with a pumped-up disco version of \u201cDo You Think I\u2019m Sexy.\u201d<\/span><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Cambria;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Cambria;\">As I left the PPL Center, I passed four middle-aged women, all wearing the same yellow tee shirt which read:\u00a0 \u201cRod Stewart can melt my butter.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 A point well taken, Sir Rod Stewart remains in our eyes forever young, melting hearts every time.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Story &amp; Photographs by Diane Fleischman The stage was set at The PPL Center for two powerhouse legends Friday Night, opener, Cyndi Lauper, and Sir Rod Stewart.\u00a0 Both performers have &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=80584\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">CYNDI LAUPER AND ROD STEWART:  A PERFECT ROCK COMBINATION |    Story &#038; Photographs by Diane Fleischman<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":80595,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-80584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-valley"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Cindi-and-Rod.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80584"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=80584"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80584\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/80595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=80584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=80584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=80584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}