The Memphis Blues Tour was the eleventh concert tour by American recording artist Cyndi Lauper, in support of her eleventh studio album. The tour visited the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe. During the trek, Lauper performed at numerous jazz festivals including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Jazz à Vienne and Jazz Fest Wien. In the fall of 2011, Lauper continued the tour as a co-headlining show with Dr. John titled From Memphis to Mardi Gras. Lauper performed over a hundred concerts beginning in June 2010 and ending in November 2011.
Background Lauper announced the tour in April 2010 via her official website. The singer stated the show will focus heavily on the blues sound of her album alongside her past hits. The tour was designed to be an intimate tour. mimicking the jazz culture of the 1920s. Lauper wanted the show to emulate hearing good music in a "smoky cafe". While on tour, concertgoers were able to donate to charities supported by the singer including the Give a Damn Foundation. Lauper was joined on tour by Charlie Musselwhite and Allen Toussaint, who helped contribute to the making of her recent album. While on tour in Japan, Lauper concerts occurred during the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake. Although the singer was urged to leave the island, Lauper stayed and continued to perform her shows as scheduled. She donated the funds from her shows to help relief efforts. In Argentina, Lauper gave an impromptu performance of her hit "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" at the Aeroparque Jorge Newbery.
Opening acts David Rhodes (North America—Leg 1, select dates) Charlie Musselwhite (North America—Leg 1, select dates) Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (Atlanta—August 2010) Allen Toussaint (Los Angeles—August 2010) The Ferocious Few (North America—Leg 2, select dates) Lan Lan (Brazil) Casey Donovan (Australia, select dates) Rainy Boy Sleep (England, Scotland) NEeMA (Istres)
Setlist
Tour dates
Date City Country Venue North America—Leg 1June 25, 2010MorristownUnited StatesMayo Center for the Performing ArtsJune 26, 2010BostonHouse of BluesJune 27, 2010EnglewoodBergen Performing Arts Center June 29, 2010ClevelandHouse of BluesJune 30, 2010ChicagoJuly 1, 2010DetroitSound Board TheaterJuly 3, 2010TorontoCanadaQueen's ParkJuly 4, 2010MontrealMétropolisJuly 21, 2010New York CityUnited StatesThe Town HallJuly 23, 2010WesthamptonWesthampton Beach Performing Arts CenterJuly 24, 2010July 25, 2010NorthamptonPines TheaterJuly 27, 2010New BedfordZeiterion Performing Arts CenterJuly 28, 2010RidgefieldRidgefield PlayhouseJuly 30, 2010GlensideKeswick TheatreJuly 31, 2010Myrtle BeachHouse of BluesAugust 1, 2010OrlandoAugust 3, 2010MiamiKnight Concert HallAugust 4, 2010ClearwaterRuth Eckerd HallAugust 6, 2010AtlantaChastain Park AmphitheaterAugust 7, 2010BiloxiBeau Rivage TheatreAugust 8, 2010New OrleansHouse of BluesAugust 10, 2010AustinParamount TheatreAugust 11, 2010DallasHouse of BluesAugust 12, 2010HoustonAugust 14, 2010AlbuquerqueLegends TheaterAugust 15, 2010TucsonAVA AmphitheaterAugust 17, 2010SaratogaMountain Winery AmphitheaterAugust 18, 2010NapaUptown TheatreAugust 20, 2010West WendoverPeppermill Concert HallAugust 21, 2010Las VegasHouse of BluesAugust 22, 2010San DiegoAugust 26, 2010Santa YnezSamala ShowroomAugust 27, 2010Los AngelesGreek TheatreAugust 28, 2010RenoGrande Exposition HallSeptember 1, 2010PortlandOregon Zoo AmphitheaterSeptember 2, 2010SeattleNorth MeadowSeptember 3, 2010VancouverCanadaPNE Rogers AmphitheatreSeptember 23, 2010DenverUnited StatesParamount Theatre North America—Leg 2November 27, 2010Washington, D.C.United States9:30 ClubNovember 28, 2010AshevilleThe Orange PeelDecember 2, 2010MemphisThe WarehouseDecember 4, 2010NewkirkCouncil Bluff Event CenterDecember 5, 2010ConchoLucky Star Casino Events CenterDecember 7, 2010MilwaukeeNorthern Lights TheaterDecember 8, 2010December 10, 2010Atlantic CityTropicana ShowroomDecember 11, 2010LedyardMGM