The only place to be Tuesday is WaMu Theatre in Seattle for the True Colors Tour, produced with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Think energetic Cyndi Lauper, the party band B-52s, Rosie O’Donnell, Joan Armatrading, Nona Hendryx — and more — for nearly five hours.
The extroverted Lauper conceived of the show as a celebration of the basic values and freedoms shared by Americans. Expect the music to deliver the equality message as well as encouragement to vote Nov. 8. The tour is in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. HRC receives $1 from every ticket sold.
Consider it the alternate version of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”: a “Gays Just Want to Have Equality.”
Big Freakin’ Deal: OneRepublic, Danity Kane, Jesse McCartney and Sara Bareilles are part of the 106.1 KISS FM concert. OneRepublic’s frontman, Ryan Tedder, wanted to sing songs of which he could be proud so he focused on singer-songwriter skills, deconstructing many hit songs, and put together a rock band. Tedder wants to connect emotionally with listeners to provide an experience. Although the band considered folding, its fame on MySpace has kept it in the game.
Earth, Wind &Fire: One of the most popular funk bands of the 1970s (and deservedly so) is still rolling out the music and drawing fans, in part because EWF has been a funk-plus group, drawing in a variety of influences while constructing a signature sound. EWF has been responsible for the hits “Best of My Love,” “Sing a Song,” “Got to Get You Into My Life,” “September,” “Boogie Wonderland,” “System of Survival” and others.
Billy Idol: The punk legend fronted Generation X, one of the first London-based punk groups, and was one of the first punk stars to have parallel careers in England and the U.S., although he never toured here with Generation X. When the band broke up, he had to come to America, where he started making more dance-oriented music and embraced MTV as part of the evolving music business. His acceptance of change has kept him in the game in the 21st century.
B.B. King: Once named the third-greatest on Rolling Stone’s 100 all-time greatest guitarists list, the highly respected King continues to tour and win new fans. He won the National Medal of the Arts, earned a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award 21 years ago. Eleven years ago, he won a Grammy for the Best Rock Instrumental Performance with other artists for “SRV Shuffle.” If you haven’t seen King in person, here’s a chance to catch a legend.
George Michael: The pop singer with the pure voice is touring with music from his latest CD, “Twenty Five,” a hits-and-new-tracks combo, including a duet with Mary J. Blige on “As.” He’ll probably sing some European hits, too.
Charlie Musselwhite: There’s a resurgence of interest in the blues harmonica player: He’s one of six bluesmen from the Mississippi Delta on a mural in Clarksdale, joining Sam Carr, Super Chikan, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters and Big Jack Johnson. He performed atop China’s Great Wall, and was honored with a Blue Note with his name on the Beale Street Walk of Fame outside B.B. King’s Club in Memphis, Tenn. And Downbeat Magazine picked “Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhite’s South Side Band” as one of the top 50 blues albums (No. 32) of the past half-century.
Zing Go The Strings featuring Correo Aereo and The Tallboys: This is definitely a guitar-fest filled with some traditional Latin music and some downhome, mountain songs, and a little fiddlin’ thrown in for good measure. Correo Aereo (Air Mail) is a world music duo performing traditional music of Venezuela, Mexico and Argentina. The Tallboys, based in Seattle, are a four-piece old-time string band well-versed in traditional fiddle tunes and mountain songs.
Out and about: Cookie Spirk of Camano Island, appearing with her band Silvana (including Shavi Firehart and Kinny Alvers from Everett and Lloyd Crafton of Marysville) for two nights of classic and current country dance music (tonight and Saturday, Blazing Saddles Restaurant, Stanwood) … Bump Kitchen’s funk and blues will ring out at the opening of a concert series at Creek Side Village Forum (Thursday, Mill Creek) … Ex-Late Tuesday vocalist Dana Little sings Late Tuesday songs and her originals in pop, jazz and soul (Saturday, Ristretto Coffee Lounge, Mount Vernon) … Indigo Girls should draw a crowd (Sunday, Woodland Park Zoo) …
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