Grand TheaterDecember 12, 2010WaterburyPalace TheatreDecember 14, 2010KingstonUlster Performing Arts CenterDecember 15, 2010TarrytownTarrytown Music HallDecember 18, 2010San FranciscoThe Independent South AmericaAdditional sources for dates in South America: February 19, 2011RecifeBrazilChevrolet HallFebruary 20, 2011Rio de JaneiroVivo RioFebruary 22, 2011São PauloVia FunchalFebruary 23, 2011February 25, 2011GoiâniaAtlanta Music HallFebruary 26, 2011CuiabáPavilhão das NaçõesFebruary 27, 2011BrasíliaCentro de Eventos e Convenções Brasil 21March 1, 2011Porto AlegreTeatro do Bourbon CountryMarch 3, 2011Buenos AiresArgentinaTeatro Gran RexMarch 5, 2011SantiagoChileTeatro CaupolicánMarch 6, 2011Viña del MarGran BallroomMarch 8, 2011CaracasVenezuelaAnfiteatro del SambilMarch 10, 2011Panama CityPanamaTeatro Anayansi Asia, retrieved 2011-06-15. March 15, 2011NagoyaJapanCU Center for Culture & ArtsMarch 16, 2011TokyoOrchard HallMarch 17, 2011March 18, 2011March 21, 2011OsakaNHK Osaka HallMarch 22, 2011 AustraliaMarch 28, 2011BrisbaneAustraliaQPAC Concert HallMarch 29, 2011March 31, 2011SydneyState TheatreApril 1, 2011April 2, 2011NewcastleNewcastle Entertainment CentreApril 5, 2011PerthBurswood TheatreApril 8, 2011MelbournePalais Theatre North AmericaMay 5, 2011New OrleansUnited StatesFair Grounds Race Course EuropeAdditional sources for dates in Europe:June 12, 2011ReykjavíkIcelandHarpa Concert HallJune 14, 2011BergenNorwayRicks TeaterJune 16, 2011StockholmSwedenStora SalongenJune 18, 2011EsbjergDenmarkVognsbølparkenJune 20, 2011ManchesterEnglandBridgewater HallJune 23, 2011GlasgowScotlandGlasgow Royal Concert HallJune 24, 2011SheffieldEnglandSheffield City HallJune 26, 2011BirminghamSymphony Hall, BirminghamJune 27, 2011BristolColston HallJune 28, 2011BrightonBrighton Dome Concert HallJune 30, 2011LondonHammersmith ApolloJuly 1, 2011OxfordshireGreat Tew EstateJuly 3, 2011ParisFranceL'OlympiaJuly 5, 2011ZürichSwitzerlandKaufleutenJuly 5, 2011BaselThe FlowerJuly 8, 2011VienneFranceVienne Roman TheaterJuly 9, 2011Esch-sur-AlzetteLuxembourgRockhalJuly 11, 2011RomeItalyAuditorium Parco della MusicaJuly 12, 2011IstresFrancePavillon de GrignanJuly 13, 2011MilanItalyArena CivicaJuly 15, 2011ViennaAustriaVienna State OperaJuly 18, 2011HamburgGermanyLaeiszhalleJuly 19, 2011BerlinAdmiralspalastJuly 22, 2011CartagenaSpainAuditorio Parque TorresJuly 23, 2011Sant Feliu de GuíxolsEspai Port MarítimJuly 24, 2011MadridEscenario Puerta del ÁngelJuly 25, 2011San SebastiánTrinidad Square North America—Leg 3October 7, 2011Lake Buena VistaUnited StatesHouse of BluesOctober 8, 2011BiloxiBeau Rivage TheatreOctober 9, 2011BirminghamJemison Concert HallOctober 11, 2011GreenvillePeace Concert HallOctober 12, 2011AtlantaWilliams TheatreOctober 14, 2011MontclairWellmont TheaterOctober 15, 2011EnglewoodBergen Performing Arts Center October 16, 2011Red BankCount Basie TheatreOctober 18, 2011Washington, D.C.9:30 ClubOctober 19, 2011WestburyNYCB Theatre at WestburyOctober 21, 2011GlensideKeswick TheatreOctober 22, 2011ReadingSovereign Performing Arts CenterOctober 23, 2011BostonHouse of BluesOctober 25, 2011BuffaloKleinhans Music HallOctober 27, 2011CarmelThe PalladiumOctober 28, 2011AuroraParamount TheatreOctober 29, 2011CincinnatiTaft TheatreOctober 31, 2011Kansas CityThe Midland by AMCNovember 1, 2011DenverOgden TheatreNovember 3, 2011PalaInfinity ShowroomNovember 4, 2011Los AngelesClub NokiaNovember 5, 2011RenoGrande Exposition Hall Asia March 7, 2012NiigataJapanNiigata Prefectural Civic CenterMarch 9, 2012TokyoOrchard HallMarch 10, 2012March 11, 2012March 13, 2012OsakaOsaka International Convention CenterMarch 15, 2012NagoyaAichi Arts Center HallMarch 17, 2012Quezon CityPhilippinesSmart Araneta Coliseum
Festivals and other miscellaneous performances
Cancellations and rescheduled shows February 19, 2011Belo Horizonte, BrazilChevrolet HallCancelledFebruary 20, 2011São Paulo, BrazilVia FunchalRescheduled to February 22, 2011February 21, 2011São Paulo, BrazilVia FunchalRescheduled to February 23, 2011February 23, 2011Recife, BrazilChevrolet HallRescheduled to February 19, 2011February 25, 2011Rio de Janeiro, BrazilCitibank HallRescheduled to February 20, 2011 and moved to Vivo RioFebruary 26, 2011Florianópolis, BrazilFloripa Music HallCancelledFebruary 27, 2011Porto Alegre, BrazilTeatro do Bourbon CountryRescheduled to March 1, 2011March 2, 2011Buenos Aires, ArgentinaTeatro Gran RexRescheduled to March 3, 2011March 3, 2011Santiago, ChileGran BallroomRescheduled to March 5, 2011March 5, 2011Lima, PeruJockey Club del PerúCancelled
Box office score data Venue City Tickets sold / available Gross revenueSound Board TheaterDetroit1,189 / 1,560 (76%)$57,412Keswick TheatreGlenside1,282 / 1,282 (100%)$65,979Knight Concert HallMiami1,369 / 1,800 (76%)$70,376Ruth Eckerd HallClearwater1,423 / 2,180 (65%)$67,480Greek TheatreLos Angeles3,563 / 3,701 (96%)$151,2509:30 ClubWashington, D.C.901 / 1,200 (75%)$40,545Newcastle Entertainment CentreNewcastle1,600 / 2,975 (54%)$181,586Bridgewater HallManchester1,247 / 1,450 (86%)$57,263Glasgow Royal Concert HallGlasgow1,050 / 1,420 (74%)$46,733Sheffield City HallSheffield1,011 / 1,510 (67%)$48,359Symphony HallBirmingham1,277 / 1,350 (94%)$62,231Colston HallBristol936 / 1,324 (71%)$42,459Brighton Dome Concert HallBrighton958 / 1,422 (67%)$45,407Hammersmith ApolloLondon2,082 / 2,500 (83%)$105,304Williams Theatre Atlanta 803 / 2,451 (33%) $45,6179:30 Club Washington, D.C. 631 / 1,200 (52%) $28,395Sovereign Performing Arts Center Reading 707 / 1,774 (40%) $37,011Club Nokia Los Angeles 1,343 / 1,500 (89%) $60,559TOTAL23,372 / 32,599 (72%)$1,213,966
Broadcasts and recordings Lauper's performance during Jazz á Vienne was broadcast on live on French radio station France Inter. The show omitted "All Through the Night", with "Cross Road Blues" and "Down So Low" not broadcast in full.
A DVD/ CD of her performance on December 2, 2010 at The Warehouse in Memphis, Tennessee was released in October 2011 and was titled "Cyndi Lauper To Memphis, with Love." It was a unique film with documentary footage but included the performances of the entire set list of the show that night. The package includes a booklet that looked like a concert program with photos from the Memphis show in particular but also photos of Cyndi and her band in various places on the Memphis Blues tour.
Critical reception The tour was praised by music critics and concertgoers. Katherine Feeny (Brisbane Times) gave the pop singer's concert at the QPAC Concert Hall four out of five stars. She says, "It's just one of example of her ability to endear herself to the room, an ability testament to her skill and experience. So too is Lauper's lack of need for showy stage and lighting. The sheer scale and gutsy thrust of her vocal range coupled with a dynamic presence more than fills the stage". Michael Dwyer (The Sydney Morning Herald) gave the singer three and a half out of five stars. He writes, "Maybe the subtleties between thought and expression are redundant when a Broadway dynamo in a leather pantsuit is prowling the theatre, standing on chairs and bellowing that 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun'. But when she hit the right blend of power and soul—such as with Robert Johnson's Cross Roads Blues—Lauper channelled something more profound".
The praise for the tour continued as Lauper began to perform in England. Kate Watkins (City Life) gave the performance at the Bridgewater Hall four out of five stars. She explains, "The night ended with a sombre performance of 'True Colors' which showcased the depth and feeling of her vocals which have only improved since she started singing the Blues". Catherine Meek (The Argus) gave the concert at the Brighton Dome Concert Hall a positive review. She states, "Whether she was singing a track from her most recent album, 'Memphis Blues', with full backing, or a solo of an old favourite with nothing but the microphone and her dulcimer, Lauper's voice bellowed harmony".
Personnel Band Orris Warner – drums Michael Toles – guitar